وَعَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ
أَنَّهُ دَخَلَ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى امْرَأَةٍ وَبَيْنَ يَدَيْهَا نَوًى أَوْ حَصًى تُسَبِّحُ بِهِ فَقَالَ: «أَلَا أُخْبِرُكَ بِمَا هُوَ أَيْسَرُ عليكِ مِنْ هَذَا أَوْ أَفْضَلُ؟ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَدَدَ مَا خَلَقَ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَدَدَ مَا خَلَقَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَدَدَ مَا بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَدَدَ مَا هُوَ خَالِقٌ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ وَلَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ»
Along with the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) he once visited a woman in front of whom were some date-stones or pebbles which she was using as a rosary to glorify God. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) suggested that he would tell her something which would be easier (or more excellent)* for her than that, and told her it consisted of saying, “Glory be to God as many times as the number of what He has created in the heaven; Glory be to God as many times as the number of what He has created in the earth;
Glory be to God as many times as the number of what is between them; Glory be to God as many times as the number of what He is creating; God is most great (a similar number of times); Praise be to God (a similar number of times); There is no god but God (a similar number of times); There is no might and no power except in God (a similar number of times).” *The transmitter was not sure whether “easier” or “more excellent” was used.