The Secret We Missed in Opening Du’a for Salah | Transform Your Salah - Ep. 3
Published on
We say subhanallah (Glory be to Allah) many times during our daily prayers; standing, in ruku' (bowing), in sujud (prostration), during tasbih (glorification of Allah) after salah (prayer). We keep repeating it over and over again. But what does this word truly mean? Let's do the math. After each of the five daily prayers, we say subhanallah (Glory be to Allah) 33 times. If someone has maintained this practice for 40 years, they would have said it over 2.4 million times. Moreover, this is just what we say during tasbih (glorification of Allah).
If we also include phrases like Subhanakallahumma (Glory be to you, O Allah) in the prayer, Subhana Rabbiyal Azim (Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great) in ruku' (bowing), Subhana Rabbiyal A'la (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High) in sujud (prostration), this number reaches 7 million. This number alone is enough to make you say subhanallah (Glory be to Allah). But for a person to repeat a word millions of times without knowing its true meaning, isn't that strange? In fact, it's quite shocking when you think about it. That's why today, we will look at the opening supplication known as Subhanakallahumma (Glory be to you, O Allah), sentence by sentence.
When we begin the prayer by saying Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) and stand in prayer, we leave the entire world behind. We push everything aside with the back of our hands. So, what do we say first? Subhanakallahumma (Glory be to you, O Allah). What is this prayer telling us? What truths is it reminding us? And why do we start with these words? Even before Bismillah (In the name of Allah), we are saying Subhanakallahumma. Let's explore it together and go through this unique supplication sentence by sentence. By the end of the video, you will gain a whole new perspective, insha Allah (If Allah wills).
You will become someone who doesn't just repeat the words, but lives by their meaning. Our first expression is Subhanakallahumma (Glory be to you, O Allah). It basically means, "Glory be to you, O Allah." So, what does it mean? O Allah, You are far from any flaw or imperfection. You have no deficiency. You are perfect. This is the first meaning that comes to mind. The second meaning is "amazement," which we will discuss in the later part of the video, insha Allah (If Allah wills). If we focus on the first meaning, what comes to mind when we hear this phrase? Especially the ugly and overstepping words that the non-Muslims say about God. Allah is far beyond them.
But simply saying, "I believe in Allah" is not enough. What kind of Allah do you believe in? Your belief must align with the way the Quran describes Allah. Just saying, "I believe in Allah," is not sufficient. For example, according to you, does Allah sleep? No. Does He get tired? Never. Does He know what passes through a person's mind? Yes, everything. Is His power enough for everything? Absolutely. We need to establish a correct description of Allah so that we can truly have faith. This is one of the most critical steps in faith.
I once heard someone saying, "I believe in Allah, I have faith, but the Allah I believe in does not burn His creation." Now, does this person truly believe in Allah? He believes in an Allah that he has imagined in his own mind, not the Allah described in the Quran. You know, there are people who say, "Allah has a son." Who says this? Christians, right? They call Jesus the son of God. So what do we say by saying Subhanakallahumma (Glory be to you, O Allah)? Allah is exalted above that. But you're saying it's not true. Allah has no need for a child or anything else. There's a passage in the Old Testament, the book followed by Christians, specifically in the Book of Genesis.
It says, "God rested." This means that God grew tired and needed to rest. Maaz Allah (God forbid), Allah is exalted above that. Every belief system outside of Islam has its own false view of God. In Hinduism, there are gods who punish each other and fight with each other. In Zoroastrianism, there is a second god who creates evil. In the Old Testament, there's a God who wrestles with Prophet Jacob, and so on. Doesn't even hearing that sound disturbing? All of this is a form of slander. And as you recite this opening supplication, Subhanakallahumma, you are also challenging these false beliefs. You are defending a truth that millions cannot see.
When we say Subhanakallahumma, the meaning that comes to mind should become clear. O Allah, You are far from any flaw or imperfection. You have no deficiency, You are perfect. The creation itself shows how perfect Allah is. He has created the universe in such a way that everything is in order and balanced. Think of a snowflake. Each one is created with a unique pattern. Billions of snowflakes on earth are different from one another. Whether you examine the crystal structure of a snowflake under a microscope or observe that vast spiral of galaxies through a telescope, you hear the same message: Allah is exalted.
When you say Subhanakallahumma, you are saying the same words as the entire universe together with them. Let's come to the second meaning of Subhanakallahumma. When we are amazed by something, we say, "Subhanallah (Glory be to Allah)." In one verse, Allah says, "There is not a single thing that does not glorify His praises." Plants, flowers, animals, everything glorifies Allah. When we say subhanallah, we look at their glorification in awe and share the same praise. Let's look at the sky, to the stars, and also let's look at the grains of sand on the beach and in the desert. Which do you think there are more of? The grains of sand or the stars?
The answer might surprise you, but there are far more stars. Subhanallah (Glory be to Allah). Both the macro and the micro worlds are completely different. In both, we witness Allah's perfect creation. There's a phrase that says, "Subhana man tahayyara fi sun'ihi al-'uqul." Its meaning is, "The one who amazes minds with His masterpieces is free from all imperfection." Now, think of a baby. It starts as a lifeless piece of flesh in the mother's womb, but after a certain period, it begins to take a shape, and life is given to it. Think of the aerodynamics of a bird while it flies. Notice while watching a documentary that the leaves at the top of a tree are nourished by water.
Gravity pulls the water down, but due to the law set by Allah, the water rises. Allah created these laws, and we reflect on them. Now, imagine a watermelon, refreshing and delicious in the heat of summer. Allah has placed a sort of natural preservation system inside it to protect it from spoiling. It's like a shell around the watermelon. Without this system, the watermelon would spoil in a very short time. He has also created its seeds from the continuation of its kind. If there were no seeds inside of that, the watermelon would only be eaten during the time of Adam and then it would disappear. But Allah has placed hundreds of seeds inside it. You plant them and you have new watermelons.
It allows you to eat them again and again. The universe is an art gallery. At the corner of each masterpiece, the same signature is found: Subhanallah (Glory be to Allah). They all say together, "We are the creations of a flawless power." So, let us make a habit to say subhanallah for every work of art that amazes us. By now, it should be clear in our minds when we say Subhanakallahumma, we will think of two meanings. The first, Allah is far from all these flaws, imperfections, and false beliefs. The second is the subhanallah when we say in moments of amazements and wonder. We're saying, "O Allah, You have created perfectly.
You are free from all imperfections." Our next phrase is "wa bihamdika." This is, "Praise is for You," "I glorify You with praise." What is praise? It is the combination of admiration and gratitude. Have you ever appreciated someone today? You just said thank you, maybe a friend. But have you ever thought about who the true source of that blessing is? Yes, we need to thank each other, but the one who truly deserves praise is Allah, the real owner of the blessings. Imagine receiving a gift of something you really wanted. You thank the delivery guy but never even ask about the giver. How fair would that be? It seems absurd, doesn't it?
Well, this is exactly what people often do with the blessings that belong to Allah. When we say "wa bihamdika," we should reflect on this. "O Allah, millions of people thanked each other today, but I know that You are the true owner of those thanks. They thanked You without realizing it. They are not aware of that, but they actually praised You." When you watch the sunset, nature is almost painted with pink, yellow, and red colours. It is Allah who deserves to be praised there. When you hold a baby in your arms, when you take a deep breath after leaving an airless environment, like "ah," Allah is the creator of all these.
You listen to the sound of the rain, it soothes your soul, or maybe you're sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with a friend, sharing your troubles. You pour out your heart, and you feel lighter. You hug your spouse, your child, your heart finds peace. Brother, sister, maybe you don't notice, but you are very eager to thank the causes and praise them. But when you say "wa bihamdika," you find the true owner of all the happiness you are experiencing, the one who deserves to be praised is Allah. With all these, He is showing you His love. Our Prophet (peace be upon him) taught us this prayer, Subhanakallahumma, because we truly need it. The world forces you to focus on the causes.
One of the greatest obstacles for a person is the veil in front of their eyes. So, will you lift that veil and see the truth? This realization will bring you closer to Allah. Now, we come to the next phrase, "wa tabarakasmuk." The meaning is, "There is barakah (blessing/abundance) in Your name. Your name is full of barakah (blessing/abundance)." Let's explain the word barakah a little more. This barakah (is special goodness that comes only from Allah. It is the quality that makes a small amount of something more than you expected. We really need barakah (blessing/abundance) in our lives.
When you have barakah, one step forward can be a thousand steps, but when you lose barakah, you can take a thousand steps, but you only move forward one step. You can sometimes feel this when you're earning money, you have the barakah, or you notice the lack of barakah when you lose money quickly. But barakah is not just about money. Think about it with time too. For example, when you have barakah in your time, this is when one hour feels very productive, like you did five hours of work. If you don't have barakah in your health, you might get sick often. Without barakah in your relationships, you might have problems with the people you love and feel very unhappy.
So, what is the way to get this barakah? We need it so much in our lives, right? According to the dua' (supplication) that we are talking, the way is to act in the name of Allah. This means saying "Bismillah" (In the name of Allah) before you do things. And it is not just saying, and also truly feeling its meaning in your heart. So, there's barakah (blessing/abundance) in saying Bismillah (In the name of Allah). Everything, animals, plants, everything, they move with Allah's name, saying Bismillah (In the name of Allah). Think of a cow. It only eats grass, yet it gives litres of nutritious milk. How is that possible? Grass and milk.
A one-day-old bee can fly miles away and return without losing its direction. If we send a three-year-old child to the market, he wouldn't manage to come back. But the bee can do it. How does it manage? All of this points to a greater truth. With their actions, all these animals say, "Bismillah" (In the name of Allah), "In the name of God." All animals, plants, and everything moves with Allah's name, and they find blessings. So while all animals do this, we as humans, we should start our actions with Bismillah. We'll become a part of that massive chain. Your life will be filled with blessings. You sit down at the table, and you say, "Bismillah". The food you eat becomes blessed.
Before you drink a glass of water, you say "Bismillah". That water becomes healing. You get into your car, and you say "Bismillah". Your journey becomes safe. You open your book and say "Bismillah". Your mind becomes clear, and so on and so forth. And now we come to "wa ta'ala jadduk." Its meaning is, "Your greatness and glory are above everything." There are things we think are the greatest, things we fear the most, but Allah is far greater than all of them. Just think about it. Our Earth rotates on its axis at a speed of 1,670 kilometres per hour, and at the same time, it revolves around the sun at a speed of 108,000 kilometres per hour.
And yet, in the middle of all this incredible speed, you can sit at your table and drink your coffee without spilling it. What kind of power is this? What kind of balance, what kind of greatness is this? Brothers, sisters, in the sun, every second, 600 million tons of hydrogen turn into helium. Yet, at that very moment, a massive energy transformation is taking place non-stop. And don't forget, the sun is only one of the smaller stars in space. There are stars far greater than it. And Allah, while managing all these enormous galaxies, He also knows at the same time even the most hidden thoughts in our minds.
"Ya Allah, You are the one who fills us with amazement, and You are the one who taught us the words to express it, 'Subhanallah'. 'Wa ta'ala jadduk, ' Your greatness and glory are above everything." But what happens when we forget Allah's true power? We lose our sense of security. That feeling of, "Allah will protect me," it starts to fade. Suddenly, small problems began to look huge, and our hearts fill with fear and worry, like, "What if this happens? Oh, what am I gonna do with that? What if I get sick?" These thoughts come to our minds. Our Lord is one who never forsakes His servants. All it takes is His command, "Kun," "Be," and it comes to be.
That is why holding on to the awareness of Allah's might is so vital. This knowledge transforms you, giving you the profound realization, "I am not fighting my battles alone. I am backed by the power of Allah Himself. With His single command, "Be," the entire situation can shift. The things you thought were impossible become possible." Sometimes when I reflect on this dua' (supplication), I mean Subhanakallahumma (Glory be to you, O Allah), I'm simply struck by the immense wisdom we were gifted. The Prophet (peace be upon him) didn't just teach us words; he gave us the perfect key to begin a conversation with Allah.
There's one more sentence recited only in funeral prayers: "wa jalla thana'uk." It means, "Your praise is exalted." At a funeral, when we are face-to-face with death, it reminds us that the only one truly worthy of praise is Allah. Even a person with millions of dollars in wealth, it's not truly worth of paradise. The one who truly deserves all praise is Allah. We went to a cemetery recently, and there we had a talk by the graves. I told the brothers, "In these graves behind us, there are people who once had millions of wealth.
Over there lies a famous star, but now all of them are silent, all of them under the ground." During the funeral prayer, we recite "wa jalla thana'uk," "the one whose praise is exalted is Allah." Position, status, intelligence, strength, muscles, none of it remains. Success, social media followers, none of it lasts. All of it fades away. And at that moment when we face death, the truth becomes clear. The only one who truly remains worthy of praise is Allah. Imagine one day, at your funeral too, people will say "wa jalla thana'uk." Death will find you as well. So on that day, what rank, what wealth, what beauty will save you? That's why we should recognize Him from now.
And if you look at it from another angle, this is what gives a person the greatest freedom. Even if everything else is gone, you stay connected with the endless power that never comes to an end. And now we have come to our final sentence, "wa la ilaha ghayruk." "There is no god but You." This phrase is similar to "la ilaha illallah" (There is no god but Allah). In fact, "la ilaha illallah" is such a deep truth that even a lifetime of reflection would not be enough to fully grasp it. The Messenger of Allah said that the best words he himself had ever spoken, and also the prophets before him, were, "La ilaha illallah" (There is no god but Allah).
For example, in the phrase "la ilaha illallah", we can replace the word "ilah" (god) with Allah's other names. For example, "La Razzaqa illallah." What does that mean? There is no provider except Allah. "La Shafiya illallah," there is no healer except Allah. "La Qadira illallah," there is no possessor of power except Allah. "La Muhyiya illallah," there is no giver of life except Allah. In this way, the phrase "la ilaha illallah" (There is no god but Allah) reaches dozens of layers of meaning. The heart searches for one true refuge, and the sentence "wa la ilaha ghayruk" fulfils this need. Now, let's quickly summarize what we have talked about from the very beginning. Subhanakallahumma.
O Allah, You are free from every flaw and imperfection. You create wonders that leave minds in awe. "Wa bihamdika." You are the One truly worthy of praise; whoever praises anyone, in reality, is praising You. "Wa tabarakasmuk." There is barakah (blessing/abundance) in Your name. Any work that begins with Your name finds barakah. "Wa ta'ala jadduk." Your greatness, power, existence, and glory are exalted, beyond all comparison. "Wa la ilaha ghayruk." There is no god but You. Brothers, sisters, everything we've been talking about actually comes to one point. Not just performing the prayer, but living, feeling the prayer.
When we stand before our Allah, to feel with our hearts what we say with our tongues, to comprehend it with our minds. That's when prayer stops being just a duty, and it becomes a true meeting. Of course, even when we don't think about these deeper meanings, we're still fulfilling our obligation of prayer. We should have no doubt about that. When this series is over, if you can truly understand it and apply it to your salah (prayer), insha Allah (If Allah wills), it will be something entirely different. In this part, we focused on one of the most fundamental supplications.
In other parts, we explored Surah al-Fatiha (The Opening chapter of the Quran), and in another video, we explored the meanings of Surah al-Falaq and Surah an-Nas. When we reflect on these meanings, prayer transforms into a form of therapy, because within each of them, there are powerful clues about what kind of God we believe in. Throughout your life, you will repeat this supplication thousands of times, but the issue is not repetition. The issue is approaching Allah a little more with each repetition. Brothers, sisters, one day our tongues will fall silent. The truths that settled in our hearts will enter the grave with us.
In order to be among the winners that day, we must truly understand these words today. By the way, for those who find it challenging to perform all five daily prayers regularly, our team has developed a very popular application. It is completely free and ad-free. I strongly encourage you to take a look at it, insha Allah (If Allah wills).
If we also include phrases like Subhanakallahumma (Glory be to you, O Allah) in the prayer, Subhana Rabbiyal Azim (Glory be to my Lord, the Most Great) in ruku' (bowing), Subhana Rabbiyal A'la (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High) in sujud (prostration), this number reaches 7 million. This number alone is enough to make you say subhanallah (Glory be to Allah). But for a person to repeat a word millions of times without knowing its true meaning, isn't that strange? In fact, it's quite shocking when you think about it. That's why today, we will look at the opening supplication known as Subhanakallahumma (Glory be to you, O Allah), sentence by sentence.
When we begin the prayer by saying Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) and stand in prayer, we leave the entire world behind. We push everything aside with the back of our hands. So, what do we say first? Subhanakallahumma (Glory be to you, O Allah). What is this prayer telling us? What truths is it reminding us? And why do we start with these words? Even before Bismillah (In the name of Allah), we are saying Subhanakallahumma. Let's explore it together and go through this unique supplication sentence by sentence. By the end of the video, you will gain a whole new perspective, insha Allah (If Allah wills).
You will become someone who doesn't just repeat the words, but lives by their meaning. Our first expression is Subhanakallahumma (Glory be to you, O Allah). It basically means, "Glory be to you, O Allah." So, what does it mean? O Allah, You are far from any flaw or imperfection. You have no deficiency. You are perfect. This is the first meaning that comes to mind. The second meaning is "amazement," which we will discuss in the later part of the video, insha Allah (If Allah wills). If we focus on the first meaning, what comes to mind when we hear this phrase? Especially the ugly and overstepping words that the non-Muslims say about God. Allah is far beyond them.
But simply saying, "I believe in Allah" is not enough. What kind of Allah do you believe in? Your belief must align with the way the Quran describes Allah. Just saying, "I believe in Allah," is not sufficient. For example, according to you, does Allah sleep? No. Does He get tired? Never. Does He know what passes through a person's mind? Yes, everything. Is His power enough for everything? Absolutely. We need to establish a correct description of Allah so that we can truly have faith. This is one of the most critical steps in faith.
I once heard someone saying, "I believe in Allah, I have faith, but the Allah I believe in does not burn His creation." Now, does this person truly believe in Allah? He believes in an Allah that he has imagined in his own mind, not the Allah described in the Quran. You know, there are people who say, "Allah has a son." Who says this? Christians, right? They call Jesus the son of God. So what do we say by saying Subhanakallahumma (Glory be to you, O Allah)? Allah is exalted above that. But you're saying it's not true. Allah has no need for a child or anything else. There's a passage in the Old Testament, the book followed by Christians, specifically in the Book of Genesis.
It says, "God rested." This means that God grew tired and needed to rest. Maaz Allah (God forbid), Allah is exalted above that. Every belief system outside of Islam has its own false view of God. In Hinduism, there are gods who punish each other and fight with each other. In Zoroastrianism, there is a second god who creates evil. In the Old Testament, there's a God who wrestles with Prophet Jacob, and so on. Doesn't even hearing that sound disturbing? All of this is a form of slander. And as you recite this opening supplication, Subhanakallahumma, you are also challenging these false beliefs. You are defending a truth that millions cannot see.
When we say Subhanakallahumma, the meaning that comes to mind should become clear. O Allah, You are far from any flaw or imperfection. You have no deficiency, You are perfect. The creation itself shows how perfect Allah is. He has created the universe in such a way that everything is in order and balanced. Think of a snowflake. Each one is created with a unique pattern. Billions of snowflakes on earth are different from one another. Whether you examine the crystal structure of a snowflake under a microscope or observe that vast spiral of galaxies through a telescope, you hear the same message: Allah is exalted.
When you say Subhanakallahumma, you are saying the same words as the entire universe together with them. Let's come to the second meaning of Subhanakallahumma. When we are amazed by something, we say, "Subhanallah (Glory be to Allah)." In one verse, Allah says, "There is not a single thing that does not glorify His praises." Plants, flowers, animals, everything glorifies Allah. When we say subhanallah, we look at their glorification in awe and share the same praise. Let's look at the sky, to the stars, and also let's look at the grains of sand on the beach and in the desert. Which do you think there are more of? The grains of sand or the stars?
The answer might surprise you, but there are far more stars. Subhanallah (Glory be to Allah). Both the macro and the micro worlds are completely different. In both, we witness Allah's perfect creation. There's a phrase that says, "Subhana man tahayyara fi sun'ihi al-'uqul." Its meaning is, "The one who amazes minds with His masterpieces is free from all imperfection." Now, think of a baby. It starts as a lifeless piece of flesh in the mother's womb, but after a certain period, it begins to take a shape, and life is given to it. Think of the aerodynamics of a bird while it flies. Notice while watching a documentary that the leaves at the top of a tree are nourished by water.
Gravity pulls the water down, but due to the law set by Allah, the water rises. Allah created these laws, and we reflect on them. Now, imagine a watermelon, refreshing and delicious in the heat of summer. Allah has placed a sort of natural preservation system inside it to protect it from spoiling. It's like a shell around the watermelon. Without this system, the watermelon would spoil in a very short time. He has also created its seeds from the continuation of its kind. If there were no seeds inside of that, the watermelon would only be eaten during the time of Adam and then it would disappear. But Allah has placed hundreds of seeds inside it. You plant them and you have new watermelons.
It allows you to eat them again and again. The universe is an art gallery. At the corner of each masterpiece, the same signature is found: Subhanallah (Glory be to Allah). They all say together, "We are the creations of a flawless power." So, let us make a habit to say subhanallah for every work of art that amazes us. By now, it should be clear in our minds when we say Subhanakallahumma, we will think of two meanings. The first, Allah is far from all these flaws, imperfections, and false beliefs. The second is the subhanallah when we say in moments of amazements and wonder. We're saying, "O Allah, You have created perfectly.
You are free from all imperfections." Our next phrase is "wa bihamdika." This is, "Praise is for You," "I glorify You with praise." What is praise? It is the combination of admiration and gratitude. Have you ever appreciated someone today? You just said thank you, maybe a friend. But have you ever thought about who the true source of that blessing is? Yes, we need to thank each other, but the one who truly deserves praise is Allah, the real owner of the blessings. Imagine receiving a gift of something you really wanted. You thank the delivery guy but never even ask about the giver. How fair would that be? It seems absurd, doesn't it?
Well, this is exactly what people often do with the blessings that belong to Allah. When we say "wa bihamdika," we should reflect on this. "O Allah, millions of people thanked each other today, but I know that You are the true owner of those thanks. They thanked You without realizing it. They are not aware of that, but they actually praised You." When you watch the sunset, nature is almost painted with pink, yellow, and red colours. It is Allah who deserves to be praised there. When you hold a baby in your arms, when you take a deep breath after leaving an airless environment, like "ah," Allah is the creator of all these.
You listen to the sound of the rain, it soothes your soul, or maybe you're sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with a friend, sharing your troubles. You pour out your heart, and you feel lighter. You hug your spouse, your child, your heart finds peace. Brother, sister, maybe you don't notice, but you are very eager to thank the causes and praise them. But when you say "wa bihamdika," you find the true owner of all the happiness you are experiencing, the one who deserves to be praised is Allah. With all these, He is showing you His love. Our Prophet (peace be upon him) taught us this prayer, Subhanakallahumma, because we truly need it. The world forces you to focus on the causes.
One of the greatest obstacles for a person is the veil in front of their eyes. So, will you lift that veil and see the truth? This realization will bring you closer to Allah. Now, we come to the next phrase, "wa tabarakasmuk." The meaning is, "There is barakah (blessing/abundance) in Your name. Your name is full of barakah (blessing/abundance)." Let's explain the word barakah a little more. This barakah (is special goodness that comes only from Allah. It is the quality that makes a small amount of something more than you expected. We really need barakah (blessing/abundance) in our lives.
When you have barakah, one step forward can be a thousand steps, but when you lose barakah, you can take a thousand steps, but you only move forward one step. You can sometimes feel this when you're earning money, you have the barakah, or you notice the lack of barakah when you lose money quickly. But barakah is not just about money. Think about it with time too. For example, when you have barakah in your time, this is when one hour feels very productive, like you did five hours of work. If you don't have barakah in your health, you might get sick often. Without barakah in your relationships, you might have problems with the people you love and feel very unhappy.
So, what is the way to get this barakah? We need it so much in our lives, right? According to the dua' (supplication) that we are talking, the way is to act in the name of Allah. This means saying "Bismillah" (In the name of Allah) before you do things. And it is not just saying, and also truly feeling its meaning in your heart. So, there's barakah (blessing/abundance) in saying Bismillah (In the name of Allah). Everything, animals, plants, everything, they move with Allah's name, saying Bismillah (In the name of Allah). Think of a cow. It only eats grass, yet it gives litres of nutritious milk. How is that possible? Grass and milk.
A one-day-old bee can fly miles away and return without losing its direction. If we send a three-year-old child to the market, he wouldn't manage to come back. But the bee can do it. How does it manage? All of this points to a greater truth. With their actions, all these animals say, "Bismillah" (In the name of Allah), "In the name of God." All animals, plants, and everything moves with Allah's name, and they find blessings. So while all animals do this, we as humans, we should start our actions with Bismillah. We'll become a part of that massive chain. Your life will be filled with blessings. You sit down at the table, and you say, "Bismillah". The food you eat becomes blessed.
Before you drink a glass of water, you say "Bismillah". That water becomes healing. You get into your car, and you say "Bismillah". Your journey becomes safe. You open your book and say "Bismillah". Your mind becomes clear, and so on and so forth. And now we come to "wa ta'ala jadduk." Its meaning is, "Your greatness and glory are above everything." There are things we think are the greatest, things we fear the most, but Allah is far greater than all of them. Just think about it. Our Earth rotates on its axis at a speed of 1,670 kilometres per hour, and at the same time, it revolves around the sun at a speed of 108,000 kilometres per hour.
And yet, in the middle of all this incredible speed, you can sit at your table and drink your coffee without spilling it. What kind of power is this? What kind of balance, what kind of greatness is this? Brothers, sisters, in the sun, every second, 600 million tons of hydrogen turn into helium. Yet, at that very moment, a massive energy transformation is taking place non-stop. And don't forget, the sun is only one of the smaller stars in space. There are stars far greater than it. And Allah, while managing all these enormous galaxies, He also knows at the same time even the most hidden thoughts in our minds.
"Ya Allah, You are the one who fills us with amazement, and You are the one who taught us the words to express it, 'Subhanallah'. 'Wa ta'ala jadduk, ' Your greatness and glory are above everything." But what happens when we forget Allah's true power? We lose our sense of security. That feeling of, "Allah will protect me," it starts to fade. Suddenly, small problems began to look huge, and our hearts fill with fear and worry, like, "What if this happens? Oh, what am I gonna do with that? What if I get sick?" These thoughts come to our minds. Our Lord is one who never forsakes His servants. All it takes is His command, "Kun," "Be," and it comes to be.
That is why holding on to the awareness of Allah's might is so vital. This knowledge transforms you, giving you the profound realization, "I am not fighting my battles alone. I am backed by the power of Allah Himself. With His single command, "Be," the entire situation can shift. The things you thought were impossible become possible." Sometimes when I reflect on this dua' (supplication), I mean Subhanakallahumma (Glory be to you, O Allah), I'm simply struck by the immense wisdom we were gifted. The Prophet (peace be upon him) didn't just teach us words; he gave us the perfect key to begin a conversation with Allah.
There's one more sentence recited only in funeral prayers: "wa jalla thana'uk." It means, "Your praise is exalted." At a funeral, when we are face-to-face with death, it reminds us that the only one truly worthy of praise is Allah. Even a person with millions of dollars in wealth, it's not truly worth of paradise. The one who truly deserves all praise is Allah. We went to a cemetery recently, and there we had a talk by the graves. I told the brothers, "In these graves behind us, there are people who once had millions of wealth.
Over there lies a famous star, but now all of them are silent, all of them under the ground." During the funeral prayer, we recite "wa jalla thana'uk," "the one whose praise is exalted is Allah." Position, status, intelligence, strength, muscles, none of it remains. Success, social media followers, none of it lasts. All of it fades away. And at that moment when we face death, the truth becomes clear. The only one who truly remains worthy of praise is Allah. Imagine one day, at your funeral too, people will say "wa jalla thana'uk." Death will find you as well. So on that day, what rank, what wealth, what beauty will save you? That's why we should recognize Him from now.
And if you look at it from another angle, this is what gives a person the greatest freedom. Even if everything else is gone, you stay connected with the endless power that never comes to an end. And now we have come to our final sentence, "wa la ilaha ghayruk." "There is no god but You." This phrase is similar to "la ilaha illallah" (There is no god but Allah). In fact, "la ilaha illallah" is such a deep truth that even a lifetime of reflection would not be enough to fully grasp it. The Messenger of Allah said that the best words he himself had ever spoken, and also the prophets before him, were, "La ilaha illallah" (There is no god but Allah).
For example, in the phrase "la ilaha illallah", we can replace the word "ilah" (god) with Allah's other names. For example, "La Razzaqa illallah." What does that mean? There is no provider except Allah. "La Shafiya illallah," there is no healer except Allah. "La Qadira illallah," there is no possessor of power except Allah. "La Muhyiya illallah," there is no giver of life except Allah. In this way, the phrase "la ilaha illallah" (There is no god but Allah) reaches dozens of layers of meaning. The heart searches for one true refuge, and the sentence "wa la ilaha ghayruk" fulfils this need. Now, let's quickly summarize what we have talked about from the very beginning. Subhanakallahumma.
O Allah, You are free from every flaw and imperfection. You create wonders that leave minds in awe. "Wa bihamdika." You are the One truly worthy of praise; whoever praises anyone, in reality, is praising You. "Wa tabarakasmuk." There is barakah (blessing/abundance) in Your name. Any work that begins with Your name finds barakah. "Wa ta'ala jadduk." Your greatness, power, existence, and glory are exalted, beyond all comparison. "Wa la ilaha ghayruk." There is no god but You. Brothers, sisters, everything we've been talking about actually comes to one point. Not just performing the prayer, but living, feeling the prayer.
When we stand before our Allah, to feel with our hearts what we say with our tongues, to comprehend it with our minds. That's when prayer stops being just a duty, and it becomes a true meeting. Of course, even when we don't think about these deeper meanings, we're still fulfilling our obligation of prayer. We should have no doubt about that. When this series is over, if you can truly understand it and apply it to your salah (prayer), insha Allah (If Allah wills), it will be something entirely different. In this part, we focused on one of the most fundamental supplications.
In other parts, we explored Surah al-Fatiha (The Opening chapter of the Quran), and in another video, we explored the meanings of Surah al-Falaq and Surah an-Nas. When we reflect on these meanings, prayer transforms into a form of therapy, because within each of them, there are powerful clues about what kind of God we believe in. Throughout your life, you will repeat this supplication thousands of times, but the issue is not repetition. The issue is approaching Allah a little more with each repetition. Brothers, sisters, one day our tongues will fall silent. The truths that settled in our hearts will enter the grave with us.
In order to be among the winners that day, we must truly understand these words today. By the way, for those who find it challenging to perform all five daily prayers regularly, our team has developed a very popular application. It is completely free and ad-free. I strongly encourage you to take a look at it, insha Allah (If Allah wills).