What exactly is the 33-33-34 tasbih?

Subhanallah said 33 times, Alhamdulillah said 33 times, and Allahu Akbar said 34 times, adding up to 100, said right after every obligatory prayer.

Is there another authentic way to do this tasbih?

Yes. A separate narration has Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, and Allahu Akbar each said 33 times (99 total), followed by one declaration of tawhid to complete a hundred. Both versions are authentic.

Does the order matter — Subhanallah, then Alhamdulillah, then Allahu Akbar?

That's the sequence recorded in both authentic narrations, so following it is the simplest and most attested approach. Neither hadith discusses swapping the order, so there's no clear basis for saying a different sequence is equally established.

Can I use a tasbih counter or my fingers to keep count?

Either is fine. There's no requirement for a specific counting method — fingers, prayer beads, or a counter app all serve the same purpose of helping you keep an accurate count.

What if I lose count partway through?

Round to your best estimate and finish, or go back to the start of that segment if you're unsure. No ruling attaches special weight to hitting the exact number if you're making a genuine effort — the point is the remembrance, not perfect arithmetic.

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Athkar 6 min read

Tasbih after salah: the 33-33-34 explained

You'll often see this tasbih summarized as just "33, 33, 34" with no further explanation — three numbers that only make sense once you know what's being counted and why the third one is different from the first two. Here's the exact wording, an authentic alternative, and where it's said.

The 33-33-34 version

Said right after finishing prayer:

سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ (×٣٣) الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ (×٣٣) اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ (×٣٤)

Subhanallah (33 times), Alhamdulillah (33 times), Allahu Akbar (34 times).

Glory be to Allah (33 times). Praise be to Allah (33 times). Allah is the Greatest (34 times).

Source: Sahih Muslim 596a, narrated by Ka'b ibn Ujrah — the Prophet ﷺ described this as one of a group of remembrances whose "sayer will never be disappointed."

An authentic alternative: 33, 33, 33, then a closing declaration

A separate, equally authentic narration records a slightly different pattern:

سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ (×٣٣) الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ (×٣٣) اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ (×٣٣) لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

Subhanallah (33 times), Alhamdulillah (33 times), Allahu Akbar (33 times), then: La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, wa huwa 'ala kulli shay'in qadir.

Glory be to Allah (33 times). Praise be to Allah (33 times). Allah is the Greatest (33 times) — ninety-nine in total — then: There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner. His is the dominion, His is the praise, and He is able to do all things.

Source: Sahih Muslim 597a, narrated by Abu Hurairah — the Prophet ﷺ said whoever does this will have their sins forgiven, even if they were as much as the foam of the sea.

Both versions are authentic. Neither is more correct than the other — use whichever you find easier to remember, or alternate between them.

When it's said

Right after the salam, following the istighfar and salam dua, and typically before the Three Quls. See our after-prayer athkar guide for the complete sequence.

A practical note

A hundred counts sounds like more than it is — said at a normal pace it takes under a minute. The harder part is usually the phone in your hand the moment you finish praying. Pray auto-blocks the apps most likely to interrupt this window, calculated on your device, so that minute has a real chance to happen before anything else competes for it.

Tasbih after salah: the 33-33-34 explained

The 33-33-34 version

An authentic alternative: 33, 33, 33, then a closing declaration

When it's said

A practical note

Frequently asked

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