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side of the balance and the Kalima of “La ilaha illallah” one the other, the later shall turn out to be heavier.”

Such, indeed, is the splendor of “La ilaha illallah”. People unfortunately, take it to be a mere phrase. The present writer himself has heard it from an inspired devotee of the Lord in a moment of rare spiritual feeling that, “If someone with the entire wealth of the world at his command were to tell me to give him one Kalima of “La ilaha illallah” recited by me in return for his treasures this humble self shall refuse to do so.”

The Third Kalima

Relates Hazrat Sumra bin Jundab that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) once said that of all the spoken words and the Kalima’s the most excellent were these four:

“Subhanallah - Alhamdulilah - La ilaha illallah - Allahuakbar”

And narrates Abu Huraira that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“The Kalima “Subhanallah - Alhamdulilah - La ilaha illallah - Allahuakbar” is dearer to me than the entire world on which the sun shines”.

This Kalima is most complete and comprehensive and all the aspects of Divine Praise are covered by it. In some Traditions the phrase is also included in it. It occurs after. A revered spiritual mentor used to explain the import of the Kalima to the present writer in following manner:

Subhanallah - Glory be to Allah (Subhaanahu Wata’aalaa), Free from all faults and blemishes and other things that are not worthy of His Glory.

Alhamdulilah - Praise be to Allah (Subhaanahu Wata’aalaa), He is the embodiment of perfection and the center of every kind of virtue, (therefore) all praise is for Him, and when such is His Glory that He is absolutely blemish less and all the wonderful virtues are assembled in Him, He alone is our Lord and the sole object of our heart’s desire.

La ilaha illallah - There is no god (no one is worthy of worship and obedience) but Allah (Subhaanahu Wata’aalaa), we are His own helpless slaves and of no one else.

Allahuakbar - Allah (Subhaanahu Wata’aalaa) is Great, He is Most Powerful, Almighty. We can never acquit ourselves of our duties to Him as His slaves nor can we ever gain nearness onto Him except that he himself blesses us with His grace.

‘There is no power or virtue but in Allah (Subhaanahu Wata’aalaa).”

Tasbihat-e-Fatimah

A well-known Tradition of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) has it that the Prophet’s beloved daughter (and Hazrat Ali’s wife), Hazrat Fatima, used to perform all the domestic duties with her own hands. She had even to draw water from the well and to carry it home and to grind the corn in the millstone. One day she begged the holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) to provide her with a domestic servant upon which the Prophet (Peace be upon him) observed, “I will tell you of something that will serve you better than a domestic servant. Recite Subhanallah 33 times, Alhamdulilah 33 times, and Allahuakbar 34 times after each Namaz and on retiring to bed. This will be of greater value to you than a servant.”

Another Tradition says, “Whoever will recite after each Namaz Subhanallah 33 times, Alhamdulilah 33