What Are the Etiquettes of Remembering Allah?
Answered By Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad
Question
What are the etiquettes of remembering Allah?
Answer
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, his Family, and his Companions.
The remembrance of Allah (dhikr) is the essence of all acts of worship. It is the purpose of all acts of obedience and closeness to Allah. It is superior to all good deeds and is the ultimate goal and enlightenment for the believer in this world and the hereafter. Allah (Most High) says:
“The remembrance of Allah is (an) even greater (deterrent).” [Quran, 29:45]
“And establish prayer for My remembrance” [Quran, 20:14]
“And remember Allah during (these) appointed days.” [Quran, 2:203]
Mu‘adh Ibn Anas reported that a man asked the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace):
“Which jihad is the greatest in reward?” He said: “The one with the most remembrance of Allah (Blessed and Exalted).” The man asked: “Which of the righteous has the greatest reward?” He said: “The one with the most remembrance of Allah (Blessed and Exalted).” He then mentioned prayer, zakat, hajj, and charity, and each time the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “The one with the most remembrance of Allah (Blessed and Exalted).” Abu Bakr said to ‘Umar: “O Abu Hafs, the ones who remember Allah have taken all the good.” The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Yes, indeed.” [Ahmad; Tabarani]
Abu Darda’ reported that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Shall I not inform you of the best of your deeds, the purest in the sight of your King, the highest in rank, better for you than giving gold and silver, and better for you than meeting your enemy and striking their necks and they strike your necks?” They said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” He said: “The remembrance of Allah.”
Mu‘adh Ibn Jabal said: “No action is more effective in saving a person from the punishment of Allah than the remembrance of Allah.” [Malik; Hakim; Tirmidhi; Ibn Maja; Ahmad; Ibn Abi Shayba]
There are certain etiquettes and prescribed conditions for dhikr (remembrance) and dua (supplication). Whoever fulfills these conditions will be fulfilled, and whoever adheres to these etiquettes is close to achieving what they ask for. However, those who neglect these etiquettes deserve three things: dislike, distance, and deprivation. We seek refuge in Allah from that. Among these etiquettes are:
1. Sincerity (Ikhlas) in Dhikr
Allah (Most High) says:
“…even though they were only commanded to worship Allah (alone) with sincere devotion to Him in all uprightness, establish prayer, and pay alms-tax. That is the upright Way.” [Quran, 98:5]
Abu Umama al-Bahili reported: A man came to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and said:
“What do you think about a man who fights seeking reward and reputation? What does he have?” The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “He gets nothing.” The man repeated it three times, and each time the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “He gets nothing.” Then he said: “Allah does not accept any deed except that which is purely for Him and seeking His face (pleasure).” [Nasa’i; Tabarani]
2. Frequent Dhikr
Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“The isolated ones have gone ahead.” They asked: “Who are the isolated ones, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied: “Those men and women who remember Allah much.” [Bukhari; Muslim]
Sa‘d Ibn Abi Waqqas reported: We were with the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) when he said:
“Is any one of you unable to earn a thousand good deeds each day?” Someone asked: “How can we earn a thousand good deeds?” He said: “Say ‘SubhanAllah’ one hundred times, and a thousand good deeds will be recorded for you, or a thousand sins will be erased.” [Muslim; Ibn Hibban; Nasa’i; Tirmidhi; Ahmad]
3. Dhikr with Purity
Abu Musa reported: After the Battle of Hunayn, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) sent Abu ‘Amir as the head of an army to Autas. He encountered Durayd Ibn al-Simma and killed him, and Allah defeated his companions. Abu Musa said: He (the Prophet) sent me with Abu ‘Amir. Abu ‘Amir was struck by an arrow in his knee by a man from Jusham, which stuck in his knee. I went to him and said:
“Uncle, who shot you?” He pointed to his killer and said: “That is my killer.” I followed the man, caught up with him, and killed him. Then I returned to Abu ‘Amir and said: “Allah has killed your attacker.” He said: “Pull out this arrow.” I pulled it out, and water began to come out of the wound. He then said:
“Nephew, convey my greetings to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and ask him to seek forgiveness for me.” He appointed me as the commander of the people, and he passed away shortly after. When I returned, I went to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and found him lying on a bed with a woven base. The bed had left marks on his back and sides. I told him about our situation and the death of Abu Amir. He asked for water, performed ablution, then raised his hands and said:
“O Allah, forgive ‘Ubayd Abu ‘Amir.” I saw the whiteness of his armpits. He then said: “O Allah, make him on the Day of Resurrection above many of Your creation among the people.” I said: “And for me, O Messenger of Allah, seek forgiveness.” He said: “O Allah, forgive ‘Abdullah Ibn Qays his sins and admit him into a noble entrance on the Day of Resurrection.” Abu Burda said: One was for Abu Amir, and the other was for Abu Musa. [Bukhari; Muslim]
4. Reflecting on the Greatness of Allah during Dhikr
Allah (Most High) says:
“That is so. And whoever honors the symbols of Allah, it is certainly out of the piety of the heart.” [Quran, 22:32]
He also says:
“The (true) believers are only those whose hearts tremble at the remembrance of Allah, whose faith increases when His revelations are recited to them, and who put their trust in their Lord.” [Quran, 8:2]
And He says:
“And give good news (O Prophet) to the humble: those whose hearts tremble at the remembrance of Allah, who patiently endure whatever may befall them, and who establish prayer and donate from what We have provided for them.” [Quran, 22:34]
5. Beginning Dhikr with Praise of Allah
The Prophets would start their supplications with praise and glorification of Allah. For instance, when Prophet Ibrahim (Allah give him peace) wished to supplicate to his Lord, he began by praising Allah before asking for his needs. He said:
“(He is) the One Who created me, and He (alone) guides me. (He is) the One Who provides me with food and drink. And He (alone) heals me when I am sick. And He (is the One Who) will cause me to die, and then bring me back to life. And He is (the One) Who, I hope, will forgive my flaws on Judgment Day.” [Quran, 26:78-82]
He praised Allah with five things: as the Creator, the Guide, the Provider, the Healer, the One who gives life and causes death, and the Forgiver. Then he asked for five things:
“My Lord! Grant me wisdom, and join me with the righteous. Bless me with honorable mention among later generations.” [Quran, 26:83-84]
Allah fulfilled his needs except for one. He said:
“We have given the descendants of Abraham the Book and wisdom.” [Quran, 4:54]
He also said:
“And in the Hereafter he will surely be among the righteous.” [Quran, 2:130]
He also said:
“And (We) blessed Abraham (with honorable mention) among later generations” [Quran, 37:108]
And he said in his request for Paradise:
“Our Lord! Forgive me, my parents, and the believers on the Day when the judgment will come to pass.” [Quran, 14:41]
He excused himself for asking forgiveness for his father, saying:
“As I distance myself from (all of) you and from whatever you invoke besides Allah, I will (continue to) call upon my Lord (alone), trusting that I will never be disappointed in invoking my Lord.” [Quran, 19:48]
In the Hadith of intercession, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“Then they will come to me, and I will say: ‘I am for it.’ So I will seek permission to meet my Lord, and He will grant me permission. He will inspire me to praise Him with praises I do not know now. So I will praise Him with those praises and prostrate before Him. Then it will be said: ‘O Muhammad, raise your head, speak, and it will be heard; ask and it will be granted; intercede and intercession will be accepted.’ I will say: ‘O Lord, my community, my community.’” [Bukhari; Muslim]
He began his intercession with praise and glorification of Allah.
6. Beginning Supplication with the Oneness of Allah
As Prophet Yunus (Allah give him peace) did:
“Then in the (veils of) darkness he cried out, ‘There is no god (worthy of worship) except You. Glory be to You! I have certainly done wrong.’” [Quran, 21:87]
He called upon Allah with Tawhid, then exalted Him above any imperfections, and acknowledged his own wrongdoings.
Allah (Most High) says: “So We responded to him and saved him from the distress” [Quran, 21:88]
7. Crying During Supplication and Remembrance in Solitude
Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“There are seven whom Allah will shade on a day when there is no shade but His: a just ruler; a youth who grew up in the worship of his Lord; a man whose heart is attached to the mosques; two people who love each other for the sake of Allah, meeting and parting for that reason; a man who is called by a woman of beauty and position (to sin), but he says, ‘I fear Allah’; a man who gives in charity and hides it so that his left-hand does not know what his right-hand gives; and a man who remembered Allah in private and so his eyes shed tears.” [Bukhari; Muslim]
8. Asking with Determination and Firmness
The supplicant should ask Allah with determination and should not say, “If You will, grant me,” or, “If You will, forgive me,” and the like.
Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “None of you should say, ‘O Allah, forgive me if You will, O Allah, have mercy on me if You will.’ Let him be firm in his asking, for Allah cannot be compelled.” [Ibid.]
9. Praying for Believers Along with Yourself
Allah (Most High) says:
“And seek forgiveness for your shortcomings and for (the sins of) the believing men and women.” [Quran, 47:19]
10. Keeping Supplication Private
Allah (Most High) says:
“Call upon your Lord humbly and secretly.” [Quran, 7:55]
Hasan (Allah have mercy on him) said:
“The Muslims would strive in supplication, and you would not hear a sound but a whisper between them and their Lord.” [Tabari, Tafsir al-Tabari]
11. Showing Humility and Submissiveness in Supplication
When asking Allah for something, maintain humility and submissiveness, and remove any sense of self-importance or arrogance.
Consider the words of Prophet Yaqub (Allah give him peace):
“It is only Allah Who decides. In Him I put my trust. And in Him let the faithful put their trust.” [Quran, 12:67]
Prophet Yusuf (Allah give him peace) said:
“‘My Lord! I would rather be in jail than do what they invite me to. And if You do not turn their cunning away from me, I might yield to them and fall into ignorance.’ So his Lord responded to him, turning their cunning away from him. Surely He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” [Quran, 12:33-34]
He acknowledged his dependence and turned to his Lord, detaching himself from his own power and might, and entrusted his affair to Allah (Most High).
12. Being in the Best State While Remembering Allah
If one is sitting, it is preferable to face the Qibla, sit humbly and respectfully, and lower one’s head in humility. If remembering Allah in other positions, it is permissible without dislike, but it is better to be in the most respectful posture if possible.
Allah (Most High) says:
“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the day and night, there are signs for people of reason. (They are) those who remember Allah while standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth (and pray), ‘Our Lord! You have not created (all of) this without purpose. Glory be to You! Protect us from the torment of the Fire.’” [Quran, 3:190-191]
13. Perseverance in Supplication
Anas Ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man entered the mosque on Friday through a door facing the pulpit while the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) was standing and delivering the khutba. The man stood facing the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) and said, “O Messenger of Allah, our livestock are dying, and the roads are cut off, so pray to Allah to grant us rain.” The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) raised his hands and said:
“O Allah, give us rain, O Allah, give us rain, O Allah, give us rain.”
Anas said: By Allah, we could not see any cloud in the sky, nor any patch of it, nor anything else. There was no house or building between us and Sal‘ (a hill near Madina). Then a cloud appeared like a shield. When it reached the middle of the sky, it spread, and then it began to rain. By Allah, we did not see the sun for six days. Then a man entered through that door on the following Friday while the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) was standing and delivering the khutba. The man stood facing him and said, “O Messenger of Allah, our wealth has been destroyed, and the roads are cut off. Pray to Allah to withhold it (the rain).” The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) raised his hands and then said:
“O Allah, around us and not on us. O Allah, on the hills and mountains, and the valleys and the places where trees grow.”
The rain stopped, and we walked out in the sunshine. [Bukhari; Muslim]
14. Raising Hands and Facing the Qibla During Supplication
Anas Ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) did not raise his hands in any of his supplications except in seeking rain, and he would raise them until the whiteness of his armpits was visible.” [Ibid.]
Salman (Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Your Lord is Modest and Generous, and would never turn away the hands of His servant when he raises them to Him.” [Ibn Hibban; Hakim; Abu Dawud; Tirmidhi]
15. Siwak Before Supplication
If there is any change (in smell), it should be removed with siwak or by rinsing with water.
‘Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Siwak purifies the mouth and pleases the Lord.” [Bukhari]
16. Return Greetings and Respond to the Sneezing
If someone greets him, he should return the greeting and then resume his dhikr. Similarly, if someone sneezes near him, he should respond and then return to his dhikr. Likewise, if he hears the sermon (khutba), he should listen. If he hears the call to prayer (adhan), he should respond to it and then return to his dhikr. Similarly, if he sees something wrong, he should correct it, or guide towards something good, or answer someone seeking guidance, and then return to his dhikr. Likewise, if he feels sleepy or something similar, he should rest and then resume his dhikr.
We ask Allah to make us among those who remember Him much, both men and women. Indeed, He is the All-Hearing, the All-Responding.
[Shaykh] Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad
Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad, born in Damascus, Syria, in 1965, pursued his Islamic studies in the mosques and institutes of Damascus. A graduate of the Islamic University of Medina in 1985, he holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from Bahauddin Zakariya University in Pakistan.
He has extensive experience developing curricula and enhancing the teaching of various academic courses, including conducting intensive courses. Shaykh Awad has taught Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Quranic sciences, the history of legislation, inheritance laws, and more at several institutes and universities such as Al-Furqan Institute for Islamic Sciences and Majma‘ al-Fath al-Islami in Damascus.
He is a lecturer at the Sultan Muhammad al-Fatih Waqf University in Istanbul, teaching various Arabic and Islamic subjects, and teaches at numerous Islamic institutes in Istanbul. Shaykh Awad is a member of the Association of Syrian Scholars, a founding member of the Zayd bin Thabit Foundation, a member of the Syrian Scholars Association, and a member of the Academic Council at the Iman Center for Teaching the Sunna and Quran.
Among his teachers from whom he received Ijazat are his father, Shaykh Muhammad Muhiyiddin Awad, Shaykh Muhiyiddin al-Kurdi, Shaykh Muhammad Karim Rajih, Shaykh Usama al-Rifai, Shaykh Ayman Suwaid, Shaykh Ahmad al-Qalash, Shaykh Muhammad Awwama, and Shaykh Mamduh Junayd.
