﷽ Al-Asmaa ul-Husna : Benefits of reciting Ya Allah (يا الله)

1. Name

الله
Allah

2. Meaning

The One and Only God
The Supreme Being
The Almighty Lord of All Worlds
The One Who Alone is Worthy of worship
The Ever-Omnipotent

3. Explanation

Allah is Al-Ism Al-A'zam, the Greatest name which contains all the divine attributes and is the sign of the essence and cause of all existence. Allah does not resemble in any way any of His creation. Allah is Allah's name only. Nothing else can assume this name or share it.

4. Quran

إِنَّنِي أَنَا اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدْنِي وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِذِكْرِي

Indeed, I am Allah . There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance. (20:14)

اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ لَهُ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ

Allah - there is no deity except Him. To Him belong the Best Names. (20:8)

ۗ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ لَيَجْمَعَنَّكُمْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ

Allah - there is no deity except Him. He will surely assemble you for [account on] the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt. (4:87)

اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ

Allah - there is no deity except Him. And upon Allah let the believers rely. (64:13)

إِنَّمَا إِلَٰهُكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا

Your god is only Allah, except for whom there is no deity. He has encompassed all things in knowledge. (20:98)

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ ۚ هَلْ مِنْ خَالِقٍ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَرْزُقُكُم مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤْفَكُونَ

O mankind, remember the favor of Allah upon you. Is there any creator other than Allah who provides for you from the heaven and earth? There is no deity except Him, so how are you deluded? (35:3)

وَلَا تَدْعُ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا آخَرَ ۘ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُ ۚ لَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

And do not invoke with Allah another deity. There is no deity except Him. Everything will be destroyed except His Face. His is the judgement, and to Him you will be returned. (28:88)

اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ

Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence. (2:255, 3:2)

هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ ۖ هُوَ الرَّحْمَٰنُ الرَّحِيمُ

He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, Knower of the unseen and the witnessed. He is the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. (59:22)

هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْمَلِكُ الْقُدُّوسُ السَّلَامُ الْمُؤْمِنُ الْمُهَيْمِنُ الْعَزِيزُ الْجَبَّارُ الْمُتَكَبِّرُ ۚ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ

He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, the Sovereign, the Pure, the Perfection, the Bestower of Faith, the Overseer, the Exalted in Might, the Compeller, the Superior. Exalted is Allah above whatever they associate with Him. (59:23)

خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَأَنزَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ الْأَنْعَامِ ثَمَانِيَةَ أَزْوَاجٍ ۚ يَخْلُقُكُمْ فِي بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ خَلْقًا مِّن بَعْدِ خَلْقٍ فِي ظُلُمَاتٍ ثَلَاثٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ ۖ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُصْرَفُونَ

He created you from one soul. Then He made from it its mate, and He produced for you from the grazing livestock eight mates. He creates you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, within three darknesses. That is Allah, your Lord; to Him belongs dominion. There is no deity except Him, so how are you averted? (39:6)

فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنبِكَ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مُتَقَلَّبَكُمْ وَمَثْوَاكُمْ

So know, [O Muhammad (ﷺ)], that there is no deity except Allah and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women. And Allah knows of your movement and your resting place. (47:19)

شَهِدَ اللَّهُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ وَأُولُو الْعِلْمِ قَائِمًا بِالْقِسْطِ ۚ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

Allah witnesses that there is no deity except Him, and [so do] the angels and those of knowledge - [that He is] maintaining [creation] in justice. There is no deity except Him, the Exalted in Might, the Wise. (3:18)

ذَٰلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ ۖ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ فَاعْبُدُوهُ ۚ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَكِيلٌ

That is Allah, your Lord; there is no deity except Him, the Creator of all things, so worship Him. And He is Disposer of all things. (6:102)

حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ ۖ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ

Sufficient for me is Allah ; there is no deity except Him. On Him I have relied, and He is the Lord of the Great Throne. (9:129)

فَتَعَالَى اللَّهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ ۖ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ

So exalted is Allah, the Sovereign, the Truth; there is no deity except Him, Lord of the Noble Throne. (23:116)

وَهُوَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِي الْأُولَىٰ وَالْآخِرَةِ ۖ وَلَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

And He is Allah ; there is no deity except Him. To Him is [due all] praise in the first [life] and the Hereafter. And His is the [final] decision, and to Him you will be returned. (28:70)

ۚ اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. (24:35)

۩ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ

Allah - there is no deity except Him, Lord of the Great Throne. (27:26)

5. Hadith

5.1 Ibn 'Abbas (رضي الله عنه) said: The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) used to say when he was in distress:

لا إله إلا الله العظيم الحليم، لا إله إلا الله رب العرش العظيم، لا إله إلا الله رب السماوات ورب الأرض ورب العرش الكريم

"None has the right to be worshipped but Allah the Incomparably Great, the Compassionate. None has the right to be worshipped but Allah the Rubb of the Mighty Throne. None has the right to be worshipped but Allah the Rubb of the heavens, the Rubb of the earth, and the Rubb of the Honourable Throne."

(Riyad as-Salihin 1502)

5.2 It was narrated that Umm Hani' (رضي الله عنها) said: "The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said:

لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ لاَ يَسْبِقُهَا عَمَلٌ وَلاَ تَتْرُكُ ذَنْبًا

'(About saying) La ilaha illah - no deed takes precedence over it and it does not leave any sin'."

(Sunan Ibn Majah 3797)

5.3 Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said:

اَلْبَاقِيَاتُ اَلصَّالِحَاتُ: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اَللَّهُ, وَسُبْحَانَ اَللَّهِ, وَاَللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ, وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ, وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاَللَّهِ

“The lasting good deeds are: (the saying of) ‘None has the right to be worshipped except Allah alone, How perfect Allah is and Allah is great and all praise is for Allah, There is no might nor power except with Allah.”

(Bulugh al-Maram Book 16, Hadith 1588)

5.4 Tamim Ad-Dari (رضي الله عنه) narrated that: The Messsenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said: “Whoever says ten times:

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ إِلَهًا وَاحِدًا أَحَدًا صَمَدًا لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ صَاحِبَةً وَلاَ وَلَدًا وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

‘I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah. Alone, without partner, One Deity, the One, As-Samad, He did not take a wife, nor a child, nor is there anyone like Him’,

Allah will write for him forty million good deeds.”

(Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3473)

5.5 Narrated 'Ubada bin As-Samit (رضي الله عنه): The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) "Whoever gets up at night and says:

لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ، وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ‏.‏ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ، وَلاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ، وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَلاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ

'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah. He is the Only One and has no partners . For Him is the Kingdom and all the praises are due for Him. He is Omnipotent. All the praises are for Allah. All the glories are for Allah. And none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, And Allah is Great And there is neither Might nor Power Except with Allah'.

And then says:

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي‏

'O Allah! Forgive me'.

Or invokes (Allah), he will be responded to and if he performs ablution (and prays), his prayer will be accepted."

(Sahih al-Bukhari 1154)

5.6 It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbas (رضي الله عنه) said: "Some poor people came to the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and said: 'O Messenger of Allah , the rich pray as we pray, and they fast as we fast, but they have wealth that they give in charity and with which they free slaves.' The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said:

إِذَا صَلَّيْتُمْ فَقُولُوا سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ ثَلاَثًا وَثَلاَثِينَ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ثَلاَثًا وَثَلاَثِينَ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ثَلاَثًا وَثَلاَثِينَ وَلاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ عَشْرًا فَإِنَّكُمْ تُدْرِكُونَ بِذَلِكَ مَنْ سَبَقَكُمْ وَتَسْبِقُونَ مَنْ بَعْدَكُمْ

'If you pray and say Subhan Allah thirty-three times, Al-Hamdu-Lillah thirty-three times and Allahu Akbar thirty-four times, and La illaha illAllah ten times, then you will catch up with those who went ahead of you and will go ahead of those who come after you."

(Sunan an-Nasa'i 1353)

5.7 Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه) narrated that Allah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) used to supplicate thus:

لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ أَعَزَّ جُنْدَهُ وَنَصَرَ عَبْدَهُ وَغَلَبَ الأَحْزَابَ وَحْدَهُ فَلاَ شَىْءَ بَعْدَهُ

"There is no god but Allah, the One Who conferred upon His armies the Honor of victory and helped His servant rout the clans; there is nothing after that."

(Sahih Muslim 2724)

5.8 'Abdullah bin 'Umar (رضي الله عنه) reported: Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said,

‏أمرت أن أقاتل الناس حتى يشهدوا أن لا إله إلا الله ، وأن محمداً رسول الله ، ويقيموا الصلاة، ويؤتوا الزكاة ، فإذا فعلوا ذلك عصموا مني دماءهم وأموالهم إلا بحق الإسلام، وحسابهم على الله تعالى‏

"I have been commanded (by Allah) to fight people until they testify that there is no true god except Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and perform Salat and pay Zakat. If they do so, they will have protection of their blood and property from me except when justified by Islam, and then account is left to Allah".

(Riyad as-Salihin Book 1, Hadith 390)

5.9 Sa'd bin Abu Waqqas (رضي الله عنه) reported: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "He who says after the Adhan:

‏ أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، وأن محمدًا عبده ورسوله، رضيت بالله ربًا وبالإسلام دينًا‏

'I testify that there is no true god except Allah Alone; He has no partners and that Muhammad (ﷺ) is His slave and Messenger; I am content with Allah as my Rubb, with Muhammad as my Messenger and with Islam as my Deen,'

his sins will be forgiven."

(Riyad as-Salihin Book 8, Hadith 50)

5.10 Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه): The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said,

الإيمان بضع وسبعون، أو بضع وستون شعبة‏:‏ فأفضلها قول لا إله إلا الله، وأدناها إماطة الأذى عن الطريق، والحياء شعبة من الإيمان

"Iman has over seventy branches - or over sixty branches - the uppermost of which is the declaration: 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah'; and the least of which is the removal of harmful object from the road, and modesty is a branch of Iman.".

(Riyad as-Salihin Book 1, Hadith 125)

5.11 Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه) reported: The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said,

سبحان الله، والحمد لله، ولا إله إلا الله، والله أكبر، أحب إلي مما طلعت عليه الشمس

"The uttering of the words: "Subhan-Allah (Allah is free from imperfection), Al-Hamdu Lillah (all praise is due to Allah), La ilaha illAllah (there is no true god except Allah) and Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)' is dearer to me than anything over which the sun rises."

(Riyad as-Salihin 1409)

5.12 Narrated Mihjan ibn al-Adra' (رضي الله عنه): The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) entered the mosque and saw a man who had finished his prayer, and was reciting the tashahhud saying:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ يَا اللَّهُ الأَحَدُ الصَّمَدُ الَّذِي لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ أَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي ذُنُوبِي إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

'O Allah, I ask you, O Allah, the One, the eternally besought of all, He begetteth not, nor was He begotten, and there is none comparable unto Him, that you may forgive me my sins, you are Most Forgiving, Merciful.'

He (the Prophet) said: He was forgiven (repeating three times.)

(Sunan Abi Dawud 985)

5.13 Hanzalah bin 'Ali narrated that: Mihjan bin Al-Adra' (رضی الله عنهم) narrated to him that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) entered the masjid and there was a man who had finished his prayer and he was reciting the tashahhud. He said:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ يَا اللَّهُ بِأَنَّكَ الْوَاحِدُ الأَحَدُ الصَّمَدُ الَّذِي لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ أَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي ذُنُوبِي إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

"O Allah, I ask of You, O Allah, as You are the One, the Only, the Self-Sufficient Master, Who begets not nor was He begotten, and there is None equal or comparable to Him, forgive me my sins, for You are the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) said: "He has been forgiven," three times.

(Sunan an-Nasa'i 1301)

5.14 Imam Al-Hakim and Allamah Sakhawi (رحمهم الله) have recorded a famous Dua from Imam Jafar As-Sadiq (عليه السلام) as

اللهم احرسني بعينك التي لا تنام، واكنفني بركنك الذي لا يرام، وارحمني بقدرتك على فلا أهلك وأنت رجائي، رب كم من نعمة أنعمت بها عليّ قل لك بها شكري وكم من بلية ابتليتني بها قل لك بها صبري، فيا من قل عند نعمته شكري فلم يحرمني، ويا من قل عند بليته صبري فلم يخذلني، ويا من رآني على الخطايا فلم يفضحني، يا ذا المعروف الذي لا ينقضي أبدا ويا ذا النعم التي لا تحصى أبدا، أسألك أن تصلي على محمد، وعلى آل محمد، وبك أدرأ في نحور الأعداء والجبابرة

اللهم أعني على ديني بالدنيا، و أعني على آخرتي بتقوي، واحفظني فيما غبت عنه، ولا تكلني إلى نفسي فيما حضرته، يا من لا تضره الذنوب، و لا تنقصه المغفرة، هب لي ما لا ينقصك واغفر لي ما لا يضرك، إنك أنت الوهاب، أسألك فرجا قريبا، و صبرا جميلا، ورزقا واسعا، والعاقبة من جميع البلاء، وأسألك تمام العافية، وأسألك دوام العافية، وأسألك شكر العافية، وأسألك الغنى عن الناس، ولا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله العلي العظيم، اللهم إنا نجعلك في نحورهم ونعوذ بك من شرورهم

‘O Allah! Guard me with Your eye [Your exclusive special attention] that never sleeps, protect me with Your unassailable patronage, and forgive me by virtue of Your power over me so that I may not perish. You [alone] are my hope. O my Rabb! Many a bounty You have bestowed upon me for which my gratitude to You was very little. And so many a trial You have tested me with, over which my patience was very little. O the One for whose favour my gratitude was very little, yet [despite that] He did not deprive me! And O the One over whose trial I showed very little patience, yet He did not abandon me! O the one who saw me committing sins, yet He did not disgrace me! O the giver of never-ending favors! And O the possessor of immeasurable bounties! I beseech You to shower blessings [and send Your special mercy] upon Muhammad (ﷺ) and his family. It is [only] through You [and Your power alone] that I ward off [and advance] against the enemies and tyrants.

O Allah! Assist me in my Din [religion] through this world [i.e through my worldly abilities/achievements], and in my Hereafter through my piety. Protect me from things that are hidden from me and do not leave me to rely on myself in those things which are before me [i.e take control of all my matters, regardless if I have control and understanding of them or not]. O the One whom sins do not harm [it is irrelevant to You, O Allah, how much we sin as that does not decrease You in Your greatness!] and forgiveness does not cause any loss [Your treasures and forgiveness are infinite]! Grant me what does not cause You any loss [forgiveness], and absolve me of what does not cause You any harm [sins]. Surely You are the greatest most generous giver! I beg You for quick relief, noble [beautiful] patience, abundant sustenance, and safety from all trials. I beg You for complete eternal safety (‘afiyah) and the ability to express gratitude for safety. I beg You for [complete] independence from people. There is no turning [away from sin] or strength [to worship] except through [i.e from the help of] Allah, the Most High, the Great.

O Allah, we place You in front of their necks [i.e we seek Your assistance in repelling our enemies] and seek refuge in You from their evils.’

(Musnadul Firdaws #8317, Al-Mustadrak 2/142)

6. Benefits of invoking Ya Allahu frequently