Power of Dhikr: Food for the Soul

“Keep your tongue wet with the remembrance of Allah.” (At Tirmidhi)

Dhikr; simply ‘remembering’, or the remembrance of God. It’s a very simple, direct and powerful way for us to strengthen our relationship with Allah S.W.T. It’s an easy means to worship Allah S.W.T. that we all might take for granted. You can do it anytime, anywhere!

Whether one utters a dhikr by tongue or says them silently in one’s heart, Allah S.W.T. loves those who praises Him and it is an act of worship which carries many benefits and virtues.

In every situation, Allah S.W.T. wants us to remember him, whether it is a happy or sad situation. Through our act of praising and glorifying The Magnificent One, we are showing our gratitude and recognising His greatness. By remembering The Creator, we accept that we have no power without Him, and He has power over all things.

“Shall I not inform you of the best of your actions, the purest in the sight of your Lord, which raises your rank to the highest, which is better for you than spending gold and silver, better than meeting your enemy so that you strike at their necks and they strike at yours?’ They replied: ‘Yes, indeed,’ and he said: ‘It is the remembrance of Allah.” (At-Tirmidhi)

Once we have truly understood the power of this, we understand that we are not the ones in control of our lives; it is only with the will of Allah S.W.T. that we are able to achieve successes in our lives.

The Prophet said, “If your hearts were always in the state that they are in during dhikr, the angels would come to see you to the point that they would greet you in the middle of the road.” (Sahih Muslim)

Here are some virtues of Dhikr that will benefit us all:

1. Remembering Allah S.W.T. expels the devil and removes his whispering from the heart of a Muslim

2. Wipes out the sadness and worries from one’s heart

3. Creates submission towards Allah S.W.T., where one turns towards Him in every distress

4. Brings about the love of Allah S.W.T.

5. Eases the way for us to achieve daily livelihood

6. Allah S.W.T. remembers those who remember Him “Therefore remember Me I will remember you,” (Al-Baqarah 2:152)

7. It supplies the heart with life. According to Ibn Taymiyah, ‘Remembrance is to the heart what water is to fish. What happens to the fish that leaves the water?’

It is clear that remembering Allah S.W.T. and frequently doing Dhikr is a virtuous act of worship where one can achieve tranquility and peace of mind and heart.

May Allah S.W.T. give us the strength to do Dhikr regularly.