What is Dhikir?
by Yousef Al Shamsi
In The Name of God
It is not a little known fact that the Quran stresses a great importence on Dhikr
[ 2:152.2] Therefore
remember Me, I will remember you, and be thankful to Me, and
do not be ungrateful to Me.
It is unfortunate though,that many people do not even know what Dhikr actually is
WHAT THE QURAN MEANS BY 'DHIKR'
The word Dhikir in Arabic literally means "Remember".The Quran also makes it nesecary (as shown in the above Quranic verse) that we remember God frequently & promises those who do (male & female) heaven
[33:35]......... and the men who remember God much and the women who remember-- God has prepared for them forgiveness and a mighty reward.
Many Muslims are fooled into thinking that dhikr is simply reciting a couple of words in certian times a day & they will enter heaven.God disaproves of those who say that claim that they can be believers by uttering a couple of words
Alif, Laam, Meem. Did the people think they would be left alone to say "We believe" without being tested? We have tested those before them. God Is certain to know those who are truthful. He Is certain to know the liars. Qur'an (29:1-3)
So what is the real defenition of Dhikr?
TYPES OF DHIKR
(1)Pondering
The Quran in many places tells us to ponder on many of God's
creation,even on the pages of the Quran itself.
To ponder on God's creation is also a form of Dhikr as
we are "remembering" the power of God
[3.191] Those who
remember God standing and sitting and lying on their sides and
reflect
on the creation of the heavens and the earth: Our Lord! Thou hast
not created this in vain! Glory be to Thee; save us then from the
chastisement of the fire
(2)Salaat(Contact Prayer)
[20.14] Surely I am God, there is no god but 1, therefore serve
Me and
keep up *salat* for My remembrance:
To Implore God & keep contact with him (salaat) is also another form of Dhikr .
(3)Avoiding Sin
The Quran says that Dhikr & Salaat are ways a person avoids sin. That is because if a person *remembers* God & knows that God is constantly watching them & will avoid the things that God prohibited
(4)Repentence
[3.135] And those who when they commit an indecency or do injustice to their souls remember God and ask forgiveness for their faults-- and who forgives the faults but God,and (who) do not knowingly persist in what they have done.