منافع ذكر الله
The Benefits of Remembering Allah
الحمد للهِ ربِّ العالمينَ لهُ النِّعمةُ وله الفضلُ ولهُ الثَّناءُ الحسن صلواتُ اللهِ البَرِّ الرحيمِ والملائِكةِ المُقرَّبينَ على سيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ أشرفِ المرسلينَ وحبيبِ ربِّ العالمينَ وعلى جميعِ إخوانِهِ منَ النَّبييّنَ والمُرسلينَ وءالِ كُلٍّ والصَّالحينَ وسلامُ اللهِ عليهِمْ أجمعينَ.
أمّا بعدُ، فَقَدْ قاَلَ اللهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿يَآ أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءامَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا، وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلاً﴾ سورة الأحزاب 41-42. الذِّكْرُ أَنواعٌ، كُلُّ مَا هُوَ مَدْحٌ للهِ فَهْوَ ذِكْرٌ التَّسْبِيحُ ذِكْرٌ وَالتَّحْمِيدُ ذِكْرٌ وَالتَّكْبِيرُ ذِكْرٌ والتَّهْلِيلُ ذِكْرٌ وَأَفْضَلُ الذِّكْرِ التَّهْلِيلًُ، وَالدَّعاءُ ذِكْرٌ، وَأَفْضَلُ الذِّكْرِ لاَ إِلهَ إِلاّ اللهُ ثم بَعْدَهُ التَّكْبِيرُ وَالتَّسْبِيحُ وَالتَّحْمِيدُ، أَحَبُّ الكَلاَمِ إِلى اللهِ هَؤلاءِ الأربعُ لاَ إلهَ إلاّ اللهُ وَسُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَالحَمْدُ للهِ واللهُ أكبرُ وَقَدْ وَرَدَ في فَضْلِ التَّسْبِيحِ أَنَّهُ مَنْ قَالَ “سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ” تُغْرَسُ لَهُ نَخْلَةٌ في الجَنَّةِ.
Praise be to Allah and may Allah increase the honor and raise the rank of our Master Muhammad sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam.
Thereafter, Allah said in the Qur’an:
﴿يَآ أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءامَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا، وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلاً﴾
Verses 41-42 of Surat al-Ahzab mean: “O you who believed mention Allah a lot and make tasbih <to say ‘subhanallah’> at the beginning and at the end of the day.”
Dhikhr (mentioning Allah) has types: All of what is said in praising Allah is dhikr, tasbih (to say “subhanallah”) is dhikr, tahmid (to say “alhamdulillah”) is dhikr, takbir (to say “Allahu akbar”) is dhikr, and tahlil (to say “la ilaha illallah”) is dhikr. The best type of dhikr is tahlil (to say “la ilaha illallah”), supplication (du^a)’is dhikr; and the best dhikr is “la ilaha illallah”, then comes after the takbir (to say “Allahu akbar”), the tasbih (to say “subhanallah”), and the tahmid (to say “Alhamdulillah”.
The most beloved words to Allah are these four: “La ilaha illallah”, “subhanallah”, “alhamdulillah”, and “Allahu akbar”. It was mentioned in what pertains to the merit of tasbih that the one who says “subhanallah wa bihamdihi” will have a palm tree planted for him in Paradise.
النَّخْلَةُ التي تَكونُ في الجَنَّةِ وَكُلُّ الأشْجَارِ التي تَكونُ في الجَنَّةِ لَيْسَتْ كَالّتِي تَكُونُ في الدُنيا،كُلُّ شَجَرَةٍ في الجَنَّةِ سَاقُهَا من ذَهَبٍ، حُسْنُهَا وَلَذّةُ طَعْمِهَا شَىءٌ فَوْقَ الوَصْفِ بِالنِّسْبَةِ لَنا ثُمَّ هِي دَائِمَةٌ لاَ تَيْبَسُ وَلا يَنْقَطِعُ ثَمَرُهَا كُلَّما أُخِذَ مِنْهَا شَىءٌ يَعُودُ مَكَاَنَهُ كَمَا كَانَ، ثُمَّ لاَ يَتْعَبُ الشخْصُ فِي تَنَاوُلِهَا إنْ كَانَ وَاقِفًا يَسْتَطيعُ أَنْ يأخُذَ مِنْها وَإنْ كَانَ جَالِسًا وَإِنْ كَانَ مُضْطَجِعًا تَدْنو إِليهِ، ثم هيَ أَبديةٌ لا تَيْبَسُ وَكُلَّمَا أَخَذَ مِنها حَبّةً يَعُودُ ذلك المكانُ كَمَا كَانَ، بِمجردِ قَوْلَ “سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ” يُغْرَسُ لَهُ شَجَرَةٌ، بِعَدَدِ مَا يُسَبِّحُ يُغْرَسُ لَهُ في الجنَّةِ.
The palm tree in Paradise and all the trees in Paradise are not like the trees of this world. Every tree in Paradise has its trunk made of gold, its beauty and taste is beyond description to us. It is everlasting it does not get dry, each time something is taken from it, it will be back in that very spot. The person gets the fruit without any effort or toil, it would get closer to him whether he is standing; sitting; or lying. It is everlasting, each time a fruit is taken from it; its spot would go back to the way it was. By just saying: “subhanallah wa bihamdihi” a tree will be planted for the person in Paradise, he will get trees planted for him in Paradise as many as he says tasbih.
كذلك الاستغفارُ ذِكْرٌ ثم الاسْتِغْفَارُ يَكُونُ بِعِدّةِ أَلفَاظٍ يَكُونُ: بأستغفِرُ اللهَ وبربِ اغفرْ لي وبكلمةِ غُفْرانَكَ وَكَذَلِكَ بِلَفْظِ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لي، كُلُّ هذا إِستِغْفَارٌ ثُمَّ مَنِ استَغفَرَ لِنَفْسِهِ ولم يَذْكُرْ غَيرَهُ لَهُ ثوابٌ لكنْ إِنْ ذَكَرَ غَيرَهُ يَكُونُ ثَوابُهُ أَزيَدَ مَثَلاً يَقُولُ: رَبِّ اغفِرْ لي ولوالدَيَّ أو رَبِّ اغفِرْ لي وَلِفُلانٍ وإن عَمَّمَ يَكُونُ أَكْثرَ ثَوابًا كأنْ قَالَ رَبِّ اغفِرْ للمؤمنينَ والمؤمناتِ ثم إنْ كانَ الشَّخْصُ اسْتَغْفَرَ لِنَفْسِهِ وَلَم يَذْكُرْ غَيرَهُ فهو إِسْتِغفَارٌ شَرْعِيٌّ فِيهِ ثَوابٌ وإن ذَكَرَ وَالِدَيْهِ يَكُونُ أَنْفَعَ كَأَنْ يَقْولَ رَبِّ اغفِرْ لي ولوالدَيَّ ثم إِنَّ وَالِدَيْهِ يُعْرَضُ عَلَيْهِما حَسَناتُهُما فَيَقُولانِ مِنْ أيْنَ هَذا فَيُقَالُ لَهُما هذا مِنَ اسْتِغْفَارِ وَلَدِكُمَا لَكُمَا بَعْدَكُمَا فَيَكُونُ هَذا الوَلَدُ نَفَعَ نَفْسَهُ وَنَفَعَ أَبَويْهِ، كُلُّ هَذِهِ الصِّيَغِ التي مَرَّ ذِكْرُها إِسْتِغْفارٌ شرعيٌّ.
Istighfar (to ask Allah for forgiveness) is a type of dhikr too, it is done by many statements, like saying: “Astaghfirullah”,“Rabi-ghfirli”, or “Ghufranak”, or “O Allah forgive me”; all of these give one meaning which is: Asking Allah for forgiveness, all of these are called istighfar. Also if one makes istighfar for himself and did not mention other than himself he will get reward. However, if he mentions himself in the istighfar along with other than himself he will get more reward; like if he says: “O Lord forgive and forgive my parents” or “O Allah forgive me and forgive so and so”. If one goes beyond that and generalizes his istighfar he will get even more reward like saying: “O Lord forgive me and forgive the believer males and females”.
If the person makes istighfar for himself and did not mention others, this is called Religious Istighfar, which will earn him reward. If he mentions his parents, it will be more beneficial like saying: “O Lord for give me and forgive my parents”, when the good deeds are displayed to the parents they will see this istighfar, they will say: Where is this from? They will say: This is from the istighfar, which your son made to you, after your death. By this, the son would have benefited himself and his parents. All of these statements are called Religious Istighfar.
بَعْضُ الجُهَالِ مَا أكْفَرَهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ كَتَبُوا في مَجَلَّةٍ لَهُمْ كَلامًا قَالُوا فِيهِ: “أستغفرُ اللهَ” لَيْسَتِ إِسْتِغْفَارًا إنّما هُوَ كَالمُكَاءِ والتَصْدِيَةِ وَهُوَ مَا كَانَ يَفْعَلُهُ المُشْرِكُونَ مِنَ التَّصْفِيرِ والتَصْفِيقِ وَهُم يَدْورُونَ حَوْلَ الكَعْبَةِ، وَهُمْ يَعْرِفُونَ أَنَّ كُلَّ المُسْلِمينَ يَقُولُونَ: “أسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ” وَهَذَا مِنْ خُبْثِهِم وَمَحَبَّتِهِمُ الخِلاَفَ لِذَلِكَ قَالُوا: “أسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ” لَيْسَتِ اسْتِغفارًا، مَعَ أَنَّهُ ثَبَتَ في الحَدِيثِ الصَّحِيحِ أنَّ الرّسولَ صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: “أسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ” وَفي الخُطْبَةِ كَانَ يَقُولُ: “هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ لِي وَلكُمْ” هَؤلاءِ كُفّارٌ مَنْ أَخَذَ بِقَوْلِهَِم فَقَدْ كَفَرَ. أَمَّا مَنْ مَشَى مَعَهُمْ مِنْ غَيرِ اعْتِقَادِ الكُفْرِ الذِي هُمْ يَعْتَقِدُونَهُ فَلا نُكَفِّرُهُ لمُِجَرّدِ ذَلِكَ.
Some ignorant people committed blasphemy when they wrote in their magazine that saying: “Astaghfirullah” which means: “O Allah forgive me” is just the same doing of whistling and clapping, which the blasphemers used to do while circling around the Ka^bah. Those ones know that all Muslims say “Astaghfirullah” but due to their maliciousness and out of their love for disagreement with Muslims, they say that “Astaghfirullah” is not an istighfar, although it was confirmed in the sahih hadith that the Prophet sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam said “Astaghfirullah”. He also used to say in the speech: Hadha wa astaghfirullaha li wa lakum” which means: “..And I ask Allah for forgiveness for myself and for you.”
Those ones are blasphemers and the one who adopts their saying is a blasphemer; however, we do not judge as a blasphemer the one who associates with them without following their blasphemous belief .
ثُمَّ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: “مَنْ قَالَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ الذي لاَ إِلَهَ إلاّ هُوَ الحيُّ القَيُّومُ وَأَتُوبُ إِليهِ، غُفِرَ لَهُ وَإِنْ كَانَ قَدْ فَرَّ مِنَ الزَّحْفِ” فَيُفْهَمُ مِنْ هَذِهِ الصِيغةِ التي ذَكَرَهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّ الشَخْصَ إذا قَالَ ذَلِكَ يُغْفَرُ لهُ وإنْ كَانَ قَدْ عَمِلَ كَبِيرةً مِنَ الكَبائرِ. هؤلاءِ النَّاس الجُهَال حَكَمُوا عَلَى قَائِلِ هَذَا بأنَّهُ فَاسِقٌ بَلْ حَكَمُوا بِأَنّه مُشْرِكٌ لأنَّهُمْ شَبَّهوا قَوْلَ: “أسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ” بما كَانَتِ المُشْرِكُونَ تَفْعَلُ لمََّا كَانُوا مُسَيْطِرينَ عَلَى مَكةَ يَعْبدُونَ الأَوْثَانَ، هَؤلاَءِ شَبَّهُوا مَنْ قَالَ: “أسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ” بِفِعْلِ المُشْرِكِينَ مِنَ التَصْفِيرِ وَالتَصْفِيقِ.
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam said that one who says:
“أستغفر الله الذي لا إله إلا هو الحي القيوم وأتوب إليه يُغفر له وإن كان فرّ من الزحف“
“Astaghfirullaha-ladhi la ilaha illa Huwa-l-Haya-l-Qayyuma wa atubu ilayh, shall be forgiven his sins even if he had fled the compulsary battle grounds ”
This hadith means that the one who says: “I ask Allah, the One Who is the only God, the Hayy, the Qayyum, and I repent to Him” will be forgiven even if he had fled the obligatory battlefield.
Al-Hayy is among the Perfect Names of Allah and it means: The One Who is attributed with a life that is unlike our life and is not that of a combination of soul, flesh, and blood.
Al-Qayyum means the One Who remains and does not end.
So it is understood from this statement which was mentioned by the Messenger of Allah sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam that the person who says that will be forgiven if he had committed an enormous sin. Those ignorant people have judged the one who says that as a sinner, they even judged him as a blasphemer because they have likened saying: “Astaghfirullah” to what the blasphemers used to do when they were controlling the Ka^bah and worshipping the idols; Those ones have likened saying “Astaghfirullah” to the actions of the blasphemers like whistling and clapping.
ثُمَّ إِنَّ الذِّكْرَ إنْ عُدَّ باِلأَنَامِلِ كَانَ أَفْضَلَ، هَذَا هُوَ الأَصْلُ الذي هُوَ أَفْضَلُ، الرَّسُولُ كَانَ يَعْقِدُ التَّسْبِيحَ بِيَمِينِهِ يَحسِبُ التَّسْبِيحَ بِيَمِينِهِ هَذَا الذي كَانَ في زَمَنِ الرَّسُولِ وَبَعْضُ نِسَاءِ الرَّسُولِ وَضَعَتْ أمَامَها أرْبَعَةَ ءالاَفٍ مِنْ نَوى التَمْرِ لِتُسَبِّحَ بِها، الرَّسُولُ رَءَاهَا وَلَمْ يُنْكِرْ عَلَيْها، مِنْ هُنا العُلَمَاءُ فَهِمُوا أنَّ التَّسبيحَ بِالسُّبَحِ جَائِزٌ. الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلاةُ وَالسَّلامُ قَالَ لِجَمَاعَةٍ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ: “عَلَيْكُنَّ بِالتَّسْبِيحِ وَالتَّهْلِيْلِ وَالتَّقْدِيْسِ وَعَقِّدْنَ عَلَيْهَا الأَنَامِلِ فَإِنَهُنَّ مَسْئُولاَتٌ وَمُسْتَنْطَقَاتٌ” أي في الآخِرَةِ يَجْعَلُ اللهُ فِيها النُطْقَ فَتَشْهَدُ. اللهُ الذِي أَنْطَقَ اللِّسَانَ في الدُّنيا يُنْطِقُ الأَنَامِلَ، كَذَلِكَ بِغيرِ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الأعْمَالِ تَشْهَدُ بِالمَعَاصِي التي حَصَلَتْ بِالكَفِّ تَشْهَدُ.
It would be better if dhikr is counted with one’s fingers. The Prophet used to count the tasbih he says with his right hand. One of his wives put in front of herself four thousand date pits to count tasbih with them, when he saw her he did not object to that; the scholars understood from this event that making tasbih with the “subhah”-remembrance beeds– is permissible. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam said to a group of women:
“عَلَيْكُنَّ بِالتَّسْبِيحِ وَالتَّهْلِيْلِ وَالتَّقْدِيْسِ وَعَقِّدْنَ عَلَيْهَا الأَنَامِلِ فَإِنَهُنَّ مَسْئُولاَتٌ وَمُسْتَنْطَقَاتٌ“
It means: “Do tasbih, tahlil, and taqdis <acknowledging the Purity of Allah from all imperfections> and do that by counting with fingers, for they will be questioned and they will talk on the Day of Judgment.”
It means that Allah will create in them the ability to speak on the Day of Judgment so they will testify. Allah, the One who made the tongue speak in this world, will make the fingers speak on the Day of Judgment. Also the fingers will speak about the other deeds which were acquired by the hand; the fingers will testify.
فِي الدُّنيا حَصَلَ مَا يَشْهَدُ لِهَذا وَهُوَ أَنَّ أَبَا مُسْلِمٍ الخَوْلانِيَّ الذي كَانَ مَوْجُودًا في زَمَنِ الرَّسُولِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَكِنْ مَا تَيَسَّرَ لَهُ الاجْتِمَاعُ بِالرَّسُولِ كَانَ بِاليَمَنِ ثُمَّ أَيَامَ عُمَرَ جَاءَ إلِى المدينَةِ وَاجْتَمَعَ بِسيدِنا عُمَرَ كَانَ مِنَ الزّاهِدِينَ العَابِدِينَ، مَرَّةً كَانَ يُسَبِّحُ بِالسُبْحَةِ ثم نَامَ فَصَارَتِ السُّبْحَةُ تَدُورُ فِي يَدِهِ وَهُوَ نَائِمٌ وَتَقُولُ: “سُبْحَانَكَ يا مُنْبِتُ النّبَاتِ وَيَا دَائِمَ الثَّبَاتِ” ثم اسْتَيْقَظَ فَنَادَى زَوجَتَهُ قَالَ: يَا أُمَّ مُسْلِمٍ تَعَالَي انْظُرِي إِلى أَعْجَبِ الأَعَاجِيبِ فَلَما جَاءَتْ سَكَتَتِ السُبْحَةُ. يَا دَائِمَ الثَبَاتِ مَعنَاهُ: الذي وَجُودُهُ لا نِهَايَةَ لَهُ، هَذَا وَأَمْثَالُهُ حَصَلَ في الدُنيَا هَذا شَاهِدٌ لمَِا يَحْصُلُ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ مِن نُطْقِ الأرْجْلِ والأيدِي. الكُفَّارُ يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ تَأتِي عَلَيْهِمْ سَاعَةٌ يَخْتِمُ اللهُ فِيها عَلَى أفْواهِهِم وَيُنْطُِق أيْدِيَهُمْ وأرْجُلَهُم بِمَا فَعَلُوا، وَالأَرْضُ أَيضًا وَرَدَ فِي الحَدِيثِ الصَّحِيحِ أَنَّهَا يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ تَشْهَدُ عَلَى الرَّجُلِ والمَرْأَةِ بِمَا عَمِلُوا عَلَيْهَا فَتَقُولُ: فُلاَنٌ عَمِلَ يَوْمَ كَذَا وَكَذَا كَذَا وَكَذَا.
Something had happened in this world which is proof about this matter. Abu Muslim al-Khawlaniyy– was a worshipper and detached from the worldly interests– who was in Yemen and did not have the chance to meet the Messenger of Allah sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, came to Madinah during the days of ^Umar and met our Master ^Umar.
Abu Muslim al-Khawlaniyy once was making tasbih with the “subhah”and he fell asleep, but the “subhah” started to revolve in his hand while he was sleeping and say: “Subhanaka Ya Munbita-l-nabat wa Da’ima-ththabat”.
It means: “Allah is clear of any imperfection, and He is the One Who made the plants grow, and the One Whose Existence has no end.”
This matter and its likes had happened in this world and is a proof about what will happen on the Day of Judgment such as the speaking of the feet and the hands.
On the Day of Judgment, there will be a period of time when Allah will make the mouths of the blasphemers sealed and will make their hands and feet speak about what they did in this world. Also it was mentioned in the sahih hadith that the Earth will testify about what the man and the woman did on it. It will say: So and so on so and so day did so and so.