The Importance of Dhikr

[Mashura]

The Importance of Dhikr
Dhikr (remembering the Almighty Allah) is a great work that has a tremendous rewards. Allah Has ordered it and gave the assurance of rewarding anyone who obeyed.
Commenting on the verse: "So, remember Me, I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me" {al- baqarah, Chapter: 2, Verse: 152} Al- Qurtuby (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "(This is) An order and its response, and therein is the meaning of rewarding, that is while He (Allah) asserted authoritatively"[1].
Dhikr is the spirit of all good deeds, any deed that is devoid of dhikr will eventually become a body without soul[2].
If this is the magnitude of dhikr, no wonder that the Almighty Allah Has made its existence inevitable in every good deed. There is nothing a Muslim can do, no form of worship, hoping to get reward on it from Allah the Almighty except that the dhikr will be the condition of its perfectness and acceptance. Rather, all deeds have been legally commanded for the establishment of dhikr.
Allah (Exalted He) says: "Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance". {Ta ha, Chapter: 20, Verse: 14}.
The prophet of Islam (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is reported to have said in one of his traditions: "Indeed, circumambulation round the kabah, moving between the two mountains Safah and Marwah and throwing of the pebbles have all been made to establish the remembrance of Allah", {Abu Daud and Tirmidhy}.
Actually, all forms of worship have their own conditions and criteria, besides, all have specific times they can be legally offered and other times they are forbidden to be offered except dhikr, it is an act of worship that is demanded every time[3].
Imam Ibn Kathir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Allah - Exalted is He - never made anything obligatory on His worshipers except that He gave it a specific limit and He accept excuse on it when it is neglected except dhikr. Allah has never given it a specific limit as He never accept any excuse from the one who neglected it unless he/she is totally incapable. He says: "Those who remember Allah while standing or sitting or {lying} on their sides", {al- 'Imran, Chapter: 3 Verse: 191}, i.e. in the day and in the night, on the land and on the sea, on traveling and at home, when rich or poor, when in good health and when sick, secretly and publicly, and in all conditions"[4].
To emphasize the great importance of the dhikr, we should remind ourselves that this ibadah has never been requested in any verse of the holy Qur'an except that it is conditioned to be done as much as possible, as He- the Almighty- said: "O you who believe! remember Allah with much remembrance", {al- Ahzaab, Chapter: 33, Verse: 41}. While explaining the meaning of this verse Ibn al-Jawzi al- Kelbiy (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "whenever Allah the Almighty direct His worshipers to remember Him He put the condition to be done in multitude. And remembrance of Allah may be by the hearth or the tongue which is of different forms like saying: 'La ilaha illaallah', 'Subhanallah', 'Al hamdu Lillah', 'Allahu akbar', or by recalling the beautiful names of Allah"[5].
In the real sense, if a Muslim try to ponder over the verses of the holy Qur'an in which the believers are enjoined to remember their Lord, he will note that dhikr has been ordered for at all times and in every conditions. Wherever a Muslim is, and no matter his or her situation, it is constantly requested of him or her to remember Allah the owner of the beautiful names and the ultimate attributes.
Due to the simplicity of its nature, dhikr never disturb a Muslim from performing his daily undertakings, however, it brings a huge rewards and it has no specific time. It has been narrated for us that some of the senior companions of our prophet (may peace and mercy of Allah be upon him) used to be traders during their time, yet, the daily transactions never prevented them from remembering their Lord every time and everywhere, "Men whom neither trade nor sale (business) diverts from the Remembrance of Allah (with hearth and tongue), nor from performing As- salat (iqamat- as- Salat), nor from giving the Zakat. They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned (out of the horror of the torment of the Day of Resurrection). {an- Nur, Chapter: 24, Verse: 37}.
By holding strictly to the remembrance of Allah, a Muslim actually gains in his life the biggest means of communication between him and his Lord. The implication of this act is that whenever such a person calls his Lord he would be answered and his request would be easily granted.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Remembrance of Allah is His greatest door which is always open between Allah and His servant, provided the servant does not close it with his negligence and inattention"[6].
[1] TAFSEER QURTUBHY (ARABIC TEXT), IMAM QURTUBHY, V:2, P: 115.
[2] MADARIJU SSALIKEEN, IBN QOYYIM, V: 2, P: 424.
[3] TENBIHUL FIKR ILA HAQEEQATI ADHIKR, MUHAMMAD ADEEB KALKAL, P: 11
[4] TEFSIIR IBN KETHIIR (ARABIC VERSION), V:3 P: 2261.
[5] AT- TESHIL LI- ULUUMI TTENZIIL, IBN JUZZIY AL- KELBIY, V:2, P:191.
[6] MADAARIJU AS- SAALIKEEN, IBN QOYYIM (ARABIC VERSION), V: 2, P: 424.

[Amatullah~]

Good reminder.

for sharing.

[Mashura]

Good reminder.

for sharing.

Wa iyyaki