The Meaning of “Al-Taḥiyyāt lillāhi w-al-Ṣalawāt w-al-Ṭayyibāt”

And his saying al-taḥiyyāt is a plural form of taḥiyyah, and the meaning intended is: glorification in all its wordings and forms, from bowing and prostration, humility and submission, and giving up one’s heart entirely and breaking down all resistance.

All of that is for Allāh alone—there is no one who shares with Him in anything [of that]. It belongs to Him, far removed is He from any kind of imperfection, and He [alone] deserves it.

And [as for] his saying w-al-ṣalawāt, it is said that what is meant is the prayer legislated [in Islām], the one with bowings and prostrations; and it is said that the intended meaning is supplication, for indeed the meaning of al-ṣalah in the [Arabic] language is supplication.

And [really] all of that is for Allāh: everything of prayer is for Allāh, with nothing of it to be directed to other than Him. And all supplication is due to Allāh [alone], with nothing of it to be directed to anyone besides Him.

And his saying wa-l-ṭayyibāt is the plural from of ṭayyibah, and that which is intended is that all good speech and actions are due to Allāh alone; they are to be used to seek nearness to Him, and nothing from them is to be used to seek nearness to anyone other than Him. So He, far removed is He from any kind of imperfection, is [the One] whose nearness is sought with every good [kind] of speech and deed. (al-Badr 94)