In our fast-paced lives, it is easy to forget the simplest actions that bring immense spiritual reward. A recurring theme in Islamic tradition is that the remembrance of Allah (dhikr) is both effortless and profoundly transformative. Yet, despite its simplicity, many of us neglect it-not because we are incapable, but because we do not think about it.
This article explores the blessings of dhikr, illustrated through stories, prophetic teachings, and real-life examples that remind us how easily we can revive our hearts.
The Value of a Few Minutes
The Prophet ﷺ taught us acts of remembrance that take minutes-sometimes seconds-yet carry unimaginable reward. For example:
- Saying SubḥānAllāh wa bi-ḥamdih 100 times:
- equals the reward of freeing ten slaves,
- writes 100 good deeds for you,
- wipes away 100 sins,
- and serves as protection from Shayṭān for the entire day.
He added that no one will come on the Day of Judgment with a better reward-except someone who said it more.
Despite its ease, how many of us do it daily? Allah does not need our dhikr; we are the ones in need of it. The question is not whether we can do it, but whether we remember to.
"SubḥānAllāh" - A Tree Planted in Jannah
When the Prophet ﷺ said, "SubḥānAllāh," he taught that a tree is planted in Jannah for the believer. One breath, one word, and a tree grows in Paradise-without effort, loss, or cost. You can be working, driving, walking, or cooking and still be planting gardens in the next life.
Words More Valuable Than Wealth
Some companions realized the priority of dhikr over material charity. One of them said:
"Saying SubḥānAllāh, SubḥānAllāh is more beloved to me than spending ten dinars in charity."
And those ten dinars at that time could equal over a thousand dollars today.
Why is dhikr better? Because its value is continuous, effortless, and directly tied to the purification of the heart.
Training Ourselves to Remember
We forget easily. One woman set reminders on her phone every morning:
- "Please don't disobey Allah today."
- "Please remember Allah."
Simple reminders can shift the entire direction of a day.
A touching story illustrates this further. A driver named Ali, a man of humble background, constantly repeated:
- SubḥānAllāh
- Alḥamdulillāh
- Lā ilāha illā Allāh
His entire journey from Jeddah to Makkah-more than an hour-was filled with remembrance. His education was unknown, his status modest, but in the sight of Allah, he may be far ahead of many highly educated people because his heart is continuously alive with dhikr.
Signs of a Hardened Heart
A man once came to the Prophet ﷺ and said:
"I feel that my heart has become hard."
A hardened heart is one that:
- cannot cry,
- feels no regret when sinning,
- prays mechanically without emotion,
- becomes desensitized to things that should affect it.
The Prophet ﷺ responded:
"Discipline your heart with the remembrance of Allah."
Dhikr softens what life, sin, and heedlessness harden.
Alive vs. Dead Hearts
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"The example of one who remembers Allah and one who does not is like the living and the dead."
Many bodies are alive, but how many hearts are truly alive? The measure is simple: How much do we remember Allah?
When Good Deeds Feel Overwhelming
A companion once said that he felt overwhelmed by the many doors of goodness and could not do everything. He pleaded:
"Tell me one thing I can hold on to."
The Prophet ﷺ answered:
"Keep your tongue moist with the remembrance of Allah."
This is the bottom line: if you cannot do everything, do dhikr. It is the easiest door to Allah.
Practical Ways to Keep the Heart Alive
- Integrate Allah's name into your conversations.
Say SubḥānAllāh, Alḥamdulillāh, Mā shāʾ Allāh, Yā Allah, naturally as you speak. - Read Qur'an, especially inside salah.
The highest form of worship is reciting Allah's words during your prayer. - Extend your salah by reading even one extra page.
It takes less than five minutes and transforms the spiritual quality of your prayer.
Some righteous individuals would recite the entire Qur'an in one night of standing prayer-eight hours of worship. Their hearts were alive, disciplined, and connected.
We struggle with five minutes. This shows the gap we must work to close.
If Our Hearts Were Pure...
At the door of one Qur'an school, a powerful statement was written:
"If our hearts were pure, we would never get enough of the words of Allah."
If Qur'an feels heavy or dhikr feels distant, the issue is not the Qur'an-it is the state of our hearts. The more we cleanse and soften our hearts through dhikr, the more the Qur'an becomes a comfort rather than a burden.
Dhikr is not difficult. It requires no special place, no ritual purity, no wealth, no status. It only requires presence. Through the remembrance of Allah, hearts soften, sins lighten, and the soul finds peace.
May Allah make us among those who:
- remember Him often,
- keep their tongues moist with His praise,
- find joy in Qur'an,
- and whose hearts are alive and responsive.
Āmīn.
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