SIGNIFICANCE & VIRTUES OF ZIKRULLAH

Allah(SWT) says: 

O ye who believe! Let not your wealth or your children divert you from the Zikr of Allah. If any act thus, the (severe) loss is their own!

[Surah Munafiqoon, Ayah 9]

Those who believe, their hearts find satisfaction in the Zikr of Allah: for without doubt, (only) in the Zikr of Allah do hearts find satisfaction!

[Surah Raad, Ayah 28]

If anyone withdraws himself from Zikr of (Allah) Most Gracious, We appoint for him a Shaytaan to be an intimate companion to him! 

[Surah Zukhruf, Ayah 36]

And the Prophet(sws) said: “The difference between the one who remembers his Lord and the one who does not, is like the difference between a living and dead body.” 

[Sahih al-Bukhari 6407]

Zikr must not only be felt by the heart and uttered with the tongue, but must also effect good deeds.

What is the precise meaning of 'Zikr'? What is its scope and what does it entail?

Does it simply involve certain utterances of the tongue, like Subhan Allah (Glory be to Allah), Alhamdu lillah (All praise be to Allah), Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest), La ilaha illallah (There is no god but Allah)?

Does it involve the recitation of some other selected verses Quran? Or is there more to it?

Of course, such utterances of the tongue and recitation of verses of the Quran are important. In fact they are very important forms of Zikr, for indeed, the best forms of remembrance are those that involve both the heart and the tongue.

You must understand, however, that the scope of Zikr is considerably wider. Zikr must not only be felt by the heart and uttered with the tongue, but must also effect good deeds.

Significantly, Ibn Al-Qayyim suggests that Zikr encompasses

"any and every particular moment when you are thinking, saying or doing things which Allah likes".

Hence, if your conversation is filled with the words of God, this is Zikr. And if all your actions are in accordance with His will, this is Zikr. Indeed Allah commends that we remember Him while standing, sitting and even while reclining. This is only possible if Zikr embraces every single aspect of life.

Consider for example the following verse of the Quran where Zikr is emphasized in both Prayer and business activity:

"O Believers, when the call to Prayer is sounded on the Day of Congregation, hasten to Allah's remembrance and leave all worldly commerce. This is for your own good, if you but knew it. And when the Prayer is finished, then disperse through the land, and seek of the bounty of Allah; and remember Allah frequently that you may prosper."

(Al-Jumu`ah 62:9-10)

Attending the Friday Prayers, listening to the Khutbah, or sermon, and performing the congregational Prayer are all well known as forms of Zikr. But in our worldly pursuits as well, we are urged to remember Allah even more often.

We may thus conclude, that attending to your personal needs, earning a livelihood and spending on your family are all forms of Zikr. But of course, they can only be Zikr if, alongside with the relevant supplications in the heart and on the tongue, they are done in obedience to Allah, for His pleasure, to attain Paradise.

Otherwise, as the Quran warns us, far from being Zikr, they may have the opposite effect:

"Let not your worldly possessions and your children make you neglectful of Allah's remembrance. But spend in the way of Allah." 

 (Al-Munafiqun 63:9-10)

The Methods of Zikr :

We have thus far discussed the significance, meaning and scope of Zikr. Let us now turn to the various forms and methods of Zikr. How do we remember Allah in the morning and evening, during the day and at night and while standing, sitting or reclining? There are basically two forms of Zikr.

The first involves continuous and sustained inner awareness of Allah in all that we say and do in our daily lives.

The second involves mechanisms, whether performed individually or collectively, that help to develop the first.

Sustained Awareness of Allah :

Let us begin with a discussion of the first form and its methods. How can you remember Allah throughout the normal course of your day without withdrawing from the routine of your daily worldly life?

How can you ensure that your personal life, family life, professional life and other activities all continue in full swing, and yet, at the same time, ensure that your life as a whole — every moment of it — is permeated with remembrance of Allah? Such an all-pervading Zikr can be an onerous task, but one you can accomplish with some ease.

Let me remind you of four states of consciousness that you must strive to develop by remembering certain things, absorbing them and reminding yourself of them often.

1. Say to yourself: "I am in Allah's presence; He is watching me."

If ever you are alone, He is the second and that if you are two, He is the third.

{He is with you wherever you are.}

 (Al-Mujadalah 58:7)

{He is nearer to you than your jugular vein.} 

(Qaf 50:16)

He is watching everything that you do and hearing everything that you say. He is ever present and His knowledge is all encompassing. Remind yourself of this as often as you can, and throughout the day, every time you begin a new task, and every time you speak.

Indeed, your aim should be to impress this on your heart in such a way that it ultimately becomes your very breath. When the Prophet was asked by a Companion about the best method of purifying himself, he replied:"You should always remember that Allah is with you wherever you are." (At-Tirmidhi)

2. Say to yourself: "Everything I have has been given to me by Allah."

All that there is — surrounding you, on you and in you — comes from Allah alone. There is none that creates or gives anything but Allah (An-Nahl 16:78; Ya-Sin 36:33-35.)

Therefore, reflect upon all the blessings that He has created you with and be thankful to Him. In all the Zikr that the Prophet has taught us, gratefulness to Allah is a constant theme.

Many of these Zikrs are simple to learn, and indeed, it was the most simple of his Zikr that he used most frequently. When the Prophet rose in the morning, he would say Alhamdu lillah; whenever he ate or drank he would say Alhamdu lillah; and even when he relieved himself he would give thanks to Allah.

Learn as many of the Zikrs as you can, and throughout the day, as you witness all that Allah has blessed you with, punctuate your day with these Zikrs.

If ever you appear to be short of things to be thankful for, recall the hadith of the Prophet: "There are 360 joints in the body and for each joint you must give a sadaqah [thanks or charity] each day." (Al-Bukhari.)

You must give praise Allah for each one of them because without any one of them you will be incomplete and handicapped. You must do this on a daily basis for should any one of them become damaged one day, you will similarly become incapacitated.

Additionally, you may remind yourself that, as we now know from our knowledge of human physiology, your heart beats an average of 72 times a minute. Every time it beats, it does so with the permission of Allah.

The moment He withdraws that permission, the heart will stop beating and your life will certainly come to an end. If you feel that there is nothing else to thank Allah for, then thank Him for the life that He has given you — for, so long as there is life, there is hope.

3.Say to yourself: "Nothing in this world can happen without His permission."

Everything lies in the hands of Allah. No harm can befall you and no benefit can reach you except as Allah ordains. It is as the Quran informs us:

If God should touch you with misfortune, none can remove it but He; and if He should touch you with good fortune, He has power over all things. He alone holds sway over His creatures; He is the All-Wise, the All-Aware. (Al-An`am 6:17-18)

The Prophet Muhammad would supplicate to Allah after each Prayer: "O Allah, whatever You want to give me, no one can stop it from coming to me and whatever You want to prevent from coming to me, nobody can give to me."

Prayer after Prayer, you should recite these beautiful words. And beyond that, remind yourself as much as you can and throughout the day, especially as you expect something to happen, or not to happen, that everything happens only as He commands, and by His permission.

4. Say to yourself: "I am going to return to Allah one day and that day could be today."

You do not know when you will leave this world. It may be that the coming morning is your last morning, or perhaps the coming evening is your last evening. Indeed, it may be that this hour is your last hour, or even, that this moment is your last moment.

Such an uncertainty does not, of course, justify a complete withdrawal from this life so as to prepare for the next in some monastic fashion. It is important, however, that you are always conscious of this uncertainty, to the extent that it motivates you to spend every moment of your remaining life seriously, considering it as a gift from Allah and spending the resources He has blessed you with — time, ability and energy — as He has advised.

Then, and only then, will your life have achieved what is required of it, and your return will achieve what is required of it. To help you attain this state of consciousness, recall and reflect upon the following Quranic verse as much as you can and throughout the day:

From Allah we came and to Him we shall return. (Al-Baqarah 2:156)

These are the four states of consciousness that can help us achieve a life completely devoted to the remembrance of Allah.

To try to reach these four states in a determined fashion as much simultaneously and sincerely as we can, will purify us and will, inshaAllah, lead us inevitably to Paradise.


Why every Morning & Evening?

Because Allah(swt) says :

O ye who believe! Celebrate the Zikr (Remembrance) of Allah and do this (as)much (as possible); And glorify Him Morning and Evening.

[Surah Ahzaab, v:41-42] 

What time is Morning & Evening? 

According to Ibn Qayyim(RA)'s interpretation of the following words of Allah, he concludes that :

- Morning Supplication is from Fajr till Sunrise 

- Evening Supplication is from Asr till Sunset

"And glorify the praises of your Lord before the rising of the sun, and before its setting."

[Ta-Ha, v:130]

"And remember your Lord within yourself with humbleness and fear and without being loud in speech – in the mornings and the evenings."

[Surah Al-Araf, v:205]