Al Hawqalah: Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa billaah
The Four Phrases (SubhaanAllaah, alhamdulillaah, laa illaaha illAllaah, Allaahu akbar) and the hawqalah (la hawla wa laa quwwata illa billaah) together encompass tawheed (worshipping Allaah alone) and qadr (Pre- Decree).
Ibn Abee Awfaa said, a man came to the Prophet (Sallalaahu Alahi wa Sallam) and said, "I cannot learn the Qur’aan, so teach me something that will suffice me. He said, SubhaanAllaah, wal hamdulillaah, wa laa illaaha illAllaah, wAllaahu akbar, wa la hawla wa laa quwwata illa billaah,…"(Aboo Daawood 832; Nisaa’ee 2/143; Daarqutnee 1/313-314).
Aboo Hurayrah (Radhi Allaahu Anhu) "Shall I inform you of a phrase which is under the throne and from amongst the treasures of Paradise? Say,’la hawla wa laa quwwata illa billaah’. Allaah will say, ‘My servant has submitted himself in intention, action and worship. (aslama wastaslama) (Haakim; Dhahabee. Saheeh) Similar narration in Fath al Baari (11/501).
A servant does not control any of his affairs. He does not have the means to repel harm or the ability to attain goodness except by Allaah’s Will. A servant cannot change disobedience to obedience, sickness to health, weakness to strength, deficiency to perfection except by Allaah’s Help. He does not have the ability to take care of his affairs or realize any of his goals except by Allaah’s help. What Allaah Wills will happen and what He does not Will will not happen. The affairs of creation are tied to His Decree and Pre-Destination.
la hawla wa laa quwwata illa billaah is a weighty phrase which means being sincere to Allaah alone in asking for help. Just as the phrase of tawheed: laa ilaaha illAllaah means being sincere to Allaah in worship.
In Soorah al Faatihah: "iyyaaka na’budu wa iyyaaka nasta’een" You alone we worship (This phrase is tawheed al ibaadah. Distancing oneself from shirk) and You alone we ask for help (sincerely asking Allaah alone and referring all power and might to Allaah). Worship is the goal which is connected to Allaah’s Worship (Uloohiyyah) and asking for help is the means which is connected to Allaah’s Lordship (Ruboobiyyah).
Ibn Taymiyyah mentions in Istiqaamah (2/81) that many people wrongly use la hawla wa laa quwwata illa billaah in situations of calamity and say it out of fear not out of patience. The hawqalah is a phrase to seek help and not a phrase of calamity (innaa lilaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji’oon).
Ibn Abbaas (Radhi Allaahu Anhu) defined la hawla wa laa quwwata illa billaah as:
"We have no ability to act in obedience except through Allaah and we have no power to leave disobedience except through Allaah."
Zaheer bin Muhammad defined it as: "You cannot take what you like except by Allaah and you cannot be prevented from what you dislike except by Allaah’s help."
Ibn Taymiyyah mentions that the reason behind saying the hawqalah after the mu’aththin says ‘come to prayer/come to success’ is to seek Allaah’s help in performing the salaah.
