الحمد
al-Ḥamd
The noun of ḥamada: praise of God, with thanks to Him for all His deeds.
What it means
Al-ḥamd is the act and the content of praise that is offered to God. The opening verse of the Quran after the basmala reads: al-ḥamdu lillāhi rabbi l-ʿālamīn, “Praise belongs to God, Lord of the worlds” (1:2). The definite article is often read as meaning that every praise belongs to Him, since all good in creation comes from Him. The phrase thus opens the whole Book.
Scholars set ḥamd beside shukr, thanks. They note that ḥamd praises God for His qualities and for His acts, while shukr responds to the gifts one has received. Many surahs begin with it, among them surahs 6, 18, 34 and 35. The Prophet is reported to have said that al-ḥamdu lillāh fills the scale (Sahih Muslim). The phrase ends supplication and meals and is the first thing a believer says on waking. For these reasons, the word is among the most frequently heard in a Muslim’s day.
Often misunderstood as
Rendered “praise” without the thanks it contains.
Term and Arabic as listed in Ismail al Faruqi, Toward Islamic English (International Institute of Islamic Thought, 1995), p. 30, listed as AL ḤAMD. The definition is restated here.