Subhanallahi wa bihamdihi (سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ) is one of the four phrases the Prophet ﷺ said are most beloved to Allah and heaviest on the Scale of deeds. It means: “Glory be to Allah, and praise is for Him.” Six syllables. Three seconds. The Prophet ﷺ promised that whoever says it 100 times a day has their sins forgiven “even if they were as much as the foam of the sea” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6405).
This guide explains the literal meaning of subhanallahi wa bihamdihi, how it differs from plain subhanallah and alhamdulillah, the four major hadiths about its rewards (foam of the sea, tree in Jannah, light on tongue + heavy on scale, 1,000 good deeds), the morning/evening adhkar count, and the Sunnah way to combine it with subhanallahil-‘Azim.
Table of Contents
Subhanallahi Wa Bihamdihi Meaning
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ
Subhānallāhi wa biḥamdih — “Glory be to Allah, and praise is for Him.”
Word by word:
- Subhana (سُبْحَانَ) — “Glory be to” / “far removed is.” A declaration that Allah is utterly free from any defect, partner, or unworthy attribute.
- Allah (اللَّه) — the proper name of God in Islam.
- Wa bi-hamdihi (وَبِحَمْدِهِ) — “and with His praise.” The wa connects the two halves; the bi- means “by” or “with” — we glorify Allah through the praise He has placed on our tongues.
Together: “Glory be to Allah, and all praise is for Him.” The phrase combines tasbih (declaring Allah free from imperfection) with tahmid (acknowledging His praiseworthy attributes) in a single line. It is one of the four phrases the Prophet ﷺ called the most beloved speech to Allah (Sahih Muslim 2731).
Subhanallahi Wa Bihamdihi vs Subhanallah vs Alhamdulillah
Three distinct phrases — often confused, all rewarded:
- Subhanallah (سُبْحَانَ اللَّه) — “Glory be to Allah.” Pure tasbih, declaring Allah free from imperfection. Read more here.
- Alhamdulillah (الْحَمْدُ لِلَّه) — “All praise is for Allah.” Pure tahmid, acknowledging praiseworthy attributes. Read more here.
- Subhanallahi wa bihamdihi (سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ) — the combined form: tasbih + tahmid in one breath. The Prophet ﷺ recommended this combined form specifically when promising the great rewards in the hadiths below.
The combined form is doctrinally fuller because it acknowledges both Allah’s transcendence (above defect) and His attribute of perfect praise — the two halves of pure tawhid.
Hadith 1: Sins Forgiven Like the Foam of the Sea
Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said: “Whoever says Subhanallahi wa bihamdihi a hundred times a day, his sins will be forgiven, even if they were like the foam of the sea.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari 6405; Sahih Muslim 2691)
The phrasing is striking. The Prophet ﷺ did not say “some” sins or “small” sins — he used the imagery of foam of the sea, an uncountable quantity. The scholars (e.g., Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari) clarify that this refers to minor sins (sagha’ir); major sins still require sincere repentance (tawbah) and, where applicable, restitution. Even with that limit, the daily volume of human slips covered by 100 repetitions is enormous.
Related:
Hadith 2: Light on the Tongue, Heavy on the Scale
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Two words are light on the tongue, heavy on the Scale, beloved to the Most Merciful: Subhanallahi wa bihamdihi, subhanallahil-‘Azim.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari 6406; Sahih Muslim 2694)
The full Sunnah pairing is therefore:
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ، سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ
Subhanallahi wa bihamdihi, subhanallahil-‘Azim — “Glory be to Allah and praise to Him; glory be to Allah the Almighty.”
Three seconds of speech — and on the Day of Judgment, when Allah weighs every deed, this small phrase will tip the Scale heavier than entire mountains of insincere effort. The Prophet ﷺ specifically tied weight on the Scale to this combined form.
Hadith 3: A Tree Planted in Jannah
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever says Subhanallahi al-‘Azimi wa bihamdihi, a date palm will be planted for him in Paradise.”
(Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 3464, sahih)
The reward is so concrete it is almost transactional — one phrase, one tree. A companion of the Prophet ﷺ, after hearing this, set himself the goal of planting a vast garden in Jannah by the time he died. The same can be done by anyone who turns the phrase into a habit.
Hadith 4: Earning 1,000 Good Deeds at Once
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Is any one of you incapable of earning a thousand good deeds every day?” One of the people sitting with him asked, “How can one earn a thousand good deeds?” He said: “He should glorify Allah a hundred times: a thousand good deeds will be recorded for him, or a thousand sins will be wiped out from him.”
(Sahih Muslim 2698)
One hundred phrases → one thousand good deeds or one thousand sins erased. By the most conservative reading, that is a 10x return on every utterance. There is no other action in the Sunnah that produces this ratio for so little effort.
When to Recite Subhanallahi Wa Bihamdihi
- 100 times in the morning, 100 times in the evening — the Prophet ﷺ explicitly recommended this volume in another version: “Whoever says it a hundred times in the morning and the evening will not be surpassed on the Day of Resurrection by anyone with better deeds than him, except one who said the same or more.” (Sahih Muslim 2692).
- After every fard prayer — the Sunnah tasbih after salah includes 33 subhanallah, 33 alhamdulillah, 33 (or 34) Allahu akbar. Many scholars combine subhanallah and alhamdulillah into subhanallahi wa bihamdihi.
- While walking, driving, working — the phrase is light on the tongue precisely so the believer can carry it through the day without occupying the hands or eyes.
- Before sleeping — alongside the rest of the night-time adhkar.
- In sujood — alongside the regular Subhana Rabbiyal-A‘la, especially during nafl and Tahajjud prayers.
Practical Ways to Hit 100 Times a Day
- Use a tasbih counter or app. Many believers start with 33 after each salah and reach 100+ daily without trying.
- Anchor it to driving or walking. Three seconds per phrase × 100 = five minutes; less than the average traffic light wait.
- Pair morning + evening sessions. 50 in morning adhkar, 50 in evening adhkar — your daily quota is met before noon.
- Replace idle scrolling. The seconds usually given to a feed can be redirected to thousands of recorded good deeds.
What does Subhanallahi Wa Bihamdihi mean?
Subhanallahi wa bihamdihi (سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ) means “Glory be to Allah, and praise is for Him.” It combines tasbih (declaring Allah free from imperfection) and tahmid (acknowledging His praiseworthy attributes) in a single phrase — one of the four most beloved speech to Allah (Sahih Muslim 2731).
What are the benefits of saying Subhanallahi Wa Bihamdihi 100 times?
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever says Subhanallahi wa bihamdihi a hundred times a day, his sins will be forgiven even if they were like the foam of the sea” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6405). A separate hadith promises 1,000 good deeds recorded or 1,000 sins erased per 100 recitations (Sahih Muslim 2698).
What is the difference between Subhanallahi Wa Bihamdihi and Subhanallah?
Subhanallah is pure tasbih — “Glory be to Allah.” Subhanallahi wa bihamdihi adds wa bihamdihi (“and praise is for Him”), combining glorification with praise. The Prophet ﷺ specifically tied the great rewards (foam of the sea, tree in Jannah, weight on the Scale) to the combined form.
Should I say Subhanallahi Wa Bihamdihi or Subhanallahil Azim?
Both are Sunnah, and the Prophet ﷺ specifically paired them: Subhanallahi wa bihamdihi, subhanallahil-‘Azim (Sahih al-Bukhari 6406) — “Two words light on the tongue, heavy on the Scale, beloved to the Most Merciful.” Recite both together for the full reward.
When is the best time to say Subhanallahi Wa Bihamdihi?
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever says it a hundred times in the morning and the evening will not be surpassed on the Day of Resurrection by anyone except one who said the same or more” (Sahih Muslim 2692). So: 100 in the morning, 100 in the evening, plus extra after every fard prayer.
Is there a hadith about a tree in Paradise for this dhikr?
Yes. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever says Subhanallahi al-‘Azimi wa bihamdihi, a date palm will be planted for him in Paradise” (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 3464, sahih). One phrase, one palm tree — reciting it through the day is literally building your garden in Jannah.
If there is a single phrase to plant on the tongue today, this is it. Three seconds, six syllables, mountains of reward. Set the count, hit 100 in the morning and 100 in the evening, and let Allah’s mercy do the rest.
