The poor amongst the emigrants came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: The possessors of great wealth have obtained the highest ranks and the lasting bliss. He (the Holy Prophet) said: How is that? They said: They pray as we pray, and they observe fast as we observe fast, and they give charity but we do not give charity, and they set slaves free but we do not set slaves free. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Shall I not teach you something by which you will catch upon those who have preceded you, and get ahead of those who come after you, only those who do as you do being more excellent than you? They said: Yes, Messenger of Allah. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Extol Allah, declare His Greatness, and Praise Him thirty-three times after every prayer. Abu Salih said: The poor amongst the emigrants returned to the Messenger of Allah (may peace upon him) saying: Our brethren, the possessors, of property have heard what we have done and they did the same. So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: This is Allah's Grace which He gives to whom He wishes. Sumayy reported: I made a mention of this hadith to some members of my family (and one of them) said: You have forgotten; he (the Holy Prophet) had said (like this): "Extol Allah thirty-three time, praise Allah thirty-three times and declare His Greatness thirty-three times." Ibn `Ajlan said: I made a mention of this hadith to Raja' b. Haiwa and he narrated to me a hadith like this from Abu Salih from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the authority of Abu Huraira.
The Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer - Sahih Muslim 595a
This narration from Sahih Muslim addresses the spiritual concern of the poor Companions who felt they could not match the wealthy in acts of charity and emancipation of slaves. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), in his divine wisdom, provided them with a simple yet profound devotional practice to attain spiritual excellence.
Scholarly Commentary on the Hadith
The initial distress of the poor emigrants stemmed from their inability to perform material acts of worship that bring immense reward. The Prophet's response demonstrates that spiritual stations are not solely dependent on wealth, but on sincerity and consistency in remembrance of Allah.
The prescribed dhikr - thirty-three repetitions each of "Subhanallah" (Glory be to Allah), "Alhamdulillah" (All praise is for Allah), and "Allahu Akbar" (Allah is the Greatest) - serves as an equalizer in spiritual merit. This practice, performed after each obligatory prayer, allows every Muslim, regardless of economic status, to accumulate abundant rewards.
The clarification regarding the exact formulation of the dhikr (as mentioned by Sumayy) shows the Companions' meticulousness in preserving the Prophet's exact words. The final statement "This is Allah's Grace which He gives to whom He wishes" emphasizes that spiritual opportunities are divinely bestowed and accessible to all believers.
Practical Implementation
This hadith establishes the sunnah of reciting these specific remembrances after obligatory prayers. The complete practice totals ninety-nine remembrances, with many scholars recommending adding "La ilaha illallah" to complete one hundred.
The wisdom behind this practice lies in its comprehensive nature: "Subhanallah" purifies Allah from any imperfection, "Alhamdulillah" acknowledges all blessings come from Him, and "Allahu Akbar" affirms His supreme majesty. Together, they encompass the fundamental aspects of divine recognition.