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Literal meaning of Zikr:
It is the word of Arabic language and its literal meanings are to remember someone. Technical meaning of zikr:
In religious terms, zikr means to remember Allah.
i. Kinds of Zikr:
There are three kinds of Zikr:
(i) (Zikr Qalbi) Remembrance at heart
(ii) (Zikr Lisani) Remembrance at tongue
(iii) (Zikr Amli) Remembrance at deed
(Zikr Qalbi) Remembrance of heart:
It means that Zikr wich is done in heart and its words are not uttered from tongue. For instance, to remember Allah in heart.
Allah says in Holy Quran:
واذكر ربك في نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعًا وَ خِيفَةً (الاعراف:205 )
Translation: And remember your lord within yourself in humility and in fear..
(Zikr Lisani) Remembrance at tongue:
Such Zikr that is done through tongue. It may be done loudly or in low voice. There are different forms of this Zikr. Such as, there are recitation of Quran, to pray and to praise Allah
(Zikr Amli) Remembrance at deed:
It means that Zikr which is done through one's own deeds. In other words, it is to remember Allah through your body and actions and to worship him. The instances of this type of remembrance are offering prayer, fasting, pilgrimage and Jihad etc.
ii. Zikr in light of Holy Quran:
In Holy Quran, there are many virtues described of doing Zikr of Allah
ياتها الذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيران (الاحزاب: 41)
Translation: O you who have believe, remember Allah Moreover, the believers who do Zikr have been admired in Quran with these words:
Translation: (Are) Men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allah. At another place, it is said by Allah
Translation: Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured.
iii. Zikr in light of ahadees:
Some ahadees of the Holy Prophet regarding significance of Zikr are given below;
A companion asked the dear Prophet, "Which deed is better?" He said!
أن تَمُوتُ وَلِسَانُكَ رَطْبٌ مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ
Translation: When you die, your tongue should be wet with remembrance of Allah.
أَفْضَلُ الذِكرِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ
Translation: The greatest Zikr is لا إله إلا الله
Hazrat Ibn-e-Abbas narrates that there are eight gates of paradise and one of them is fixed for people who do Zikr of Allah
The Holy Prophet said:
Translation: The supplication of three people is not rejected. The one who does Zikr of Allah (excessively) the second one who is victimized and the third one is the just ruler.
Translation: The best tongue is that remembers (Allah) and the heart that is grateful. (to Allah).
iv. The greatest form of Zikr and the Prophet's pattern:
The greatest form of Zikr is offering salah as all three forms of Zikr are combined in it, This is the reason that prayer, was made obligatory first among acts of worship. The mother of believers Hazrat Ayesha narrates that the Holy Prophet used to pray (till) late night while standing that his feet used to swell. Once, I asked him, "O Rasullulah, Allah has written paradise for you, then why do you face so much toil. The Holy Prophet said, "Should I not become the thankful slave of Allah J. Description of the Holy Prophet's (acts of) worship in Quran:
The (acts of) worship of the Holy Prophet have been mentioned in the Holy Quran in this way:
يَاتِهَا الْمُزَّقِلُ قيم اليْلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلا نِصْفَة أو انْقُصُ مِنْهُ قَلِيلاة (امر :3.1)
Translation: O you who wraps himself (in clothing), arise (to pray) the night except for a little half of it or subtract from it a little. In an other yerse, it has been said:
طويلاه (الدھر: 26) وَمِنَ اليْلِ فَاسْجُدُ لَهُ وَسَتَحْه
Translation: And during the night prostrate to him and exalt him along (part of the) night.
The messenger of Allah used to remember Allah through different ways and would offer nawafi! in addition to obligatory prayers. As it is mentioned in the Holy Quran:
وَمِنَ اليْلِ فَتَهديم نَافِلَةً لَكَ عَسَى أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا محمودا (اسراء :79)
Translation: And from (the part of) night pray with it as additional (worship) for you, it is expected that your lord will resurrect you to a praised station.
v. The greatest Zikr and Tasbeeh Fatima:
The Holy Prophet of said, “The greatest Zikr أفضل الذكر لا إله إلا الله Is the best Zikr is لا إله إلا الله. After prayers, reciting 33 times (Alhamdullilah) and 34 times (Allah O Akbar) (Subhan Allah) 33 is also regarded as remembrance of Allah. This Zikr is called Tasbeehat-e-Fatima. There are many other sunnah forms of Zikr which are mentioned in the books of ahadees.
