سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَلاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Glory be to Allah, and praise be to Allah, and there is no god but Allah, and Allah is the Greatest.
SubhanAllah walhamdulillah wa la ilaha illallah wallahu akbar
When to Read
This is recited when one remembers a missed prayer and is now performing it. After remembering a prayer you missed, immediately make an effort to perform it as soon as possible. When you offer it, you can recite this remembrance, acknowledging Allah's greatness and your reliance on Him.
How to Read
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught this remembrance. While there isn't a specific directive to recite this exact phrase *during* the prayer you are making up, it's a powerful remembrance of Allah that can be made upon remembering the missed prayer and preparing to offer it, or immediately after completing it as an act of gratitude and seeking forgiveness. It's a form of dhikr (remembrance of Allah) which is always encouraged.
Virtues & Benefits
Reciting this phrase is a beautiful way to acknowledge Allah's perfection, His blessings, and His might. It glorifies Allah and affirms our submission to Him. When we remember a missed prayer, it's a moment of reflection and, hopefully, repentance. Turning to Allah with His remembrance in such moments is a sign of our faith and our desire to reconnect and fulfill our obligations. The Prophet ﷺ mentioned the immense reward of saying these words, describing them as beloved to Allah and weighing heavily on the scales.
Source & Authentication
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'For every statement made, there is a reward for it, and for every deed, there is a reward for it. And indeed, Paradise is entered by saying La ilaha illallah.' Then he said: 'Shall I not teach you a statement which, if you say it, will make the earth and whatever is on it crumble (i.e., make your deeds weigh heavily)? Say: SubhanAllah walhamdulillah wa la ilaha illallah wallahu akbar.' (Sunan Abi Dawud 5054). While this hadith speaks of general remembrance and its weight on the scales, applying it to the context of remembering a missed prayer highlights the importance of turning to Allah with His remembrance in moments of seeking to correct our shortcomings.