Reference

Dhikr list & meaning: 30 authentic phrases.

The Zikar Team · Reference · saveable · Published 12 May 2026

A clean reference list of thirty authentic dhikr phrases — Arabic, transliteration, English meaning, and source. Bookmark this page or save it to your home screen. If you're new, start with what dhikr actually means; if you're already practising, skip to the list.

Dhikr meaning

The Arabic word dhikr (ذِكر) literally means "remembrance" or "mentioning." In Islamic practice it refers to the act of remembering Allah by repeating specific phrases the Quran and the Prophet ﷺ taught — phrases of praise, glorification, gratitude, seeking forgiveness, and affirming the oneness of Allah. The word is also spelled zikr, zikar, or zikir across different communities — all the same Arabic root.

The Quran calls dhikr the cure for restless hearts (13:28), the reason humans were created (51:56, indirectly, through 'ibadah), and the thing that brings Allah's remembrance of us in return (2:152). For a fuller introduction, see our beginner's guide to dhikr.

The list

Organised by category. The Arabic numerals are repetition counts where the hadith specifies one; for the rest, repeat as much as your tongue is willing.

Glorification (Tasbih)

01
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ
SubhanAllah
"Glory be to Allah."
Half of the scale. Sahih Muslim.
02
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ
SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi
"Glory be to Allah, and praise is His." — 100×
Sins forgiven, even like the foam of the sea. Sahih al-Bukhari.
03
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ
SubhanAllahil-'Adhim
"Glory be to Allah, the Magnificent."
A tree planted in Paradise for each repetition. Sunan at-Tirmidhi.
04
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ، سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ
SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi, SubhanAllahil-'Adhim
"Glory be to Allah and praise is His; glory be to Allah the Magnificent."
Light on the tongue, heavy on the scales, beloved to the Most Merciful. Sahih al-Bukhari.

Praise (Hamd)

05
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ
Alhamdulillah
"All praise is for Allah."
Fills the scale. Sahih Muslim.
06
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
Alhamdulillahi Rabbil-'alamin
"All praise is for Allah, Lord of all the worlds."
The opening of al-Fatihah; recommended throughout the day.
07
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ حَمْدًا كَثِيرًا طَيِّبًا مُبَارَكًا فِيهِ
Alhamdulillahi hamdan kathiran tayyiban mubarakan fih
"All praise is for Allah, abundant, pure, and blessed praise."
An angel competed to be the first to write this down. Sahih Muslim.

Greatness (Takbir)

08
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Allahu Akbar
"Allah is the Greatest."
The opening of every salah; said in Tasbih Fatima.

Affirmation (Tahlil)

09
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ
La ilaha illa Allah
"There is no god but Allah."
The best dhikr. Sunan at-Tirmidhi.
10
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
La ilaha illa Allah, wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul-mulk wa lahul-hamd, wa huwa 'ala kulli shay'in qadir
"There is no god but Allah, alone with no partner. To Him belongs the dominion and to Him belongs all praise, and He is over all things capable." — 10×
Equivalent to freeing 10 slaves; protection until evening. Sahih al-Bukhari.

Seeking forgiveness (Istighfar)

11
أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ
Astaghfirullah
"I seek the forgiveness of Allah."
The Prophet ﷺ said this 70+ times daily. Sahih al-Bukhari.
12
أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ
Astaghfirullaha wa atubu ilayh
"I seek the forgiveness of Allah and turn to Him in repentance."
Sahih al-Bukhari.
13
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَتُبْ عَلَيَّ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
Rabbi-ghfirli wa tub 'alayya, innaka anta-Tawwabur-Rahim
"My Lord, forgive me and accept my repentance — truly You are the Acceptor of repentance, the Merciful."
The Prophet ﷺ said this 100× in a single sitting. Sunan at-Tirmidhi.

The two beloved phrases

14
لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah
"There is no power and no strength except by Allah."
A treasure from the treasures of Paradise. Sahih al-Bukhari.
15
حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ
Hasbunallahu wa ni'mal-wakil
"Allah is sufficient for us, and the best disposer of affairs."
Said by Ibrahim (AS) and the Prophet ﷺ in moments of trial. Quran 3:173.

Sending salah on the Prophet ﷺ

16
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala ali Muhammad
"O Allah, send Your blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad."
Each one earns 10 blessings from Allah. Sahih Muslim.

Acknowledging dependence

17
يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيثُ
Ya Hayyu ya Qayyumu, bi-rahmatika astaghith
"O Ever-Living, O Self-Sustaining, by Your mercy I seek help."
Said in moments of difficulty. Sunan at-Tirmidhi.
18
حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ، عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ، وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ
Hasbiyallahu la ilaha illa huwa, 'alayhi tawakkaltu, wa huwa Rabbul-'Arshil-'Adhim
"Allah is sufficient for me — there is no god but He. Upon Him I rely, and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne." — 7× morning and evening
Allah suffices the one who says this. Sunan Abi Dawud.

Laylatul Qadr

19
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي
Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibbul-'afwa fa'fu 'anni
"O Allah, You are Pardoning, You love to pardon, so pardon me."
The Prophet's ﷺ advice for the Night of Power. Sunan at-Tirmidhi.

Asking for goodness

20
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil-akhirati hasanatan wa qina 'adhaban-nar
"Our Lord, give us good in this life and good in the hereafter, and save us from the punishment of the Fire."
The most frequently recited dua of the Prophet ﷺ. Quran 2:201.
21
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْهُدَى وَالتُّقَى وَالْعَفَافَ وَالْغِنَى
Allahumma inni as'aluka-l-huda wat-tuqa wal-'afafa wal-ghina
"O Allah, I ask You for guidance, piety, chastity, and self-sufficiency."
Sahih Muslim.

Seeking refuge

22
أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ
A'udhu bi-kalimatillahi-ttammati min sharri ma khalaq
"I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what He has created."
Said when stopping anywhere; nothing harms you until you leave. Sahih Muslim.
23
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
Bismillahil-ladhi la yadurru ma'asmihi shay'un fil-ardi wa la fis-sama'i wa huwas-Sami'ul-'Alim
"In the name of Allah with whose name nothing on earth or in the heaven can cause harm, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing." — 3× morning and evening
Nothing will harm the one who says this. Sunan Abi Dawud.

Gratitude after blessings

24
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي بِنِعْمَتِهِ تَتِمُّ الصَّالِحَاتُ
Alhamdulillahil-ladhi bi-ni'matihi tatimmus-salihat
"All praise is for Allah, by whose blessing all good things are completed."
Said upon receiving any good news. Sunan Ibn Majah.

The Quranic dhikrs

25
آيَةُ الْكُرْسِيِّ
Ayat al-Kursi (Quran 2:255)
Recited after every obligatory prayer; nothing prevents Paradise except death.
Sunan an-Nasa'i.
26
سُورَةُ الْإِخْلَاصِ
Surah al-Ikhlas (112)
Equal to one-third of the Quran in reward.
Sahih al-Bukhari.
27
سُورَتَا الْمُعَوِّذَتَيْنِ
Al-Falaq (113) and An-Nas (114)
The chapters of seeking refuge; recited 3× morning and evening.
Sunan Abi Dawud.
28
آخِرُ آيَتَيْنِ مِنْ سُورَةِ الْبَقَرَةِ
Last two ayat of Surah al-Baqarah
Whoever recites them at night, they suffice him.
Sahih al-Bukhari.

Allah's beautiful names

29
يَا رَحْمَٰنُ يَا رَحِيمُ
Ya Rahman, ya Rahim
"O Most Merciful, O Most Compassionate."
Calling on Allah by His names; encouraged in Quran 7:180.
30
يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ
Ya arhamar-rahimin
"O Most Merciful of those who show mercy."
A consistent opening for personal dua.

How to actually use this list

Don't try all thirty at once. Pick three that resonate. Tie them to three moments in your day. After a month they become reflex — and only then do you add the next three. This is the pattern the Prophet ﷺ encouraged: "The most beloved of deeds to Allah are the most constant, even if they are few."

Inside the Zikar app, every phrase in this list is preloaded with audio, target counts, and automatic segment switching for the post-salah 33-33-34. The optional Bluetooth tasbeeh ring (or zikr ring) lets you count without your phone in your hand.

Further reading

The whole list, on your phone, free

Every dhikr above is pre-loaded in Zikar App with Arabic, transliteration, English, audio and counts. Free forever for the core.

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