In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Allah Ta'ala begins Surah Al-Kahf with Alhamdulillah.
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عِوَجَا ۜ ﴿١
[All] praise is [due] to Allah, who has sent down upon His Servant the Book and has not made therein any deviance. (1) [Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:1]
Hamd is from ha ح meem م daal د. Hamd is to mention the good attribute of a person, such an attribute that is the at the level of perfection. Hamd is based on mahabbah (love) and ta’dheem (greatness). It is not a fake praise, i.e. not done to please the person or with no significance, fake praise is known as madh in Arabic. Hamd implies admiration, love and magnifying the praise of mahmood (one who is praised). Hamd is sincere, true praise, the mahmood deserves it.
Why is hamd for Him? Because He is: <<الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ الْكِتَابَ>> , the One who sent down upon His servant the Book. Notice that Allah Ta’ala doesn’t call the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam His Messenger, or His Prophet, or a warner, but He calls him: slave. Therefore, the most honorable name that one can be called is Abdullah or Amatullah, slavet of Allah.
At the core of our Iman, the first implication of believing in Allah, is that we take all credit for everything (all goodness, all beauty, all appreciative things, all wonders, every smiles, etc) back to Allah. Even when you thank your teacher, you never absent minded about the fact that it goes back to Allah. This is at the root of Alhamdulillah.
When Allah says Alhamdu, Allah makes hamd independent of us, i.e Allah does need our hamd. It is a statement of fact whether you do it or not.
Everything in existence is declaring Allah's perfection (doing Allah's tasbih) by doing His Hamd.
تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ السَّمَاوَاتُ السَّبْعُ وَالْأَرْضُ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ ۚ وَإِن مِّن شَيْءٍ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّهُ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورًا ﴿٤٤[Qur'an, Al-Isra' 17:44]
The seven heavens and the earth and whatever is in them exalt Him. And there is not a thing except that it exalts [Allah] by His praise, but you do not understand their [way of] exalting. Indeed, He is ever Forbearing and Forgiving. (44)
When you say 'SubhanaAllah', we are declaring Allah's perfection. But on it's own is not actually fulfilling the tasbih of Allah, you have to complete it by doing hamd. Hamd s the means of attaining the perfection of Allah. You cannot believe in a perfect God, that is deserving of tasbih, i.e. if you are not grateful and appreciative then this is just a philosophical construct with no real meaning.
The One whose perfection can truly be tasted when you yourself have the sentiment of hamd towards Him. If you don't have that inside you, then you will not get to reach what Allah wants you to reach.
May Allah fill our hearts with contentment and make us of those who are grateful. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.
And Allah knows best and Allah alone grant success.
Wassalaam
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