In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The Greatness of the Remembrance of Allah (In the Light of the Qur’an)

فَٱذْكُرُونِىٓ أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَٱشْكُرُوا لِى وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ
“My servants, remember Me; I will remember you. Be grateful to Me and do not be ungrateful.”
(Al-Baqarah 2:152)

وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ
“And indeed, the remembrance of Allah is greater than all things.”
(Al-Ankabut 29:45)

وَاذْكُرْ رَبَّكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعًا وَخِيفَةً
“And remember your Lord within yourself with humility and fear.”
(Al-Araf 7:205)

وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
“And remember Allah abundantly so that you may attain success.”
(Al-Jumuah 62:10)

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ
“O believers! Let not your wealth or your children distract you from the remembrance of Allah. Whoever becomes heedless of this—such people are the losers.”
(Al-Munafiqun 63:9)

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا • وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا
“O believers! Remember Allah abundantly, and glorify Him morning and evening.”
(Al-Ahzab 33:41–42)

From several verses it becomes clear that the purpose and spirit of the greatest acts of worship is the remembrance of Allah. For example:

وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِذِكْرِي
“Establish Salah for My remembrance.”
(Ta-Ha 20:14)

فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَانتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
“When the prayer is concluded, disperse through the land, seek the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah often so that you may succeed.”
(Al-Jumuah 62:10)

وَاذْكُرِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا • وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَاسْجُدْ لَهُ وَسَبِّحْهُ لَيْلًا طَوِيلًا
“And remember the Name of your Lord morning and evening. And during the night prostrate to Him and glorify Him for a long part of the night.”
(Ad-Dahr 76:25–26)

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا لَقِيتُمْ فِئَةً فَاثْبُتُوا وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
“O believers! When you encounter an enemy force, remain firm and remember Allah abundantly so that you may be successful.”
(Al-Anfal 8:45)

إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِّأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ
الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ
“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day are signs for people of understanding—those who remember Allah while standing, sitting, and lying on their sides.”
(Aal Imran 3:190–191)

وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ نَسُوا اللَّهَ فَأَنسَاهُمْ أَنفُسَهُمْ
“And do not be like those who forgot Allah, so He caused them to forget themselves.”
(Al-Hashr 59:19)

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّىٰ • وَذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهِ فَصَلَّىٰ
“He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself, remembers the Name of his Lord, and performs Salah.”
(Al-Ala 87:14–15)

الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ
“Those who believe and whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of Allah—surely, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find peace.”
(Ar-Rad 13:28)