Dhikr

Definition

Any words, actions, or thoughts by which Allah is remembered — recitation of Qur'an, glorification (tasbīḥ), seeking forgiveness, and the prescribed adhkār of morning, evening, and after prayers.

Etymology & Root

From ذ-ك-ر (dh-k-r), 'to remember, mention, call to mind'. The Qur'an itself is called 'adh-Dhikr'.

Usage in the Qur'an

'So remember Me; I will remember you' (al-Baqarah 2:152). 'Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest' (ar-Raʿd 13:28). 'O you who believe, remember Allah with much remembrance' (al-Aḥzāb 33:41).

Usage in the Sunnah

'The likeness of one who remembers his Lord and one who does not is like the living and the dead' (Bukhārī). 'Two phrases light on the tongue, heavy on the scale, beloved to ar-Raḥmān: Subḥān Allāhi wa-bi-ḥamdihi, Subḥān Allāhi al-ʿAẓīm' (Bukhārī, Muslim).

Scholarly Notes

Ibn al-Qayyim in al-Wābil aṣ-Ṣayyib lists over 70 benefits of dhikr — including expelling Shayṭān, pleasing ar-Raḥmān, and being a substitute for sadaqah for the poor. Sticking to the wording of the legislated adhkār is from Sunnah.

Common Misconceptions

(1) That dhikr requires elaborate group rituals or counted beads with prescribed bid‘ī wordings — the Sunnah is on the fingertips. (2) That a single word like 'Allāh, Allāh' or 'Hū, Hū' is from dhikr — these are Ṣūfī innovations with no Prophetic basis.

Practical Application

Adopt the morning and evening adhkār as a daily, non-negotiable habit. Keep tongue moist with Subḥān Allāh, al-Ḥamdu lillāh, Lā ilāha illa Allāh, Allāhu Akbar throughout the day.

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