AlHamd

Alhamd (Arabic: الحمد) is a term from Arabic that denotes praise or thanks. It is derived from the triliteral root Ḥ-M-D, which conveys the sense of praise, commendation, or gratitude. The definite form al-ḥamd literally means “the praise,” and it appears in phrases such as al-hamdu lillah, meaning “praise be to God.”

In Islamic usage, al-ḥamd functions as a religious concept and as a set of formulary expressions. The most common instance is the phrase al-ḥamdu lillāh, “praise be to God,” which Muslims utter in daily speech and in prayers. The Qur’an frequently employs the term; a well-known formulation is al-ḥamdu lillāhi rabbil-‘ālamīn, “All praise is due to God, Lord of the Worlds.”

Beyond daily invocation, hamd also designates a literary genre. In Islamic literary traditions, a hamd is devotional poetry praising God, found in Arabic, Persian, and Urdu. In South Asian contexts, hamd poems are a distinct form often recited or sung, separate from the related genre of na‘at, which praises the Prophet Muhammad.