30 Benefits of Dhikr

Ibn al-Qayyim (R.A):

30 Benefits of Dhikr
30 virtues and benefits of Dhikr:

1. Dhikr drives away and breaks the shaytan

2. It pleases ar-Rahman

3. It removes the cares and worries of the Heart

4. It brings joy and happiness to the Heart

5. It strengthens both body and Heart

6. It endows the person with Love of Allāh which is the very spirit of Islam – for God has opened a way of access to everything, and the way to Love is constancy in Dhikr.

7. It endows one with vigilance which opens to the door to Ihsan – entering therein, the servant worships Allāh as if he were seeing Him.

8. It predisposes the servant to turn back to Allāh in every state.

9. It endows him with proximity to Allāh. His proximity to Allāh is in proportion to his remembrance; his distance in proportion to his heedlessness.

10. It endows him with Allāh’s own remembrance of him, Allāh says, ‘Remember Me, I shall remember you.“

11. It endows the heart with life. Ibn Taymiyyah said, ‘Remembrance is to the heart what water is to fish. What happens to the fish that leaves the water?’

12. It polishes away the Heart’s tarnish

13. It erases sins and repels them

14. It removes estrangement between the servant and his Lord.

15. Words of Remembrance become like the buzzing of bees around the Throne of Allāh

16. When he knows his Lord through Dhikr in times of ease his Lord will know him in times of adversity

17. Dhikr is most effective thing to repel the punishment of Allāh

18. Tranquillity descends upon the Heart

19. Dhikr and tears that are shed – give a person shade on the Day of Judgement.

20. It is the easiest form of worship – using the tongue is easier compared to actions of hands and feet.

21. Plants trees in Paradise.

22. Constancy in Dhikr brings about security from forgetfulness of Him. This forgetfulness is the cause of the servant’s misery both in this worldly life and the Day of Judgement.

23. Ibn Taymiyyah said, ‘Truly there is a Heaven in this world [and] whoever does not enter it, will not enter the Heaven of the next world.’

24. It enters Nur in to the Heart – more Dhikr = more light

25. Allāh is with the one when he remembers Him. “I am with My slave when he remembers Me and when his lips move to mention Me.”

26. Dhikr is basis of Gratitude and Shukr – when you remember Him abundantly you thank Him abundantly.

27. Dhikr is both the source and the basis of intimate friendship with Allāh – A servant continues to remember his Lord until He loves him.

28. Nothing attracts Allāh’s blessings and repels His wrath as does His remembrance. He repels harm from them and defends them in proportion to the strength and the completeness of their faith in Him. The very substance and power of this faith comes through [His] remembrance. The stronger one’s faith and more abundant the remembrance, the greater Allāh’s defence of him. For the one who falls short, it falls short. i.e. STRONGER DHIKR = STRONGER IMAN = STRONGER DEFENCE

29. Allāh’s remembrance of him precedes his remembrance of Him, for when Allāh remembers His servant, it inspires the servant to remember Him. In prayer, you remember Allāh and He remembers you, and His remembrance of you is greater than your remembrance of Him.

30. The most excellent of those who perform any practice are people who do it with the greatest remembrance of Allāh. The most excellent of those who fast, are those who remember Allāh the most in their fasting -the most excellent of those who do Hajj, are those who remember Allāh the most in [their Hajj] etc.

Reference : Ibn Qayyim’s Invocation of God
[Wabil as-Sayyib]

Dhikr After Salaah