You would not be able to get a servant from us. May I not direct you to what is better than the servant for you? Recite Subhaana Allah thirty-three times, al- Hamdu li-Allah thirty-three times and Allah-o-Akbar thirty-four times as you go to bed. This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Suhail with the same chain of transmitters.
The Book Pertaining to the Remembrance of Allah, Supplication, Repentance and Seeking Forgiveness
Sahih Muslim - Hadith 2728 a, b
Hadith Text
"You would not be able to get a servant from us. May I not direct you to what is better than the servant for you? Recite Subhaana Allah thirty-three times, al-Hamdu li-Allah thirty-three times and Allah-o-Akbar thirty-four times as you go to bed."
Classical Commentary
This noble hadith reveals the profound wisdom of substituting worldly means with spiritual remembrance. The Prophet (peace be upon him) redirects the companion from seeking human assistance to establishing divine connection through dhikr.
The three phrases constitute the comprehensive pillars of tawhid: Tasbih (Subhan Allah) negates imperfections from Allah's essence, Tahmid (Alhamdulillah) affirms all perfection belongs to Him, and Takbir (Allahu Akbar) establishes His absolute greatness over creation.
The specific numbers - thirty-three, thirty-three, and thirty-four - total one hundred, representing completion and perfection in worship. This nightly practice becomes spiritual recompense surpassing physical service, transforming sleep into worship and protection against nocturnal evils.
The wisdom in this sequence lies in progressing from purification (Tasbih) to gratitude (Tahmid) to magnification (Takbir), mirroring the spiritual ascent of the believer. This practice illuminates the heart, accumulates eternal rewards, and establishes constant awareness of Allah even during sleep.