and when going to bed, upon waking from sleep, and after the prayers, as well as the remembrances prescribed for particular occasions, such as eating, drinking, dressing, marital intercourse, entering and leaving the home, the mosque, or the lavatory, and during rain and thunder, among other occasions. Books entitled Devotions of the Day and Night have been compiled for this purpose. Beyond these, one should remain constant in remembrance generally, the best of which is:

“There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.”

Circumstances may arise, however, in which other remembrances are better than this, such as:

“Glory be to Allah, praise be to Allah, Allah is the Greatest, and there is no power nor strength except through Allah.”

One should also understand that everything uttered by the tongue and conceived in the heart that brings one closer to Allah—such as acquiring and imparting knowledge, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong—is remembrance of Allah. Thus, whoever occupies himself with seeking beneficial knowledge after fulfilling the obligatory duties, or attends a gathering to acquire or impart religious understanding in the sense intended by Allah and His Messenger, is also engaged in one of the finest forms of remembering Allah. If you reflect on this, you will find little disagreement among the early Muslims in their statements about the best deeds.

Whenever a servant is uncertain about a matter, he should seek Allah’s guidance in the prescribed manner, for no one who seeks the guidance of Allah Most High regrets doing so. Let him do this often and supplicate frequently, for supplication is the key to all good. He should not grow impatient and say, “I have supplicated, but I have received no answer.” And he should seek out the times