Subhanahu wa ta'ala
سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ
Subḥānahū wa taʿālā
Glorified and exalted is He.
Quran 17:43
Subhanahu wa ta'ala, glorified and exalted is He.
Subhanahu wa ta'ala means "glorified and exalted is He". Muslims say it after the name of Allah, and write it as SWT. The words come from the Quran.
Quran 17:43In the Quran
سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ عُلُوًّۭا كَبِيرًۭا
Subhaanahoo wa Ta'aalaa 'ammaa yaqooloona 'uluwwan kabeeraa
Exalted is He and high above what they say by great sublimity.
Quran 17:43, Sahih International translation
Our teachers will check the Arabic and transliteration on this page before launch.
Guide
Meaning, use and source.
Subhanahu wa ta'ala (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) means "glorified and exalted is He". Subhanahu declares Allah free of every fault, as in SubhanAllah. Ta'ala means He is high above everything, far beyond what anyone says about Him. Muslims add it after the name of Allah out of respect.
The words come from the Quran: "Exalted is He and high above what they say, by great sublimity" (Quran 17:43). The same pair appears in several other ayat, such as 10:18 and 39:67.
SWT and other honorifics
In writing, subhanahu wa ta'ala is often shortened to SWT. Other phrases Muslims use:
| Phrase | Short form | Meaning | Said after |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subhanahu wa ta'ala | SWT | Glorified and exalted is He | Allah |
| Azza wa jall | AWJ | Mighty and majestic is He | Allah |
| Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam | ﷺ, SAW, PBUH | May Allah send blessings and peace upon him | The Prophet Muhammad |
| Alayhis salam | AS | Peace be upon him | Other prophets and angels |
| Radiyallahu anhu / anha | RA | May Allah be pleased with him / her | The Companions |
| Rahimahullah | RH | May Allah have mercy on him | Scholars and Muslims who have died |
Saying it aloud
When you mention Allah in speech, you can follow His name with subhanahu wa ta'ala, azza wa jall ("Mighty and Majestic") or tabaraka wa ta'ala ("Blessed and Exalted"). They are all forms of praise, and the hadith books often use azza wa jall. None is required after every mention, but they keep the heart aware of whom you are talking about.
Should you write it in full?
Many scholars advise writing these phrases in full rather than as abbreviations, especially the salawat on the Prophet ﷺ, because the reward is in the words themselves. Abbreviations are common in quick messages, but saying the full words when reading is best.
Spellings
Subhanahu wa ta'ala, subhanahu wa taala, subhana wa ta'ala and subhanahu wata'ala are all used. The apostrophe in ta'ala marks the Arabic letter ʿayn.
- Quran 17:43, translation by Sahih International; see also Quran 10:18 and 39:67.
Questions
Good to know.
What does subhanahu wa ta'ala mean?
Glorified and exalted is He. It is said after the name of Allah.
What does SWT stand for?
Subhanahu wa ta'ala: glorified and exalted is He.
Is subhanahu wa ta'ala in the Quran?
Yes. The words appear in several ayat, for example 17:43: subhanahu wa ta'ala amma yaquluna uluwwan kabira.
What does ta'ala mean?
Exalted, or high above. It means Allah is far above every fault and every comparison.