Source: Fatāwā al-Dīn al-Khāliṣ, Vol. 1, Page 222❖ Question:
What are the correct ending words of the phrase "لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ"?
Should it be “العَزِيزُ الحَكِيمُ” or “العَلِيُّ العَظِيمُ”?
❖ Answer:
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
Original Phrase:
لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ
The correct and authenticated ending of this phrase is:
"العَزِيزُ الحَكِيمُ"
“The Almighty, the Wise”
❖ Evidences and Examinations
① Narration from Sahih Muslim
Sahih Muslim (2/345), Chapter: The Virtue of Tasbīḥ, Tahlīl, and DuʿāʾNarrated by Saʿd (RA):
An Arab Bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said:
“Teach me some words I can regularly recite.”
The Prophet ﷺ taught him:
"Lā ilāha illallāh waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, Allāhu akbaru kabīra, walḥamdu lillāhi kathīra, wa subḥānallāhi Rabbil-ʿālamīn, wa lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāhil-ʿazīzil-ḥakīm"
Translation:
“There is no god but Allah, alone, without partner. Allah is the Greatest, abundant praise is due to Him, Glory be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. There is no might nor power except with Allah, the Almighty, the Wise.”
The Bedouin asked, “That’s all for Allah — what about me?”
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
"اللهم اغفر لي، وارحمني، واهدني، وارزقني"
“O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, guide me, and provide for me.”
Mishkāt (1/202), Al-Targhīb (2/430)② Narration Ending with “العَلِيُّ العَظِيمُ” and Its Analysis
Musnad Aḥmad (4/91–92)Narrated by ʿAlqamah ibn Waqāṣ:
He states that when the muʾadhdhin said ḥayya ʿalaṣ-ṣalāh, Muʿāwiyah (RA) replied:
"Lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāhil-ʿaliyyil-ʿaẓīm"
Then he said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say this.”
However:– The narrators ʿĪsā and ʿAbdullāh in the chain are unknown (majhūl),
– Therefore, the ḥadīth is weak (ḍaʿīf).
Further analysis:– Imam Aḥmad mentioned this ḥadīth three times (4/91, 92, 98), but none include “العلي العظيم”.
– Sunan al-Nasāʾī (1/145, ḥadīth 652) and Majmaʿ al-Zawāʾid (1/330–331) also omit "العلي العظيم".
Mullā ʿAlī Qārī in Mirqāt (2/122) says:“This addition is rare and likely due to insufficient verification.”
Shaykh al-Albānī also rejected it in Mishkāt (1/213, ḥadīth 675).③ Khutbah Usage
Mirqāt (1/38) quotes the phrase ending with "العَزِيزُ الحَكِيمُ", stating it as popular but not established in narrations.In some copies of Ḥiṣn al-Ḥaṣīn, "العلي العظيم" appears,
but in the original text, "العزيز الحكيم" is present, and "العلي العظيم" is only mentioned in the margins, attributed to al-Bazzār.
④ Ibn Mājah’s Version and Others
Sunan Ibn Mājah (2/335), ḥadīth 3878 Ibn al-Sunnī (751/35) — narrated by ʿUbādah ibn Ṣāmit (RA):Whoever wakes at night and says:
"Lā ilāha illallāh waḥdahu lā sharīka lah... wa lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāhil-ʿaliyyil-ʿaẓīm"
...then prays for forgiveness, Allah will forgive him.
However:– Bukhārī, Tirmidhī, Abū Dāwūd, and Aḥmad also narrate this duʿā’,
– None of them include "العلي العظيم".
– Only Ibn Mājah, Ibn al-Sunnī, and Al-Kalim al-Ṭayyib (42) mention "العلي العظيم".
⑤ Misquotation by Al-Mundhirī
Al-Targhīb (2/435) — Narration from Abū Hurayrah (RA):Whoever says:
"Subḥānallāh, walḥamdu lillāh, wa lā ilāha illallāh, wallāhu akbar, wa lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāhil-ʿaliyyil-ʿaẓīm"
Allah says: “My servant has submitted and obeyed.”
Note: In Al-Ḥākim’s Mustadrak (1/502) — “العلي العظيم” is not found, proving Mundhirī’s mistake.⑥ Confusion About “Jannah Treasure” Narration
The phrase "Lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāh" is famously known as a treasure of Paradise.
Tirmidhī (3/76), ḥadīth 3853 mentions the virtue,
But it does not include “العلي العظيم”.This confusion stems from Mundhirī’s flawed verification.
Al-Bazzār and Majmaʿ al-Zawāʾid (10/61) include it,– But their chains are not authentic.
⑦ Ibn al-Sunnī and Al-Wābil al-Ṣayyib
Al-Wābil al-Ṣayyib (p. 92) Ibn al-Sunnī (ḥadīth 57, p. 30)In some morning and evening supplications, "العلي العظيم" is found,
However, these narrations are weak, due to the presence of:"Aghlab ibn Tamīm" — a narrator known as munkar al-ḥadīth (rejected).
❖ Final Conclusion:
It is clearly established that the correct and authentic ending to:
"لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ"
is:
"العَزِيزُ الحَكِيمُ"
“The Almighty, the Wise”
Using "العلي العظيم" is not correct, as all narrations containing it are either:
– Weak (ḍaʿīf),
– Mistaken,
– Or based on incorrect attribution.
ھٰذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
