Saying subhanallah, alhamdulillah and Allahu akbar thirty-three times each after every prayer is a remembrance the Prophet taught.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught his companions to say "Subhanallah" 33 times, "Alhamdulillah" 33 times, and "Allahu akbar" 33 times after every prayer. He gave the glad tidings that whoever completes the hundred by saying "La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahu'l-mulku wa lahu'l-hamdu wa huwa ala kulli shay'in qadir" — "There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner; His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is able to do all things" — will have their sins forgiven, even if as many as the foam of the sea.
What does the hadith say?
حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الْحَمِيدِ بْنُ بَيَانٍ الْوَاسِطِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ سُهَيْلٍ، عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدٍ الْمَذْحِجِيِّ، - قَالَ مُسْلِمٌ أَبُو عُبَيْدٍ مَوْلَى سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ - عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ اللَّيْثِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ سَبَّحَ اللَّهَ فِي دُبُرِ كُلِّ صَلاَةٍ ثَلاَثًا وَثَلاَثِينَ وَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ ثَلاَثًا وَثَلاَثِينَ وَكَبَّرَ اللَّهَ ثَلاَثًا وَثَلاَثِينَ فَتِلْكَ تِسْعَةٌ وَتِسْعُونَ وَقَالَ تَمَامَ الْمِائَةِ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ غُفِرَتْ خَطَايَاهُ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ مِثْلَ زَبَدِ الْبَحْرِ " .
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:If anyone extols Allah after every prayer thirty-three times, and praises Allah thirty-three times, and declares His Greatness thirty-three times, ninety-nine times in all, and says to complete a hundred:" There is no god but Allah, having no partner with Him, to Him belongs sovereignty and to Him is praise due, and He is Potent over everything," his sins will be forgiven even If these are as abundant as the foam of the sea
Text: Sahih Muslim, hadith no. 1352. Grade: sahih (hadiths in al-Bukhari and Muslim are accepted as sahih).
What is the hadith source of this sunnah?
This sunnah rests on the following hadiths. The reference gives the collection, chapter and number where the hadith appears.
- al-Bukhari, Book of the Call to Prayer, 155 (hadith no. 843)
- Muslim, Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer, 146 (hadith no. 1352)
How this page was prepared: sources and verification method.
More sunnahs in Prayer & Worship
As a table with references: Prayer & Worship sunnahs.
- A Supplication on Leaving Home: Reciting a supplication every time you leave home means setting out in Allah's name and trusting in Him.
- Fasting on Monday and Thursday: Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays is a sunnah the Prophet carefully observed.
- Salawat on Friday: Sending abundant salawat on Fridays is a beautiful expression of love and devotion to the Prophet.
- Making Repentance a Habit: Repenting a hundred times a day stands for the heart's constant cleansing and turning to Allah.
- Reflection and Remembering Death: Remembering death and reflecting deeply protects the heart from attachment to the world.
- Reading the Qur'an with Understanding: Reading the Qur'an slowly and with understanding carries it not merely to the voice but to the heart.
- Lawful Provision: Eating what is pure and lawful, and keeping away from the doubtful and the forbidden, is required by faith.
- Praying with Humility: Praying with humility and calm is a sunnah the Prophet both practiced and advised.
- Praying the Fajr Sunnah at Home: Praying the sunnah of Fajr at home and the obligatory prayer in congregation at the mosque was the Prophet's practice.