The Virtues of Reciting the Third kalimah

One should recite the following zikr as there are many virtues recorded in the Mubaarak Hadith for the one who recites this zikr:

سُبْحَانَ اللهِ ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ ، وَلَا إلٰهَ إلَّا الله ، وَاللهُ أكْبَرْ

Glory be to Allah, and all praise is due to Allah, and there is none worthy of worship besides Allah, and Allah is the greatest

Among the virtues of this zikr is the following virtue:

1) The Most Beloved Words of Man to Allah Ta’ala

عن سمرة بن جندب، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: أحب الكلام إلى الله أربع: سبحان الله، والحمد لله، ولا إله إلا الله، والله أكبر. لا يضرك بأيهن بدأت (صحيح مسلم، الرقم: 2137)

Hazrat Samurah bin Jundub (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “The most beloved words (from the speech of man) are four; Subhaanallah, Alhamdulillah, Laa ilaaha illallah, Allahu Akbar. It does not matter with which of these words you begin.”

2) A Tree in Jannah for Every Word

عن أبي هريرة، أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم مر به وهو يغرس غرسا، فقال: يا أبا هريرة، ما الذي تغرس؟ قلت: غراسا لي، قال: ألا أدلك على غراس خير لك من هذا؟ قال: بلى يا رسول الله، قال: قل: سبحان الله، والحمد لله، ولا إله إلا الله، والله أكبر، يغرس لك بكل واحدة شجرة في الجنة (سنن ابن ماجة، الرقم: 3807)

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) once passed by him while he was planting (a tree). Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) asked, “O Abu Hurairah! What are you planting?” Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu anhu) replied, “(I am planting) a tree of mine.”  Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) then asked him, “Should I not show you such trees that are better than this?” Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu anhu) replied, “Definitely, O Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)!” Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “Recite Subhaanallah, Alhamdulillah, Laa ilaaha illallah, Allahu Akbar, for each of these words, a tree will be planted for you in Jannah.”

3) Increase your Fruit-Bearing Trees in Jannah

عن ابن مسعود، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: لقيت إبراهيم ليلة أسري بي فقال: يا محمد، أقرئ أمتك مني السلام وأخبرهم أن الجنة طيبة التربة عذبة الماء، وأنها قيعان، وأن غراسها سبحان الله والحمد لله ولا إله إلا الله والله أكبر (سنن الترمذي، الرقم: 3462)

Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (radhiyallahu anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “I met Hazrat Ibraaheem (alayhis salaam) on the night of Israa (meraaj), and he said to me, ‘O Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)! Convey salaam to your ummah on my behalf, and inform them that the soil of Jannah is fertile and its water is sweet, and (also inform them that) it is an empty land, and its plantations is Subhaanallah, Alhamdulillah, Laa ilaaha illallah, Allahu Akbar.’”

Note: In this Hadith, Jannah is stated to have a totally plain land. However, in other Ahaadith where Jannah has been described, it is stated that there are all kinds of fruit trees in it, so much so that the literal meaning of the word Jannah is “garden”. There is thus a sort of outward contradiction here.

Hazrat Shaikh Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) mentions in Fazaail A’maal:

The Ulama explain that originally Jannah is a plain land without any trees, but when it will be handed over to the various people, they will find gardens and trees there in accordance with their deeds.

The second explanation by some Ulama is that the gardens in Jannah will be awarded according to the deeds of good people and, as such, it is the deeds that are said to have caused these trees to grow for them.

The third explanation is that the smallest Jannah that anybody will get will be bigger than the whole world. Some parts of it are covered with original gardens and other parts of it are without any growth, so that trees will get automatically planted there according to the zikr and glorification done by its recipient.