The poor came to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "The wealthy have taken the highest ranks and everlasting bliss. They pray as we pray and fast as we fast, but they have surplus wealth with which they perform Hajj and Umrah, fight in jihad, and give in charity."The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Shall I tell you of something which, if you adopt it, you will catch up with those who have surpassed you, and none who come after you will catch up with you, and you will be the best of those among whom you live, except for one who does the same? Glorify Allah, praise Him, and proclaim His greatness thirty-three times after every prayer."We then differed among ourselves. Some of us said, "We glorify thirty-three times, praise thirty-three times, and proclaim His greatness thirty-four times."So I returned to him, and he said, "You say SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, and Allahu Akbar, until each of them reaches thirty-three."
جاء الفقراء إلى النبي ﷺ فقالوا: ذهب أهل الدثور من الأموال بالدرجات العلى والنعيم المقيم: يصلون كما نصلي، ويصومون كما نصوم، ولهم فضل من أموال يحجون بها ويعتمرون، ويجاهدون ويتصدقون. قال رسول الله ﷺ: ألا أحدثكم بأمر إن أخذتم به أدركتم من سبقكم، ولم يدرككم أحد بعدكم، وكنتم خير من أنتم بين ظهرانيه، إلا من عمل مثله، تسبحون وتحمدون وتكبرون خلف كل صلاة ثلاثا وثلاثين، فاختلفنا بيننا: فقال بعضنا: نسبح ثلاثا وثلاثين، ونحمد ثلاثا وثلاثين، ونكبر أربعا وثلاثين. فرجعت إليه، فقال: تقول سبحان الله، والحمد لله، والله أكبر، حتى يكون منهن كلهن ثلاث وثلاثون.
Bukhari narrated it in the Book of Adhan (843), and Muslim in the Book of Mosques (595), both through the route of Mutamir, from Ubaydullah, from Sumayy, from Abu Salih, from Abu Hurairah, who related it. The wording given is that of Bukhari, and the wording of Muslim is similar, containing, "The poor among the migrants came." The discussion of the number thirty-three is dealt with at length in the chapter on prayer.