SubhanAllah Meaning
Glory be to Allah. The meaning, Arabic, when to say it, and its source in the Quran and Sunnah.
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ
- Transliteration
- Subḥān Allāh
- Meaning
- Glory be to Allah
SubhanAllah means “glory be to Allah”. It declares that Allah is perfect and far above any flaw, weakness or need. Saying it is called tasbih, one of the most common forms of remembering Allah (dhikr).
When do Muslims say SubhanAllah?
- In wonder or amazement: seeing a beautiful sunset, a newborn baby or something surprising.
- As dhikr: repeated throughout the day to remember Allah.
- After the daily prayers, as part of the tasbih (see below).
- When hearing something that does not befit Allah, to declare Him above it.
Its virtue in hadith
The Prophet ﷺ said there are two phrases that are light on the tongue, heavy on the scale and beloved to the Most Merciful: SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi, SubhanAllahil-Azim (glory be to Allah and praise Him; glory be to Allah, the Most Great) (Sahih al-Bukhari 6406, Sahih Muslim 2694).
Tasbih after prayer: 33 times
The Prophet ﷺ taught saying SubhanAllah 33 times, Alhamdulillah 33 times and Allahu Akbar 33 times after each prayer, completing a hundred with lā ilāha illallāh (Sahih Muslim 597).
Spelling
You will see SubhanAllah, Subhan Allah and Subhanallah. All are the same phrase.
Quran and hadith references link to quran.com and sunnah.com, where you can read the full text. Reviewed 19 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Let us know.
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Frequently asked questions
What does SubhanAllah mean?
SubhanAllah means “glory be to Allah”. It declares that Allah is perfect and free from every imperfection.
When should you say SubhanAllah?
Muslims say it when amazed by something, as daily dhikr, and 33 times after each prayer, along with Alhamdulillah and Allahu Akbar.
What is the difference between SubhanAllah and Alhamdulillah?
SubhanAllah glorifies Allah as free from any flaw; Alhamdulillah (all praise is for Allah) thanks and praises Him for His blessings.
How many times should I say SubhanAllah after prayer?
The Sunnah taught in Sahih Muslim (597) is 33 times SubhanAllah, 33 times Alhamdulillah and 33 times Allahu Akbar, completed to a hundred with la ilaha illallah.