What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

What is dhikr? A beautiful collection of prayer beads hung at the entrance of the shop, it seemed like a really good gift to pair with the prayer mats we had gotten to give away. Holding the beads, I felt weird why was I using them for gift purposes, when what they are meant for is long-forgotten purpose.

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

What is the Meaning Of Dhikr?

It is human nature if our heart desires or yearns for something we tend to keep thinking about it. When we feel hungry we usually think about food, when we are thirsty we find ways to quench our thirst as soon as possible. When we love someone, time in and time out they come to our mind no matter what we are doing.

In the same way, when we truly love Allah SWT, we constantly think about Him, what all can be done or what all should be done to please Him. What is Dhikr then? Remembering Allah SWT. This is one of the signs of a Muttaqi (pious or God-fearing person) that He never forgets Allah SWT. Allah SWT has also mentioned it in the Quran:

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

Dhikr an Arabic word (plural Adhkaar) means the remembrance or mentioning of Allah SWT. It is an act of worship that simply is a very powerful way to remember Allah SWT. Dhikr is a super easy act of worship but carries great reward. We should try our best to increase Dhikr in our daily lives. Here are some powerful everyday duas that you can use.

We have the intention of reading more Quran or performing naafil prayers but our busy schedules keep us on our toes, a day starts and finishes without allowing time for reading more Quran. This is where Dhikr can become a very important part of your life. It is mentioned in the Quran:

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

What is the Importance Of Dhikr in Islam?

Dhikr is a direct way to strengthen your relationship with Allah SWT. Why is Dhikr being mentioned as the easiest act of worship? As most of the adhkaar mentioned in hadith don’t have a time specified for them, some do like after Salah adhkaar or morning and evening adhkaar but a lot of them can be recited while you are busy in your daily routine.

If you are driving to work, or waiting for your bus or train, waiting at a doctor’s appointment, or while cutting up vegetables, you can recite them. Best of all when women are experiencing their monthly cycles, they cannot stop you from doing dhikr. If you incorporate it in your life throughout the day you would feel more connected to Allah SWT.

It is the easiest form of worship, when a person reaches old age, extra prayers and fasting other than the month of Ramadan takes a toll on health, they find it difficult. Obligatory acts of worship take up a lot of time for the elderly, their age has slowed them down considerably. Dhikr is an excellent act of worship that earns immense rewards. A man came to the Messenger of Allah and said:

 “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, indeed, the legislated acts of Islam have become too much for me, so inform me of a thing that I should stick to.”

 He ﷺ said: “Let not your tongue cease to be moist with the remembrance of Allah.” TIRMIDHI

Dirty clothes and dishes need washing consistently to clean them if we leave dirty clothing for too long the stain becomes very difficult to remove, in the same way, dhikr is the purification process of the heart. Our hearts need to be purified regularly. The Messenger of Allah taught us that sins stain our heart and harden it:

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

The importance of constant dhikr cannot be emphasized enough. People might get confused that Quran and Salah are also classified as a remembrance of Allah, yes they are but for that, you need to follow a certain set of protocols put down by Islam, to do that particular act of worship. But dhikr is easy on the lips and heavy on the good deed scale. The Messenger of Allah said:

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

What are the Benefits of doing Zikr?

15 – Dhikr Drives Away Shaitan

Constantly remembering Allah SWT weakens Shaitan’s hold over you.

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

14 – Zikr is a Way of Pleasing Allah SWT

If you want to please and satisfy Allah SWT dhikr is one of the easiest ways to accomplish that. Become a productive Muslim by following the advice given.The Messenger of Allah said:

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

13 – Zikr Removes The Worries Of The Heart

This doesn’t mean that all your worries will get solved in a jiffy, it means you will make peace with the fact that whatever happens is destined and is best for you, even though it may not seem so great at first. It is also mentioned in the Quran:

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

12 – Dhikr Strengthens The Heart And Soul

With the passage of time and constant dhikr, you can feel your connection to Allah SWT growing stronger. Our soul is damaged due to the countless sins we do daily. Dhikr helps in healing the damaged soul and cleansing the heart. Purification of the heart is very important. The Messenger of Allah said:

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

11 – Reward And Forgiveness Await Those Who Remember Allah

We being humans are destined to make mistakes, we can not keep track of all that we do wrong in a day intentionally or unintentionally. Allah is All-Merciful and He has given us different ways to seek forgiveness. Allah SWT has mentioned in the Quran:

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

10 – Zikr Softens And Nourishes The Heart

Dry flowers bloom and blossom when watered. The same is what dhikr does for the heart, puts life into it, the heart grows weary of all that goes around in his life. Be it a financial loss, losing a loved one or deteriorating health takes a toll on the heart spiritually. Softening of the heart makes a person aware of right and wrong. Ibn Al Qayyam said:

The heart is tarnished by two matters: negligence and sin. And it is polished by two matters: seeking forgiveness and the remembrance of Allah.”

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

9 – Dhikr Guides Us To The Right Path

Since you are trying your best not a day should pass by when you don’t remember Allah SWT. Allah SWT will never leave you alone without guidance. It is mentioned in the Quran:

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

8 – Dhikr is the Way To Success

A constant increase in the remembrance of Allah will impact all areas of your interest in this world as well. It will become a way to increase your sustenance. All this won’t happen overnight, you need to be consistent. It is mentioned in the Quran for those pure of heart if they purify themselves from despised characteristics and follow what Allah has revealed to the Messenger.

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

7 – Beginning Of An Intimate Friendship With Allah SWT

With every passing day, you will be drawn closer to Allah SWT, this connection will be something like you have never felt before. It will be like a direct connection to Allah SWT. This reminds him that the journey of this world will come to an end, after a point this won’t scare him rather he will be motivated to strive to do better for the Hereafter. Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah saying:

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

6 – Doing Dhikr Builds Up Positive Attitude

The problems of this world are never-ending, we cannot finish them, but we can face them with complete belief and a positive attitude. If a person loses his job, the first thought that comes to mind is how will I survive without money. At times like this, a person is very vulnerable, and can easily fall prey to Shaitan’s tricks. Dhikr is like a refuge from the problems of this world. It doesn’t mean that you are avoiding them, it means you have placed firm belief in Allah SWT plans. You begin to see the glass as half full. The more you are mindful of Allah SWT, the more you become at ease that these trials are here to pass. That is why Allah SWT says:

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

5 – Provide Shade On The Day Of Judgement

Tears to be shed in the remembrance of Allah SWT, won’t happen with a heart hardened with sins. Over time as you draw closer to Allah SWT, there will come a time when just a simple ‘Alhamdulilah’ will bring tears to your eyes. Good news for the people who shed tears while remembering Allah SWT as they will be rewarded on judgment day. Remembering the judgment day in Islam helps us pass through the hardships in this world. Abu Hurairah reported, the Messenger of Allah said:

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

4 – Beautiful Hadith on Dhikr

Rust is a metaphor used for the heart that is covered with stains from his sins, it is difficult for a rusty heart to pay heed to what is right. So the cure of a rusty heart is dhikr of Allah SWT. The Messenger of Allah said:

Everything has a polish, and the polish for hearts is the remembrance of Allah.BAYHAIQI

For every action, there is a consequence, and the effects of sins contaminate our heart, as mentioned in the Quran:

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

3 – Allah SWT Mentions Us In A More Prestigious Gathering

We feel honored when we are the topic of good conversation among important people. Just imagine how it will feel when we are the reason for discussion among the angels of Allah SWT. The Messenger of Allah said:

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

2 – Zikr Acts as a Shield

The person who constantly remembers Allah is protected by his enemies which are Shaitan and worldly desires. When your tongue is busy in dhikr it won’t be free for other absurdities, like backbiting and gossiping. The more a person is involved in Zikr the more strong will be protection. A man Cannot save himself from Shaitan except by means of Dhikr. The Messenger of Allah gave an excellent example of the strength of Dhikr

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

1 – Feeling Of Calmness Envelopes Those Who Do Zikr

Sitting in the masjid waiting for the prayers, you feel very calm, even though the masjid is completely packed with people some are praying or reciting the Quran or doing dhikr. Everyone is engaged in some form of remembrance of Allah SWT. Why is the environment so calm and relaxing, there is a reason for that, the Messenger of Allah said:

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

What are the Different Types of Dhikr

There are three types of dhikr:

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

How To Do Dhikr?

Remembrance of Allah holds immense reward which is mentioned again and again in Quran and Sunnah. This doesn’t mean that we can leave out the other obligatory acts of worship and just focus on dhikr. Every act of worship has its own significance, one cannot be replaced with the other.

Dhikr can be done out of habit or with full consciousness. Habitual is when you are uttering with your tongue but your mind and heart are distracted, like when driving a car. Consciously is when you are completely focused like the dhikr after a prayer.

When doing dhikr try keeping the following etiquettes in mind:

  • Ponder on the meaning of what you are reciting
  • Your intention should be soley for the purpose to please Allah SWT
  • For you heart to connect with Allah SWT while doing dhikr you have to keep in mind all that you have been blessed with. Your heart has to overflow with gratitude for the One who is the source of these blessings.
  • Choose a calm and quiet spot for dhikr, away from distractions.

Imam Nawawi said:

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It

Remember: Consistency Is The Key for Zikr

Shaitan will definitely try his best to stop Allah’s servant from remembering Allah consciously. Try to set for yourself a daily amount of dhikr and stick to it. Start off small, then increase when your habit develops. Imam Nawawi said:

What Is Dhikr? 15 Benefits Of Zikr & Tips On How To Do It




4 Comments

  1. Ahmed March 25, 2023
    • Ayesha Raza April 4, 2023
  2. Abdurazak Shafat April 24, 2023
    • Ayesha Raza May 4, 2023

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