Compiled by Imam Abu Dawud as-Sijistani
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرٌو، أَنَّ سَعِيدَ بْنَ أَبِي هِلاَلٍ، حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ خُزَيْمَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ بِنْتِ سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهَا، أَنَّهُ دَخَلَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى امْرَأَةٍ وَبَيْنَ يَدَيْهَا نَوًى أَوْ حَصًى تُسَبِّحُ بِهِ فَقَالَ " أُخْبِرُكِ بِمَا هُوَ أَيْسَرُ عَلَيْكِ مِنْ هَذَا أَوْ أَفْضَلُ " . فَقَالَ " سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَدَدَ مَا خَلَقَ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَدَدَ مَا خَلَقَ فِي الأَرْضِ وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَدَدَ مَا خَلَقَ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَدَدَ مَا هُوَ خَالِقٌ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ مِثْلُ ذَلِكَ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ مِثْلُ ذَلِكَ . وَلاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ مِثْلُ ذَلِكَ . وَلاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ مِثْلُ ذَلِكَ " .
Once Sa'd, with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), visited a woman in front of whom were some date-stones or pebbles which she was using as a rosary to glorify Allah. He (the Prophet) said: I tell you something which would be easier (or more excellent) for you than that. He said (it consisted of saying): "Glory be to Allah" as many times as the number of that which He has created in Heaven; "Glory be to Allah" as many times as the number of that which He has created on Earth; "Glory be to Allah" as many times as the number of that which He has created between them; "Glory be to Allah" as many times as the number of that which He is creating; "Allah is most great" a similar number of times; "Praise (be to Allah)" a similar number of times; and "There is no god but Allah" a similar number of times; "There is no might and no power except in Allah" a similar number of times.