One day we were praying behind the Prophet. When he raised his head from bowing, he said, "Sami`a l-lahu liman hamidah." A man behind him said, "Rabbana wa laka l-hamdu, hamdan kathiran taiyiban mubarakan fihi" (O our Lord! All the praises are for You, many good and blessed praises). When the Prophet completed the prayer, he asked, "Who has said these words?" The man replied, "I." The Prophet said, "I saw over thirty angels competing to write it first." Prophet rose (from bowing) and stood straight till all the vertebrae of his spinal column came to a natural position.
Hadith Commentary: The Excellence of Additional Praise
This narration from Sahih al-Bukhari (799) demonstrates the permissibility and virtue of adding supplementary praises to the standard prayer formulae. The Prophet's approval of the companion's additional words shows that while the essential prayer formulae are fixed, supplementary devotional expressions are encouraged when they do not contradict established principles.
Angelic Competition in Recording Good Deeds
The Prophet's statement about thirty angels competing to record this praise first indicates the tremendous merit of sincere, heartfelt devotional expressions in prayer. This illustrates how Allah honors those who perfect their worship through beautiful expressions of praise.
Scholars note that the competition among angels signifies the special status this particular formulation of praise holds in the divine court, encouraging Muslims to beautify their worship with meaningful additions.
Proper Prayer Posture and Composure
The description of the Prophet standing straight until his vertebrae returned to their natural position emphasizes the importance of tranquility (tuma'ninah) in prayer. This demonstrates that each prayer position must be maintained with perfect composure, not rushed.
Classical scholars stress that this tranquility is a pillar (rukn) of prayer, without which the prayer becomes invalid. The spinal column's natural alignment symbolizes the perfect balance and devotion required in worship.
Legal Ruling on Additional Praises
Islamic jurists derived from this hadith that adding praises beyond the standard "Rabbana lakal-hamd" is recommended (mustahabb) but not obligatory. The four schools of jurisprudence differ slightly on the exact wording preferred, but all agree on the permissibility of such additions.
The Hanafi school particularly favors the specific formulation mentioned in this hadith, considering it among the most excellent forms of praise during the standing position after bowing.