If you could hear the pens of the angels as they write everything you did, how would you behave? How would feel, if you heard them writing down a deed you did, and classed it as a good deed.

A surge of emotions would rush over you, washing over your entire being, and it would affect you to your core, just as when a wave washes over the beach, reaching deep beneath, and affecting even the tiniest particle of sand.

Now, on the same thought trail, it never ceases to amaze me that thirty angels rushed to write down the words uttered by one man in the spur of a moment. Perhaps you are unaware of the words I am referring to; nonetheless picture a scene in which thirty angels, who are perfect, sinless and in complete obedience to Allah, compete and race to note a few words; a small phrase, simply because of their happiness and the value it carries. The angels assigned to write this man’s deeds, did not simply write these words down. No. Rather, thirty angels, rushed to do so, they were eager, they hurried. I shall narrate to you the incident,

Abu Rifa’ bin Rafi Az-Zuraqi said, “one day we were praying behind the Prophet (peace be upon him). When he raised his head from bowing (ruku’) he said, ‘Sami’ Allahu liman hamidah.’ (Allah hears those who praise Him.) A man behind him said, ‘rabbana wa lakal hamd, hamdan katheeran tayyiban mubarakan feeh’ meaning, ‘O our Lord, all praises are for you, many good and blessed praises.’ When the Prophet completed the prayer, he asked, ‘Who said these words?’ The man replied, ‘I.’ The Prophet said, ‘I saw over thirty angels competing to write it first.” (Sahih Bukhari, Vol 1, Book 12, No 764)

The Prophet (peace be upon him, related to us about another similar situation. He (peace be upon him), said, “A servant of Allah once said ‘O Allah, Yours is the Hamd that is suitable for the grace of Your face and the greatness of Your supreme authority.’ The two angels were confused as to how to write these words. They ascended to Allah and said, ‘O our Lord! A servant has just uttered a statement and we are unsure of how to record it for him. Allah said, while having more knowledge in what His servant had said, ‘What did my servant say?’ They said, ‘He said, ‘O Allah, Yours is the Hamd that is suitable for the Grace of Your face and the greatness of Your supreme authority.’’ Allah said to them, ‘Write is as my servant has said it, until he meets Me, and then I shall reward him for it.’” (Ibn Majah 2:1249)

Amazing isn’t it? Wouldn’t you want the angels to do the same for you? Such short simple words, easy to remember, and pleasing to the Lord of the Worlds. Don’t you anticipate the reward of Allah, which is incomparable to anything you have ever seen, heard or experienced before and superior to it?

As human beings we love it when we are praised. We love it when others voice admiration of us, when they compliment us, we thrive on it. Now, for Allah is the highest and best of examples.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) is reported to have said, “Verily, your Lord likes Al-Hamd (praise).” (Collected by Ahmad and An-Nisa’i)

Many of us work hard in youth and old age to please our parents. To ensure they are happy, that they are content with what we do. If we see them sad, or unsmiling we will do everything in our power to make them smile, and will even ask what makes them frown. Their worries are our concerns. Their pains are our sufferings, because we love them, because of their care and devotion to us. We will go to the ends of the world to make our parents pleased. Shouldn’t this be even more so for our Rabb, who has taken care of each and every one of us, and not neglected us? And you know what, even our Rabb smiles, Glory be to Him!

When Ali was asked about ‘Alhamdulilah’ he said, “a statement that Allah liked for Himself, was pleased with for Himself, and He likes that it be repeated.” (At-Tabari 1:13, and mentioned in Tafseer Ibn Kathir, Abridged English Version, Volume 1)

Moreover, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The best dhikr is ‘Laa ilaha illallah’ and the best supplication is ‘Alhamdulillah.” (At-Tirmidhi, An-Nisa’I and Ibn Majah)

Immerse yourself in praising Allah, for ‘hamd’ is a general statement of praise, signifying that all praise is for Allah, alone, not any of the objects worshipped instead of Him or besides Him. It is a praise that Allah has praised Himself with, indicating that we too should participate in His praise.