La ilaha illallah, “there is no god but God”, is the declaration at the heart of Islam and, in the words of the Prophet ﷺ, the best remembrance. It is a core form in our guide to dhikr in Islam. This post gathers what the Qur’an and authentic hadith say about it, and flags the popular claims that have no reliable source.
The English meanings are our own wording, and every reference links to its source.
Quick answer
Short answer: The Prophet ﷺ said the best remembrance is la ilaha illallah (Tirmidhi 3383). Its longer form, said a hundred times a day, brings the reward of freeing ten slaves, a hundred good deeds written, a hundred bad deeds erased and protection from Satan until evening (Bukhari 6403).
What it means
The words (our own plain gloss)
- La ilaha: there is no god, nothing worthy of worship.
- Illallah: except God.
- Together: a denial of every false object of worship, and an affirmation of God alone.
In the Qur’an
God tells His Messenger, in meaning (our own paraphrase): know that there is no god but God, and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and women (47:19). The verse begins with knowing this truth before acting on it, and pairs it straight away with istighfar.
“The best remembrance”
Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah reported that the Prophet ﷺ said, in meaning: the best remembrance is la ilaha illallah, and the best supplication is alhamdulillah (Tirmidhi 3383; al-Tirmidhi: hasan gharib; Hasan (Darussalam)).
The hundred-a-day form
Abu Huraira reported that the Prophet ﷺ said, in meaning: whoever says the following a hundred times in a day (Bukhari 6403; Muslim 2691):
La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamd, wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadir.
In meaning: there is no god but God alone, with no partner; His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He has power over all things.
| Reward | Source |
|---|---|
| Like freeing ten slaves | Bukhari 6403 |
| A hundred good deeds written | Bukhari 6403 |
| A hundred bad deeds erased | Bukhari 6403 |
| Protection from Satan that day until evening | Bukhari 6403 |
| No one brings better, except one who does more | Muslim 2691 |
The Prophet ﷺ said the same form after every obligatory prayer (Bukhari 844).
Taught to a bedouin
Sa’d reported that a bedouin asked the Prophet ﷺ to teach him words to say. The first thing he taught him began La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, followed by glorification and praise (Muslim 2696).
Counts without a source
Warning
You will see posts promising special results for saying la ilaha illallah a thousand times, or in a set “wazifa” count for a job, a marriage or wealth. We have not found a sahih or hasan hadith for any of these counts or promises. The authentic numbers are the ones above: a hundred times a day for the longer form, and as often as you can for the short one.
Making it a habit
A daily plan
1
Say the long form a hundred times a day, in one sitting or spread out.
2
Say it after every obligatory prayer (Bukhari 844).
3
Fill spare moments with the short form, la ilaha illallah.
4
Reflect on the meaning, as 47:19 asks: know it.
Quick reference
- The best remembrance (Tirmidhi 3383)
- Long form ×100 a day (Bukhari 6403)
- After every obligatory prayer (Bukhari 844)
- No authentic “thousand times” promise
Keep going
Read Sayyid al-Istighfar next, for the morning and evening form that pairs with this declaration. For the whole picture, return to our complete guide to dhikr.
This is general education, not a religious ruling. Ask a qualified scholar about specific practices.