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If we look at our everyday
lives we all, in some way or another, participate in Dhikr. Whether
it is through a conscious effort after salah, or just at times of
distress or happiness we all feel the need to remember Allah.
Dhikr is a form of worship that carries much reward.
Abu Hurairah reported that
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said:
Allah, the
Exalted and Glorious 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 a cubit, and if he draws near Me by a cubit
I draw near him by the space (covered by) two arms. And if he walks
towards Me, I rush towards him.
(Hadith from Sahih Muslim & Bukhari)
Supplication (dua) is not
only the continuous outpouring of a persons heart before their
Lord, but it is also an _expression_ of their sense of nearness to
Allah. We acknowledge the might and power of Allah as well as the
grace and blessings we are given. If we could conceive how much a
person supplicates, what he supplicates for, and the way that he
supplicates, then we could start to understand how much love they
have for Allah in their soul.
Abu Huraira reported
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: He who uttered
these words:
"
There is no god but Allah, the One, having no partner with Him.
Sovereignty belongs to Him and all the praise is due to Him, and He
is Potent over everything" one hundred times every day there is a
reward of emancipating ten slaves for him, and there are recorded
one hundred virtues to his credit, and one hundred vices are blotted
out from his scroll, and that is a safeguard for him against the
Satan on that day till evening. And no-one brings anything more
excellent than this, except one who has done more than this (i.e who
utters these words more than one hundred times and does more good
acts) and he who utters:" Hallowed be Allah, and all praise is due
to Him," one hundred times a day, his sins are obliterated even if
they are equal to the extent of the foam of the ocean.
(Hadith Sahih Bukhari) |
This hadith shows us how
by increasing our remembrance of Allah, we can increase the amount
of reward we obtain. Dhikr does not have to be organised, or
complicated. It is something which can be done quickly, and if done
with sincerity of the heart it can have a huge positive effect.
Dhikr can be done at any time, almost anywhere. Here are some verses
from the Quran encouraging remembrance:
"Truly Allah leaves to stray whom He wills; but He
guides to Himself those who turn to Him in penitence. Those who
believe and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of
Allah: for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find
satisfaction. 13:
27-28 The Holy Quran
Bring your Rabb to remembrance deep in your
soul with humility and in reverence without raising your voice, both
in the mornings and in the evenings; and be not of those who are
heedless. 7:205 The Holy
Quran
Those who remember Allah while standing, sitting,
and lying on their sides, and meditate on the creation of the
heavens and the earth. Then cry out:" Our Rabb! You have not created
this in vain. Glory to You! Save us from the punishment of Fire.
3:191 The Holy
Quran
Whatever we are doing,
we can always remember and praise Allah. If we remember Allah in all
our actions then we will be rewarded not only for the intention, but
also for the act that is carried out.
This short poem sums up
how our actions can be part of Dhikr and how every part of the body
praises Allah:
Dhikr of the
eyes, which consists in weeping
Dhikr of the ears, which
consists in listening
Dhikr of the tongue, which consists in
praise
Dhikr of the hands, which consists in giving
Dhikr of
the body, which consists in loyalty
Dhikr of the heart, which
consists in fear and hope
Dhikr of the spirit, which consists of
utter submission and acceptance.
Aashiq-E-Mustapha |
