Allah has praised in the Quraan those men and those women who remember Allah Ta’ala frequently.

Allah Ta’ala Say:

وَالذَّاكِرِينَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا وَالذَّاكِرَاتِ أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا –

“and the men who remember Allah often and the women who do so – for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.”

Commenting on this Ayah, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās Radiyallahu Anhu said:

“It refers to those who remember Allah Ta’ala:

• After Fardh Salaah,
• In the morning and evening,
• Upon going to bed and when waking up,
• Leaving or entering the house.”

 

What is the purpose of our life?

A believer’s ultimate purpose in this life is

• To Worship the Almighty Allah Ta’ala;
• To love Him,
• To obey Him and
• To submit to Him.

How will we achieve this?

Remembering Allah (dhikr) is one of the greatest means of achieving this.

 

The Qur’ān and Sunnah (the Ahadith) highlight virtues of dhikr:

• Dhikr is greater than everything:

وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ

“…And the remembrance of Allah is greater…” (29:45)

• Doing frequent dhikr leads to success:

وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

“Remember Allah much, so that you may be successful.” (8:45)

• Dhikr brings life to the heart:

مثل الذي يذكر ربه والذي لا يذكره، مثل الحي والميت‏

Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said, “The similitude / likeness of one who remembers his Rubb and one who does not remember Him, is like that of the living and the dead.”

• Dhikr is the source of peace and tranquillity:

أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ

“Truly it is in the remembrance of Allah that hearts find peace.” (13:28)

• Dhikr is a protection against Shaytān:

“… a servant of Allah will not protect himself against Shaytān except by the dhikr of Allah.” (Tirmidhī)

• Dhikr is the best protection from punishment:

“For everything there is a polish, and the polish of the heart is the remembrance of Allah. There is nothing better a person can do to save himself from Allah’s punishment than to remember Him.” (Bayhaqī)

• The reward of one who remembers Allah is that Allah remembers him:

فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ

“Remember Me, and I will remember you.” (2:152)

• Dhikr is the best reason for a gathering:

“When a group of people assemble for the dhikr of Allah, the angels surround them, (Allah’s) mercy surrounds them, tranquillity descends upon them and Allah mentions them to those who are near Him.” (Muslim)

• Dhikr is the best of all deeds:

The Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam once asked:

“Shall I not inform you of the best of your deeds, and the purest of them by your Master, and the highest of them in ranks, and what is better for you than spending gold and silver, and better for you than meeting your enemy and striking their necks, and they strike your necks?”

They replied: “Of course.”

Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said: “The remembrance of Allah.” (Tirmidhī)

A man asked the Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam: “Which warriors are the best?” He Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam replied: “Those who remember Allah the most.”

The man asked: “Which of those who fast are the best?” He Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam replied: “Those who remember Allah the most.”

Then the man mentioned Salāh, Zakāh and Hajj, and each time the Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam replied: “Those who remember Allah the most.”

Abū Bakr said to ‘Umar: “Those who remember (Allah) have taken all the good,” at which the Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam remarked: “Yes, indeed!” (Ahmad).

 

 

• Those who are distracted from dhikr are losers:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ

“O you who believe, let not your wealth and your children divert you from remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that, then those are the losers.” (63:9)

 

There are many ways a person can remember Allah Ta’ala.

Firstly, and the most easiest is to recite the daily Duaa’s.

• Upon going to bed and when waking up.
• Leaving or entering the house.
• Entering and leaving toilet.
• Before and after eating.

Secondly, the morning and evening Adhkaar.

WHAT ARE THE MORNING & EVENING ADHKĀR?

These are a set of adhkār prescribed by the Messenger which a Muslim should read on a daily basis.

They are referred to in the verses of the Qur’ān as:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا –

وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا –

“Believers, remember Allah often and glorify Him morning and evening.” (33:41-42)

Due to the magnitude of the remembrance of Allah in the morning and the evening, Allah has made this an act of worship not just for humans, but also for animals.

“We made the mountains join him in tasbīh at sunset and sunrise; and the birds, too, in flocks. All were turning only unto Him.” (38:18-19)

The adhkār of the morning and the evening protect a person from being from ‘the heedless,’ as Allah says:

“Remember your Lord within yourself, with humility and in fear, without raising your voice, in the mornings and in the evenings. And do not be one of the heedless.” (7:205)

This Ayah comprises of seven key etiquettes of performing dhikr:

• Dhikr should be performed ‘within yourself’ (in harmony with the tongue).
• Dhikr should be performed with ‘humility.’
• One ought to be ‘fearful’ of his shortcomings in his actions and scared that they may not be accepted of him.
• One should not ‘raise one’s voice loudly,’ as this helps one to reflect on the dhikr.
• Dhikr should be with the tongue and not just the heart.
• One should perform dhikr ‘in the mornings and the evenings.
• The prohibition of being ‘amongst the heedless.

 

THE REWARD OF THE MORNING & EVENING ADHKĀR

The Messenger of Allah said:

“My sitting with people remembering Allah from Fajr until sunrise is more beloved to me than freeing four slaves from amongst the Children of Ismā‘īl.

And my sitting with people remembering Allah from ‘Asr until the sun sets is more beloved to me than freeing four slaves from amongst the Children of Ismā‘īl.” (Abū Dāwūd)

Jābir relates that after Allah’s Messenger would perform Fajr, he used to remain seated in his place of prayer until the sun had fully risen. (Muslim)

The Messenger of Allah said: “In the morning, charity is due for every joint in the body of every one of you.

Every tasbīh is an act of charity.

Every tahmīd is an act of charity.

Every tahlīl is an act of charity.

Every takbīr is an act of charity.