Remembrance of Allah

Ali bin Rabiah narrates that he was in the company of Hazrat Ali (ra) when an animal was brought before him so that he could mount upon it. When he was about to place his foot in the stirrup, he recited, “In the name of Allah” three times. When he sat upon it, he recited, “All praise belongs to Allah” and then recited:

سُبْحَانَ‭ ‬الَّذِيْ‭ ‬سَخَّرَ‭ ‬لَنَا‭ ‬هٰذَا‭ ‬وَمَا‭ ‬كُنَّا‭ ‬لَهٗ‭ ‬مُقْرِنِيْنَ‭ ‬وَاِنَّا‭ ‬اِلٰى‭ ‬رَبِّنَا‭ ‬لَمُنْقَلِبُوْنَ ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ “Holy is He Who has subjected this to us, and we had not the strength to subdue it [ourselves]. And to our Lord surely shall we return.”

(Surah al-Zukhruf, Ch.43: V.14-15)

He recited “All praise belongs to Allah” and “Allah is the greatest” three times. He then recited the following prayer:

سُبْحَانَكَ‭ ‬اِنِّيْ‭ ‬قَدْ‭ ‬ظَلَمْتُ‭ ‬نَفْسِيْ‭ ‬فَاغْفِرْ‭ ‬لِيْ‭ ‬فَاِنَّهٗ‭ ‬لَا‭ ‬يَغْفِرُ‭ ‬الذُّنُوْبَ‭ ‬اِلَّا‭ ‬اَنْتَ ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ “Holy is Thou, surely I have wronged my soul, thus forgive me for there is none Who forgives sins besides Thee.”

Thereafter, Hazrat Ali (ra) smiled. The narrator of the tradition states that he submitted, “O Leader of the Faithful, what made you smile?” Upon this, Hazrat Ali (ra) stated, “I saw the Messenger (sa) of Allah do exactly what I just did and I also enquired of the Messenger (sa) of Allah as to why he smiled and he replied, ‘Indeed, your Lord is most pleased by His servant when he says, “O my Lord, forgive me my sins, for there is none Who forgives sins besides You.”’ This is what caused the Messenger (sa) of Allah to smile.”

(Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Abwab Al-Da‘wat, Hadith 3446)