Sat 30 Dec 2017
✏️ Authentic Adhkār from the Qur’an & Sunnah:
Lesson 1: Introduction to the Importance of Remembrance and its Virtues
- Introduction to this course and what it will cover
- What is the importance of Dhikr (remembrance) and its benefits:
- All Muslims should know that the remembrance of Allāh is one of the greatest acts of worship one can do and is one of the most beneficial things to do
- Remembrance will bring one closer to Allāh
- Allāh commanded and encouraged for remembrance to be made. Allāh also has praised the ones who make remembrance and has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward. For example, see verses in Surah Ahzaab (ayah 41 and 35) and Aali-Imraan (ayah 191), note: these are only a few examples, the Qur’an mentions this topic plentifully
- NOTE for the above point: why does Allāh mention remembrance so often in the Quran? = Because of servants great need for this. All of the creation needs Allāh and he needs none.
- There are many ways of making remembrance, for example:
- Reading the Qur’an and Sunnah
- Attending circles of knowledge
- Acts of worship
- Reading supplications found in the Qur’an and Sunnah
- Neglecting remembrance will be an evidence against a person in the hereafter. Any benefit (e.g. being busy with work and not remembering Allāh) gained whilst neglecting remembrance is small compared to the amount of reward lost
- Hadith of Aisha (may Allāh be pleased with her) that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said “There is not an hour [a moment of time] that passes by the son of Adam wherein he does not remember Allāh except that he will be in grief over it on the day of Judgement” [reported by Al-Bayhaqi]
- The effect making duā has on your life
- The Sunnah is full of narrations which mention the importance and great benefits of remembrance:
- Narration of Abū Dardā: The Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said “Shall I not inform you of the best of your actions, and the purest of it with your Lord, and the one which will raise you in levels the most, and that which is better for you than spending in charity with gold and silver and better than meeting you enemy and striking their necks and they strike your necks?” they said “Yes, O messenger of Allāh! Inform us”, He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said “The remembrance of Allāh” [Reported by At-Tirmidhī, Ibn Mājah and Al-Hākim]
- Hadith of Abū hurairah that the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said “The Mufarriduun have gone ahead” they said “who are Mufarriduun, O Messenger of Allāh”, he said “Those who remember Allāh often of the men and women” [Reported by Muslim]
- Hadith of Abū Mūsā Al- Ashari that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said “The example of the one who remembers his lord and the one who does not remember his lord is like the example of the living and dead” [Reported by Al-Bukhāri]
- Ibnul Qayyim said the heart of the person who is alive is filled with the remembrance of Allah while the heart of the person who is dead (even though he is physically alive) is devoid of the remembrance of Allah
- Shaykh Abdulrazzāq Al-Abbād mentions what the scholars have said of the benefits of remembrance:
- Ibnul Qayyim said in his book “Al-Wābil al-Sayyib” that “in the remembrance of Allāh, there are more than a hundred benefits”. Then he lists them.
- One of them is that the Shaitaan (the devil) is expelled, kept away and destroyed by the remembrance of Allāh. Allāh says in the Qur’an in verse “”. This shows us that the one who abandons the remembrance of Allāh will have the devil as his companion. There are also narrations which mention this.
- The above is an important point because people mention the issue of black magic and the evil eye however they do not even remember Allāh themselves and so they have left themselves open. Shaykh Al-Uthaymeen says that some people are so obsessed in this issue that they associate a cold with black magic. The point is that one of the best ways of keeping yourself safe and having a defence from the devil and Jinns is the remembrance of Allāh. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to seek forgives from Allāh more than 70 times a day, how many of us do this today?.
- Remembrance of Allāh expels the shaitaan and negligence brings the devil closer
- Another benefit mentioned is that the one who remembers Allāh often then Allāh will place in his heart happiness, comfort and tranquillity. In contrast, the one who is negligent in this regard will have gloominess and anxiety (how many rich and famous people are unhappy in their life and depend on alcohol and drugs?).
- Allāh says in the Qur’an: “Those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah – Islamic Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.”[Sura Ar-Ra’d, Ayah 28]
- Shaykh Muqbil said if he was worried about something would read books of Hadith and that listening to the words of the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) would give him comfort
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) would say to Bilal “O Bilal, call iqaamah for the prayer, gives us comfort by it (i.e. Prayer)” [Abu Dawud]. This shows us prayer is a source of comfort
- Remembrance of Allāh is the Life source of the heart. A heart without the remembrance of Allāh will slowly die and become corrupt
- Ibnul-Qayyim said the remembrance of Allāh is to the heart as water is a fish
- Allāh says: “Therefore remember Me (by praying, glorifying, etc.). I will remember you, and be grateful to Me (for My countless Favours on you) and never be ungrateful to Me.” [Surah Baqarah v. 152]
- The remembrance of Allāh wipes away sins and saves a person from the punishment of Allāh.
- In his Musnad, Imam Ahmed mentions the hadith of Muādh Ibn Jabal said the messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said “A person does not do any action that will give him more salvation from the punishment of Allāh than the remembrance of Allāh”
- Q&A:
- If one stops praying but remembers Allāh, what is his condition then?
- What if a husband doesn’t pray but his wife does pray does she have to divorce him? If one dies can the other pray the funeral prayer for the other?
- Wiping the face after making duā, is it sunnah or not? = this act is only mentioned in weak narrations (none of them are authentic). However, there are many of these weak narrations that mention it. Some scholars say therefore that because there are so many of them the act is hasan (good). However, many scholars say no. It is a difference of opinion.
- What is the book used in these lessons? = this course is a compilation of the works of different scholars. We will do sections of different books insha Allāh
Next week: Second part of Introduction insha Allāh