Importance and Auspiciousness of Zikr

Importance and Auspiciousness of Zikr

“I wish to remember you”

In the Quran and hadith, everywhere, the importance and eminence of the remembrance of Allah, and the respect for this remembrance, thus mentioned, indicate your strong inclination to remembering Allah. It has been mentioned that to remember Allah is symbol of your belief. To be lazy or negligent in remembering Allah is the mark of an ungrateful person or a ‘Kaafir’ (Disbeliever)

. The sayings and the practical lives of the ‘Sahabae karam and Auliyae karam’(saint) are live examples of such a remembrance.

اَلَا بِذِکْرِ اللہِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوۡبُ ﴿ؕ۲۸﴾

Translation: in the remembrance of Allah alone there is the satisfaction of hearts. (Surah raed 13- aayat 28)

Most people, in today’s world, are tense, both in their minds and in their hearts. For these disease, the medical world has invented countless medicines that give you a temporary relief, but have numerous side-effects.

“Here, people plan, but fate laughs at them. ” Along with the waste of your time and money, you lose your health, be thankful to Allah that He has given you, through His remembrance, the solution to your every pain and problem. When you get the wealth of such a peaceful heart, you become rich. It was with His peaceful heart and his full attention on Allah, that an arrow was removed from a foot of Hazrat Ali, who was offering namaz, without his feeling any pain, Allah has said about this remembrance,  “Zikran kasiran” that you should remember Him more and more, due to this remembrance, you will get plenty of benefits.

یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوا اذْکُرُوا اللہَ ذِکْرًا کَثِیۡرًا ﴿ۙ۴۱﴾ وَّ سَبِّحُوۡہُ بُکْرَۃً وَّ اَصِیۡلًا ﴿۴۲﴾

Translation: 'O believers! Remember Allah much. And glorify Him morning and evening. (Surah ahzaab33- aayat 41-42)

                                                                   

In one of Paara of the Quran, Allah say’s

وَ الذّٰکِرِیۡنَ اللہَ کَثِیۡرًا وَّ الذّٰکِرٰتِ ۙ اَعَدَّ اللہُ لَہُمۡ مَّغْفِرَۃً وَّ اَجْرًا عَظِیۡمًا ﴿۳۵﴾

Translation: . and men and women who remember Allah much, for all of them Allah has kept prepared forgiveness and great reward.

(surah ahzaab33- aayat 35)

What can be a greater gift for a ‘momin’ man and a ‘momin’ women (Believing men and women) then the news that, in this world, they have been forgiven and given peaceful hearts? Here, the remembraces are more, and from their Allah’s blessings to you are more. Subhan Allah.

فَاذْکُرُوا اللہَ قِیٰمًا وَّقُعُوۡدًا وَّعَلٰی جُنُوۡبِکُمْ ۚ

Translation: remember Allah, standing, sitting and lying or your sides

(Surah Nisa 4- Aayat 103)

Hazrat Ibne Abbas (Radi Allahu anhu) had said that Allah has put a limit on every ‘farz’, except for His remembrance, to which there is no limit. Allah has said that you should remembering Him, when you stand or sit, or when you lie down, whether it is the day or the night; whether you are in riches or in poverty; whether or not you are healthy. 

الَّذِیۡنَ یَذْکُرُوۡنَ اللہَ قِیٰمًا وَّقُعُوۡدًا وَّعَلٰی جُنُوۡبِہِمْ وَیَتَفَکَّرُوۡنَ فِیۡ خَلْقِ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرْضِ ۚ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ ہٰذَا بٰطِلًا ۚ سُبْحٰنَکَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ ﴿۱۹۱﴾

Translation: There who remember Allah standing and sitting and lying on their sides, and contemplate the creation of heavens and earth; (saying) "O our Lord! You have not made it in vain, Hallowed be You, then save us from the torment of the Hell. (Surah imran aayat 191)

There is a narrative that an angel who stands erect is praising Allah. Other angels are praising Allah with their heads bowed. Still other angels are praising Him with their heads touching the ground. Every creation of the universe in any of the above three positions. Allah has allowed only human beings to remember Him in all the three positions. The fact that solely humans can remember Allah in any of the three postures is the reason why they are best of Allah’s creation. To life of a human being passes in these three positions. At the time of birth, a human child tilts, lying down, to his left, or to his right. After some months the child starts to sit to stand

on its own legs. Finally the child, who is now much older returns to

lyingly-down position. This means that, after death, his new life will start in the same way. First, he will be laid down in his grave. Judgment day, he will stand erect. And, then, he will witness Allah’s anger, and sit on his knees. If a person remembers Allah in any of the three positions, if person remembers

Him continuously in trio conditions. That person used his power which was given by Allah on right way, because remembrance is a root of thanx.

There is a narrative from Hazrat Abu Huraira (Radi Allahu anhu) that Prophet Mohammed(Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam) had said that, on the day of judgment, the person who gives his voice will give his voice, “where are the wise people?”, people will ask, “ who are the wise people?”, and the reply will come. “ those people who remembered Allah while lying down, or sitting, or erect, and who wondered why the skies and the earths were created, and who believed that Allah’s creation were made with a reason”, are the wise people”. We worship You, and please save us from hell. After this, a flag will be made for these people; also, these wise people will be gathered under the flag, and told to go to heaven, for ever.                (Asbehani)

The Prophet, Mohammed(Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam), says that you should love Allah in such a way that people say that you are madly in love with Him.

(Masnad Imaam Ahmed)

The Prophet (Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam) also says that, if you always remember Allah, the angels will shake hand with you on your bed, and on the roads. It is written in a ‘hadith’ that some simple and solitary persons moved ahead; ‘sahaba’ asked the prophet, “ who are the ‘mufrid’ or solitary people?” the prophet said, “The ‘mufrid’ are those who are madly in love with Allah”.

The best action:

There is a narrative from Hazrat Abu Al Darda (Radi Allahu anhu) that Prophet Mohammed (Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam) says, “ should I not show you the work that is dearest to Allah and through which the level of your faith increases, and which is better than gold and silver; and better than dying while hitting your enemies?” Then ‘Sahaba’ said, “Yaa Rasul Allah, please do show it.” The Prophet replied, “Remember Allah always.”

 (Imaam Ahmed ,Tarmazi , Ibne Maaja, Haakim ,Behqi Abu darda)

Someone asked Hazrat Salman Farsi (Radi Allahu anhu), “What is the greatest work?” He answered, “Have not read the Quran Sharif?; It is written in the Quran Paak.

وَلَذِکْرُ اللہِ اَکْبَرُؕ

Translation: And no doubt, the remembrance of Allah is the greatest.

(Surah Anqabut29- aaayat 45)

Prophet Mohammed(Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam)  says, “The time that you have spent in not remembering Allah will, On the day of judgment, be the cause of your biggest sorrows.”

The rememberer’s auspiciousness who awakes at night :

تَتَجَافٰی جُنُوۡبُہُمْ عَنِ الْمَضَاجِعِ یَدْعُوۡنَ رَبَّہُمْ خَوْفًا وَّ طَمَعًا ۫ وَّ مِمَّا رَزَقْنٰہُمْ یُنۡفِقُوۡنَ ﴿۱۶﴾

فَلَا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَّاۤ اُخْفِیَ لَہُمۡ مِّنۡ قُرَّۃِ اَعْیُنٍ ۚ جَزَآءًۢ بِمَاکَانُوۡایَعْمَلُوۡنَ ﴿۱۷﴾

Translation: Their sides keep away from beds and they call upon their Lord in fear and hope and spend in charity out of what We have provided them.

(Surah Sajda32- Aayat 16-17)

Allah is accompanion of rememberer{zaakir}:

فَاذْکُرُوۡنِیۡۤ اَذْکُرْکُمْ وَاشْکُرُوۡا لِیۡ وَلَا تَکْفُرُوۡنِ﴿۱۵۲﴾٪

Translation: Therefore remember Me, I shall remember you, and accept My right and do not be ungrateful to Me (Surah Baqra Aayat 152)

Hazrat Abu Huraira (Radi Allahu anhu) narrates the prophet (Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam)  had said that Allah said, “I treat a person in the same way that he expects; when he remembers me, I am with Him; if he remembers me through his breaths, the I remember him in my Entity (Zaat); if that person remembers me in an assembly, I remember him in the congregation of a angels.

(Bukhari’& Muslim’& Tarmizi’& Ibne maaja’& Behqi)

Hazrat Anas (Radi Allahu anhu) narrates that the Prophet said, “Oh people, if you remember me in your heart, then I will remember you in my  Entity  (Zaat).

(Masnad Imaam)

There is ‘hadith Qudsi’ that, those who remember me are in my assembly; the Islamic scholars-and-preachers tell muslims about the divine commands and the necessary things to be done; the preachers tell you to remember Allah only verbally. Only the Saints have the keys to the heart, the soul, and the secrets. A devotee who remembers Allah from his heart, soul, a tongue, and every part of his body is remembered by Allah in many ways that only the ‘Ahle Tariqat’ knows about.

Lucky are those who have got the gift, from their mentors, of remembering Allah from their hearts, and whose every breath remembers Him, more than this, the lucky people have the gift of being in Allah’s vicinity لَاخَوْفٌ عَلَیۡہِمْ وَلَا ہُمْ یَحْزَنُوۡنَ

“Laa khaufun Alahim Walahum Yahzanun”.

The Prophet was ordered to accompany the rememberers:

وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَکَ مَعَ الَّذِیۡنَ یَدْعُوۡنَ رَبَّہُمۡ بِالْغَدٰوۃِ وَالْعَشِیِّ یُرِیۡدُوۡنَ وَجْہَہٗ وَ لَا تَعْدُ عَیۡنَاکَ عَنْہُمْ ۚ

. Translation: And keep yourself familiar to those who call upon their Lord in the morning and evening seeking His pleasure and your eyes should not see others leaving them; (Surah Kahaf Aayat 28)

After the alighting of these ‘Aayat’ on the earth, Prophet Mohammed (Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam) set out on a search for these people; he saw an assembly of people who were busy in the remembrance of Allah. Among these people, some had disheveled hair, some had dry skins, and still others had only one cloth on their bodies. When the prophet saw them, he sat next to them, and said, “All praises are of Allah, Who, in my followers [Ummah] , created such people, whom I am ordered to sit next to.”

(Ibn jareer’& tibrani)

Hazrat Salman Farsi (Radi Allahu anhu), etcetera, the assembly of ‘Sahaba Ikram’ who were busy in remembering Allah. When the prophet (Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam) came there, these people became silent. Prophet Mohammed (Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam) asked them what they were doing. They said that they were busy remembering Allah. The Prophet (Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam) said that he saw on them. At that moment, the prophet (Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam) added that His heart, also, wanted to sit next to them; then he said that it was Allah’s blessing to him that, in his followers [Ummah], he was ordered to sit next to such people.

It is a very heart-warming news that prophet Mohammed (Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam) searches for this who remember Allah. The Prophet (Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam) is thanking Allah for giving him the companionship with these people; whereas, the greats worship is to actually see the prophet(Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam). Prophet Mohammed (Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam) is looking for people who remember Allah; he is giving, to those who remember Allah, the good news of his association with them.

For those who are ready to die in the names of Allah and prophet Mohammed(Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam) is there any other proof for the auspiciousness of the remembrance of Allah?

Allah’s loving hand on His remembers:-

The prophet(Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam)  says that, when people gather to remember Allah, the angels surround them. At such a time, Allah’s blessings are on them in the assembly of Allah, He remembers such devout people

(Sahi Muslim)

ہُوَ الَّذِیۡ یُصَلِّیۡ عَلَیۡکُمْ وَ مَلٰٓئِکَتُہٗ لِیُخْرِجَکُمۡ مِّنَ الظُّلُمٰتِ اِلَی النُّوۡرِ ؕ

Translation: It is He Who sends blessings on you and His angels too that He may bring you forth from darkness into light.

(Surah Ahzab aayat 43)

A person who remembers Allah dies of his own wish:-

Imaam Abu Qasim Qasheri (Radi Allahu anhu) says that the ‘Malakul Maut’(Angel of death) who removes the soul of a person who remembers Allah must remove it as per the wish of that rememberer. (Risala-e-Qashiriya)

The last talk:-

Hazrat Maaz Bin (Radi Allahu anhu) asked Prophet Mohammed (Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam)  about the work that is dearest to Allah. The Prophet (Salla Allahu 'alayh wasalam)  replied, “ your death should occur when you remember Allah”.                             (Tibrani & Baheqi)

All the saints understand the meaning of the last talk from a ‘hadith’.

مَنْ کَانَ آخِرُ کَلاَمُہٗ لَا اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ مُحَمَّدُ رَّسُوْلُ اللّٰہ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّۃ

Translation: A person whose last words are “ Laa Ilaaha Illalaho Mohammadur Rasool lullahe” will go to heaven.