Book Fifteen: The Book of the Remembrance of Allah:- Chapter 244 - The Excellence of the Remembrance of Allah

Juwairiyah bint Al-Harith , the Mother of the Believers reported: The Prophet came out from my apartment in the morning as I was busy in performing the dawn prayer. He came back in the forenoon and found me sitting there. The Prophet said,

"Are you still in the same position as I left you.''

I replied in the affirmative. Thereupon the Prophet said,

"I recited four words three times after I had left you. If these are to be weighed against all you have recited since morning, these will be heavier. These are: Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi, `adada khalqihi, wa rida nafsihi, wa zinatah `arshihi, wa midada kalimatihi [Allah is free from imperfection and I begin with His praise, as many times as the number of His creatures, in accordance with His Good Pleasure, equal to the weight of His Throne and equal to the ink that may be used in recording the words (for His Praise)].'' [Muslim].


Commentary: The recitation of the words quoted in this Hadith is highly meritorious and rewarding because they are full of Praise and Glorification of Allah.

Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari reported: The Prophet said,

"The similitude of one who remembers his Rabb and one who does not remember Him, is like that of the living and the dead.'' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].


Commentary: Lack of remembrance of Allah is akin to death. When a person dies, he is unable to do anything. Similarly, a person who does not remember Allah goes so far from Him that he cannot do anything which can benefit him.

Abu Hurairah reported: The Messenger of Allah said,

"Allah the Exalted says: `I am as my slave expects me to be, and I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me inwardly, I will remember him inwardly, and if he remembers Me in an assembly, I will remember him in a better assembly (i.e., in the assembly of angels).'' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].


Commentary: "I am as my slave expects me to be'' means that one should have the conviction that He accepts repentance, grants pardon, relieves people of their tensions and emancipates them from their troubles. Along with this conviction one should do good deeds which please Allah and avoid such deeds which have been prohibited by Him. With this conduct, one should hope for the best from Allah.

This approach is similar to that of a cultivator who ploughs his land, sows the seed, waters it, takes every possible care of it and then cherishes hope for a good crop. It can also be linked to the endeavours of a person who intends to become a scholar, or a physician or an engineer. The first and foremost requirement to pursue his ambition is to study the books through which he can gain the required knowledge. For every work one intends to do, one has to first make a foundation and then acquire the means essential for it. It is only then that one can hope to achieve one's aim.

Similar is the case of associating good hopes with Allah. Unless a person does not furnish the foundation of Faith and good deeds for it, it will be unwise to associate good hopes with Allah. A slave who rather than serving his master runs away or annoys him and still hopes that his master being so kind will not take him to task for his excesses would be called stupid by the people. The same is true of Allah, who is certainly the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful and Forgiving. But for whom is He so? The answer is for His faithful and obedient slaves and not for those who are followers of Satan. For Satan and his followers, Allah's Decision is that:

 "I will fill Hell with you (Iblis) and those of them (mankind) that follow you, together.'' (38:85).

Abu Hurairah reported: The Messenger of Allah said,

 "The Mufarridun have gone ahead.''  

He   was asked, "Who are the Mufarridun?'' He replied,

"Those men and women who frequently celebrate the remembrance of Allah.''  [Muslim].


Commentary: This Hadith highlights the following two points:

First, the eminence of plentiful remembrance of Allah. People who have this quality will be ahead of others in reward on the Day of Judgement.

Second, people who remember Allah and are obedient to Him, be they men or women, will be rewarded equally. In the matter of reward no distinction will be made on the basis of their gender.

Jabir reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah saying,

"The best way to celebrate the remembrance of Allah is to say: La ilaha illallah (there is no true god except Allah).'' [At-Tirmidhi].


Commentary: Since the Shahadah is the basis of Islam, its repetition in abundance has the greatest eminence. Some religious scholars regard only La ilaha illallah as eminent, while others hold that the second part of it (Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah) is also included in it. Thus, in their opinion both these parts of the Shahadah should be recited together.

Abdullah bin Busr reported: One of the Companions said, "O Messenger of Allah. There are many injunctions of Islam for me. So tell me something to which I may hold fast.''

He   said, "Keep your tongue wet with the remembrance of Allah.'' [At-Tirmidhi].


Commentary: Shara'i` is the plural of Shari`ah. Shari`ah is in the sense of Mashru`ah, that is the Divine injunctions. These Divine injunctions are of various kinds, i.e., some of them are obligatory, some desirable and some voluntary. The obligatory ones are compulsory and their compliance is indispensable. What is termed as Mustahabbat (desirables) are also highly important for gaining the Pleasure of Allah. Similarly, voluntary acts are a means of getting close to Allah.

Ordinary people are sometimes puzzled by the abundance of the latter and want to adhere to the first two, that is obligations and what comes in the category of desirables. A desire to this effect is mentioned in this Hadith. The Prophet answered the query in this matter by saying to the inquirer, "Keep your tongue wet with the remembrance of Allah.'' Keeping the tongue wet with the remembrance of Allah here means its abundant recitation. In other words, one should make the remembrance of Allah a permanent feature. If one is not able to do many voluntary good works, which some people find difficult, the remembrance of Allah will make up the deficiency in that regard.

Jabir reported: The Prophet said,

"For him who says: `Subhan-Allahi wa bi hamdihi (Allah is free from imperfection, and I begin with praising Him, and to Him),' a palm-tree will be planted in Jannah.'' [At-Tirmidhi].


Commentary: Jannah is so vast that we cannot even imagine its vastness. The planting of trees in return for the Praise and Glorification of Allah is, therefore, neither something difficult nor surprising. So, there should not be any hesitation in accepting it as a fact. Some people take it is as a metaphor for a plentiful reward.

Ibn Mas`ud reported: Messenger of Allah said,

"I met Ibrahim on the Night of Ascension (Al-Asra), and he said to me: `O Muhammad, convey my greetings to your Ummah, and tell them that Jannah has a vast plain of pure soil and sweet water. It is a plain leveled land. The plants grow there by uttering: Subhan Allah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illallah and Allahu Akbar (Allah is free from imperfection; praise be to Allah; there is no true god except Allah; and Allah is Greatest).'' [At-Tirmidhi].


Commentary: Qi`an is the plural of Qa` which means plain leveled land that does not have any tree. Trees grow on the plain land of Jannah in return for remembrance and Glorification of Allah. The more one remembers Allah, the greater is the number of trees which grow on the piece of land that will be awarded to him.

Abud-Darda reported: The Messenger of Allah said,

"Shall I not inform you of the best of your actions which are the purest to your Rabb, which exalt you to the high ranks, which are more efficacious than spending gold and silver (in charity), and better for you than you should encounter your enemies whom you will smite their necks and they will smite your necks?''

They said, "Certainly.'' He said,

"Remembrance of Allah the Exalted.'' [At-Tirmidhi].


Commentary: This Hadith also tells us about the eminence of remembrance of Allah, as the basis of every good deed is remembrance of Allah and expression of one's devotion and obedience to Him. Without these two, even the greatest virtue is useless and is of no value. Thus, we must always bear it in mind that remembrance of Allah is superior to everything else.

Sa`d bin Abu Waqqas reported: The Messenger of Allah and I went to see a woman. She had date-stones or pebbles in front of her, and she was counting and reciting Tasbih. [`Subhan-Allah' (Allah is free from imperfection)]. He  said,

"Shall I not inform you of what is easier or better than this for you?'' You should say: `Subhan-Allahi `adada ma khalaqa fis-sama', wa subhan-Allahi `adada ma khalaqa fil-ardi, wa subhan-Allahi `adada ma baina dhalika, wa subhan-Allahi `adada ma Huwa Khaliqun, wallahu Akbaru mithla dhalika, wal-hamdu lillahi mithla dhalika, wa la ilaha illallahu mithla dhalika, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahi mithla dhalika (Subhan-Allah, equal to the number of what He created in the heaven; and Subhan-Allah, equal to the number of His creatures in the earth; and Subhan-Allah, equal to the number in between them; and Subhan-Allah equal to the number of those He will create).' Then say: `Allahu Akbar' (Allah is Greatest) in the same way. Then say: `Alhamdulillah  (praise be to Allah) in the same way. Then say: `La ilaha illallah' (there is no true god except Allah) in the same way. Then say: `La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah' (there is no change of a condition nor power except by Allah) in the same manner.''  [At-Tirmidhi].


Commentary: Sheikh Al-Albani has accepted this Hadith as Hasan because of the defect in its authority. He has stated that the original narration of it is without any reference to gravels and stones (of fruits) and that is "Sahih'' and has been mentioned by Imam Muslim in his Sahih with reference to Jawairiyah . (See Riyad-us-Saliheen, edited by Sheikh Al-Albani).

Abu Musa reported: The Messenger of Allah said to me,

"Shall I not guide you to a treasure from the treasures of Jannah?''  

I said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah!'' Thereupon he said,

"(Recite) `La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah' (There is no change of a condition nor power except by Allah).'' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].


Commentary: In this Hadith the invocation "La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah'' has been regarded a treasure of Jannah or one of the most precious stores of Jannah. The reason for its high eminence seems to be that through it, one makes a confession of his utter weakness and helplessness and attributes all power and authority to Allah, and this is very much liked by Allah. This statement is an outright admission that man has no power and if he can prevent himself from any mischief or do any good deed, it is only by the Will of Allah and His Permission.