By Shaykh Abdul Qayum
19 December 2025

﷽ 

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. We praise Him, we seek His help, and we ask Him for forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil within ourselves and from the consequences of our actions. Whomsoever Allah guides, none can misguide, and whomsoever He leaves astray, none can guide.

Allah Most High says:

This command from Allah is clear and direct. It is not surrounded by conditions, nor is it restricted to certain people or situations. Allah is not asking us for something difficult. He is not asking us to exhaust ourselves or place ourselves under hardship. He is commanding us to remember Him – frequently and consistently.

Brothers and sisters, if we reflect honestly, this is one of the easiest acts of worship Allah has given us. Yet, it is among the most neglected in our daily lives.

A Worship Without Barriers

The remembrance of Allah is different from every other form of worship. Salah has its conditions. Fasting has its time. Hajj requires ability and travel. Dhikr, however, has no such limits. A person can remember Allah while standing, sitting, walking, or lying down. One can do so with wudu or without wudu, in health or illness, in ease or difficulty.

Allah says:

This means there is no moment in our lives where dhikr is impossible. Even when a person is unable to pray, unable to fast, or unable to move, the tongue can still remember Allah. That is why the scholars described dhikr as light upon the body but heavy on the scale.

It requires no special place.
No special time.
No special preparation.

Only sincerity and awareness.

Morning and Evening Remembrance

Allah specifically mentions remembering Him in the morning and in the evening. This refers to the well-known morning and evening adhkar taught by the Prophet ﷺ. These remembrances are not meant only for scholars or students of knowledge. They are for every believer – young and old, learned and unlearned.

These adhkar protect a person from harm, anxiety, and spiritual weakness. They build a barrier between the servant and Shaytan. When a believer neglects them day after day, it is not a small matter. It is a loss that slowly shows its effects in the heart.

Many of us begin our mornings rushing into the day, checking our phones, thinking about work, and responding to messages. We end our evenings exhausted, distracted, and overwhelmed. Yet our tongues remain silent from the remembrance of Allah. This is not because we are incapable, but because we have not trained ourselves to prioritise what Allah loves.

Those Who Truly Went Ahead

The Prophet ﷺ once said:

The mufarridun have gone ahead.

[Muslim]

When he was asked who they were, he replied:

The men and women who remember Allah frequently.

They did not go ahead because of their wealth, their status, or their appearance. They went ahead because their hearts were alive with remembrance. Allah confirms this reality in the Qur’an when He lists the qualities of the true believers and concludes with:

This ending is not accidental. It shows us that remembrance is a foundation upon which all other good deeds stand.

Salah Exists for Remembrance

Allah says:

Salah itself is built upon dhikr. The takbir, the recitation, the bowing, and the prostration are all forms of remembering Allah. If dhikr is weak outside of salah, then the prayer itself often becomes rushed, distracted, and empty. When the tongue and heart are familiar with remembrance throughout the day, the prayer becomes more focused and meaningful.

Dhikr is not a small part of worship.
It is the core of worship.

Where True Peace Is Found

Allah Most High says:

We live in a time where anxiety is widespread. Many people feel restless, burdened, and uneasy, even when their outward lives appear comfortable. Allah tells us clearly where peace lies. It is not found in constant entertainment or distraction. It is not found in endless talking or scrolling. Peace settles in the heart that remembers Allah regularly.

Allah also warns us of the opposite state:

A life without remembrance becomes heavy, confusing, and unsettled, even if it appears successful from the outside.

Shaytan’s Quiet Victory

Allah says:

When hours pass without even a simple SubhanAllah or Astaghfirullah, this is not neutral. It is a sign that Shaytan has found space. This does not mean we abandon our work or family responsibilities. Islam does not call us to withdraw from life. Rather, it teaches us to carry the remembrance of Allah within our busy lives.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

The example of the one who remembers his Lord and the one who does not is like the living and the dead.

[Bukhari and Muslim]

A heart without dhikr slowly loses its life, even if the body remains active.

Busy Lives, Clear Warnings

Many people say they are too busy. Allah responds directly to this excuse:

Being busy is not the problem. Forgetting Allah is.

A believer learns to remember Allah while walking, working, driving, waiting, and resting. Small, consistent dhikr throughout the day builds a strong connection with Allah and protects the heart from heedlessness.

A Simple Path Forward

Islam does not demand perfection from us. It asks for sincerity and consistency. Begin with what is manageable: morning and evening adhkar, tasbih after salah, seeking forgiveness during the day, and remembering Allah before sleep. These simple acts, when done regularly, bring light, calm, and protection into our lives.

May Allah make our tongues alive with His remembrance, protect our hearts from heedlessness, and grant us peace through closeness to Him. May He accept from us our small efforts and overlook our shortcomings.

Ameen.

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