There is no power or might except with Allah, the Most High, the Most Great. This is a great and blessed remembrance that has great merit in Islamic azkar. This short but comprehensive word expresses the humility of the servant that I am nothing. The real power belongs only to Allah. The meaning of this remembrance is that “the power to avoid sins and do good is only from Allah Almighty.”
This dhikr actually strengthens the foundation of a Muslim’s faith. Man faces countless difficulties, trials and weaknesses in his life. Sometimes he is unable to achieve success despite his efforts, and sometimes he has to face situations where he feels completely helpless. At such times, this kalima reminds man that the real power and authority lies with Allah alone, and He is the one who makes every difficulty easy.
The meaning of La Hawla Wa La quwwata Illa Billah
لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ is a very meaningful and comprehensive Islamic dhikr, which reveals the humility of man and the absolute power of Allah Almighty. Its simple meaning is that “There is no power to avoid sins and do good except with the help of Allah.” This short phrase contains the essence of a Muslim’s faith, trust, and faith.
لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ
“La Hawla Wa La quwwata Illa Billah”
“There is neither might nor power except with Allah, the Most High, the Great”
The phrase “لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ” can be understood word by word as follows:
- لَا (Lā) → No / There is no
- حَوْلَ (Ḥawla) → Power / Ability to change / Movement
- وَ (Wa) → And
- لَا (Lā) → No
- قُوَّةَ (Quwwata) → Strength / Might
- إِلَّا (Illā) → Except
- بِاللَّهِ (Billāh) → With Allah / Through Allah
The word “حَوْل” means the power to change a situation or to avoid something, while “قُوَّة” means the power to accomplish something. Thus, this word clarifies the fact that a person can neither change his situation by himself nor achieve any good or success by his own efforts, but everything is possible by the command and blessing of Allah.
Virtues and Importance (in the light of Hadiths)
Many virtues of this word have been mentioned in the blessed hadiths. This word is a means of obtaining many blessings in this world and the hereafter. It is one of the treasures of Paradise. This means that the person who recites this dhikr frequently, not only gets peace and contentment in this world but also gets a great reward in the hereafter. Therefore, its virtues are being mentioned below.
Treasure of Heaven
The Prophet ﷺ said, “La Hawla Wa La quwwata Illa Billah” is one of the treasures of Paradise. This means that the reward of this remembrance is as great and secure as if it were a precious treasure.
It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari (RA), who says that once the Companions (RA) were on a journey with the Holy Prophet ﷺ, When he ascended a height or descended a valley, they would say Takbir loudly. Seeing this, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said to them:
“O people! Be gentle with yourselves, for you are not calling upon the deaf and the unseen, but rather you are calling upon the One Who hears and sees.”
Having said this, the Holy Prophet ﷺ came to me. At that time, I was saying in my heart, “لا حول ولا قوۃ إلا باللہ” Then he named Hazrat Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari (RA) and said, “O Abdullah bin Qais!
“Shall I not tell you a word that is one of the treasures of Paradise, which is “لا حول ولا قوۃ إلا باللہ”.
Relief from Ninety-Nine Diseases
According to a tradition, this dhikr is a cure for 99 diseases.
Holy Prophet ﷺ said: “لا حول ولا قوۃ إلا باللہ” It is a cure for ninety-nine diseases, the least and mildest of which is grief.
Similarly, this virtue has been mentioned in another hadith, so Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah (RA) says that once we complained to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) about the heat and the sand, and wanted to pray the Zuhr prayer in a cooler place, but at that time he ﷺ did not pay attention to this complaint and did not remove it, and said: “Recite ‘La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah’ frequently, for it removes ninety-nine ailments, the least of which is worry.”
This means that this dhikr contains solutions to countless physical, spiritual, worldly, and otherworldly troubles.
The root of most human illnesses is “worry and anxiety.” When a person recites “La Haul” and surrenders all his worries to Allah, his mental burden becomes lighter, which is the first step to healing.
The Source of Blessings
One of the great virtues of the saying, “La Hawla wa la Quwwata illa Billah” is that reciting it frequently will ensure the continuation of Allah’s blessings, and no one will be deprived of them.
Hazrat Uqbah bin Amir (RA) narrated from the Holy Prophet ﷺ: “Whoever Allah grants a blessing and he wants it to remain, he should recite La Hawla wa la Quwwata illa Billah frequently.” Then the Holy Prophet ﷺ recited this verse: “And why did you not say, when you entered your garden, ‘Ma Shaa Allah, there is no power except with Allah’?” (Al-Kahf: 39)
A Source of Abundance in Sustenance
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: “Whoever is in need of sustenance should say frequently, ‘La hawla wa la quwwata illalla billah’.”
Reciting this dhikr continuously is very beneficial for every Muslim. It is not only helpful in solving worldly problems but also a means of success in the Hereafter. We should include this dhikr in our daily lives, enlighten our hearts with the remembrance of Allah, and rely on Him in all circumstances. Indeed, real success lies in recognizing the power of Allah and adapting our lives to His commands.
May Allah Almighty grant us the ability to understand the reality of this blessed dhikr and act upon it. Ameen.