When should we say “Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah”?

Praise be to Allaah. 

The meaning of this phrase (there is no power and
no strength except with Allaah) is a person’s admission that he is unable
to do anything without the help and support of Allaah. No matter how
great his power, energy and strength may become, a person still cannot
do anything without the help of Allaah Who is Above all of His creation,
the Most Great, compared to Whom nothing else is great. Every strong
person is weak when compared with Allaah. Every great person is insignificant
and weak when compared with His Might. 

This sentence is uttered when
some serious matter befalls a person that he cannot cope with, or there
is something that it is very difficult for him to deal with. 

Shaykh Sa’d al-Humayd. 

Among the occasions on which
this phrase is uttered are the following: 

– When turning over at night: 

It was reported that ‘Ubaadah
ibn al-Saamit said: “The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever turns over
at night and says Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah
wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahu’l-mulk wa lahu’l-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli
shay’in qadeer. Al-hamdu-lillaah wa subhaan-Allaah wa laa ilaaha ill-Allaah
wa Allaahu akbar, wa laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah
(There is no god but Allaah Alone, with no partner or associate. To
Him belongs praise and His is the sovereignty, and He is Able to do
all things. Praise be to Allaah, glory be to Allaah, there is no god
but Allaah and Allaah is Most Great. There is no power and no strength
except with Allaah), then he says, Allaahumma aghfir li (O Allaah, forgive me), or he makes du’aa’,
his prayer will be granted. If he does wudoo’ and prays, his salaah
will be accepted.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1086) 

– When the muezzin says “Hayya
‘ala’l-salaah (come to prayer)” or “Hayya
‘ala’l-falaah (come to success)” 

It was narrated from Hafs ibn ‘Aasim ibn ‘Umar
ibn al-Khattaab, from his father, that his grandfather ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab
said: “The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘When the muezzin
says “Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar
(Allaah is Most Great),” and one of you says, “Allaahu
akbar, Allaahu akbar”; then he says, “Ashhadu
an laa ilaaha illa Allaah (I bear witness that there is no
god except Allaah” and you say “Ashhadu
an laa ilaaha illa Allaah”; then he says, “Ashhadu
anna Muhammadan Rasool Allaah (I bear witness that Muhammad
is the Messenger of Allaah” and you say, “Ashhadu
anna Muhammadan Rasool Allaah”; then he says, “Hayya
‘ala’l-salaah (come to prayer)” and you say, “Laa
hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah”; then
he says, “Hayya ‘ala’l-falaah
(come to success)” and you say, “Laa
hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah”; then
he says “Allaahu akbar, Allaahu
akbar,” and you say, “Allaahu
akbar, Allaahu akbar”; then he says “Laa
ilaaha illa Allaah” and you say, “Laa
ilaaha illa Allaah” – if he says that from the heart, he
will enter Paradise.’” (Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh,
578, and by Abu Dawood in his Sunan,
443)

  – When  leaving one’s house 

It was narrated that Anas
ibn Maalik said: “The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever says – i.e.,
when he is leaving his house – “Bismillaah,
tawwakaltu ‘ala Allaah, laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah
(In the name of Allaah, I put my trust in Allaah, and there is no power
and no strength except with Allaah),” it will be said to him, “You are
taken care of and protected,” and the Shaytaan will leave him alone.’”
(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi in his Sunan,
3348. Abu ‘Eesa said, this is a hasan saheeh ghareeb hadeeth which we
only know through this isnaad. See Saheeh
al-Jaami’ by al-Albaani, 6419. It was also narrated by Abu
Dawood in his Sunan (4431),
where he adds: “And another shaytaan says to him, ‘What can you do with
a man who has been guided, taken care of and protected?’”) 

– After praying 

It was narrated that Abu’l-Zubayr said:
“Ibn al-Zubayr used to say immediately after every prayer, when he had
said the salaam, ‘Laa ilaaha
ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahu’l-mulk wa lahu’l-hamd wa huwa
‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer. Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah wa
laa na’budu illaa iyyaah. Lahu’l-ni’mah wa lahu’l-fadl wa lahu’l-thanaa’
al-hasan. Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah mukhliseena lahu’l-deena wa law kariha’l-kaafiroon
(There is no god but Allaah Alone, with no partner or associate
His is the sovereignty and to Him be praise, and He is Able to do all
things. There is no power and no strength except with Allaah, and we
worship none but Him.  From Him (alone)
come all blessings and favours, and all good praise is due to Him. There
is no god but Allaah and we make our worship purely for Him (alone)
however much the disbelievers may hate that).’ He said: ‘The Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) used to say these words immediately after every
prayer.’” (Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh,
935)