Introduction
Remember Me; I will remember you. And thank me and never be ungrateful [2:152]
Zikr refers to remembrance of Allah SWT. It is His chosen method by which the believer shows gratitude for having been guided to the Straight Path. Zikr is commonly performed through reciting verbal praises, silently or aloud, but encompasses any deed that Allah SWT likes. Thus performing salah, reciting Quran and gaining or teaching knowledge are all a form of zikr. It is the key to purifying ones heart and attaining salvation.
The servant cannot perform a better deed which will save him from God’s punishment than the remembrance of God [Malik]
Etiquette and Benefits of Zikr
- Recite frequently. Believers remember Allah often and glorify Him morning and evening [33:41].
- Recite at any time. Those who remember Allah standing, sitting and lying down, who reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: “Our Lord! You have not created all this without purpose – You are far above that! So protect us from the torment of the Fire” [3:191].
- Purification. Only those who come before Allah with a pure heart will be saved [26:88].
- Tranquility. Those who believe and whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of Allah – truly it is in the remembrance of Allah that hearts find peace [13:28].
- Forgiveness. And men and women who remember Allah often – for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward [33:35].
- Success. And remember Allah often so that you may be successful [62:10].
- Allah SWT mentions us. Remember Me; I will remember you. And thank Me and never be ungrateful [2:152].
- It is the greatest matter. The remembrance of Allah is even greater: Allah knows what you all do [29:45].
O believers! Remember Allah often, and glorify Him in the morning and evening. He is the One Who showers His blessings upon you – and His angels pray for you – so that He may bring you out of darkness and into the light. For He is ever Merciful to the believers [33:41-43]
Types of Zikr
Constant Awareness of Allah SWT
We should try to develop a continuous awareness of Allah SWT in our lives. This will help us to direct our actions to strive in His cause and to avoid those things He dislikes. In time and with practice, this will become second nature.
Remembering the following will help us to achieve this:
- Allah SWT is always with us and watching over us. He is Al Qarīb and Ar Raqīb. Know that he is Al Khabīr and aware of all that we do. We should remember this in every task that we do and every word that we speak. He is with you wherever you are [58:7].
- Everything we have has been provided by Allah SWT. He is Ar Razzāq. Reflect on our blessings and provisions and always be grateful to Him. Praise Him frequently.
- Nothing happens without His Will. He is Al Muqaddim Al Mu’Akhkhir. If Allah touches you with harm, none can undo it except Him. And if He touches you with a blessing, He is Most Capable of everything. He reigns supreme over His creation. He is the All Wise the All Aware [6:17-18].
- We will all return to Allah SWT. We do not know how much time we have left in this world and should strive to spend it in His cause. He is Al Wārith. Surely to Allah we belong and to Him we will all return [2:156].
Constant Praise of Allah SWT
There are huge benefits of reciting the praise of Allah SWT throughout the day. Many ayats in the Quran and hadiths list the numerous blessings, which include trees planted for you in Jannah, entry to Jannah and protection from the Fire.
Each of us will have some opportunity to do this in our daily routine. This could be after our regular salah or during work or family related tasks.
Specific Zikr
SUBHANALLAH
Glory be to Allah; He is free from imperfection; may He be exalted
- Recite x 100 equals 1000 good deeds
- Mentioned when one is filled with awe of the Greatness of Allah SWT, for example witnessing something spectacular, beautiful or miraculous
ALHAMDULLILAH
All praise and gratitude belongs to Allah
- Fills the scales on the Day of Judgement
- Mentioned when one is thankful and appreciative to Allah SWT
ALLAH HU AKBAR
Allah is Great
- Many virtues, a declaration in the belief of the One God who is Greater than everything
- Mentioned at any time, for example when celebrating, feeling sad, amazed, in times of hardship and so forth
LA ILLAHA ILLALA
There is no God but Allah
- The greatest words ever written, the declaration of Tawheed is the foundation of Islam, the belief in the Oneness God
- Mentioned at any time in any and every situation to renew ones belief, specifically after wudhu, after waking from sleep, after salah, at times of distress or hardship
The best remembrance is to declare there is no God but Allah. The best supplication is to declare all praise is due to Allah [Tirmidhi]
I met Abraham on the night of my Ascension and he said: “O Muhammad, greet your nation with peace from me. Tell them Paradise has pure soil and delicious water, that it is a level plain and its plants grow with declarations of the glory of Allah, the praise of Allah, the oneness of Allah, and the greatness of Allah” [Tirmidhi]
LA ILAHA ILLALLAHU WAHDAHU LA SHARIKA LAHU LAHUL MULKU WA LAHUL HAMDU WA HUWA ALA KULLI SHAY IN QADEER
There is none worthy to be worshipped except Allah. He is the Only One, having no partners, to Him belongs Dominion and to Him belong all the Praises, and He is able to do all things (Omnipotent)
SUBHANALLAHI WA HAMDULILLAHI WALA ILAHA ILLALLAHU WALLAHU AKBAR
All Glory is for Allah and all the praises are for Allah and none has the right to be worshipped except Allah and Allah is The Greatest
WALA HAWLA WALA QOOWWATA ILLA BILLAHIL ALIYYAL AZIM
There is no Might or Power Except with Allah the Most High the Greatest
- Recite if you wake up at night, ask Allah SWT for forgiveness and Allah SWT will accept your dua
- The phrase Wala Hawla Wala Qoowata Illa Billah is a very powerful dua, simplified as “no might or power except with Allah.” More than this, it means that there can be no change or transformation, no progress, without the will of Allah SWT
Whoever declares, “There is no god but Allah without any partner, to Him belongs sovereignty and praise and He is powerful over everything” one hundred times a day, he will have the reward of emancipating ten slaves. A hundred good deeds will be recorded for him, a hundred sins will be erased from his record, and he will have a guard against Satan during the day until evening. No one will exceed him but one who recited these words more often. Whoever declares the glory of Allah and His praises one hundred times a day, his sins will be diminished even if they are like the foam of the sea [Muslim]
To declare the glory of Allah, the praise of Allah, the oneness of Allah, and the greatness of Allah is more beloved to me than anything over which the sun rises [Muslim]
Shall I not tell you about a word among the treasures of Paradise? There is no power or might but in Allah [Muslim]
SUBHANALLAHI WA BIHAMDIHI SUBHANALLAHIL AZEEM
Glory is to Allah and all praise is to Him, glory is to Allah the Great
- The praise of the Angels. Huge rewards. Reciting daily x 100 will forgive all sins
SUBHANALLAHI WA BIHAMDIHI ADDIDA KULQIHI WA RIDHA NAFSI WA ZINATHA ARSHIHI WA MIDDADA KALIMATHI
Glory and praise be to Allah, as much as the number of His creation, as much as pleases Him, as much as the weight of His Throne and as much as the ink of His words
- Huge rewards. Reciting daily x 3 will gain rewards equal to praying from dawn to noon
Two are the expressions which are light on the tongue, but heavy in scale, dear to the Compassionate One: “Glory be to Allah and praise is due to Him; Glory be to Allah, the Great” [Muslim]
He who recites in the morning and in the evening the statement: “Subhaan-Allahi wa bihamdihi” one hundred times, will not be surpassed on the Day of Resurrection by anyone with better deeds except for someone who had recited it more [Bukhari]
Specific Ibadah
The specific forms of ibadah (worship) prescribed by Allah SWT are instruments of self development and serve to bring us closer to Him. Additionally, they bring great blessings and rewards. Many forms of ibadah have compulsory (fard) and additional or optional (sunnah/nafl) elements:
Dua
Making sincere supplication to Allah SWT asking for forgiveness, guidance and provision of needs. There are duas for every type of situation and for reciting before every action. Learn more about dua here.
Salah
2nd pillar of Islam. Five daily prayers with fard and sunnah/nafl components. There are many further types of sunnah and nafl salah including Tahajjud, the night prayer. Learn more about salah here.
Zakat
3rd pillar of Islam. A fixed 2.5% of ones wealth given to the poor and needy each year. The giving of voluntary charity is called sadaqah. Learn more about Zakat here.
Sawm
4th pillar of Islam. Fasting, obligatory for all believers during the month of Ramadan. Additional sunnah fasts can be performed throughout the year. Fasting is a way to increase ones taqwa and is one of the most loved forms of ibadah by Allah SWT. Learn more about sawm here.
Hajj
5th pillar of Islam. Pilgrimage to Makkah, obligatory for every believer who can afford it and has the means to do so. A Muslim must strive to perform this at least once in their lifetimes. Umrah is a voluntary shorter pilgrimage. Learn more about Hajj and Umrah here.
Quran
The Quran is a nourishment for the heart. It contains soul-stirring inspiration and wisdom and is a guide for us directly from the Lord of all the worlds. We need to read and understand its message and let it permeate into our minds. One should aim to recite the Book of Allah SWT daily. Learn more about the Quran here.
Contemplation
There are benefits to reflecting on the creation of the heavens and the earth, our own creation, our religion, the blessings of Jannah and the fear of the punishment in Jahannam. Such contemplation enables us to draw closer to Allah SWT and appreciate His guidance and blessings. It also allows introspection and motivates us to work for His rewards.
And those who are mindful of their Lord will be lead to Paradise in successive groups. When they arrive at its open gates, its keepers will say “Peace be upon you! You have done well so enter to stay forever” [39:73]