In a world of constant noise — notifications, deadlines, social media, and endless scrolling — there is one practice that Islam places above almost everything else for the health of the heart: Dhikr (ذكر), the remembrance of Allah ﷻ. This is not a complicated ritual. It requires no special location, no ritual purity, no specific time. It is simply the tongue, the heart, and the mind turning toward their Creator — and the rewards are beyond what most Muslims realise.
The word Dhikr comes from the Arabic root ذكر, meaning to remember, to mention, to keep in mind. In Islamic practice, Dhikr refers to any verbal or mental act of remembering Allah ﷻ — whether through His names, glorification, praise, declaration of His greatness, or recitation of Quran. Some of the most common forms include:
Allah ﷻ did not merely suggest Dhikr — He commanded it repeatedly in the Quran:
يَٰأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا
O you who believe! Remember Allah with much remembrance. (Surah Al-Ahzab: 41)
And in one of the most profound ayat of the entire Quran:
أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ
Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest. (Surah Ar-Ra’d: 28)
This is one of the most quoted ayat in Islam for good reason. It is a direct divine diagnosis: the restlessness, the anxiety, the emptiness that humans feel? The cure is Dhikr. Not therapy, not money, not success — though these may help in their place. The ultimate cure for the restless heart is the remembrance of the One who created it.
Perhaps the most staggering promise related to Dhikr comes in a hadith qudsi — a direct statement from Allah ﷻ reported by the Prophet ﷺ:
«I am with My servant when he remembers Me. If he mentions Me within himself, I mention him within Myself. If he mentions Me in a gathering, I mention him in a gathering better than it.»
(Sahih Bukhari & Muslim)
Let that sink in. When you say Subhanallah quietly in your heart, Allah ﷻ — the Lord of all creation — mentions you in Himself. When you say it in a gathering of people, He mentions you in a gathering of angels. The One who needs nothing, who is complete in Himself, acknowledges you because you acknowledged Him.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«There are two phrases that are light on the tongue, heavy on the Scale, and beloved to the Most Merciful: Subhanallahi wa bihamdih, Subhanallahil Azim.»
(Sahih Bukhari & Muslim)
Two sentences. Fifteen Arabic words. And they are among the heaviest things that will be placed on your scale on the Day of Judgement. Dhikr is the highest-yield, lowest-effort investment available to a human being in this life.
The Prophet ﷺ described Dhikr as the most powerful shield against the whispers of Shaitan. In one narration, he said that Shaitan is like a wolf — and the sheep he attacks are the ones separated from the flock. Dhikr keeps you in the flock — in the company of Allah’s protection.
In another hadith, the Prophet ﷺ taught us that saying Bismillah before entering the home leaves Shaitan with no lodging for the night. Saying A’udhu billahi minash shaytanir rajim when angry, when tempted, when fearful — each of these is a direct application of protective Dhikr.
We are in the final days of Muharram ul Haram 1448 — Allah’s own month. Every act of worship in a sacred month carries extra weight. Dhikr in Muharram is Dhikr at a premium. Do not let these last days pass in silence. Fill your tongue with the remembrance of Allah ﷻ while driving to work, while cooking, while waiting — every moment is a chance to have your name mentioned by Allah in the gathering of angels.
The Prophet ﷺ was asked which Dhikr is best and he replied:
«The best dhikr is La ilaha illallah, and the best dua is Alhamdulillah.»
(Tirmidhi)
Start there. Say La ilaha illallah 100 times today — the Prophet ﷺ said whoever says it sincerely 100 times in a day will have the reward of freeing 10 slaves, 100 good deeds recorded, 100 sins erased, and protection from Shaitan for the entire day.
Dhikr is the easiest, most accessible, most rewarding act of worship in Islam. It costs nothing. It requires no preparation. It can be done anywhere, anytime. And its returns — hearts at rest, sins erased, Allah’s remembrance of you, protection from Shaitan, weight on the Scale — are beyond anything this dunya can offer.
Start with one phrase. Say Subhanallahi wa bihamdih 100 times today. Your heart will feel it.
May Allah ﷻ keep our tongues moist with His remembrance. Ameen.
Keep your five daily prayers on time — check accurate Namaz times for your city on our Namaz Times page. Find Islamic events near you in our Events section.