You also glorify God at the moment of victory and joyfulness: ﴾ فَسبِّحْ بحَمْدِ رَبِّك …﴿ إِذَا جَاءَ نَصرُ اللَّهِ وَ الْفَتْحُ “When Allah’s help comes with victory… then celebrate the praise of your Lord.”[1] In addition, glorify God in the depths of vicissitudes and adversity for the tasbīḥ is the source of deliverance:
﴾ لَلَبِث في بَطنِهِ إِلى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ ٭ فَلَوْلا أَنَّهُ كانَ مِنَ الْمُسبِّحِينَ ﴿ “And had he (Jonah) not been one of those who celebrate Allah’s glory, he would have surely remained in its belly till the day they will be resurrected.”[2]
Yes, on account of man’s many limitations, he can never comprehend God. So, it is better for him to admit his own weakness and say, “As You are beyond the scope of the intellect and imagination, You are guiltless of and above what others ascribe to You”: ﴾ سُبْحَٰنَهُ وَ تَعَالىٰ عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ عُلُوًّا كَبِيرًا ﴿ “Immaculate is He, and greatly exalted above what they say!”[3]
Only the sincere servants of God, through divine guidance and succor, can describe God:
﴾ إِلا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ الْمُخْلَصِينَ ٭ سُبْحَٰنَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ ﴿
“Clear is Allah of whatever they allege [about Him],—[all] except Allah’s exclusive servants.”[4]
The reward for tasbīḥ
Imām aṣ-Ṣādiq (‘a) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (ṣ) said that when a servant of God utters, “Subḥān Allāh,” whatever is under the Divine Throne glorifies God along with him and 10 times the reward shall be given to him. When he recites, “Al-ḥamdulillāh,” God shall grant him the blessings of the world till he meets Allah and enters into the blessings of the hereafter.[5]
