﷽
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱذۡكُرُواْ ٱللَّهَ ذِكۡرٗا كَثِيرٗ و سَبِّحُوۡهُ بُكۡرَةً وَّاَصِيۡلًا
“O you who believe, remember Allah abundantly and glorify Him in the mornings and evenings"
(Surah Ahzaab)
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَلِمَتَانِ حَبِيبَتَانِ إِلَى الرَّحْمَنِ خَفِيفَتَانِ عَلَى اللِّسَانِ ثَقِيلَتَانِ فِي الْمِيزَانِ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ
Narrated from Abu Hurairah (RA) that the Prophet (SAW) said “Two words are beloved to the Rahman, light on the tongue and heavy on the scales – that is SubhanAllahi Wabihamdihi SubhanAllahil Atheem” (Bhukari)
What is Dhikr?
ذِكْر
means to mention, to remind, to remember
Therefore, doing the dhikr of Allah means to remember Him, to make mention of Him, and to remind ourselves of Him.
Purpose of Dhikr:
The purpose of dhikr is to create the quality of ihsaan; which means to always be aware of Allah SWT.
So how can we remember Allah SWT?
- First and foremost is Salaah.
Salaah is the best possible way we can remember Allah, because it is a specific and dedicated time we have with our creator. It allows us to truly ponder, reflect, and have that intimate relationship with Him. It’s that one action that separates us from the dunya and all its troubles
- Quraan – The Quran is the direct speech of Allah SWT, and so there is no better and more virtuous form of remembrance than through his words. As Allah SWT has said in Surah Ankabut: وَلَذِكْرُ اللّٰهِ اَكْبَرُ ("And the remembrance of Allah is greater") and Surah Sa'ad:
("Sa'ad, and the Quran is a remembrance" ) صٓ وَالۡقُرۡاٰنِ ذِى الذِّكۡرِؕ
- Dhikr – by doing tasbeeh (SubhanAllah), tahleel (Laa ila il Allah), tahmeed (Alhumdullilah) and takbeer (Allahu Akbar)
- Duaa’s – morning and evening athkaar, masnoon duaa’s – at every point in our day, remembering Allah while doing and before doing everything.
Therefore these are all ways we can remember Allah SWT, and we should take a moment to ponder on these above and reflect – is there any one of these I am lacking in? Is there any of these I am not doing every single day? Or I am struggling to do every day?
So we have seen, that dhikr is not just constrained to the dhikr we know of eg tasbeeh, but, it includes all forms of ibaadah because essentially we are remembering Allah through every act.
Prophet (SAW) said in a hadith to the nearest meaning:
“The contrast between a person who glorifies Allah SWT and one who does not remember Him, is like that between the living and the dead” (Bhukari and Muslim)
· Without Allah, we are nothing. Without remembering him in our day, we will feel empty, - lost, unfulfilled and discontent. The dhikr of Allah, be it whatever form, brings light into our heart and allows us to flourish.
· Take for example a plant in your home. If you do not give it enough water or sunlight that it needs, over time it will, without a doubt, wither and die.
· If you do not look after the plant as is required, it will not thrive, and nor will it survive very long.
· In the exact same way is our Imaan and soul. If we do not water or nourish our soul constantly with the remembrance of Allah, through Quraan, Adhkaar, Salaah, then our faith will slowly but surely also wither and die out, just like a plant receiving no water.
Allah SWT says in Surah Kahf:
وَٱذْكُر رَّبَّكَ إِذَا نَسِيتَ
"And remember your lord when you forget"
When we find ourselves lacking in our dhikr ma’moolaat/ the remembrance of Allah SWT, is when we start to go astray and find comfort and solace through other avenues, which are often away from the path of Islam, and often in other people.
· When something happens to us in our lives, and we feel lost and feel as though we almost can’t cope, we go around seeking validation, therapy, advice, and comfort from society and those around us.
· We turn to others with our problems, we turn to social media, we turn to our friends and family, hoping to find that relief and comfort we need. Sometimes we find it, or we think we do, while most of the time we don’t. And the reason that we don’t find it with others is because of what Allah SWT has told in the Quran.
Allah mentions in Surah Ra’ad:
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَطۡمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِۗ أَلَا بِذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطۡمَئِنُّ ٱلۡقُلُوبُ
“Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allāh. Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest”
We will find our answers, our peace, our contentment, and our tranquillity only through the remembrance of Allah.
وَ مَنۡ اَعۡرَضَ عَنۡ ذِکۡرِیۡ فَاِنَّ لَہٗ مَعِیۡشَۃً ضَنۡکًا وَّ نَحۡشُرُہٗ یَوۡمَ الۡقِیٰمَۃِ اَعۡمٰی
“And the one who turns away from my remembrance, indeed for him is a difficult life and we will raise him on the day of judgement as blind” (Surah TaHa 124)
How to remember Allah:
وَاذۡكُرْ رَّبَّكَ فِىۡ نَفۡسِكَ تَضَرُّعًا وَّخِيۡفَةً وَّدُوۡنَ الۡجَـهۡرِ مِنَ الۡقَوۡلِ بِالۡغُدُوِّ وَالۡاٰصَالِ وَلَا تَكُنۡ مِّنَ الۡغٰفِلِيۡنَ
“And remember [O Prophet] your Lord in your mind, with humility and fear, and without raising your voice; remember Him in the morning and evening, and do not become of those who are negligent.” (Surah Al A’raaf)
ٱلَّذِينَ يَذۡكُرُونَ ٱللَّهَ قِيَٰمٗا وَقُعُودٗا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمۡ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي خَلۡقِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِوَٱلۡأَرۡضِ
“They are those who remember Allah standing, or sitting, or lying on their sides, and ponder on the creation of the heavens and earth” (Surah Ale Imran)
There is no specific day, time, or orientation that we must be in to do the dhikr of Allah. The beauty is such that we can be in any state, cooking, lying down, sitting, walking, and remember Allah. In any place we make mention of Allah SWT, through either salaah, dhikr, or Quran, that piece of land, and all those things around will be a witness to that dhikr on the day of Judgement for us.
The Quran:
Lets take the Quran as one of the forms of Dhikr. The Quran itself is known as a dhikr, a remembrance.
صٓ وَالۡقُرۡاٰنِ ذِى الذِّكۡرِؕ (Sa’ad)
It is the direct speech of our lord, our creator, Allah SWT. It consists of injunctions, advice, stories, Jannah, Jahannam, and so much more. It is our guide, our light and our handhold in this dunya. But how and when was this beautiful kitab brought down to us?
As we know from the ayaat of the Quran, this blessed book was revealed in the month of Ramadhan:
شَهۡرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ هُدٗى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَٰتٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَٱلۡفُرۡقَانِۚ
“The month of Ramadhan is that in which the Quran was revealed, a guidance for the people, and clear proofs of guidance and criterion” (Surah Baqarah)
Ramadhan is the month of the Quran.
إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَٰهُ فِي لَيۡلَةِ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ (Surah Al – Qadr)
It is our time to increase in its recitation, it’s understanding, and the perfect opportunity to create an attachment to it.
The descension of holy Quran from the preserved tablet, took place twice.
1. The first was when the whole of it was sent down to the Baytul – Ma’mur – which is the house in the heavens directly above the ka’bah, as a place of worship for the angels. It was this descension that took place on the night of Qadr.
2. The second descension was revealed to the prophet (SAW) gradually, as needed, over a period of 23 years.
Therefore, these beautiful noble words of the Quran were brought down to us and completed in the month of Ramadhan, hence it is only appropriate that we pay its due. As sad as it is that we can’t complete it’s entire recitation even once outside of Ramadhan, and I speak for myself first and foremost, then we must make every effort to exert ourselves at least in Ramadhan to complete a Khatam, if not more.
It will be our form of Dhikr and remembrance of Allah, with every letter multiplying us in reward in sha Allah.
Virtues or benefits of Dhikr:
1. Dhikr of Allah is greater than anything else:
وَلَذِكْرُ اللّٰهِ اَكْبَرُ
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The Mufarridūn have outdone everyone.” They asked: “Who are the Mufarridūn?” He ﷺ replied: “The men and women who frequently remember Allah.” (Muslim)
2. Constant Dhikr leads to success:
وَٱذۡكُرُواْ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرٗا لَّعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُونَ (Surah Al Anfal)
Dhikr is the only thing that will bring us success. Remembering that Allah is our ultimate creator and sustainer, and it is only through Him that we can have or be anywhere in this dunya.
Allah SWT says (to the nearest effect): “I treat my slave according to his expectations from me, and I am with him when he remembers me”
When we remember Allah, and however much we remember Allah, Allah SWT will remember us just as much. Not just that, Allah will remember and make mention of us in a noble gathering, that of the angels.
3. The one who remembers Allah, Allah remembers him:
Allah SWT says in Surah Baqarah:
فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ
"Remember me and I will remember you, and be grateful to me and do not be ungrateful to me"
4. Dhikr keeps our heart alive:
Prophet (SAW) said in a hadith to the nearest meaning:
“The contrast between a person who glorifies Allah SWT and one who does not remember Him, is like that between the living and the dead” (Bhukari and Muslim)
5. One SubhanAllah plants us a tree in paradise: عَنْ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَقِيتُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لَيْلَةَ أُسْرِيَ بِي فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ أَقْرِئْ أُمَّتَكَ مِنِّي السَّلَامَ وَأَخْبِرْهُمْ أَنَّ الْجَنَّةَ طَيِّبَةُ التُّرْبَةِ عَذْبَةُ الْمَاءِ وَأَنَّهَا قِيعَانٌ وَأَنَّ غِرَاسَهَا سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَلَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “I met Abraham on the night of my Ascension and he said: O Muhammad, greet your nation with peace from me. Tell them Paradise has pure soil and delicious water, it’s land is barren and its plants grow with declarations of the glory of Allah, the praise of Allah, the oneness of Allah, and the greatness of Allah.
6. SubhanAllahi Wabihamdihi SubhanAllahil Atheem:
The above recited 100x a day forgives all of a persons sins even if they were as much as the foam on the sea
And lastly, Allah SWT says in Surah Hashr:
وَلَا تَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّذِينَ نَسُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ فَأَنسَىٰهُمْ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۚ
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ
"And do not be like those who forgot Allah, so He made them forget themselves. They are those who are the sinners"
How to bring this amal into our lives:
- Give da’wah encouraging others towards dhikr
- Read 3 tasbih morning and evening:
- 100x 3rd kalima
- 100x istigfaar
- 100x durood
- Set reminders for dhikr on your phone – even if it means just one tasbeeh a day
- Read a portion of quran daily
- Learn the masnoon duaas and bring it into practise
- Make duaa to Allah SWT for the reality of Dhikr
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