----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dhikrullah
Significance of Dhikr ,swalawat,Istigfar
The significance of Dhikrullah
All creatures are obliged to remember Allah, who created and sustains them.
Allah says in the Holy Qur’an that every thing in the world praises Him at every moment, and He adds that we are not aware of the praising by the other creatures.
As Allah created us only for worship, we have to remember Him constantly.
خَلقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالإنْسَ إلّاَ لِيَعْبُدُونِ وَمَا
Allah says: (I created men and jinn only to worship me.)
(Dhariyat-51-56)
Dhikr purifies the heart and guides us to follow the right path in beliefs, words and actions and to abstain from sins. Swalawat can provide us many virtues related to this world and the next one.
The remembrance of Allah is the easiest way to be beloved to Allah, and praying for the Prophet (SAW) helps us to get his love and Shafa-a.
There are many verses in Holy Qur’an and in the Sunnah, which narrate the virtues of the remembrance of Allah.
Allah says:
اللَّذِيْنَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم لِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ
They are those who have believed and their hearts find satisfaction with the remembrance of Allah .Behold, in the remembrance of Allah alone, there is the satisfaction of hearts. (Ra-ad-28)
He also says:
وَلَذِكْرُاللهِ أَكْبَرُ
The remembrance of Allah is greater than every thing. (Ankabut-29-45)
فَاذْ كُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ
Therefore, remember Me, I will remember you, be grateful to Me and never be ungrateful to Me. (Al-Baqara-2-152).
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوااللهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيْراً
O, You, who believe, remember Allah with much remembrance (Ahzaab-33-41)
وَالذَّاكِرِيْنَ اللَّهَ كَثِيْرًا وَ الذَّاكِرَاتِ أَعَدَّ اللهُ لَهُمْ أَجْرًاعَظِيْمًا
And the men and women who remember Allah frequently, Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and great reward (ِِAhzaab-33-35)
الَّذِيْنَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ قِيَا مًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَى جُنُوبِهِمْ(آلُ عِمْرَان)
Those who remember Allah standing, sitting and reclining (Aalu Imran 3-191)
The Prophet (SAW) compares those who do not do Dhikr to the dead persons (Bukhari)
Abuddarda (R) narrates from the Prophet (SAW) that once he asked his companions:
“May I inform you what the best of your deeds is? Which is purest of them with your Lord, and is better than the spending of gold and silver for Allah and better than fighting with the enemies for the protection of Islam?”
Then he (SAW) said: “It is the remembrance of Allah (Dhikr).”
(Reported by Imam Turmudi)
Abuhuraira (R) reports from the Prophet (SAW) “Allah says: I am for My servant as he thinks about me. I will be with him, whenever he remembers Me. If he remembers Me in his mind, I will remember him in My mind. If he remembers Me in a gathering I will remember him in a better gathering.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
In a Hadith reported by Abu-said Khudri (R) that the Prophet (SAW) says, “Any group of people will not gather in a mosque remembering Allah ,unless they are surrounded by angels and covered by Allah’s mercy, and whole kinds of peace will descend on them and Allah speaks of them to those around Him.”
(Reported by Muslim)
Asking for forgiveness:
Every Muslim is indebted to do Touba and ask forgiveness from Allah for his sins, as much as he can.
The Prophet (SAW) has commanded us to do it at least one hundred times every day
Allah says:
وَاسْتَغْفِرِاللّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًا رَحِيْمًا
‘And seek forgiveness of Allah. Certainly Allah is the Ever oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’ (Nisa-4-106)
وَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ سُوءً أوْ يَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ يَسْتَغْفِرِاللَّهَ يَجِدِاللَّهَ غَفُورًا رَحِيْمًا
‘And whosoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allah’s forgiveness, he will find Allah oft forgiving, Most Merciful (Nisa-4-110)
وَالَّذِيْنَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا اللَّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَنْ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا اللّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا عَلى مَا فَعَلُوا وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
……………………………………………………………
‘And those who, when they have committed illegal sexual intercourse or wronged themselves with evil, remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their sins; -and none can forgive their sins but Allah-And do not persist in what they have done, while they know.’
‘And for such, the reward is forgiveness from their Lord, and Gardens with rivers flowing underneath (paradise), wherein they shall abide forever. How is this reward for the doers! (Aalu Imran-3-136)
قُلْ يَعِبَادِيَ الَّذِيْنَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُالذَُنُوبَ جَمِيْعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيْمْ
‘Say: (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the mercy of Allah, Verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is oft-forgiving, Most Merciful (Zumar-53)
Praying for the Prophet (SAW).
This is also a very rewarding kind of worship.
إِنَّ اللّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا اللّذِيْنَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيْمًا
Allah says: Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet (SAW) .O; You who believe, pray for him and send many greetings. (Ahzaab-33-56)
Prophet (SAW) says:
“Who ever prays for me once (recites one Swalat, for Me), Allah grants him ten blessings” (reported by Imam Muslim)
“Those who are nearest to me on the Day of Judgment are those who do more prayers for Me” (reported by Imam Turmudi)
Abu Huraira (R) reports from the Prophet (SAW):
The miser is one who does not say swallAllahu alaihi wasallam on me, when my name is said to him (reported by Imam Turmudi)
In a Hadith reported by Abudawud, the Prophet (SAW) says: No one will send Salam to me, unless Allah returned my soul to me and I replied to him in the same manner.
Once when the Prophet was going to deliver Khutba, Jibril (A) came and said to him:
“May Allah curse those who hear the Prophet’s name and do not pray for him.”
Qur’an reading
This discussion is very wide and vast, but we want to restrict this on Surahs recited in our Majlis.
Allah SWT has revealed the Qur’an for the guidance of humanity; it includes solutions for the problems faced by mankind, in this world and in the hereafter.
Allah SWT offers the rewards of ten good deeds, for every letter from the Qur’an.
Prophet (SAW) says: You read the Qur’an; it will come as an interceder in the Day of Judgment for those persons who are attached with it.
(Muslim from Abu-umama)
Surah Fatiha which is the summary of the Qur’an is enough for all, as it is stated by the Prophet(SAW).
Surah Yaaseen is the heart of the Qur’an.
Invocations:
Allah says:
Invoke Me, I will respond to your (invocation) - (Gaafir: 40- 60)
اُدْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ
And when My slaves ask you (O, Muhammad-(SAW)-) concerning Me, (then, answer), I am near (to them by My knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me. (Baqara-2-186)
وَإذَا سَألَكَ عِبَادي عَنِّي فَإنِّي قَرِيْبٌ أُجِيْبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إذَا دَعَانِ
The Prophet(SAW) says:
The invocation is the essence of the worship. (Reported by Abudawud and Turmidi)
Why have Dhikr Majlis (Gathering)?
Why are these types of gatherings conducted? Is it is not enough, to do Dhikrs alone? Is there any proof from the Qur’an and Sunnah for this tradition?
We quote here some verses from the Qur’an and Hadeeth.
Allah orders to the Prophet (SAW):
وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِيْنَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَدَاةِ وَ الْعَشِيِّ
يُرِيْدُونَ وَجْهَهُ
(And keep your selves patiently with those who call on their Lord (who remember their God with glorification and, praising, etc.) Morning and evening, seeking His face. (Surah Al Kahf-18-28)
Allah will be very happy to see His servants remembering Him, and will express His pleasure in front of the angels and He will descend His blessings on them. (Bukhari, Muslim)
