Remembrance of the Prophets

Prophets are characterized by their frequent remembrance of Allah. Allah has made frequent remembrance an attribute of the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam); and as such, a model for people to follow. Such people seek Allah's satisfaction and His reward on the Day of Judgment. Allah says, "There has certainly been for you, in the Messenger of Allah, an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and (who) remembers Allah often." (Quran, 33:21)

The ordinary man who believes in Allah as his Lord will never forget Him whether in solitude or in the presence of others. His belief in Allah makes him remember Him always and in all situations. Allah becomes present in his mind and heart and at his times and at his times of security.

Allah said of the Prophet Yunus, when the whale swallowed him: "Had he not been one of My glorifiers (musabbihin), he would have remained inside the whale's stomach until Judgment Day." (Quran, 37:143-144)

Three layers of darkness enveloped Yunus, one above the other; the darkness of the whale's stomach, the darkness of the bottom of the sea, the darkness of the night, yet Yunus' remembrance of Allah was like a beam in the darkness of the three layers.

How much dhikr (remembrance) should we make?

The required amount of dhikr is as much as possible.

Allah ordered that He should be remembered abundantly. Describing the wise men and women who ponder His signs, the Qur'an mentions:

"Those who remember Allah standing, sitting and on their sides," (Quran, 3:191), and

"Those men and women who engage much in Allah's praise. For them has Allah prepared forgiveness and a great reward." (Quran, 3:191, 33:35)

Allah has set no specific limits for it, and under no circumstances is one allowed to be negligent of it. We are commanded to 'remember Allah standing, sitting and reclining on your sides,' in the morning, during the day, at sea or on land, on journeys or at home, in poverty and in prosperity, in sickness or in health, openly and secretly, and, in fact, at all times throughout one's life and in all circumstances."

We see by the above evidence that there is no such thing as too much dhikr. The Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) is related to say: "He who loves something mentions it much." (Narrated by Abu Nu`aym). We love Allah and His Prophet, and therefore we mention Allah and His Prophet. No one may declare a limit to such mention except those who do not have such love and they are undoubtedly the enemies of Islam.

Imam Ghazali said in the fortieth book of his Ihya' entitled "The Remembrance of Death and The Afterlife" (p. 124 in the translation of T.J. Winter, `Abd al-Hakim Murad):

"It is man's soul and spirit that constitute his real nature... Upon death his state changes in two ways. Firstly he is now deprived of his eyes, ears and tongue, his hand, his feet and all his parts, just as he is deprived of family, children, relatives, and all the people he used to know, and of his horses and other riding-beasts, his servant-boys, his houses and property, and all that he used to own. There is no distinction to be drawn between his being taken from these things and these things being taken from him, for it is the separation itself which causes pain....

If there was anything in the world in which he had found consolation and peace, then he will greatly lament for it after he dies, and feel the greatest sorrow over losing it. His heart will turn to thoughts of everything he owned, of his power and estates, even to a shirt he used to wear, for instance, and in which he took pleasure.

However, had he taken pleasure only in the remembrance of Allah, and consoled himself with Him alone, then his will be great bliss and perfect happiness. For the barriers which lay between him and his Beloved will now be removed, and he will be free of the obstacles and cares of the world, all of which had distracted him from the remembrance of Allah. This is one of the aspects of the difference between the states of life and death."