عن أبي محمد عبد الله الموصلي المعروف بابن المشتهر – وكان فاضلا – أنه قال من أحب أن يحمد الله تعالى بأفضل ما حمده أحد من خلقه من الأولين والآخرين والملائكة المقربين وأهل السماوات والأرضين ويصلي على محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم أفضل ما صلى عليه أحد ممن ذكره غيره ويسأل الله أفضل ما سأله أحد من خلقه فليقل اللهم لك الحمد كما أنت أهله فصل على محمد كما أنت أهله وافعل بنا ما أنت أهله فإنك أهل التقوى وأهل المغفرة أخرجه النميري (القول البديع ص126)

It has been narrated that Abu Muhammed, ‘Abdullah Al-Mowsili (rahimahullah), who was well known by the title ‘ibnul Mushtahir’ and was a pious person, mentioned the following, “Whoever wishes to praise Allah Ta‘ala in a manner more excellent than any creation of Allah Ta‘ala has ever praised Him, from the people who came first and those who will come last, the close angels and the dwellers of the heavens and the earth, and he wishes to send salutations upon Nabi Muhammed (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) in a manner more excellent than anybody else has remembered him (and sent salutations upon him), and he wishes to ask Allah Ta‘ala for something which is more excellent than anybody else from the creation has asked Allah Ta‘ala, then he should recite the following:

اَللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ كَمَا أَنْتَ أَهْلُهُ فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا أَنْتَ أَهْلُهُ وَافْعَلْ بِنَا مَا أَنْتَ أَهْلُهُ فَإِنَّكَ أَهْلُ التَّقْوَى وَأَهْلُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ

O Allah! To You alone belongs all praise as befits You, thus send salutations upon Muhammed (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) as befits You, and deal with us as befits You, as You are indeed the Lord who is most worthy of being feared and the Lord who is most worthy of forgiving His servants.