Gaining nearness to Allah

Imam Qushayri رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه writes, “My teacher said: لَا یَصِلُ اَحَدٌ اِلَی اللہِ اِلَّا بِدَوَامِ الذِّکْرِ - ‘A person can only draw nearer to Allah through consistent dhikr.’”^[1]

An action that turns beggars into kings

The world-famous Mawlānā Rūmi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه says in his poetry:

گَرْ تُوْ خَوَاہِی زِیْسْتَنْ بَاآبْرُوْ                                                                                                                            ذِکْرِ اُوْ کُنْ ذِکْرِ اُوُ کُنْ ذِکْرِ اُوُ

ہَرْ گَدَا رَا ذِکْرِ اُوْ سُلْطَاں کُنْدْ                                                                                                                   ذِکْرِ اُو بَس زَیْوَرِ اِیْمَاں بَوَد

ہَرْ کِہْ ِدیْوَانَہ بَوَدْ دَرْ ذِکْرِ حَقْ                                                                                                                      زِیْرِ پَائِشْ عَرْشْ وکُرْسِی نُہ طَبَق

Summary of these couplets:

If you wish to live an honourable life, remember Allah! Remember Allah! Remember Allah! The remembrance of Allah turns beggars into kings. The remembrance of Allah is the adornment of faith. Those who become fully engrossed in dhikr, the ʿArsh, Kursi and all stations are at his feet.

Making dhikr of Allah in abundance is sunnah

Umm al-Muʾminīn Sayyidatunā ʿĀishah Ṣiddīqah Ṭayyibah Ṭāhirah رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهَا relates, “The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would remember Allah at all times.”^[2]

Maktaba-tul-Madinah’s book Sīrat-e-Muṣṭafā describes how the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would make dhikr of Allah and make various duʿāˈ: