Dhikr
ذكر اللهRemembering Allah frequently with the heart and tongue
Qur'an
القرآن الكريمفَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةُ فَٱنتَشِرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱبْتَغُوا۟ مِن فَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرًۭا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah often that you may succeed.
Translation: Saheeh International
ٱتْلُ مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَٱلْمُنكَرِ ۗ وَلَذِكْرُ ٱللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ
Recite, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows that which you do.
Translation: Saheeh International
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَٰلُكُمْ وَلَآ أَوْلَـٰدُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْخَـٰسِرُونَ
O you who have believed, let not your wealth and your children divert you from remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that - then those are the losers.
Translation: Saheeh International
فَٱذْكُرُونِىٓ أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لِى وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ
So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me.
Translation: Saheeh International
Hadith
الحديث النبويعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بِي وَأَنَا مَعَهُ حِينَ يَذْكُرُنِي إِنْ ذَكَرَنِي فِي نَفْسِهِ ذَكَرْتُهُ فِي نَفْسِي وَإِنْ ذَكَرَنِي فِي مَلإٍ ذَكَرْتُهُ فِي مَلإٍ هُمْ خَيْرٌ مِنْهُمْ وَإِنْ تَقَرَّبَ مِنِّي شِبْرًا تَقَرَّبْتُ إِلَيْهِ ذِرَاعًا وَإِنْ تَقَرَّبَ إِلَىَّ ذِرَاعًا تَقَرَّبْتُ مِنْهُ بَاعًا وَإِنْ أَتَانِي يَمْشِي أَتَيْتُهُ هَرْوَلَةً " .
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, thus stated:
I am near to the thought of My servant as he thinks about Me, and I am with him as he remembers Me. And if he remembers Me in his heart, I also remember him in My Heart, and if he remembers Me in assembly I remember him in assembly, better than his (remembrance), and if he draws near Me by the span of a palm, I draw near him by the cubit, and if he draws near Me by the cubit I draw near him by the space (covered by) two hands. And if he walks towards Me, I rush towards him.
عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَثَلُ الَّذِي يَذْكُرُ رَبَّهُ وَالَّذِي لاَ يَذْكُرُ مَثَلُ الْحَىِّ وَالْمَيِّتِ ".
Narrated Abu Musa:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The example of the one who celebrates the Praises of his Lord (Allah) in comparison to the one who does not celebrate the Praises of his Lord, is that of a living creature compared to a dead one."
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَنْ قَعَدَ مَقْعَدًا لَمْ يَذْكُرِ اللَّهَ فِيهِ كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ اللَّهِ تِرَةً وَمَنِ اضْطَجَعَ مَضْجَعًا لاَ يَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ فِيهِ كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ اللَّهِ تِرَةً " .
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "If anyone sits in a gathering where he does not remember Allah, he will bring grief upon himself (on the Day of Resurrection), and he who lies down in a place where he does not remember Allah, will bring grief upon himself (on the Day of Resurrection)."
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ أَحْيَانِهِ .
'A'isha said:
The Apostle of Allah (ﷺ) used to remember Allah at all moments.
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَسِيرُ فِي طَرِيقِ مَكَّةَ فَمَرَّ عَلَى جَبَلٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ جُمْدَانُ فَقَالَ " سِيرُوا هَذَا جُمْدَانُ سَبَقَ الْمُفَرِّدُونَ " . قَالُوا وَمَا الْمُفَرِّدُونَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ " الذَّاكِرُونَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا وَالذَّاكِرَاتُ " .
Abu Huraira reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was travelling along the path leading to Mecca that he happened to pass by a mountain called Jumdan. He said:
Proceed on, it is Jumdan, Mufarradun have gone ahead. They (the Companions of the Holy Prophet) said: Allah's Messenger, who are Mufarradun? He said: They are those males and females who remember Allah much.
عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لأَنْ أَقْعُدَ مَعَ قَوْمٍ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى مِنْ صَلاَةِ الْغَدَاةِ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ أَنْ أُعْتِقَ أَرْبَعَةً مِنْ وَلَدِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَلأَنْ أَقْعُدَ مَعَ قَوْمٍ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ مِنْ صَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ إِلَى أَنْ تَغْرُبَ الشَّمْسُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ أَنْ أُعْتِقَ أَرْبَعَةً " .
Narrated Anas ibn Malik:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: That I sit in the company of the people who remember Allah the Exalted from morning prayer till the sun rises is dearer to me than that I emancipate four slaves from the children of Isma`il, and that I sit with the people who remember Allah from afternoon prayer till the sun sets is dearer to me than that I emancipate four slaves.
عَنْ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَلاَ أُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِخَيْرِ أَعْمَالِكُمْ وَأَزْكَاهَا عِنْدَ مَلِيكِكُمْ وَأَرْفَعِهَا فِي دَرَجَاتِكُمْ وَخَيْرٌ لَكُمْ مِنْ إِنْفَاقِ الذَّهَبِ وَالْوَرِقِ وَخَيْرٌ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَنْ تَلْقَوْا عَدُوَّكُمْ فَتَضْرِبُوا أَعْنَاقَهُمْ وَيَضْرِبُوا أَعْنَاقَكُمْ " . قَالُوا بَلَى . قَالَ " ذِكْرُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى " . فَقَالَ مُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ رضى الله عنه مَا شَيْءٌ أَنْجَى مِنْ عَذَابِ اللَّهِ مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ .
Abu Ad-Darda [may Allah be pleased with him] narrated that:
The Prophet said: “Should I not inform you of the best of your deed, and the purest of them with your Master, and the highest of them in your 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 said: “Of course.” He said, “The remembrance of Allah [Most High].” [Then] Mu’adh bin Jabal [may Allah be pleased with him] said: “There is nothing that brings more salvation from the punishment of Allah than the remembrance of Allah.”
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ بُسْرٍ رضى الله عنه أَنَّ رَجُلاً قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ شَرَائِعَ الإِسْلاَمِ قَدْ كَثُرَتْ عَلَىَّ فَأَخْبِرْنِي بِشَيْءٍ أَتَشَبَّثُ بِهِ . قَالَ " لاَ يَزَالُ لِسَانُكَ رَطْبًا مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ " .
`Abdullah bin Busr (ra) narrated that:
A man said: “O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), indeed, the legislated acts of Islam have become too much for me, so inform me of a thing that I should stick to.” He (ﷺ) said: “Let not your tongue cease to be moist with the remembrance of Allah.”
عَنِ الأَغَرِّ أَبِي مُسْلِمٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ أَشْهَدُ عَلَى أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ وَأَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ أَنَّهُمَا شَهِدَا عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَالَ " لاَ يَقْعُدُ قَوْمٌ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلاَّ حَفَّتْهُمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَغَشِيَتْهُمُ الرَّحْمَةُ وَنَزَلَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّكِينَةُ وَذَكَرَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِيمَنْ عِنْدَهُ " .
Agharr Abi Muslim reported:
I bear witness to the fact that both Abu Huraira and Abu Sa'id Khudri were present when Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: The people do not sit but they are surrounded by angels and covered by Mercy, and there descends upon them tranquillity as they remember Allah, and Allah makes a mention of them to those who are near Him. This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Shu'ba with the same chain of transmitters.
عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ خَرَجَ مُعَاوِيَةُ عَلَى حَلْقَةٍ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَقَالَ مَا أَجْلَسَكُمْ قَالُوا جَلَسْنَا نَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ . قَالَ آللَّهِ مَا أَجْلَسَكُمْ إِلاَّ ذَاكَ قَالُوا وَاللَّهِ مَا أَجْلَسَنَا إِلاَّ ذَاكَ . قَالَ أَمَا إِنِّي لَمْ أَسْتَحْلِفْكُمْ تُهْمَةً لَكُمْ وَمَا كَانَ أَحَدٌ بِمَنْزِلَتِي مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَقَلَّ عَنْهُ حَدِيثًا مِنِّي وَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَرَجَ عَلَى حَلْقَةٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ فَقَالَ " مَا أَجْلَسَكُمْ " . قَالُوا جَلَسْنَا نَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ وَنَحْمَدُهُ عَلَى مَا هَدَانَا لِلإِسْلاَمِ وَمَنَّ بِهِ عَلَيْنَا . قَالَ " آللَّهِ مَا أَجْلَسَكُمْ إِلاَّ ذَاكَ " . قَالُوا وَاللَّهِ مَا أَجْلَسَنَا إِلاَّ ذَاكَ . قَالَ " أَمَا إِنِّي لَمْ أَسْتَحْلِفْكُمْ تُهْمَةً لَكُمْ وَلَكِنَّهُ أَتَانِي جِبْرِيلُ فَأَخْبَرَنِي أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُبَاهِي بِكُمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةَ " .
Abu Sa'id Khudri reported that Mu'awiya went to a circle in the mosque and said:
What makes you sit here? They said: We are sitting here in order to remember Allah. He said: I adjure you by Allah (to tell me whether you are sitting here for this very purpose)? They said: By Allah, we are sitting here for this very purpose. Thereupon, he said: I have not demanded you to take an oath, because of any allegation against you and none of my rank in the eye of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) is the narrator of so few ahadith as I am. The fact is that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) went out to the circle of his Companions and said: What makes you sit? They said: We are sitting here in order to remember Allah and to praise Him for He guided us to the path of Islam and He conferred favours upon us. Thereupon he adjured by Allah and asked if that only was the purpose of their sitting there. They said: By Allah, we are not sitting here but for this very purpose, whereupon he (the Messenger) said: I am not asking you to take an oath because of any allegation against you but for the fact that Gabriel came to me and he informed me that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, was talking to the angels about your magnificence.
عَنْ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَأْكُلُ أَهْلُ الْجَنَّةِ فِيهَا وَيَشْرَبُونَ وَلاَ يَتَغَوَّطُونَ وَلاَ يَمْتَخِطُونَ وَلاَ يَبُولُونَ وَلَكِنْ طَعَامُهُمْ ذَاكَ جُشَاءٌ كَرَشْحِ الْمِسْكِ يُلْهَمُونَ التَّسْبِيحَ وَالْحَمْدَ كَمَا يُلْهَمُونَ النَّفَسَ " .
Jabir b. Abdullah reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:
That the inmates of Paradise would eat therein and they would also drink, but they would neither void excrement, nor suffer catarrh, nor pass water, and their eating (would be digested) in the form of belching and their sweat would be musk aged they would glorify and praise Allah as easily ai you breathe.
Statements of Scholars
أقوال العلماءفَأَفْضَلُ الذِّكْرِ مَا تَوَاطَأَ عَلَيْهِ الْقَلْبُ وَاللِّسَانُ، وَإِنَّمَا كَانَ ذِكْرُ الْقَلْبِ وَحْدَهُ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللِّسَانِ وَحْدَهُ؛ لِأَنَّ ذِكْرَ الْقَلْبِ يُثْمِرُ الْمَعْرِفَةَ، وَيُهَيِّجُ الْمَحَبَّةَ، وَيُثِيرُ الْحَيَاءَ، وَيَبْعَثُ عَلَى الْمَخَافَةِ، وَيَدْعُو إِلَى الْمُرَاقَبَةِ، وَيَزَعُ عَنِ التَّقْصِيرِ فِي الطَّاعَاتِ، وَالتَّهَاوُنِ فِي الْمَعَاصِي وَالسَّيِّئَاتِ، وَذِكْرُ اللِّسَانِ وَحْدَهُ لَا يُوجِبُ شَيْئًا مِنْهَا، فَثَمَرَتُهُ ضَعِيفَةٌ.
The best remembrance is that in which the heart and the tongue are in harmony. Remembrance by the heart alone is superior to remembrance by the tongue alone, because remembrance of the heart produces knowledge, stirs love, awakens a sense of shame before Allah, arouses fear, calls one to mindfulness, restrains one from falling short in obedience, and deters negligence in sins and misdeeds. Remembrance of the tongue alone does not necessarily bring about any of these effects, so its fruit is weak.