Hadith 3.1
Supplications
Samura b. Jundub reported God's messenger as saying, "The most excellent words are four:
Glory be to God; Praise be to God; there is no god but God; and God is most great." A version has, "The words dearest to God are four: Glory be to God; Praise be to God; there is no god but God; and God is most great. It does not matter which you say first." Muslim transmitted it.
عَنْ سَمُرَةَ بْنِ جُنْدُبٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " أَفْضَلُ الْكَلَامِ أَرْبَعٌ: سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَلَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ " وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: " أَحَبُّ الْكَلَامِ إِلَى اللَّهِ أَرْبَعٌ: سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَلَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ لَا يَضُرُّكَ بِأَيِّهِنَّ بَدَأْتَ ". رَوَاهُ مُسلم
Hadith gradings, numbering and translations can differ between editions. For legal rulings or detailed interpretation, consult qualified scholarship and the referenced edition.