Al-Tafsīr al-Qayyim - Ibn al-Qayyim - (545)

Al-Tafsīr al-QayyimIbn al-Qayyim

the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who said: “Shall I tell you of the best of your deeds, the purest in the sight of your Sovereign, those that raise you highest in rank, and are better for you than spending gold and silver, and better for you than meeting your enemy and striking their necks while they strike yours?” They said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” He replied, “Remembering Allah.”

In al-Muwatta’, this is reported as a statement of Abū al-Dardā himself.

Muʿādh ibn Jabal said, “No human being has done any deed more effective in saving him from Allah’s punishment than remembering Allah.”

Remembering the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, follows from remembering Allah.

The point is that continual remembrance is a means of sustaining love. Remembrance is to the heart as water is to crops—indeed, as water is to fish: it cannot live without it.

Remembrance takes several forms. The first is remembering Him by His names and attributes, and praising Him through them.

The second is declaring His perfection, praising Him, proclaiming His greatness, declaring that none has the right to be worshipped but Him, and glorifying Him. This is the predominant meaning of the term “remembrance” among later scholars.

The third is remembering Him through His rulings, commands and prohibitions. This is the remembrance practised by scholars; indeed, all three forms constitute their remembrance of their Lord.

Among the best ways of remembering Him is through His own words. The Exalted says:

20: 124 “But whoever turns away from My remembrance will certainly have a life of hardship, and We will raise him blind on the Day of Resurrection.”

His remembrance here means His words which He sent down to His Messenger. The Exalted also says:

13: 28 “Those who believe and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah. Surely, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.”

Remembering Him, glorified be He, also includes supplicating to Him, seeking His forgiveness and humbly pleading with Him.

These, then, are five forms of remembrance.

النبي ﷺ أنه قال: «ألا أدلكم على خير أعمالكم وأزكاها عند مليككم، وأرفعها في درجاتكم، وخير لكم من إنفاق الذهب والورق، وخير لكم من أن تلقوا عدوكم فتضربوا أعناقهم ويضربوا أعناقكم؟ قالوا: بلى يا رسول الله، قال: ذكر الله» وهو في الموطأ موقوف على أبي الدرداء. وقال معاذ بن جبل «ما عمل آدمي عملا أنجى له من عذاب الله من ذكر الله» . وذكر رسول الله ﷺ تبع لذكره. والمقصود: أن دوام الذكر سبب لدوام المحبة. فالذكر للقلب كالماء للزرع، بل كالماء للسمك، لا حياة له إلا به. وهو أنواع: ذكره بأسمائه وصفاته، والثناء عليه بها. الثاني: تسبيحه وتحميده، وتكبيره وتهليله، وتمجيده، وهو الغالب من استعمال لفظ الذكر عند المتأخرين. الثالث: ذكره بأحكامه وأوامره ونواهيه. وهو ذكر أهل العلم، بل الأنواع الثلاثة هي ذكرهم لربهم. ومن أفضل ذكره: ذكره بكلامه. قال تعالى: ٢٠: ١٢٤ وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَنْ ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ لَهُ مَعِيشَةً ضَنْكاً. وَنَحْشُرُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيامَةِ أَعْمى فذكره هاهنا هو كلامه الذي أنزله على رسوله، وقال تعالى: ١٣: ٢٨ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُمْ بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ. أَلا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ. ومن ذكره سبحانه: دعاؤه واستغفاره والتضرع إليه. فهذه خمسة أنواع من الذكر.