The Remembrance of الله (Dhikr)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Contents:

1) Section1 (Comfort lies in the remembrance of الله )

2) Section2 (The life of the hearts)

3) Section3 (fortified fortress)

4) Section4 (Command and Virtues of Remembering الله in the Qur'aan and Sunnah)

5) Section5 (Remembering الله is the objective of every worship)

6) Section6 (Levels of remembering Him)

Comfort lies in the Remembrance of الله 

أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللّهِ تَطْمَيِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ

Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.

[13:28]

Truly the heart is for the Remembrance of الله. It's the joy of the people of Imaan and their refuge from sorrows, grief, distress, hardship etc. When a believer faces any hardship he resorts to الله, Remembering Him and الله Replaces all of his concerns and worries with reassurance, comfort, happiness and relief. The heart finds rest and soul is at ease with His Permission. But whenever the heart is heedless from this affair, every kind of bad thoughts, sorrows, grief, distress etc. start to enter it from everywhere according to the level of heart's distance and deviation from the Remembrance of it's رب.

Hence if you contemplate over the supplications of the Prophet ﷺ about distress, you'll find them returning to this affair.

Remembrance of الله is the life of the heart

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواْ اسْتَجِيبُواْ لِلّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُم لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ

O you who believe! Answer Allah and (His) Messenger when he (the Messenger) calls you to that which will give you life,

[8:24]

أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَن تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا يَكُونُوا۟ كَٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ مِن قَبْلُ فَطَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْأَمَدُ فَقَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْۖ وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ فَٰسِقُونَ 

Has not the time come for the hearts of those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism) to be affected by Allah’s Reminder (this Qur’an), and that which has been revealed of the truth, lest they become as those who received the Scripture [the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] before (i.e. Jews and Christians), and the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened? And many of them were Fasiqun (the rebellious, the disobedient to Allah).

ٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحْىِ ٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَاۚ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ ٱلْءَايَٰتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ 

Know that Allah gives life to the earth after its death! Indeed We have made clear the Ayat (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) to you, if you but understand.

[57:16-17]

This is an excellent example - He Gives life to the earth after its death. If rain is withheld earth will die likewise is the heart!

Abu Musa reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The parable of one who remembers his Lord and one who does not remember is that of the living and the dead.”

[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6407, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 779]

It will die if it's withheld from the Remembrance of الله and will come to life only with His Remembrance and the greatest of it is the Qur'an, The Speech Of الله.

He Called the revelation in this book ruh because the true life is only by way of it (Remembrance of الله )

وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ رُوحًا مِّنْ أَمْرِنَاۚ مَا كُنتَ تَدْرِى مَا ٱلْكِتَٰبُ وَلَا ٱلْإِيمَٰنُ وَلَٰكِن جَعَلْنَٰهُ نُورًا نَّهْدِى بِهِۦ مَن نَّشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَاۚ وَإِنَّكَ لَتَهْدِىٓ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ 

And thus We have sent to you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) Ruh (a Revelation, and a Mercy) of Our Command. You knew not what is the Book, nor what is Faith? But We have made it (this Qur’an) a light wherewith We guide whosoever of Our slaves We will. And verily, you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم) are indeed guiding (mankind) to the Straight Path (i.e. Allah’s Religion of Islamic Monotheism).

صِرَٰطِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِى لَهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِۗ أَلَآ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ تَصِيرُ ٱلْأُمُورُ 

The Path of Allah to Whom belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. Verily, all matters at the end go to Allah (for decision).

[42:52-53]

أَتَىٰٓ أَمْرُ ٱللَّهِ فَلَا تَسْتَعْجِلُوهُۚ سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ 

The Event (the Hour or the punishment of disbelievers and polytheists or the Islamic laws or commandments) ordained by Allah will come to pass, so seek not to hasten it. Glorified and Exalted be He above all that they associate as partners with Him.

يُنَزِّلُ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةَ بِٱلرُّوحِ مِنْ أَمْرِهِۦ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦٓ أَنْ أَنذِرُوٓا۟ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱتَّقُونِ 

He sends down the angels with the Ruh (revelation) of His Command to whom of His slaves He wills (saying): "Warn mankind that La ilaha illa Ana (none has the right to be worshipped but I), so fear Me (by abstaining from sins and evil deeds).

[16:1-2]

نَزَلَ بِهِ ٱلرُّوحُ ٱلْأَمِينُ 

Which the trustworthy Ruh [Jibril (Gabriel)] has brought down.

[26:193]

Here He Called jibril, 'ruh' because he descends with the revelation, with it is the life of the hearts.

Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله said:

“The remembrance of Allāh for the heart is like water for the fish, what happens to the fish when it is taken out of water?”

الوابل الصيب 

When a fish is separated from the water, you'll find it in a state of turmoil. Such is the condition of the hearts without the Remembrance of الله , they remain in a state of great turmoil.

Remembrance of الله Repels the shaitaan 

From the tremendous effects of Remembering الله and from its fruits are that it expels the shaytan whilst closeness to the shaytan attracts worries, sorrow, fear and all such negative matters.

إِنَّمَا ذَلِكُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ يُخَوِّفُ أَوْلِيَاءهُ

It is only Shaytan that suggests to you the fear of his friends,

[3:175]

لِيَحْزُنَ الَّذِينَ امَنُوا

(in order that he may cause grief to the believers).

[58:10]

The shaytan tries to divert the people from the Remembrance of الله through his devilish insinuations and whispers.

Hence it's legislated to seek refuge with الله from the shaytan.

مِن شَرِّ ٱلْوَسْوَاسِ ٱلْخَنَّاسِ 

From the evil of the whisperer (devil who whispers evil in the hearts of men) who withdraws (from his whispering in one’s heart after one remembers Allah).

[An-Nas]

وَمَن يَعْشُ عَن ذِكْرِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ نُقَيِّضْ لَهُۥ شَيْطَٰنًا فَهُوَ لَهُۥ قَرِينٌ 

And whosoever turns away blindly from the remembrance of the Most Gracious (Allah) (i.e. this Qur’an and worship of Allah), We appoint for him Shaitan (Satan - devil) to be a Qarin (a companion) to him.

[43:36]

It's known from Hadith that when adhan is made, shaytan flees passing wind and the entire adhan is remembrance of الله 

Hence the remembrance of الله is a fortified fortress for the Muslims that protects them from shaitaan with the Permission of الله 

It's stated in Hadith from Prophet ﷺ  that Yaḥyā ibn Zakariyā was Commanded By الله to command his people with 5 statements, so he commanded them for tawheed , prayer, fasting, giving charity and fifth command was the Remembrance of الله : "For indeed the parable of that, is a man whose enemy quickly tracks him until he reaches an impermeable fortress in which he protects himself from them. This is how the worshiper is; he does not protect himself from Ash-Shaitan except by the remembrance of Allāh.'"

So remembrance of الله is a fortified fortress for the believers. Due to this many people of knowledge from past and present named their books regarding the remembrance of الله with the title "the fortress".

 

ثُمَّ لَءَاتِيَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ وَعَنْ أَيْمَٰنِهِمْ وَعَن شَمَآئِلِهِمْۖ وَلَا تَجِدُ أَكْثَرَهُمْ شَٰكِرِينَ 

Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left, and You will not find most of them as thankful ones (i.e. they will not be dutiful to You).

[7:17]

Ibn al qayyim put a similitude of a believer with a man who has meat with him and surrounding him is a hungry dog looking for every opportunity to snatch away the meat from him. This is the shaytan with the believers looking for every opportunity to attack his heart, to harm him and turn him away from his رب.

Protection from him is not attained except with the Remembrance of الله.

That is why we have many prescribed adhkaar and supplications seeking refuge from the shaytan with الله, of morning and evening, of going out, of entering home to entering toilet, for before eating and so on.

Everyone should memorize and act upon them to repel the shaytan, ان شاء الله .

The believer is always in dire need of Remembering Him.

Command, Virtues and Importance of Dhikr in the Qur'aan and Sunnah

It Has been Commanded By Him and it's importance and Virtues are highlighted in the Qur'ān and the Sunnah of Prophet ﷺ as well.

See this post: https://penofabeliever.blogspot.com/2024/09/the-command-and-virtues-of-remembering.html

Dhikr is the objective of every worship 

Every act of worship is legislated for establishing the remembrance of الله .

إِنَّنِىٓ أَنَا ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعۡبُدۡنِى وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِذِكۡرِىٓ 

Verily! I am Allah! La ilaha illa Ana (none has the right to be worshipped but I), so worship Me, and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat) for My Remembrance.[20:14]

The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Circumambulation of the House , going between as-Safa and al-Marwah, and stoning of the Jamarat were only ordained in order to establish the remembrance of Allah.” (Classed as sahih by at-Tirmidhi and by Ibn Qudamah in al-Kafi (1/516). Ibn Baz said in his Fatawa (16/186): It is thabit (proven). It was classed as da‘if by al-Albani in Da‘if Abi Dawud.) 

So worship Him Alone and remember Him in great deal during your actions.

Is the fasting of the one who continuously remembers Allaah during his fast similar to the one who spends most time sleeping during fast ? Is the prayer of the one who prays the whole prayer remembering Him with concentration from begining to end of it similar to the prayer of the one who is less concentrated and distracted? Absolutely not. The more you remember Him the more perfect your actions and the more rewards from Him, ان شاء الله!

The levels of remembering Him

The scholars have mentioned that remembering الله have 3 levels.

• With heart and tongue.(Highest level)

• With heart.

• With the tongue.

What will assist in attaining that level is to ponder upon the legislated restricted and unrestricted adhkaar and mention them whilst understanding their meaning and their usage in correct ways, to learn about dhikr and it's virtues and then keep your tongue moist and your heart alive with His Remembrance seeking Rewards from Him Alone.

[Noted from a lecture of Shaykh Abdur Razzaq al-Badr]

May الله enable you to act upon which you just read and Make you amongst those who remember Him in abundance.

May الله Have Mercy upon me and you and Grant us sincirity towards Him and Unite us in Jannah through His Mercy.

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