A woman asks about dhikr and its types.
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The questioner : She asks, O honorable Shaykh, about dhikr and its types. She asks about dhikr and its types. We hope for an answer to this?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment. Dhikr means the remembrance of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). It is done with the tongue, with the heart, and with the limbs. As for dhikr with the tongue, it is clear, such as tasbih, takbir, tahlil, tahmid, and others. Its general rule is that every utterance that brings one closer to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is from the remembrance of Allah. This includes reciting the Qur'an, enjoining good and forbidding evil, teaching knowledge, and every utterance that brings one closer to Allah. This is the general rule. As for the specific meaning, the remembrance of Allah is: tasbih, takbir, tahlil, tahmid, and the like of what is used to praise Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
As for dhikr with the heart, it is for a person to keep the greatness of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) present in his mind, and for his heart to be constantly connected to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) with fear, hope, reliance, and intention, among other things. This type of dhikr is the foundation upon which all dhikr is actually built, because without it, dhikr is hollow and has no spirit.
As for dhikr with the limbs, its rule is every action by which a person draws near to Allah, such as ruku', sujud, Hajj, fasting, and others.
These are the general types of dhikr. There are specific types in the dhikr of the tongue that are restricted to times or restricted to causes. An example of what is restricted to times is the adhan, for instance. The adhan is restricted to a specific time, which is the presence of the prayer, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 674a If a person worships Allah with the adhan at a time other than the prayer, it is not worship, or that act is not worship, but rather it is from religious innovations. The specific dhikr designated for a time is not prescribed except in that time for which it was designated.
There are also dhikrs restricted to causes, such as saying alhamdulillah when eating and drinking, the tashahhud when finishing wudu', saying the name of Allah when eating and drinking and when performing wudu', and the like. These have causes to which they are restricted.
Among what is restricted to causes is the dhikr reported after the prayer, such as seeking forgiveness, tahlil, and the like. When a person says the taslim from the prayer, it is recommended for him to seek Allah's forgiveness three times, saying: "I seek Allah's forgiveness, I seek Allah's forgiveness, I seek Allah's forgiveness" and saying: "O Allah, You are Peace, and from You is peace. Blessed are You, O Owner of Majesty and Honor" and saying: "There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is over all things competent" three times after the Zuhr, 'Asr, and 'Isha' prayers. And he says: "There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise. He gives life and He causes death, and He is over all things competent" ten times after the Maghrib and Fajr prayers. And he says: "There is no god but Allah, and we worship none but Him. His is the favor, His is the grace, and His is the good praise. There is no god but Allah, and we worship none but Him, sincere to Him in religion, even if the disbelievers dislike. There is no power and no strength except by Allah. O Allah, there is no one who can prevent what You have given, and there is no one who can give what You have withheld, and the wealth of the wealthy does not benefit them against You".
As for tasbih, it has four forms. Either he says: "Subhan Allah, alhamdulillah, and Allahu Akbar" thirty-three times, which is ninety-nine, and he completes the hundred by saying: "There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is over all things competent" Or he says: "Subhan Allah" thirty-three times, and: "Alhamdulillah" thirty-three times, and: "Allahu Akbar" thirty-four times, which is one hundred. Or he says: "Subhan Allah" ten times, and: "Alhamdulillah" ten times, and: "Allahu Akbar" ten times, which is thirty. Or he says: "Subhan Allah, alhamdulillah, and there is no god but Allah, and Allahu Akbar" twenty-five times, which is one hundred. He says this once and that once, meaning he varies it as the Sunnah came from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Among the types of dhikr restricted to the day and night is saying: "There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is over all things competent" one hundred times, and saying: "Subhan Allah wa bihamdih" one hundred times. And it should be known that the remembrance of Allah the Exalted is prescribed at all times and in all states, as Allah the Exalted said:[Ali 'Imran 3:190-191] And as the hadith of 'Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) states, she said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to remember Allah in all his states" But nothing of the dhikr is restricted to a specific number, or a specific time, or a specific ... except by evidence from the Shari'ah. If a person says, "I will worship Allah by remembering Allah fifty-five times," we say this is not prescribed. Why do you specify the number as fifty-five times without evidence? This is not possible. If someone says, "I want to remember Allah the Exalted ten times when the sun reaches its zenith," we say this is also not prescribed, because you have specified a number and a time for which no evidence has been established.
So the general rule is that the prescribed remembrance of Allah the Exalted is prescribed at all times, but restricting this dhikr to a specific number, or a specific time, or a specific cause requires evidence from the Shari'ah. Among this is also restricting it to a specific form, such as people gathering and remembering Allah collectively with one voice. This requires evidence. If there is no evidence for it, it is not prescribed.
The questioner : The female listener, E.M.M. from Iraq, has this question. She says:
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment. Dhikr means the remembrance of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). It is done with the tongue, with the heart, and with the limbs. As for dhikr with the tongue, it is clear, such as tasbih, takbir, tahlil, tahmid, and others. Its general rule is that every utterance that brings one closer to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is from the remembrance of Allah. This includes reciting the Qur'an, enjoining good and forbidding evil, teaching knowledge, and every utterance that brings one closer to Allah. This is the general rule. As for the specific meaning, the remembrance of Allah is: tasbih, takbir, tahlil, tahmid, and the like of what is used to praise Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
As for dhikr with the heart, it is for a person to keep the greatness of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) present in his mind, and for his heart to be constantly connected to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) with fear, hope, reliance, and intention, among other things. This type of dhikr is the foundation upon which all dhikr is actually built, because without it, dhikr is hollow and has no spirit.
As for dhikr with the limbs, its rule is every action by which a person draws near to Allah, such as ruku', sujud, Hajj, fasting, and others.
These are the general types of dhikr. There are specific types in the dhikr of the tongue that are restricted to times or restricted to causes. An example of what is restricted to times is the adhan, for instance. The adhan is restricted to a specific time, which is the presence of the prayer, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
when the time for prayer comes, one amongst you should announce Adhan
إذا حضرت الصلاة فليؤذن لكم أحدكمThere are also dhikrs restricted to causes, such as saying alhamdulillah when eating and drinking, the tashahhud when finishing wudu', saying the name of Allah when eating and drinking and when performing wudu', and the like. These have causes to which they are restricted.
Among what is restricted to causes is the dhikr reported after the prayer, such as seeking forgiveness, tahlil, and the like. When a person says the taslim from the prayer, it is recommended for him to seek Allah's forgiveness three times, saying: "I seek Allah's forgiveness, I seek Allah's forgiveness, I seek Allah's forgiveness" and saying: "O Allah, You are Peace, and from You is peace. Blessed are You, O Owner of Majesty and Honor" and saying: "There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is over all things competent" three times after the Zuhr, 'Asr, and 'Isha' prayers. And he says: "There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise. He gives life and He causes death, and He is over all things competent" ten times after the Maghrib and Fajr prayers. And he says: "There is no god but Allah, and we worship none but Him. His is the favor, His is the grace, and His is the good praise. There is no god but Allah, and we worship none but Him, sincere to Him in religion, even if the disbelievers dislike. There is no power and no strength except by Allah. O Allah, there is no one who can prevent what You have given, and there is no one who can give what You have withheld, and the wealth of the wealthy does not benefit them against You".
As for tasbih, it has four forms. Either he says: "Subhan Allah, alhamdulillah, and Allahu Akbar" thirty-three times, which is ninety-nine, and he completes the hundred by saying: "There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is over all things competent" Or he says: "Subhan Allah" thirty-three times, and: "Alhamdulillah" thirty-three times, and: "Allahu Akbar" thirty-four times, which is one hundred. Or he says: "Subhan Allah" ten times, and: "Alhamdulillah" ten times, and: "Allahu Akbar" ten times, which is thirty. Or he says: "Subhan Allah, alhamdulillah, and there is no god but Allah, and Allahu Akbar" twenty-five times, which is one hundred. He says this once and that once, meaning he varies it as the Sunnah came from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
Among the types of dhikr restricted to the day and night is saying: "There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is over all things competent" one hundred times, and saying: "Subhan Allah wa bihamdih" one hundred times. And it should be known that the remembrance of Allah the Exalted is prescribed at all times and in all states, as Allah the Exalted said:
(190) Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding. (191) Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], "Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِأُولِي الأَلْبَابِ * الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَى جُنُوبِهِمْSo the general rule is that the prescribed remembrance of Allah the Exalted is prescribed at all times, but restricting this dhikr to a specific number, or a specific time, or a specific cause requires evidence from the Shari'ah. Among this is also restricting it to a specific form, such as people gathering and remembering Allah collectively with one voice. This requires evidence. If there is no evidence for it, it is not prescribed.
The questioner : The female listener, E.M.M. from Iraq, has this question. She says: