After rukūʿ, stand up straight and raise your hands saying:
سَمِعَ اللّٰهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ
May Allah respond to the one who praises Him.
Take your time in this posture as it is a unique posture that precedes and prepares you for the greatest pillar of ṣalāh: sujūd. Stand up calmly and give this posture its due. The Prophet ﷺ used to lengthen this posture, just as he would lengthen his rukūʿ and sujūd.
This pillar of ṣalāh is a special pillar in which you praise the Lord of Majesty and Honour. Therefore, once you are peacefully standing, say one of the following:
1. اَللّٰهُمَّ رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ
O Allah, our Lord, to You Alone belongs all praise.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “When the Imām says: سَمِعَ اللّٰهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ say: اَللّٰهُمَّ رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ, for indeed whoever coincides in saying this with the angels, his past sins will be forgiven” (Bukhārī).
2. رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ، حَمْدًا كَثِيْرًا طَيِّبًا مُّبَارَكًا فِيْهِ
Our Lord, to You Alone belongs all praise; abundant, pure and blessed praise.
Rifāʿah b. Rāfiʿ(raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) narrated, “One day we were praying behind the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. When he raised his head from rukūʿ, he ﷺ said ُ سَمِعَ اللّٰهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ
A man behind him ﷺ said [the above]. When he ﷺ finished, he asked, ‘Who uttered those words?’ The man replied, ‘Me.’ The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘I saw some thirty-something angels racing to write it first’” (Bukhārī).
3. لِرَبِّيَ الْحَمْدُ ، لِرَبِّيَ الْحَمْدُ
For my Lord alone is all praise. For my Lord alone is all praise. (Abū Dāwūd)
4. رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ مِلْءَ السَّمٰـوٰتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمِلْءَ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ شَىْءٍ بَعْدُ ، أَهْلَ الثَّنَاءِ وَالْمَجْدِ ، أَحَقُّ مَا قَالَ الْعَبْدُ – وَكُلُّنَا لَكَ عَبْدٌ – اَللّٰهُمَّ لَا مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ ، وَلَا مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ ، وَلَا يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَدُّ
O Allah, for You Alone is all praise; praise which fills the heavens and the earth, and which fills whatever You wish after that. You are most worthy of praise and glory. The greatest truth the slave can utter is – and we are all Your slaves – O Allah, there is none who can withhold what You give, and none can give what You withhold; and the wealth of the wealthy does not avail him from You (Muslim).
In this dhikr, you are praising Allah (ʿazza wa jall) to a level beyond your imagination!
لَا مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ ، وَلَا مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ [O Allah, there is none who can withhold what You give, and none can give what You withhold]: This is reminiscent of the Prophet’s advice to his cousin ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAbbās (radiy Allāhu ʿanhumā), who narrated, “One day I was behind the Messenger of Allah ﷺ (on a camel) and he said to me, ‘Son, I will teach you some words: Be mindful of Allah and He will be mindful of you. Be mindful of Allah and you will find Him in front of you. When you ask, then ask Allah. When you seek help, then seek help from Allah. Know that if the nation gathered together to benefit you with something, they would only benefit you with something that Allah has already written for you. If they gathered together to harm you with something, they would only harm you with something that Allah had already written against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried’ (Tirmidhī).
الْجَدُّ: Jadd means good fortune and includes: wealth, power, and fame. None of these can protect you from the punishment of Allah (ʿazza wa jall).
Reflect
I am content with all that Allah (ʿazza wa jall) has decreed for me. I am not anxious or envious. I do not hold grudges in my heart towards someone who may have more than me. Rather my daily ṣalāh – and this reminder in particular – fills my heart with contentment and peace.
5. اَللّٰهُمَّ رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ مِلْءَ السَّمٰـوٰتِ وَمِلْءَ الْأَرْضِ وَمِلْءَ مَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَمِلْءَ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ شَيْءٍ بَعْدُ
O Allah, Our Lord, for You Alone is all praise; praise which fills the heavens, which fills the earth, which fills whatever is in between them, and which fills whatever You wish after that (Muslim).
6. اَللّٰهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ مِلْءَ السَّمَاءِ وَمِلْءَ الْأَرْضِ، وَمِلْءَ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ شَيْءٍ بَعْدُ، اَللّٰهُمَّ طَهِّرْنِيْ بِالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ وَالْمَاءِ الْبَارِدِ، اَللّٰهُمَّ طَهِّرْنِيْ مِنَ الذُّنُوْبِ وَالْخَطَايَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الْوَسَخِ
O Allah, for You Alone is all Praise which fills the heavens and the earth, and which fills whatever You wish after that. O Allah, purify me with snow, hail and cold water. O Allah, purify me from sins and mistakes as white cloth is purified of dirt (Muslim).
Reflect
This pillar of the ṣalāh is characterised by the praising and thanking of Allah. Praise Him (ʿazza wa jall) for allowing you to bow down to Him (ʿazza wa jall) and to express your humility to Him, especially as there are so many people who do not share this privilege. Thank Him for all His (ʿazza wa jall) blessings upon you.
