THE ESSENCE OF ALL WORSHIP
Remembering God Always
ABDULLAH IBN ABBAS, the Prophet Muhammad’s cousin and Companion, once said that to everything that God has prescribed there is a definite limit, which can be waived when one is indisposed. Dhikr, or remembrance of God, on the other hand, has no limit; nor can it be excused on account of any disposition. Here are two sayings of the Prophet concerning dhikr:
‘‘‘Shall I tell you what the best action is, that is most pleasing to your Lord, which will raise you up most in His sight?’ the Prophet asked. ‘Please do, Prophet of God,’ the Companions replied. ‘Remembrance of the Almighty and Exalted God,” the Prophet said.
“A man came to the Prophet and asked which of those who struggle for the divine cause would have the greatest reward. ‘The one who remembers God most,’ the Prophet replied. He then asked which of those who fast would have the greatest reward. The Prophet answered again: ‘The one who remembers God most.’ The man then asked about those who pray, pay the poor-due, perform pilgrimage and give charity. The Prophet gave the same reply to all his questions. ‘Those who remember God receive all the rewards.’ (Musnad Ahmad)
Remembrance of God is the greatest of all forms of worship for the simple reason that it is the essence of all worship. Essentially, dhikr is another word for realization of God. Dhikr is the state which overcomes a person when he discovers God, when he breaks through the veil of outward forms and penetrates the world of inner meanings. It is only natural that when this happens, he should be mindful of God all the time. When a person discovers God in all His glory and greatness, the effect that it has on him is shattering. His heart and mind are shaken with deep realization of the momentous nature of his discovery. He gives tongue to a litany of praise and adoration.
Dhikr is the state that God’s humble servant experiences when he considers God’s favours and reflects upon God’s perfection. No believing soul can remain unmoved by such an experience. The awareness of God that fills his heart springs spontaneously to his lips and manifests itself in the form of divinely inspired words. His thoughts are on how life started, and how it will end—what came before the world and what will come afterwards.
We cannot think of a sun which refuses to shine, or a computer which has no operator. But when we look at the world, we behold great spectacles which all appear to be of their own fashioning. There is art but no artist, masterpieces but no fashioner, coordination but no coordinator, movement but no mover, life but no life-giver. Dhikr is to cross this chasm, to see beyond the world of visible forms to the invisible force that lies beyond; to see the face of the Creator hidden in the veil of His creation. The feelings which he experiences at such a time and the words with which he expresses his feelings are what make up dhikr.
The night of July 16, 1969, was one of tremendous action in newspaper offices the world over. The first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong, had made his landing. The news editor of one daily newspaper was sitting back in his chair. A pile of papers lay stacked before him on the desk. When asked about the latest news, he said: “A lot of very thrilling news is coming in.”
When people hear of man traveling from the earth to the moon, they feel a “thrill”. How is then, that they do not feel thrilled to see the earth and the moon, and the staggering coordination that lies between them?
Dhikr is to change the target of one’s vision, to become excited at the work of God, as people normally become excited at the work of man.
