Timeless Dhikr

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that the best dhikr (remembrance of Allah) is Lā ilāha illa Allah (there is no god but Allah), which means that no one is worthy of worship except Allah; and that the best supplication is Alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah), and it means acknowledgment that Allah Almighty is the Bestower of favors and the One worthy of possessing the attributes of perfection and excellence.

1. This urges us to mention Allah often by uttering the testimony of faith and the supplication of praise.

سنن الترمذي (5/ 393) (3383). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمصطفى الخِن وغيره (2/ 984). زاد المعاد في هدي خير العباد، ابن قيم الجوزية (1/ 36).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that the most beloved speech to Allah Almighty are four: Subhān Allah: It is exalting Allah Almighty far above any imperfection. Al-hamdulillāh: It is ascribing complete perfection to Allah, along with loving and extolling Him. La ilāha illa Allah: It means none is worthy of being worshiped except Allah. Allāhu akbar: It means He is more Sublime, Greater, and more Powerful than everything. For obtaining the merit and reward of these words, it is not required to utter them in order.

1. The Hadīth shows the ease of the Shariah, as one may start with any of these words.

صحيح مسلم (3/ 1685) (2137)، (4/ 2093) (2731)، (4/ 2072) (2695). توضيح الأحكام من بلوغ المرام، للبسام (7/ 540). منحة العلام في شرح بلوغ المرام، لعبد الله الفوزان (10/ 411). فتح ذي الجلال والإكرام، لابن عثيمين (6/ 477). سبل السلام بشرح بلوغ المرام، للصنعاني (2/ 706).

This Hadīth proves of the virtue of remembering Allah with these words of Dhikr because they contain exalting and glorifying Allah, the Almighty, as well and praising Him for His actions. Verily, there is nothing man can do except by the will of Allah. No one has power to avert harm or bring about goodness except by the help of Allah, the Almighty. The reward and benefit of these words with the great meanings that they carry do remain for the believer after his/her death.

الإحسان في تقريب صحيح ابن حبان، لمحمد بن حبان بن أحمد بن حبان بن معاذ، التميمي، أبو حاتم، الدارمي، البُستي، ترتيب: الأمير علاء الدين علي بن بلبان الفارسي، حققه وخرج أحاديثه وعلق عليه: شعيب الأرنؤوط، ط مؤسسة الرسالة، بيروت. المستدرك على الصحيحين، لأبي عبد الله الحاكم محمد بن عبد الله بن محمد بن حمدويه النيسابوري المعروف بابن البيع، تحقيق: مصطفى عبد القادر عطا، ط دار الكتب العلمية – بيروت. السنن الكبرى، لأبي عبد الرحمن أحمد بن شعيب بن علي الخراساني، النسائي، تحقق: حسن عبد المنعم شلبي، ط مؤسسة الرسالة – بيروت. سلسلة الأحاديث الصحيحة وشيء من فقهها وفوائدها، لأبي عبد الرحمن محمد ناصر الدين، بن الحاج نوح بن نجاتي بن آدم الألباني، ط مكتبة المعارف للنشر والتوزيع، الرياض. توضيح الأحكام من بلوغ المرام، الشيخ عبد الله بن عبد الرحمن البسام، ط مكتبة الأسد الإسلامية، الطبعة الخامسة. منحة العلام في شرح بلوغ المرام، الشيخ عبد الله بن صالح الفوزان، ط دار ابن الجوزي، الطبعة الأولى. تسهيل الإلمام بفقه الأحاديث من بلوغ المرام، الشيخ صالح الفوزان بن عبد الله الفوزان، اعتنى بها عبد السلام بن عبد الله السليمان، الطبعة الأولى. فتح ذي الجلال والإكرام، الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين، ط المكتبة الإسلامية، الطبعة الأولى. سبل السلام بشرح بلوغ المرام، للإمام محمد بن إسماعيل الصنعاني، ط دار الحديث.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told about two words that the tongue utters without effort and in any condition, they bring great reward when weighed on the scale, and the Most Merciful Lord loves them: Glory be to Allah, the Majestic; glory and praise be to Allah. This is because these two words contain attributes of greatness and perfection of Allah Almighty and exalting Him far above defects and imperfections.

1. The best dhikr is that which combines the exaltation of Allah and praise of Him.
2. The Hadīth shows Allah's vast mercy to His servants, as He gives abundant rewards in return for simple deeds.

صحيح البخاري (8/ 86) (6406). صحيح مسلم (4/ 2072) (2694). منحة العلام في شرح بلوغ المرام، لعبد الله الفوزان (10/ 480). فتح ذي الجلال والإكرام بشرح بلوغ المرام، لابن عثيمين (6/ 519).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warned against neglecting the remembrance of Allah, stating that no group of people sit in a gathering where they do not remember Allah Almighty and do not invoke blessings upon His Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), except that such a gathering will be a source of regret, remorse, loss, and deficiency for them on the Day of Judgment. If Allah wills, He will punish them for their past sins and future shortcomings, and if He wills, He will forgive them out of His grace and mercy.

1. Encouraging Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) and highlighting its merit.
2. The merit of gatherings in which Allah Almighty is remembered and His Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is mentioned, and that gatherings without these are ominous for their people on the Day of Judgment.
3. The warning mentioned against heedlessness of remembering Allah is not restricted to gatherings; rather, it includes other things as well. An-Nawawi said: It is disliked for one who sits in a place to leave it without remembering Allah Almighty therein.
4. The grief they experience on the Day of Judgment is either because of missing the reward and recompense for not utilizing time in obeying Allah, or because of incurring sin and being subject to punishment for spending the time in disobeying Allah.
5. If this warning is against heedlessness caused by what is permissible, then what about the prohibited gatherings that involve backbiting, talebearing, and other prohibitions?!

سنن أبي داود (7/ 221) (4855). سنن الترمذي (5/ 391) (3380). السنن الكبرى للنسائي (9/ 155) (10163). توضيح الأحكام من بلوغ المرام، لعبد الله البسام (7/ 524). منحة العلام في شرح بلوغ المرام، لعبد الله الفوزان (10/ 396). فتح ذي الجلال والإكرام، لابن عثيمين (6/ 464).

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that remembering Allah Almighty with these noble phrases is better than the world and what it contains. The phrases are: Subhān Allah (Glory be to Allah): Exalting Allah far above imperfections. Wa al-hamdulillāh (Praise be to Allah): Praising Allah by the attributes of perfection along with loving and extolling Him. Wa lā ilāha illa Allah (There is no god but Allah): None is truly worthy of worship except Allah. Wa Allāhu akbar (Allah is the Most Great): He is Greater and more Sublime than all else.

1. The Hadīth urges us to remember Allah and mentions that His remembrance is dearer than everything the sun rises upon.
2. We are exhorted to engage in dhikr a lot, given its reward and merit.
3. Worldly enjoyment is little, and its desires are transient.

صحيح مسلم (4/ 2072) (2695). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 496). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (5/ 485). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمصطفى الخِن وغيره (2/ 970). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل آل المبارك (ص772).

Abu Hurayrah and Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with both of them) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that Allah affirms what His slave says. If one says, "there is no god but Allah, and Allah is Greatest," Allah says: "Indeed, there is no god but Me, and I am Greatest." When one says, "Allah is Greatest, and there is no might nor power save with Allah," Allah would affirm it. So, if a person said this Dhikr (There is no god but Allah, and there is no might nor power save with Allah) then died, the Fire would not consume him, i.e. that would be a reason not to be burnt in Hellfire. Therefore, every Muslim should memorize this Dhikr and say it when he is ill, so that Allah would grant him a good end for his life, Allah, the Almighty, Willing.

1- بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف سليم الهلالي، دار ابن الجوزي. 2- الجامع الصحيح –وهو سنن الترمذي-؛ للإمام محمد بن عيسى الترمذي، تحقيق أحمد شاكر وآخرين، مكتبة الحلبي-مصر، الطبعة الثانية، 1388هـ. 3- رياض الصالحين من كلام سيد المرسلين؛ للإمام أبي زكريا النووي، تحقيق د. ماهر الفحل، دار ابن كثير-دمشق، الطبعة الأولى، 1428هـ. 4- سلسلة الأحاديث الصحيحة؛ للشيخ محمد ناصر الدين الألباني، مكتبة المعارف-الرياض، 1415هـ. 5- سنن ابن ماجه؛ للحافظ محمد بن يزيد القزويني، حققه محمد فؤاد عبدالباقي، دار إحياء الكتب العربية. 6- شرح رياض الصالحين؛ للشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين، مدار الوطن-الرياض، 1426هـ. 7- نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين؛ تأليف د. مصطفى الخِن وغيره، مؤسسة الرسالة-بيروت، الطبعة الرابعة عشر، 1407هـ.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that whoever says: (I am pleased with Allah as a Lord), God, Sustainer, Owner, Master, and Reformer; (with Islam) with all of its rulings, the commands and prohibitions, (as a religion), faith, and law by way of belief and submission; (and with Muhammad as a Messenger) and Prophet, with everything he was sent with and conveyed to us—except that Paradise will be guaranteed for him.

1. Encouraging the recitation of this supplication and highlighting the subsequent reward.
2. Being pleased with Allah as a Lord entails that one worships none but Allah Almighty.
3. Being pleased with Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as a Prophet and Messenger entails obeying him and complying with his Sunnah.
4. Being pleased with Islam as a religion indicates being pleased with what Allah has chosen for His slaves.
5. It is recommended to say this supplication after the Two Testimonies of Faith upon hearing the Adhān (call to prayer), as indicated in other narrations.
6. It was mentioned in another Hadīth that this supplication is recommended in the morning and evening.

سنن أبي داود (2/ 635) (1529). شرح أبي داود للعيني (5/ 439). شرح سنن أبي داود لابن رسلان (7/ 348). المفهم لما أشكل من تلخيص كتاب مسلم (3/ 710).