Chapter on Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah)

Introduction

Abu Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī said: “After reciting the Book of Allah, no act of worship performed by the tongue is superior to the remembrance of Allah, Exalted be He. The excellence of dhikr is attested by His words: ‘So remember Me, and I will remember you’ (Quran 2:152) and ‘Surely the remembrance of Allah is greatest—Allah knows what you do’ (Quran 29:45).”

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Allah, Exalted be He, declares: ‘I am with My servant as long as he remembers Me and his lips move in mention of Me.’” Reported by Aḥmad (10585) with a sound chain.

Ibn al-Qayyim writes in Madārij al-Sālikīn: “Among the stations implied by ‘You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help’ is the station of dhikr. It is the station of the people of the path. Dhikr is the servitude of both heart and tongue, and it is not confined to specific times; rather, they are enjoined to remember their Lord and Beloved in every situation.”

Dhikr polishes and burnishes the heart. It is the greatest gateway that remains open between Allah and His servant—unless the servant shuts it through heedlessness. Dhikr is the very spirit of all deeds; when the servant grows lax in it, he is like a body bereft of spirit.

Dhikr is of three levels: (1) remembrance in which heart and tongue are united—this is the highest; (2) remembrance confined to the heart alone—this is the second level; and (3) remembrance confined to the tongue alone—this is the third level.

It also comprises three aspects: praise, supplication, and watchful attentiveness. The Prophetic adhkār encompass all three: they contain praise of Allah, opportunities for calling upon Him, and perfect attentiveness that benefits the heart. They teach the heart how to address its Lord—with attachment, humble entreaty, seeking His favor, and other modes of intimate discourse.