Chants, meditation, hymns, and the rosary—remembrance of the Divine has been a central theme in every faith throughout history.
It’s seen as the key to spiritual awakening, enlightenment, inner peace, and achieving nearness to a higher being.
In Islam, this remembrance is called Dhikr.
What makes Islam’s concept of dhikr different from that of other religions, especially the Dharmic ones, is that it isn’t confined to specific rituals, places, or moments.
The Quranic Concept of Dhikr
The Quran commands believers not just to remember Allah but to do so continuously
In Surah al-A’raf (7: 205), Allah says:
وَاذكُر رَبَّكَ في نَفسِكَ تَضَرُّعًا وَخيفَةً وَدونَ الجَهرِ مِنَ القَولِ بِالغُدُوِّ وَالآصالِ وَلا تَكُن مِنَ الغافِلينَ
“And do Dhikr of your Lord within your heart beseechingly and reverentially, without being loud, morning and evening, and do not be among the heedless.”
In Surah Ahzab (33:41), He commands again:
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ذِكْرًۭا كَثِيرًۭا
“O you who have faith! Do Dhikr of Allah with an abundant Dhikr”
In Surah al-Jumu’ah, Allah takes it a step further. In verse 9, He first refers to the Friday prayer itself as dhikr (فَاسعَوا إِلىٰ ذِكرِ اللَّهِ), then commands believers to continue performing dhikr even after the prayer:
فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةُ فَٱنتَشِرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱبْتَغُوا۟ مِن فَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرًۭا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
“And when the prayer is finished, disperse through the land and seek Allah’s grace, and do Dhikr of Allah abundantly so that you may be felicitous.”
These verses highlight that dhikr in Islam has no measure or boundary. It is an act that has to be performed continuously.
Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq expands this concept in the following narration:
فرَضَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ الْفَرَائِضَ فَمَنْ أَدَّاهُنَّ فَهُوَ حَدُّهُنَّ وَ شَهْرَ رَمَضَانَ فَمَنْ صَامَهُ فَهُوَ حَدُّهُ وَ الْحَجَّ فَمَنْ حَجَّ فَهُوَ حَدُّهُ إِلَّا الذِّكْرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَمْ يَرْضَ مِنْهُ بِالْقَلِيلِ وَ لَمْ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ حَدّاً يَنْتَهِي إِلَيْهِ
“Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has prescribed obligatory acts. Whoever performs them has fulfilled their prescribed limit.
He made the month of Ramadan obligatory, and whoever fasts it has reached its limit.
He made Hajj obligatory, and whoever performs it has reached its limit.
Except for Dhikr — for Allah, Mighty and Majestic, was not pleased with a little of it, nor did He set for it any limit at which one may stop.”
[Al-Kāfi, vol. 2, p. 499]
Why Must One Perform Dhikr Continuously?
Sura al-A’raf, verses 205 and 206, highlight both the consequences of not performing dhikr continuously and the benefits of doing it.
The Consequences of Not Doing Continuous Dhikr
In Surah al-A’raf, verse 205, Allah commands the believers to do Dhikr and not to be among the heedless.
Heedlessness – or ghafla – is a state of losing awareness of Allah, even momentarily, and has been described in narrations as one of the greatest spiritual diseases.
Just as a skilled driver can lose his life from a slight lapse of focus, a believer too can suffer great loss from even a moment of heedlessness.
When a person forgets Allah, they lose awareness of where they are heading and what their purpose is. And Shaytan loves that. He uses this state of heedlessness to rob a person of every good trait and deed without them even realising it.
Heedlessness or ghafla is also the root cause of arrogance, as can be understood from verses 205 and 206 of Surah al-A’raf. It is the very trait that led to Shaytan’s downfall and is now his primary trap to divert believers from the right path.
Being in a state of dhikr continuously protects the believer from this condition.
What Happens When a State of Continuous Dhikr is Achieved?
Those who live in constant remembrance of Allah can neither be heedless nor arrogant. They are not only safe from Shaytan’s influence, but also attain the state described in verse 206 of Surah al-A’raf:
إِنَّ الَّذينَ عِندَ رَبِّكَ لا يَستَكبِرونَ عَن عِبادَتِهِ وَيُسَبِّحونَهُ وَلَهُ يَسجُدونَ
“Indeed those who are near your Lord do not disdain to worship Him. They glorify Him and prostrate to Him.”
The greatest outcome of constant remembrance is reaching the state that Allah describes in this verse as – being among those who are near Him.
While Allah is near to everyone, only those who remember Him constantly live by this awareness.
And from verses 205 and 206 of Surah al-A’raf, we learn that those who attain this state of awareness experience three remarkable outcomes:
- Protection from Shaytan: Continuous, abundant dhikr purifies the heart, and keeps it humble, alert, and safe from Shaytan’s reach.
- Contentment in Allah’s decree: Those who live in His constant remembrance see His wisdom and mercy in everything and remain content with His will.
- A state of perpetual sujood: A heart that truly remembers Allah is described as being constantly in a state of sujood (the closest position a servant can be to Allah). They acknowledge their complete dependence on Allah and surrender to Him completely.
What Does It Mean to Do Dhikr Continuously?
Continuous dhikr does not mean spending every moment verbally repeating Allah’s name.
That’s humanly impossible.
Islam doesn’t even encourage withdrawing from life or abandoning responsibilities for dhikr or worship.
What does continuous dhikr mean, then?
The answer is in the meaning of the word dhikr itself.
Dhikr means ‘to remind’ or ‘remember.’
Continuous dhikr means being in a constant state of reminding or remembering Allah.
It is a condition where one lives with the understanding that Allah is always present, watching, guiding, and providing.
This awareness transforms even ordinary moments into acts of remembrance. It allows one to live in the world, fulfil their responsibilities, and still remain mindful of Allah.
When the heart reaches this state, the believer is never truly distracted. Even when the tongue is silent, the heart never forgets Him.
How Can One Achieve the Level of Remembrance That Allah Demands?
Surah al-A’raf, verse 205, highlights that dhikr must be done with:
- Presence of the heart
- Humility and reverence
- Quietness
- Regularity
But meeting all these conditions is often easier said than done.
Human hearts are forgetful and easily distracted. Amid the endless noise of daily life, it seems difficult to achieve (and sustain) the level of remembrance that Allah requires of us.
However, Allah, being the most merciful, hasn’t left us on our own.
Tasbih al-Zahra: The Divine Shortcut to Abundant Dhikr
One of the ways Allah’s mercy manifests for His creation is through Lady Fatima al-Zahra (salaamullahi alaiha).
According to the Quran, she is Kawthar – the abundant good. And through her, Allah made continuous remembrance easy for everyone.
Tasbih of Lady Fatima, or Tasbih al-Zahra, a gift given to Lady Fatima by the Prophet, carries the spirit of dhikr kathir.
Imam Jafar al-Sadiq said:
تَسْبِيحُ فَا طِمَةَ الزَّهْرَاء مِنَ الذِّكْرِالْكَثِيرِالَّذِي قَالَ اللّٰهُ عَزٌَوّجلَّ اذْكُرُوآللّٰه ذِكْراًكَثِيراً
“The Tasbih of Fatima al-Zahra is among the acts of abundant Dhikr that Allah referred to when He said, ‘Remember Allah with frequent remembrance.’”
[Al-Kāfi, vol. 2, p. 362]
Narrations mention 20 occasions to recite Tasbih al-Zahra, with strong emphasis on doing so after every obligatory prayer and before sleep.
When recited with a sincere heart, this Tasbih awakens the soul and helps a believer attain the state of constant remembrance.
When Hamza ibn Humran, a close companion of Imam al-Sadiq, supposedly asked about a practice for gaining spirituality in limited time, the Imam emphasised reciting Tasbih al-Zahra after the obligatory prayers. He then addressed Hamza and said:
حسبك بها يا حمزة
“That (reciting this Tasbih) alone is enough for you, O Hamzah.”
[Wasā’il al‑Shīʿa, vol. 6, p. 441]
The significance of Tasbih al-Zahra can be summarised by the following narration:
مَا عُبِدَ اللَّهُ بِشَيْءٍ مِنَ التَّحْمِيدِ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ تَسْبِيحِ فَاطِمَةَ عليها السلام، وَ لَوْ كَانَ شَيْءٌ أَفْضَلَ مِنْهُ لَنَحَلَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و آله فَاطِمَةَ عليها السلام
“Allah has not been worshipped by any form of glorification better than the Tasbih of Fatima. And if there had been anything better than it, the Messenger of Allah would have gifted it to Fatima.”
[Al-Kafi, vol. 3, pg. 343]
Remember Allah Continuously with Tasbih of Lady Fatima
The constancy of dhikr that the Qur’an calls for may seem beyond human capacity, but through Lady Fatima al-Zahra (salaamullahi alaiha), it becomes attainable for everyone.
Her Tasbih carries the essence of Kawthar. It allows every believer to build a connection with Allah and transform the heart in a way where it is in a continuous state of awareness, remembrance, and submission.
Through this Tasbih, Lady Fatima gives every believer a way to live the Quran’s call – to remember Allah abundantly.
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