https://www.khutbah.info/the-virtue-of-remembrance/ Indeed, the purest of deeds, the best of characteristics, and the most beloved to Allah—the Possessor of Majesty—is the remembrance of Allah, the Exalted. Al-Tirmidhi and others narrated from Abu al-Darda (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Shall I not inform you of the best of your deeds, and the purest of them with your Master, and the highest of them in your ranks, and better for you than giving away gold and silver, and better for you than meeting your adversary and striking their collars and them striking yours? They said, Yes, O Messenger of Allah! He said: The remembrance of Allah, the Exalted. [Sahih Tirmithi 3377, Grade: Sahih (Albani)]
إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ ,نَحْمَدُهُ ,وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ , وَنَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا ,مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ , وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ , وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Verily, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, we seek His assistance and we ask for His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Him from the evils of our selves. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide. Whoever He misguides, none can guide. And I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.
يَا أَيُّهَا الّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ – آل عمران:102
Al Imran 102 : O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam.
Oh people:
Indeed, the purest of deeds, the best of characteristics, and the most beloved to Allah—the Possessor of Majesty—is the remembrance of Allah, the Exalted. Al-Tirmidhi and others narrated from Abu al-Darda (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
أَلَا أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِخَيْرِ أَعْمَالِكُمْ وَأَزْكَاهَا عِندَ مَلِيكِكُمْ وَأَرْفَعِهَا فِي دَرَجَاتِكُمْ، وَخَيْرٍ لَكُمْ مِنْ إِنْفَاقِ الذَّهَبِ وَالْوَرِقِ وَخَيْرٍ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَنْ تَلْقَوْا عَدُوَّكُمْ فَتَضْرِبُوا أَعْنَاقَهُمْ وَيَضْرِبُوا أَعْنَاقَكُمْ؟ قَالُوا بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ قَالَ ذِكْرُ اللهِ تَعَالَى
Shall I not inform you of the best of your deeds, and the purest of them with your Master, and the highest of them in your ranks, and better for you than giving away gold and silver, and better for you than meeting your adversary and striking their collars and them striking yours? They said, Yes, O Messenger of Allah! He said: The remembrance of Allah, the Exalted. [Sahih Tirmithi 3377, Grade: Sahih (Albani)]
Those who remember Allah, the Exalted, are the forerunners in the journey toward Allah and the eternal home of the Hereafter. It is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
سَبَقَ الْمُفَرِّدُونَ قَالُوا وَمَا الْمُفَرِّدُونَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ الذَّاكِرُونَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا وَالذَّاكِرَاتُ
The Mufarridun have outpaced (others)! They said, “O Messenger of Allah, who are the Mufarridun? He said, Those men and women who remember Allah much.[Muslim 2676]
These, are the ones for whom Allah has prepared a noble status and a tremendous reward. Allah Almighty said:
وَالذَّاكِرِينَ اللَّهَ كَثِيراً وَالذَّاكِرَاتِ أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ مَغْفِرَةً وَأَجْراً عَظِيماً
Al-Ahzab (33) 35: And the men who remember Allāh often and the women who do so – for them Allāh has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.
The remembrance of Allah, is the life of the hearts. There is no life for hearts except through it. It is narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari from Abu Musa al-Ashʿari (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
مَثَلُ الَّذِي يَذْكُرُ رَبَّهُ وَالَّذِي لَا يَذْكُرُ رَبَّهُ مَثَلُ الْحَيِّ وَالْمَيِّتِ
The example of the one who remembers his Lord and the one who does not remember his Lord is like the example of the living and the dead. [Bukhari 6407]
The heart will never find peace, tranquility, joy, delight, or happiness except through the remembrance of Allah, the Exalted. Allah Almighty said:
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُمْ بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ
Ar-Raʿd (13) 28: Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allāh. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allāh hearts are assured.
The remembrance of Allah, the Exalted, is relief after hardship, ease after difficulty, solace after distress and worry. In it is the removal of afflictions, the facilitation of matters, and the realization of comfort and happiness in both this world and the Hereafter. There is no affliction alleviated and no hardship removed by anything better than the remembrance of Allah—Blessed and Exalted is He. Our Prophet ﷺused to say in times of distress:
لَا إلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْعَظـيمُ الْحَلِـيمْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ رَبُّ العَـرْشِ العَظِيـمِ لَا إِلَـهَ إِلَّا اللَّهْ رَبُّ السَّمَـوّاتِ ورّبُّ الأَرْضِ ورَبُّ العَرْشِ الكَـريم
There is none worthy of worship but Allah, the Mighty, the Forbearing. There is none worthy of worship but Allah, Lord of the Magnificent Throne. There is none worthy of worship but Allah, Lord of the heavens and Lord of the earth, and Lord of the Noble Throne. [Bukhari 6346, Muslim 2730a]
And he ﷺ said:
دَعْوَةُ ذِي النُّونِ إِذْ دَعَا وَهُوَ فِي بَطْنِ الْحُوتِ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ . فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَدْعُ بِهَا رَجُلٌ مُسْلِمٌ فِي شَيْءٍ قَطُّ إِلاَّ اسْتَجَابَ اللَّهُ لَهُ
The supplication of Dhun-Nun (Prophet Yunus) when he supplicated, while in the belly of the whale was: ‘There is none worthy of worship except You, Glory to You, Indeed, I have been of the transgressors. So indeed, no Muslim man supplicates with it for anything, ever, except Allah responds to him. [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3505, Grade: Sahih]
The remembrance of Allah, brings back lost blessings and preserves existing ones. There is no means by which blessings are acquired or safeguarded better than the remembrance of Allah—Blessed and Exalted is He. Allah Almighty said:
وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ وَلَئِنْ كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ
Ibrahim (14) 7: And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe.'”
The remembrance of Allah—Glorified and Exalted—is a remover of burdens, an expiation for sins, a means of elevation in ranks, and a path to high status in the sight of Allah—Blessed and Exalted is He. There is nothing that removes burdens like His remembrance.
Al-Tirmidhi narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
مَا شَيْءٌ أَنْجَى مِنْ عَذَابِ اللَّهِ مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ
There is nothing that brings more salvation from the punishment of Allah than the remembrance of Allah. [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3377, Grade: Hassan]
It is also authentically reported from him ﷺ that he said:
مَنْ قَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ فِي يَوْمٍ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ حُطَّتْ خَطَايَاهُ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ مِثْلَ زَبَدِ الْبَحْرِ
Whoever says: ‘Subḥān Allāh wa biḥamdih’ (Glory be to Allah and praise be to Him) one hundred times, his sins will be forgiven, even if they are as much as the foam of the sea. [Bukhari 6405, Muslim 2691]
There are many Hadiths with this same meaning.
The remembrance of Allah, the Exalted, is the cultivation of Paradise. There is nothing by which Paradise is cultivated like the remembrance of Him Almighty.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
مَنْ قَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ غُرِسَتْ لَهُ نَخْلَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ
Whoever says Glorified is Allah the Most Great and praised is He will have a date palm planted for him in Paradise. [Tirmithi 3465, Grade: Sahih (Albani)]
Al-Tirmidhi also narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
لَقيتُ إبراهيمَ ليلةَ أُسْريَ بي فقالَ يا محمَّدُ أقرئ أمَّتَكَ منِّي السَّلامَ وأخبِرْهُم أنَّ الجنَّةَ طيِّبةُ التُّربةِ عذبةُ الماءِ وأنَّها قيعانٌ وأنَّ غِراسَها سُبحانَ اللَّهِ والحمدُ للَّهِ ولا إلَهَ إلَّا اللَّهُ واللَّهُ أَكْبرُ
I met Ibrahim, the Khalil (Beloved) of Allah, the night I was taken on the Night Journey, and he said to me: ‘O Muhammad, convey my greetings to your Ummah, and tell them that Paradise has good soil and sweet water, and that it is a flat plain, and its vegetation is: Subḥān Allāh (Glory be to Allah), Al-ḥamdu lillāh (Praise be to Allah), Lā ilāha illa Allāh (There is no god but Allah), and Allāhu akbar (Allah is the Greatest). [Tirmidhi 3462, Grade: Hassan (Albani)]
The remembrance of Allah, consists of words that are light upon the tongue and uttered with minimal effort and without hardship—but they carry immense reward and great recompense and are beloved to Allah—Mighty and Majestic.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
كَلِمَتَانِ خَفِيفَتَانِ عَلَى اللِّسَانِ، ثَقِيلَتَانِ فِي الْمِيزَانِ، حَبِيبَتَانِ إِلَى الرَّحْمَنِ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ ، سُبْحانَ اللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ
Two words, light on the tongue, heavy in the balance, beloved to the Most Merciful: Subḥān Allāh wa biḥamdih, Subḥān Allāh al-‘Aẓīm (Glory be to Allah and praise be to Him, Glory be to Allah the Almighty). [Bukhari, 6682 Muslim 2694]
The remembrance of Allah—Glorified and Exalted—repels the devils. It saves from their whispers, their evil, their plots, and their traps. Allah Almighty said:
وَإِمَّا يَنْزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ نَزْغٌ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
Fussilat (41) 36: And if there comes to you from Satan an evil suggestion, then seek refuge in Allāh. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
Allah Almighty also said:
وَقُلْ رَبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَنْ يَحْضُرُونِ
Al-Mu’minun (23) 97–98: (97) And say, ‘My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the incitements of the devils. (98) And I seek refuge in You, my Lord, lest they be present with me.’
Allah Almighty also said:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا إِذَا مَسَّهُمْ طَائِفٌ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ تَذَكَّرُوا فَإِذَا هُمْ مُبْصِرُونَ
Al-A’raf (7) 201: Indeed, those who fear Allāh – when an impulse touches them from Satan, they remember [Him] and at once they have insight.
Allah Almighty also said:
وَمَنْ يَعْشُ عَنْ ذِكْرِ الرَّحْمَنِ نُقَيِّضْ لَهُ شَيْطَاناً فَهُوَ لَهُ قَرِينٌ
Az-Zukhruf (43) 36: And whoever is blinded from the remembrance of the Most Merciful—We appoint for him a devil, and he is to him a companion.
The fruits of remembrance and the benefits that it brings are countless and innumerable. I advise myself and you to read the book Al-Wabil As-Sayyib min al-Kalim At-Tayyib by the scholar Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (may Allah have mercy on him). In it, he—may Allah have mercy on him—enumerates more than seventy great benefits of the remembrance of Allah—Blessed and Exalted be He.
When one reflects upon these immense benefits, their desire to maintain the remembrance of Allah will increase, and their eagerness to uphold it will grow.
أَقُولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
I say what you have heard and I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and you from every sin. So seek forgives from Him, Verily He is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Second Khutbah
الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ, وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ , وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَاْ إِلَهَ إِلَّاْ اَللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَاْشَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَاً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ
All praise is to Allah, and peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.
Oh Muslims:
Indeed, there are many Quranic verses and numerous authentic Hadiths of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ urging the remembrance of Allah, commanding it in abundance and clarifying the reward for those who frequently remember Allah.
Allah, the Exalted, says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا هُوَ الَّذِي يُصَلِّي عَلَيْكُمْ وَمَلَائِكَتُهُ لِيُخْرِجَكُم مِّنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ ۚ وَكَانَ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَحِيمًا
Al-Ahzab (33) 41–43: (41) O you who have believed, remember Allah with much remembrance. (42) And exalt Him morning and afternoon. (43) It is He who confers blessing upon you, and His angels [ask Him to do so] that He may bring you out from darknesses into the light. And ever is He, to the believers, Merciful.”
Ibn ʿAbbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: If you do that, that is remember Allah abundantly, then He and His angels will send blessings upon you.
And Allah the Most High says:
وَالذَّاكِرِينَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا وَالذَّاكِرَاتِ أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا
Al-Ahzab (33) 35: And the men who remember Allāh often and the women who do so – for them Allāh has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.
And Allah the Most High says:
وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
Al-Anfal (8) 45: And remember Allah much that you may succeed.
And there are many more verses and Hadiths urging frequent remembrance of Allah and commanding it abundantly.
The scholars have stated in the books of tafsir and the commentaries on Hadith that if a Muslim is consistent in the morning and evening remembrances, the remembrances after the obligatory prayers, the remembrances before sleep, the remembrances when entering and exiting the home, when riding, when eating and drinking, and after completing meals, along with maintaining general (unrestricted) remembrance throughout the day and night then he or she is written among those men and women who remember Allah much, about whom Allah said:
وَالذَّاكِرِينَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا وَالذَّاكِرَاتِ أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا
Al-Ahzab (33) 35: And the men who remember Allāh often and the women who do so – for them Allāh has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.May Allah make us all among those who remember Him often, uphold His obedience and worship Him sincerely. Indeed Allah is All Hearing, Answering.
هَذَا وَصَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى نَبِيِّكُم كَمَا أَمَرَكُمْ بِذلِكَ رَبُّكُمْ , فَقَالَ
I conclude with this and send prayers of blessings and peace upon your Prophet as your Lord commanded:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
Al Ahzaab (33) 56: Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace.
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنا فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنا فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنا فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لنا فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنا شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ
O Allah, guide us with those whom You have guided, grant us well-being among those You have granted well-being, be an ally to us along with those whom You are an ally to, and bless what You have bestowed upon us, and save us from the evil of what You have decreed. For verily You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You support can never be humiliated. Glory is to You, our Lord, You are Blessed and Exalted.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الشَّرِّ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا سَأَلَكَ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَاذَ بِهِ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ كُلَّ قَضَاءٍ قَضَيْتَهُ لَنا خَيْرًا
O Allah, We ask You for all that is good, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we seek refuge with You from all evil, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we ask You for the good that Your servant and Prophet has asked You for, and we seek refuge with You from the evil from which Your servant and Prophet sought refuge. O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and for that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed, and we seek refuge in You from Hell and from that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed. And we ask You to make every decree that You decree concerning us good
عِبَادَ اللّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ
Servants of Allah. Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.
اُذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ واشْكُرُوهُ يَزِدْكُمْ واسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لكُمْ واتّقُوهُ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ مَخْرَجًا وَأَقِمِ الصّلَاة
Remember Allah, the Great – He will remember you. Thank Him for His favors – He will increase you therein. And seek forgiveness from Him – He will forgive you. And be conscious of Him – He will provide you a way out of difficult matters. And, establish the prayer.
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