Third Kalima Tamjeed: Meaning and Evidence

Learn the Third Kalima Tamjeed with complete Arabic, clear meaning, pronunciation guidance and authentic evidence for its phrases of remembrance.

The Third Kalima is commonly taught as a concise collection of words that glorify Allah, praise Him, affirm Tawhid, proclaim His greatness and acknowledge that all power belongs to Him. It is called Kalima Tamjeed because its subject is the praise and glorification of Allah.

Complete Arabic

سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، وَلَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ

Transliteration

Subhanallahi, walhamdu lillahi, wa la ilaha illallahu, wallahu akbar. Wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil-‘Aliyyil-‘Azim.

Meaning

Allah is free from every imperfection, and all praise belongs to Allah. There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and Allah is the Greatest. There is no power and no strength except through Allah, the Most High, the Magnificent.

Authentic Evidence For The Words

Sahih Muslim 2695 records the first four phrases together:

سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، وَلَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ

The Prophet ﷺ said that saying these words was dearer to him than everything upon which the sun rises. Sahih Muslim 2137a also describes these four expressions as words beloved to Allah and states that a person may begin with any of them.

The next phrase has its own strong evidence. In Sahih Muslim 2704g, the Prophet ﷺ directed Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari to:

لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ

He described it as a word from the treasures of Paradise. Therefore, the main parts of the Third Kalima are established forms of authentic Prophetic remembrance.

The familiar South Asian teaching version ends with الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ—“the Most High, the Magnificent.” These are Quranic names and descriptions of Allah. Ayat al-Kursi, Quran 2:255, ends with وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ. However, the cited wording of Sahih Muslim 2704g ends at إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ. This distinction helps students learn the traditional classroom form while accurately understanding the evidence.

What Does Subhanallah Mean?

سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ means that Allah is completely free from every defect, weakness, injustice and imperfection. It is more than a general expression of surprise. It is an act of Tasbih: declaring Allah’s absolute perfection.

When Muslims observe the order and beauty of creation, they should not stop at admiration. They remember the Creator. Quran 3:191 describes believers reflecting on the heavens and earth and saying سُبْحَانَكَ—“Glory be to You; You are free from imperfection.”

Pronounce Subhanallah carefully. The middle sound is “haa,” not a harsh “khaa.” Keep the final h of Allah clear without exaggeration: Sub-ha-nal-lah.

What Does Alhamdulillah Mean?

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ means that all true and complete praise belongs to Allah. Hamd combines praise with love, honour and gratitude. We praise Allah for who He is, for His perfect names and attributes, and for the blessings He gives.

Alhamdulillah is appropriate in ease and difficulty. A believer thanks Allah for visible blessings while trusting His wisdom in matters that are harder to understand. Saying it attentively trains the heart to notice blessings instead of treating them as ordinary entitlements.

Pronounce the ح in hamd gently from the middle of the throat. It is not the English “h” and it should not become the stronger خ sound. The د at the end of hamd should remain clear before moving into lillah.

What Does La Ilaha Illallah Mean?

لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ means that no one and nothing has the right to be worshipped except Allah. It contains both rejection and affirmation. لَا إِلَٰهَ rejects every false object of worship, while إِلَّا اللَّهُ affirms worship for Allah alone.

This declaration is the foundation of Tawhid. It affects prayer, reliance, hope, fear, sacrifice and supplication. A student should not treat it merely as a sound to repeat; its meaning calls for sincere worship and obedience.

Avoid translating it only as “there is no God but Allah” without explaining worship. The clearer learning translation is “there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.”

What Does Allahu Akbar Mean?

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ means “Allah is the Greatest” or “Allah is greater than everything.” Takbir reminds the believer that no fear, desire, possession or difficulty is greater than Allah.

Muslims repeat Allahu Akbar throughout Salah. Each Takbir helps the worshipper move away from distraction and return attention to Allah. Outside Salah, it is also a powerful expression of gratitude, awe and certainty.

Keep the opening hamzah of Akbar audible. Say Al-la-hu Ak-bar rather than joining the words so quickly that Akbar loses its first sound.

What Does La Hawla Wa La Quwwata Illa Billah Mean?

لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ is an acknowledgement that people possess no independent ability or strength. Every movement away from harm and every capacity to perform good depends upon Allah’s permission and help.

This phrase does not teach passivity. Muslims are commanded to make responsible effort, use lawful means and fulfil their duties. At the same time, they recognise that effort succeeds only through Allah. It joins action with humility and reliance.

Because the Prophet ﷺ called it a treasure from the treasures of Paradise in Sahih Muslim 2704g, it deserves frequent, thoughtful recitation—especially when a task feels difficult or a person becomes aware of personal weakness.

Al-Aliyy And Al-Azim

الْعَلِيِّ refers to Allah as the Most High, and الْعَظِيمِ describes Him as the Magnificent or Supremely Great. In the familiar Third Kalima wording, both words carry a kasrah ending because they follow بِاللَّهِ grammatically: billahil-‘Aliyyil-‘Azim.

Quran 2:255 brings these descriptions together at the end of Ayat al-Kursi. They reinforce the lesson running through the entire Kalima: Allah is perfect, praised, uniquely worthy of worship, greater than everything, and the source of all ability.

How The Phrases Build One Message

The sequence gives a balanced lesson in belief and worship:

1. Subhanallah removes every imperfection from our understanding of Allah.
2. Alhamdulillah affirms that every complete praise belongs to Him.
3. La ilaha illallah establishes His exclusive right to worship.
4. Allahu Akbar places His greatness above every created concern.
5. La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah teaches dependence upon His help.

Together, these meanings correct pride, carelessness and despair. A proud person remembers that strength comes from Allah. A careless person remembers that Allah deserves praise and worship. A discouraged person remembers that Allah’s help is greater than the difficulty.

Pronunciation In Small Parts

Learn the wording in five manageable sections:

سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ
Subhanallah

وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ
Walhamdu lillah

وَلَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ
Wa la ilaha illallah

وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Wallahu akbar

وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ
Wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil-‘Aliyyil-‘Azim

Read each section slowly until the Arabic letters and vowels are stable. Then connect two sections, pause, and repeat. Finally, read the whole Kalima without rushing.

Common Reading Mistakes

Do not change Subhanallah into “Subhanallah-ee” by adding an unnecessary long sound at the end. When continuing into the next phrase, follow the written ending naturally.

Do not omit the ح in الْحَمْدُ or pronounce it like ه. A teacher can demonstrate the correct throat position.

In إِلَّا, the ل carries Shaddah and must be doubled correctly. In اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ, keep Allahu and Akbar distinct enough for both words to remain clear.

In قُوَّةَ, the و carries Shaddah. Do not flatten it into a weak single sound. In الْعَظِيمِ, the ظ is a heavy letter and must not become the lighter ز sound.

Avoid racing for speed. Accurate articulation, correct vowels and understanding are more valuable than completing the words quickly.

A Simple Daily Practice Method

Day 1: Learn Subhanallah and its meaning.

Day 2: Add Alhamdulillah and compare Tasbih with Hamd.

Day 3: Learn La ilaha illallah with the meaning “none worthy of worship except Allah.”

Day 4: Add Allahu Akbar and practise the first four phrases together.

Day 5: Learn La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah slowly.

Day 6: Add al-‘Aliyyil-‘Azim and review Quran 2:255.

Day 7: Recite the complete wording from memory, translate every section and ask a qualified teacher to correct pronunciation.

Teaching Children

Teach meaning alongside memorisation. A child can use five short ideas: Allah is perfect; all praise is His; only Allah is worshipped; Allah is greatest; and all strength comes through Allah.

Use call-and-response practice. The teacher reads one Arabic phrase, the child repeats it, and then explains its simple meaning. This method reveals pronunciation errors and prevents memorisation from becoming disconnected sounds.

Correct gently and one point at a time. If several letters need improvement, begin with the mistake that changes the word most clearly. Consistent short practice is better than one exhausting session.

The Six Kalimas Teaching Framework

The label “Third Kalima Tamjeed” belongs to a widely used South Asian educational arrangement. Quran and Hadith do not present all six Kalimas together as one numbered collection in this order.

This does not make the authentic phrases unimportant. The first four are recorded together in Sahih Muslim 2695, and the Hawqalah is independently established in Sahih Muslim 2704g. Responsible teaching identifies the source of each part without claiming that the entire classroom arrangement is one verbatim Hadith.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Third Kalima a form of Dhikr?

Yes. Its phrases are forms of Tasbih, Tahmid, Tahlil, Takbir and Hawqalah—all remembrance of Allah.

Are its first four phrases found together in an authentic Hadith?

Yes. Sahih Muslim 2695 records Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illallah and Allahu Akbar together and explains their tremendous value.

Is La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah authentic?

Yes. In Sahih Muslim 2704g, the Prophet ﷺ described it as a word from the treasures of Paradise.

Does that Hadith include al-‘Aliyyil-‘Azim at the end?

The wording displayed in Sahih Muslim 2704g ends with illa billah. Al-‘Aliyy and Al-‘Azim are authentic Quranic descriptions of Allah found together in Quran 2:255 and are included in the familiar teaching form.

Can this Kalima replace the prescribed Adhkar after Salah?

It should not be treated as a replacement for specific authentic remembrances taught for particular occasions. Learn prescribed Adhkar from reliable sources while also benefiting from these authentic phrases generally.

Should beginners prioritise speed or accuracy?

Accuracy comes first. Read slowly, learn the meaning, and increase fluency after the letters and vowels are secure.

References

The four beloved phrases: Sahih Muslim 2137a.

The first four phrases together and their excellence: Sahih Muslim 2695.

La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah as a treasure of Paradise: Sahih Muslim 2704g.

Al-‘Aliyy and Al-‘Azim together: Quran 2:255.

Tasbih while reflecting on creation: Quran 3:191.