The discourse on the benefits of dhikr (remembrance) is continuous. As we have previously discussed, one of its benefits is that it serves as a protection for its practitioner against the devil. Whoever neglects dhikr, the devil accompanies him as a shadow does. Allah says:
﴾ ومَن يَعْشُ عَنْ ذِكْرِ الرَّحْمَنِ نُقَيِّضْ لَهُ شَيْطَانًا فَهُوَ لَهُ قَرِينٌ ﴿
“And whoever is blinded from remembrance of the Most Merciful – We appoint for him a devil, and he is to him a companion.” (Qur’an, Surah Az-Zukhruf, 43:36).
A servant cannot protect himself from the devil except by remembering Allah, the Exalted. This is a significant benefit among the many benefits of dhikr.
As we have seen, the eminent scholar Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) listed in his valuable book “Al-Wabil As-Sayyib” nearly seventy benefits of dhikr. We will continue to mention some of these great benefits, as he has cited in the aforementioned book.
Among the profound benefits of remembering Allah is that it brings joy, happiness, and comfort to the heart of the one who remembers. It instills tranquility and peace in the heart. As Allah, the Exalted, says:
﴾ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُمْ بِذِكْرِ اللهِ أَلاَ بِذِكْرِ اللهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ القُلُوبُ ﴿
“Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah, hearts are assured.” (Qur’an, Surah Ar-Ra’d, 13:28).
The meaning of the verse “and whose hearts are assured” is that whatever anxiety or disturbance is in them is removed, replaced by comfort, joy, and relaxation.
Indeed, dhikr is the true life of the heart. It is the nourishment of the heart and soul. Without it, a person is like a body deprived of its sustenance. There is no true life for the heart except through the remembrance of Allah. Hence, Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Dhikr to the heart is like water to a fish. What would be the state of the fish if it is taken out of water?”
Another benefit of a servant’s remembrance of Allah is that it leads to Allah’s remembrance of him. As Allah says:
﴾ فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ ﴿
“So remember Me; I will remember you.” (Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:152).
In the authentic Hadith collections of Bukhari and Muslim, narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, relating from his Lord: “Whoever remembers Me in himself, I remember him in Myself; and whoever remembers Me in a gathering, I remember him in a gathering better than it.”
Another benefit is that dhikr erases sins and removes them. It saves the one who remembers from Allah’s punishment. In the Musnad, narrated by Mu’adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “No human does any deed that saves him from Allah’s punishment better than the remembrance of Allah.”
Another benefit of dhikr is that it results in rewards and blessings that are not associated with other acts of worship, even though it is the easiest of acts. The movement of the tongue is the lightest and easiest of bodily movements. If any other body part moved as much as the tongue does in a day and night, it would be extremely burdensome. Yet, the rewards associated with it are immense. In the authentic Hadith collections of Bukhari and Muslim, narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever says ‘There is no god but Allah, alone, without partner. To Him belongs dominion, and to Him belongs all praise, and He is over all things competent’ in a day a hundred times, it will be for him like freeing ten slaves, and a hundred good deeds will be recorded for him, and a hundred bad deeds will be erased from him, and it will be a protection for him from the devil that day until evening. No one will come with anything better than what he came with, except for someone who did more than him.”
Another benefit of dhikr is that it is the planting of paradise. Paradise, as mentioned in the Hadith, is fertile, with good soil and sweet water. Its planting is the remembrance of Allah. At-Tirmidhi narrated from Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “I met Ibrahim (peace be upon him) the night I was taken on the Night Journey (Isra), and he said, ‘O Muhammad, convey my greetings to your Ummah, and tell them that Paradise has a vast plain of pure soil and sweet water. It is a flat land. The plants grow there by the praises of ‘Subhan-Allah, Al-hamdu lillah, La ilaha illallah and Allahu Akbar.'”
Another benefit of dhikr is that it becomes a light for the one who remembers in this world, a light for him in his grave, and a light for him on the Day of Resurrection. It will run ahead of him on the Straight Path. Nothing illuminates the hearts and graves like the remembrance of Allah, the Exalted. Allah says:
﴾ أَوَمَن كَانَ مَيْتًا فَأَحْيَيْنَاهُ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُ نُورًا يَمْشِي بِهِ فِي النَّاسِ كَمَن مَّثَلُهُ فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ لَيْسَ بِخَارِجٍ مِّنْهَا ﴿
“Or is one who was dead and We gave him life and made for him light by which to walk among the people like one who is in darkness, never to emerge from it?” (Qur’an, Surah Al-An’am, 6:122).
The light mentioned in this verse is the light of faith and the light of the Qur’an. The remembrance of Allah is the life of the heart and its light.
Another benefit of dhikr is that it is a cause for the descent of tranquility and the mercy of Allah upon the one who remembers. Allah says:
﴾ هُوَ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ السَّكِينَةَ فِي قُلُوبِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لِيَزْدَادُوا إِيمَانًا مَّعَ إِيمَانِهِمْ ﴿
“He it is who sent down tranquility into the hearts of the believers that they might add faith unto their faith.” (Qur’an, Surah Al-Fath, 48:4).
The descent of tranquility is due to the remembrance of Allah. The more a person remembers Allah, the more tranquility descends upon him.
Another benefit of dhikr is that it is a cause for the love of Allah. The more a person remembers Allah, the more he loves Him. The remembrance of Allah is a means to draw closer to Him and to increase in love for Him. Allah says:
﴾ فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ ﴿
“So remember Me; I will remember you.” (Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:152).
The remembrance of Allah is a means to attain His love and pleasure.
Another benefit of dhikr is that it is a cause for the angels to send blessings upon the one who remembers. The angels seek forgiveness for the one who remembers Allah and pray for him. Allah says:
﴾ الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُ يُسَبِّحُونَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَيُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا وَسِعْتَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ رَّحْمَةً وَعِلْمًا فَاغْفِرْ لِلَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَاتَّبَعُوا سَبِيلَكَ وَقِهِمْ عَذَابَ الْجَحِيمِ ﴿
“Those who carry the Throne and those around it exalt [Allah] with praise of their Lord and believe in Him and ask forgiveness for those who have believed, saying, ‘Our Lord, You have encompassed all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who have repented and followed Your way and protect them from the punishment of Hellfire.'” (Qur’an, Surah Ghafir, 40:7).
The angels pray for the one who remembers Allah and seek forgiveness for him.
Another benefit of dhikr is that it is a cause for the expansion of the chest and the removal of distress and grief. Allah says:
﴾ وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَن ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ لَهُ مَعِيشَةً ضَنكًا وَنَحْشُرُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَعْمَىٰ ﴿
“And whoever turns away from My remembrance – indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind.” (Qur’an, Surah Ta-Ha, 20:124).
The one who turns away from the remembrance of Allah will have a constricted life, full of distress and grief. On the other hand, the one who remembers Allah will have an expanded chest and a life of ease and comfort.
Another benefit of dhikr is that it is a cause for the elevation of ranks and the attainment of a high position in the sight of Allah. The more a person remembers Allah, the higher his rank becomes. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Shall I not inform you of the best of your deeds, the purest in the sight of your Lord, the highest in ranks, better for you than spending gold and silver, and better for you than meeting your enemy and striking their necks, and they strike your necks?” They said, “Of course.” He said, “The remembrance of Allah.” (Narrated by At-Tirmidhi).
Another benefit of dhikr is that it is a cause for the attainment of Allah’s mercy. The mercy of Allah encompasses everything. The one who remembers Allah is enveloped in His mercy. Allah says:
﴾ وَرَحْمَتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ ﴿
“And My Mercy encompasses all things.” (Qur’an, Surah Al-A’raf, 7:156).
The remembrance of Allah is a means to attain His vast mercy.
Another benefit of dhikr is that it is a cause for the attainment of success. Success in this world and the Hereafter is achieved through the remembrance of Allah. Allah says:
﴾ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا ﴿
“O you who have believed, remember Allah with much remembrance.” (Qur’an, Surah Al-Ahzab, 33:41).
The more a person remembers Allah, the more successful he becomes.
Another benefit of dhikr is that it is a cause for the attainment of happiness and contentment. The heart finds rest and tranquility in the remembrance of Allah. Allah says:
﴾ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ ﴿
“Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah, hearts are assured.” (Qur’an, Surah Ar-Ra’d, 13:28).
The heart finds peace and tranquility in the remembrance of Allah.
In conclusion, the remembrance of Allah is the life of the heart and the light of the soul. It is a means to attain the love of Allah, His mercy, His forgiveness, and His pleasure. The benefits of dhikr are numerous and cannot be enumerated. The one who remembers Allah is blessed in this world and the Hereafter. The one who turns away from the remembrance of Allah is deprived of these blessings. Therefore, it is incumbent upon every believer to engage in the remembrance of Allah frequently and consistently.