ZIKR OF ALLAH

So what is Zikr? Sounds like a cool word. Zikr, looks pretty neat in Arabic script.

Zikr, according to the book Fiqh-Us-Sunnah by Sheik Sayyed As Sabeeq, mentions that, "All words of praise and glory to Allah, extolling His Perfect Attributes of Power and Majesty, Beauty and Sublimeness, whether one utters them by tongue or says them silently in one's heart, are known as Zikr or remembrance of Allah."

Allah is so great, every time I see the glittering stars in the sky, resembling diamonds and pearls, I call to mind the greatness of Allah. Every time I see the various creatures Allah has created I reflect upon the greatness of Allah, the rainbow-colored parrots in the Amazon Forest, the birds how they soar so high in the sky only by the will of Allah.

I have been given the chance to be able to work for Paradise, shelter and clothing, having a mother and father, the ability to communicate with relatives and friends across the world using e-mail, and the greatest blessing- the religion Allah has chosen for me, Islam!

These are just some of the things Allah has blessed me with, and if I were to try and name and count all of them, it would impossible. Just take a moment, try to name all the blessings Allah has bestowed on you, and you will know what I mean.

Don't you agree that remembering Allah is the least you could do in order to acknowledge the gifts and blessings He has bestowed you with?

Remembering Allah is the foundation of good deeds. The more we remember Allah, the closer we will get to Him. You can see that our greatest example, Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings be upon him), used to remember Allah at all times. So you know Zikr is good, but what do you get in return for remembering Allah?

"Verily, the Muslims (those who submit to Allah in Islam) men and women... (up to)... And the men and the women who remember Allah much with their hearts and tongues. Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward (i.e., Jannah).' (33:35)

The difference between the one who makes Zikr and the one who does not is well explained in this Hadith. Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet said, "The similitude of one who remembers his Lord and one who does not remember Him, is like that of the living and the dead.' (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

All right, so we know what Zikr means and why we should do it. Here are some more specific things we can say to remember Allah.

Abu Huraira reported that the Prophet said, "I love repeating Subhan Allah , Walhamdu lillah , wa La ilaha ill-Allah, wa Allahu Akbar (Glorified is Allah, all praise is due to Allah, and there is no God but Allah, Allah is the greatest) more than all that the sun shines upon.' (Muslim and Tirmidhi).

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah said, "He who recites after every prayer: Subhan Allah (Allah is free from imperfection) 33 times; Alhamdu lillah (praise be to Allah) 33 times; Allahu Akbar (Allah is Greatest) 33 times; and completes the hundred with: La ilaha illallahu, wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, wa Huwa `ala kulli shai'in Qadir (there is no true god except Allah. He is One and He has no partner with Him. His is the sovereignty and His is the praise, and He is Omnipotent), will have all his sins pardoned even if they may be as large as the foam on the surface of the sea.' (Muslim).

So, next time you're waiting for a bus or walking to school, remember to think about the greatness of Allah. "And remember Allah much, that you may be successful.' (62:10).

Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Rasool Allah ﷺ said,

“Should I not tell you of such a thinga which are the best and purest deeds in the court of your Lord, high in ranks (darajat), better for you then spending gold and silver (in Allah’s path), and better than slaying the neck of the enemy during war? The Sahaba said, “Yes, Oh Rasool Allah ﷺ!”  He ﷺ said,“It is Zikr of Allah.” (Tirmizi)

Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Rasool Allah ﷺ said, 

“Any gathering in which people sit and do not do Zikr of Allah and do not send Durood upon their Prophet ﷺis of loss for them. If Allah wills, give them azab (punishment) and if wills, forgive them.” (Tirmizi)

Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Rasool Allah  ﷺsaid, 

“Allah Tabaraka wa Ta’ala says when a person moves his lips for Zikr of Allah, I am with him.” (Bukhari)

Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Rasool Allah ﷺ said,

 “Allah Tabaraka wa Ta’ala says I am closer to my slave than his supposition of which he keeps of me. And when he/her does Zikr of Allah, I am with him/her. If he does Zikr in his heart, I do his Zikr near MY proximity (closeness) and if he does Zikr in a gathering, I mention him in a gathering Afdhal (better) than it. (Bukhari)

Abu Musa Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Rasool Allah ﷺ said, “He/She who does Zikr of Allah and he/she who doesn’t, their example is of like an alive and a dead.” (Bukhari)

Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) said that Rasool Allah ﷺ said, 

“The angels look for those who do Zikr of Allah on the paths. When they find those who are doing Zikr of Allah then they call each other, “Come, your desired has been found.” Then those angels cover those are doing Zikr of Allah up to the skies of this world with their wings. And Allah Rabbul Izzat says about them to those angels “What are my slave doing?” Though Allah knows more than those angels. The angels say, “Those people are doing your Tasbeeh, Tahmeed, and Tamjeed.” Allah says, “Have they seen me?” The angels say, “We swear by your pure Entity, they have not seen you.” Rab Ta’ala says to them, “If they had seen me then what would be their state?” The angels say, “If they could’ve seen you then they would do your Tamjeed and your Tasbeeh even more."

Allah says, “What slaves are asking from me?” The angels say, “They are asking for Jannat from you.” Allah says, “Have they seen Jannat?” The angels say, “We swear by Your Pure Entity, they have not seen Jannat.” Allah says, “If they had seen Jannat then what would be their state?” The angels say, “If these people had seen jannat then their greed, desire, and inclination for it would increase. Allah says, “What else are they doing?” The angels say, “They are seeking refuge.” Allah says, “From what are they seeking refuge?” The angels say, “They are seeking refuge from Hell.” Allah says, “Have they seen Hell?” The angels say, “Oh Rabbi, we swear by Your Pure Entity, they have not seen it.” Allah says, “If they had seen it then what would be their state?” The angels say, “If they had seen it then they would run even further away from it and fear it even more.

Allah says, “angels, Be witnesses that I have forgiven them.” An angel says, “There is one person amongst them who is not part of those who do Zikr, he is there for some necessity of his/her.” Allah says, “These are such people that even those sitting among them are not deprived.” (Bukhari)

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Rasool Allah ﷺ said,

 “When you pass by gardens of paradise, eat fruits of them. The Sahaba said, “What are the gardens of Paradise?” He ﷺ said, 

“The gatherings of Zikr.” (Tirmizi)

Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated Abu Saeed Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said that Rasool Allah ﷺ said,

 “Whenever a Jama'at (a group of people) sits for Zikr of Allah, the angels surround it. Blessing covers that Jama'at. And peace and calm descends on them. And Allah mentions them to the angels present in HIS court.” (Muslim)

Ameer Muaviah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Rasool Allah ﷺ passed by a Jama'at and asked them,

“Why have you gathered here?” Some people of the Jammat replied,

“We have gathered here for the Zikr and Hamd of Allah because by guiding us towards Islam He did favor on us.” Rasool Allah ﷺ said, “By Allah, have you gathered only for this (purpose)?” They said, 

“By Allah, we have gathered here only for such purpose.”

Rasool Allah ﷺ said,

“I did not give you oath because of any imputation (doubt) rather it is because Jibraeel came to me and told me that Allah boasts of you in the gathering of the angels.” (Muslim)

Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Rasool Allah ﷺ said,

“The Shaitan sticks to the heart of the child of Adam. When he does Zikr of Allah, he (the Shaitan) runs away from him. And when the child of Adam becomes careless from the Zikr of Allah, the Shaitan begins to put was-wasah (evil suggestions) into his heart.” (Bukhari)

Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Rasool Allah ﷺ said,“Don’t have a conversation [without] Zikr of Allah. Because talking too much without Zikr of Allah is the reason for the heart’s hardness and wretchedness. And that person becomes distant from Allah in whose heart there is wretchedness.” (Tirmizi)

Abudullah Bin Bisr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that one person asked, “Ya Rasool Allah ﷺ!  There are many commands on me of Islam. Tell me of such a thing which I may hold on to steadfast.”Rasool Allah ﷺ replied, “Always keep your tongue wet from Zikr of Allah.” (Tirmizi)

Abdullah Bin Bisr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a villager came to the Holy Court of Rasool Allah ﷺ and asked,

 “Which man is the best?” Rasool Allah ﷺ said,

 “It is the luck and good-fortune of that person whose life is long and his deeds are good.” He asked, 

“Ya Rasool Allah ﷺ!  Which deed is the best?” Rasool Allah ﷺ said,“Your tongue be wet from Zikr of Allah when you part from this world.” (Tirmizi)

Muaaz bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Rasool Allah ﷺ said,“The people of Jannat will only regret that moment which had been empty of Zikr of Allah.” (Beihaqi)