Removing the Doubts: when to say "laa haula walaa quwwata illaa billaah", and its meaning.

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله ، وبـعـد

[Sharh al-Mumti`u (2/84-85) of Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله]

Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

When the Mu’adhdhin says:

حيَّ على الصَّلاة

“Come to prayer…”

(one should say in response to the Mu’adhdhin):

لا حولَ ولا قوَّة إلا بالله

“There is no might or power except with Allaah.”

And when he says:

حَيَّ على الفلاح

“Come to success…”

(one should again say in response):

لا حولَ ولا قوَّة إلا بالله

“There is no might or power except with Allaah.”

If one says: ‘Will I be afflicted with difficulties till I say: “There is no might or power except with Allaah”?’ (This comes to mind) because a lot of people have the habit when faced with a difficulty, one would say: “There is no might or power except with Allaah.” But what has been legislated is that when faced with a difficulty, a person should say:

إنَّا لله، وإنَّا إليه راجعون

“To Allaah we belong to Him is our return.”

But as for saying: “There is no might or power except with Allaah”, then this is prescribed when a person undertakes to do something, and it is the phrase for Isti`aanah (seeking help) and it is not the phrase for Istirjaa` (returning to Allaah).

The reply: When the Mu’adhdhin says “Come to prayer”, he has called you to attend it, so by saying: “There is no might or power except with Allaah”, you seek Allaah’s help, and that is by disowning your own might and power, and seeking the help of the One who is the Owner of Might and Power عز وجل. And this is a way of Waseelah (seeking nearness to Allaah عز وجل) by mentioning the (weak) condition of the caller (humans) and the perfection of the One being called.

So if one asks: “What is (the meaning of) al-Haul and what is al-Quwwah?”

The scholars have said that the word al-Haul is with the meaning of Tahawwal (changing), i.e. nothing changes from one state to another except with (the help of) Allaah عز وجل. As for al-Quwwah (power), then it is more specific than al-Qudrah (ability to do something); as if you said: “I cannot, nor do I have the power to change except with the help of Allaah.”

Therefore it is said that the letter “ب” in “إلا بالله” is for seeking help. No one can change from one state to another - either from disobedience to obedience or from obedience to something better than that - except with the help of Allaah عز وجل.

--end of quote from Sharh al-Mumti`u.

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Ibn Mas`ood رضي الله عنه said: it means: "There is no changing from being disobedient to Allaah except with the protection from Allaah; and no one has the power to be obedient to Him, except through His help."

[al-Bazzaar (5/374), al-Baihaqee in Shu`ab al-Imaan (1/446), al-Dailamee (8478)]

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So, the meaning of this phrase لا حولَ ولا قوَّة إلا بالله is the person’s admission about his inability to do anything without the help and support of Allaah. No matter how strong a person is, he is still incapable of doing anything without the help of Allaah عز وجل.

This sentence is uttered when some serious matter befalls a person that he cannot cope with, or there is something that it is very difficult for him to deal with.

Some of the narrations on when this phrase is uttered:

1) When the Mu’adhdhin says “Hayyaa `alal-salaah (come to prayer)” or “Hayyaa `alal-falaah (come to success)”:

It was narrated from Hafs ibn `Aasim ibn `Umar ibn al-Khattaab, from his father, that his grandfather `Umar ibn al-Khattaab رضي الله عنه said: The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“When the muezzin says “Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar (Allaah is Most Great),” and one of you says, “Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar”; then he says, “Ashhadu an laa ilaaha illa Allaah (I bear witness that there is no god except Allaah” and you say “Ashhadu an laa ilaaha illa Allaah”; then he says, “Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasool Allaah (I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah” and you say, “Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasool Allaah”; then he says, “Hayyaa `alal-salaah (come to prayer)” and you say, “Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illaa Billaah”; then he says, “Hayyaa `alal-falaah (come to success)” and you say, “Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illaa Billaah”; then he says “Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar,” and you say, “Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar”; then he says “Laa ilaaha illaa Allaah” and you say, “Laa ilaaha illa Allaah” – if he says that from the heart, he will enter Paradise.” [Saheeh Muslim (578)]

2) After praying:

It was narrated that Abu al-Zubair said: Ibn al-Zubair رضي الله عنه used to say immediately after every prayer, when he had said the salaam:

لا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ لا حَوْلَ وَلا قُوَّةَ إِلا بِاللَّهِ لا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ وَلا نَعْبُدُ إِلا إِيَّاهُ لَهُ النِّعْمَةُ وَلَهُ الْفَضْلُ وَلَهُ الثَّنَاءُ الْحَسَنُ لا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ

‘Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahoo laa shareeka lah, lahul-mulk wa lahul-hamd wa huwa `ala kulli shay’in qadeer. Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah wa laa na`budu illaa iyyaah. Lahul-ni`mah wa lahul-fadhl wa lahul-thanaa’ al-hasan. Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah mukhliseena lahu’l-deena wa law karihal-kaafiroon (There is no being worthy of being worshiped but Allaah Alone, with no partner or associate His is the sovereignty and to Him be praise, and He is Able to do all things. There is no power and no strength except with Allaah, and we worship none but Him.  From Him (alone) come all blessings and favors, and all good praise is due to Him. There is no being worthy of being worshiped but Allaah and we make our worship purely for Him (alone) however much the disbelievers may hate that).’ He said: ‘The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم used to say these words immediately after every prayer.’” [Saheeh Muslim (935)]

3) When leaving one's house:

It was narrated that Anas ibn Maalik رضي الله عنه said: The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“Whoever says – i.e., when he is leaving his house –

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ لا حَوْلَ وَلا قُوَّةَ إِلا بِاللَّهِ

“Bismillaah, tawwakaltu ‘ala Allaah, laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah (In the name of Allaah, I put my trust in Allaah, and there is no power and no strength except with Allaah)”,

it will be said to him: “You are taken care of and protected,” and the Shaytaan will leave him alone.’” [Sunan al-Tirmidhee (3426) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee. It is also reported in Sunan Abu Dawood (5095), with the addition: “And another shaytaan says to him (to the first one), ‘What can you do with a man who has been guided, taken care of and protected?’”]

4) When turning over at night:

It was reported that `Ubaadah ibn al-Saamit رضي الله عنه said: The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“Whoever turns over at night and says:

لا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَلا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلا حَوْلَ وَلا قُوَّةَ إِلا بِاللَّهِ

Laa ilaaha ill-Allaahu wahdahoo laa shareeka lah, lahu’l-mulk wa lahu’l-hamd wa huwa `ala kulli shay’in qadeer. Al-hamdu-lillaah wa subhaan-Allaah wa laa ilaaha ill-Allaahu wa Allaahu akbar, wa laa hawla wa laa quwwata illaa Billaah.

(There is no god but Allaah Alone, with no partner or associate. To Him belongs praise and His is the sovereignty, and He is Able to do all things. Praise be to Allaah, glory be to Allaah, there is no god but Allaah and Allaah is Most Great. There is no power and no strength except with Allaah),

 then he says,

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي

Allaahumma aghfir lee (O Allaah, forgive me),

or he makes du’aa’, his prayer will be granted. If he does wudoo’ and prays, his salaah will be accepted.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (1154)]