The letters Alif and Lam before the word Hamd serve to encompass all types of thanks and appreciation for Allah, the Exalted. A Hadith stated,

آ«ط§ظ„ظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظڈظ…ظ‘ظژ ظ„ظژظƒظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ط­ظژظ…ظ’ط¯ظڈ ظƒظڈظ„ظ‘ظڈظ‡ظڈطŒ ظˆظژظ„ظژظƒظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ظ…ظڈظ„ظ’ظƒظڈ ظƒظڈظ„ظ‘ظڈظ‡ظڈطŒ ظˆظژط¨ظگظٹظژط¯ظگظƒظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ط®ظژظٹظ’ط±ظڈ ظƒظڈظ„ظ‘ظڈظ‡ظڈطŒ ظˆظژط¥ظگظ„ظژظٹظ’ظƒظژ ظٹظڈط±ظ’ط¬ظژط¹ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ’ط£ظژظ…ظ’ط±ظڈ ظƒظڈظ„ظ‘ظڈظ‡ظڈآ»

(O Allah! All of Al-Hamd is due to You, You own all the ownership, all types of good are in Your Hand and all affairs belong to You.)