Bulugh al-Maram

Takhrij:
«أخرجه البخاري، الدعوات، باب الدعاء إذا علا عقبة، حديث:6384، ومسلم، الذكر والدعاء، باب استحباب خفض الصوت بالذكر...، حديث:2704، والنسائي في الكبرٰي:6 /97، حديث:10190.»©Explanation:
In this hadith as well, the virtue of "La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah" is mentioned.
It is a fact that the more precious and valuable a thing is, the more carefully and diligently it is protected and looked after.
It is kept hidden and safeguarded.
And these words are indeed a treasure from Paradise, so they too should be guarded and recited frequently.

Hadith Commentary:
In this statement, everything has been attributed solely to Allah.
Therefore, whoever holds such a firm belief in Allah the Exalted will certainly be among the people of Paradise.
Further details are forthcoming.
Raising one's voice excessively in supplication (du'a) is also not something commendable.
﴿Call upon your Lord with humility and in private; indeed, He does not love the transgressors.﴾

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
In one narration, it is mentioned that when people would ascend a high hill, they would say aloud: "Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, la ilaha illallah," so the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) admonished them as mentioned.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Maghazi, Hadith: 4202)
In this regard, the statement of Allah, the Exalted, is:
"Call upon your Lord with humility and in secret. Surely, He does not love those who exceed the limits."
(al-A'raf: 55/7)
(2)
In any case, when calling upon Allah, there should be an expression of humility and submissiveness, and neediness; raising the voice excessively is not a good thing, which is why the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) admonished them.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
In the narration of Tabarani, it is mentioned that when the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) declared this person to be among the people of Hellfire, it was very burdensome for the people.
They said, "O Messenger of Allah! If such a hardworking and striving person is from among the people of Hellfire, then what will become of us?"
He (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) replied, "This person is from the people of Hellfire; he conceals his hypocrisy."
It is understood from this that rulings cannot be made based on outward actions alone,
until the inner conditions are rectified.
May Allah protect everyone from hypocrisy.
The statement of Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu), which is narrated through the route of Shabib from Yunus, is originally that Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) came to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) at a time when the Battle of Khaybar had already ended.
Therefore, in the narrations of Shabib and Ma'mar, where the word "Khaybar" is mentioned, there remains some doubt. Thus, Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) established through the narrations of Shabib and Ibn al-Mubarak that instead of "Khaybar," the word "Hunayn" is mentioned in them.
In some copies of Sahih Bukhari, the word "Khaybar" is mentioned here; some have said that this is the correct version.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
It is evident from this hadith that people should not become arrogant about their deeds, nor should anyone’s ultimate fate in the Hereafter be judged based on their outward state. One should not pass judgment on apparent actions until the rectitude of inner conditions is known.

➋
This hadith does not necessitate that anyone who commits suicide must certainly be declared among the people of Hell; rather, the meaning is that due to this act, a person becomes deserving of punishment and Hellfire. It is possible that Allah, the Exalted, may forgive him, or after receiving the punishment for the mentioned sin, he may ultimately enter Paradise, just as will be the case with other sinful believers.

➌
In the narration of Tabarani, when the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) declared this person to be among the people of Hell, it was very burdensome for the people. They said:
“O Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)! If a person who strives and exerts himself so much is among the people of Hell, then what will become of us?” He replied:
“Indeed, he is among the people of Hell, and he had concealed his hypocrisy.”
(al-Mu’jam al-Kabir by Tabarani: 1/296, 297)

➍
A similar incident to the man mentioned in this hadith is found in the forthcoming narration of Sahl ibn Sa’d (radi Allahu anhu). There is a difference of opinion as to whether both incidents pertain to the same person or to different individuals. Some commentators have considered these incidents to be separate, because in the narration of Sahl ibn Sa’d (radi Allahu anhu), it is mentioned that he committed suicide by placing his chest on the edge of a sword, whereas in the hadith of Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu), it is stated that he killed himself with an arrow. Furthermore, in the narration of Sahl ibn Sa’d (radi Allahu anhu), when the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) learned of the incident, he sent Bilal (radi Allahu anhu) to make an announcement, whereas in the narration of Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu), the focus is on the person’s end and outcome.
However, according to our inclination, different aspects of the same incident have been described, and it is also possible that he first attempted with an arrow and then used a sword.
Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) also leans towards the view that both incidents are one and the same, and different aspects have been mentioned in them.
(Fath al-Bari: 7/589)
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:

Lā ḥawla: There is no power to avoid sins,
wa lā quwwata: nor any strength to do good deeds,
illā billāh: except by Allah—this is all entirely dependent upon Allah’s help.
He alone is the Owner and Disposer of every state of a person.
In this phrase, the greatness and majesty of Allah the Exalted is expressed in a unique manner.
This is why this phrase is one of the treasures from among the treasures of Paradise; whoever recites it and gives it a place in his heart will certainly be among the people of Paradise.
May Allah make us among them (Amin).

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
This incident pertains to the Battle of Khaybar.
Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari radi Allahu anhu says that at that time I was reciting «لاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ» softly behind the riding animal of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, so he made the aforementioned statement.
(2)
Indeed, in this phrase, the greatness and majesty of Allah Ta‘ala are expressed in a special manner.
It is called one of the treasures from the treasures of Paradise because by reciting it, there is great hope for abundant reward in the Hereafter; as if this phrase itself is a very precious and excellent treasure.
A similar hadith is also narrated from Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu, to whom the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
“Shall I not tell you a phrase which is a treasure from beneath the Throne, and it is «لاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ».
Allah Ta‘ala says that the servant who utters this phrase has adopted My obedience and has submitted himself to Me.”
(al-Mustadrak lil-Hakim: 1/71)

Hadith Footnote:
Explanation:
It refers to this very phrase: "La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah" (There is no power nor strength except with Allah).

Allah Ta'ala is not absent.

Its meaning is that He sees and hears everything, everywhere, and every sound.

What is a sound? He even knows what is in the hearts.

When people say that Allah is present and watching everywhere, this also means that nothing is hidden from His knowledge, hearing, and sight. It does not mean, as the Jahmiyyah—may Allah curse them—believe, that Allah, with His holy essence and attributes, is present in every place or everywhere. Rather, His sacred essence is above the Throne (‘Arsh), but His knowledge, hearing, and sight are everywhere. This is the meaning of His presence.

Imam Abu Hanifah himself states that Allah is above the heavens, not on the earth, meaning His sacred essence is above the heavens, upon His Throne, and this is the creed of all the Imams of the religion, as has been mentioned above.

This phrase "La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah" is a most effective phrase. Allah Ta'ala has placed such effect in this phrase that whoever recites it regularly remains protected from every evil.

Our spiritual guide and mentor, Hazrat Mujaddid, used to complete his daily recitation with this: he would recite Salat and Salam (durood sharif) one hundred times at the beginning and end, and five hundred times "La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah." For the fulfillment of all important needs and objectives of this world and the Hereafter, I have personally experienced these twelve phrases: whoever recites them at all times, whenever free, without restriction of number, inshaAllah Ta'ala all his wishes will be fulfilled.

"SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi, SubhanAllahi al-‘Azim.
Astaghfirullah, la ilaha illa Allah, la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah, ya Rafi‘, ya Mu‘izz, ya Ghani, ya Hayyu, ya Qayyum, birahmatika astagheeth, ya Arham ar-Rahimeen, la ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu min az-zalimeen, hasbunAllahu wa ni‘ma al-wakeel, ni‘ma al-mawla wa ni‘ma an-naseer."

It so happened that an atheist, irreligious person, who was a great enemy of the Ahl al-Hadith and the people of knowledge, became so powerful that no one could confront him.

It became difficult for everyone, especially the religious people, to protect their honor and dignity from his evil.

Allah Ta'ala, by the blessing of these very phrases, eradicated him and granted relief to His servants.

When the news of his being cast into the Fire and Saqar came, suddenly this chronogram (madda tarikh) came to mind:
Since Abu Jahl departed from this world, his date of death is indicated by "bama zamma ray biroon kun wa bigar hadith mat Fir‘awn hadhihi al-ummah."

Hadith Commentary:
1.
Allah Ta’ala is not absent; this means that He is seeing everything everywhere and hearing every sound.
He is not so distant that there would be a need to call upon Him in a loud voice. Allah the Exalted says:
“(O Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam!)
When My servants ask you concerning Me, (tell them)
I am indeed near.
I respond to the supplicant’s call whenever he calls upon Me.” (: al-Baqarah: 186)
What is a voice? He even knows the secrets of the heart and the treachery of the eyes; that is why it is said:
You are calling upon the All-Hearing, All-Seeing, and the One who is extremely near.
The servant is also described with these attributes, as Allah the Exalted says:
“We have indeed created man
hearing and seeing.” (: al-Dahr 76:2)
But the servant’s hearing and sight are deficient; he cannot hear from afar, and even if something is near, if there is a barrier or screen, his hearing and sight do not function. But Allah Ta’ala is perfectly characterized by these attributes; no movement escapes His hearing, no matter how hidden it may be.
He hears the footsteps of an ant walking on a white stone in the darkness of the night, and even things more hidden than that.
He hears even the sound produced by the movement of breath, while a human being cannot hear it himself.
His sight encompasses all the movements and stillness of the universe.
No human is as close to another human as Allah Ta’ala is to him:
Allah the Exalted says:
“We are closer to him than (his) jugular vein.” (: Qaf 50:16)

2.
It should be clear that this nearness is in terms of knowledge and power; otherwise, the Essence of Allah the Exalted is established above the Throne (istiwa ‘ala al-‘arsh).
Some ignorant people have extracted from such verses the philosophy that Allah Ta’ala Himself is present everywhere, and then they coined impure terms such as wahdat al-wujud and wahdat al-shuhud.
Some people went a step further and claimed that the Prophets (alayhim as-salam), even the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) himself, and even Ali (radi Allahu anhu) are present everywhere, and people have explicitly stated the omnipresence of their spiritual guides and mentors.
Allah Ta’ala is pure from all such things.
We will discuss in detail the matter of Allah Ta’ala being Present and Watchful in the future.

3.
In view of these mentioned attributes of his Lord, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said to his noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma‘in):
Have mercy and compassion upon yourselves.
Do not burden yourselves by raising your voices excessively when proclaiming the takbir.
There is no need for this, because the One whose greatness and glorification you are declaring is the All-Hearing and All-Seeing.
Allah hears a hidden voice just as He hears a loud voice, and He sees hidden things just as He sees things that are openly displayed.
Nothing in the heavens and the earth is hidden from Him.
(Sharh Kitab al-Tawhid by al-Ghunayman: 1/191)

Explanation:
1:
That is:
Whoever recites this phrase frequently will become the owner of a treasure from among the treasures of Paradise,
because the meaning of this phrase is: "Turning away from evil and having the strength to do good is not possible without Allah's help."
When a servant repeatedly expresses this, Allah becomes extremely pleased,
and such an expression of humility from the servant is itself an act of worship.

Benefits and Issues:

➊
This phrase is an important phrase in the remembrance of Allah, because it contains the acknowledgment that the source of all strength is the Being of Allah.

➋
In this, along with trust and reliance (tawakkul) upon Allah the Exalted, there is also an expression of humility and destitution before Him, and this expression of servitude (‘ubudiyyah) is beloved to Allah the Exalted.

➌
After performing a good deed or abstaining from a sin, feelings of pride may arise in the heart, as a result of which the state of “good deed wasted, sin incurred” may occur. To avoid this, it is necessary to remind oneself that all of this is not due to my own effort and bravery, but rather solely due to Allah’s enabling grace (tawfiq) and His favor.

➍
Reciting these words with this mindset will certainly lead to the attainment of the great blessings and lofty ranks of Paradise, which is why it has been called a “treasure of Paradise.”

➎
It is better to remember Allah (dhikr) quietly, because there is no ostentation (riya’) in it. However, in those places where it is Sunnah to remember Allah aloud, it should be done aloud.