The Sleep of Negligence and the Revitalizing Power of Remembrance
One of the greatest calamities that can befall a heart is to become negligent of remembrance of Allah, leading to spiritual death. Worldly desires, selfish ambitions, and the pursuit of possessions coat the heart like rust. The sole remedy for this spiritual demise is to infuse the heart with the remembrance of the Divine – Zikrullah. Zikr is the lubricant for the heart’s strength, the wind beneath the wings of the soul. Consistent remembrance of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala (SWT) tames the nafs (ego), repels the whispers of Satan, and illuminates the inner realms with the light of devotion.
External and Internal Remembrance
Remembrance is not merely limited to the movement of the tongue. True remembrance involves both the tongue and the heart remembering Allah (SWT); for the tongue is a child of the heart and must follow it. External remembrance (Zahir) is the natural consequence of witnessing (Shuhud) and understanding that blossoms within the heart (Batini). A person first remembers the Creator with their heart, and then this sublime feeling manifests through their speech. Remembrance performed solely with the tongue, without reaching the heart, is incomplete. When the heart is completely filled with Allah’s light, all else besides Him vanishes, leaving only His absolute existence.
Divine Proximity Through Remembrance
The servant who perseveres in Zikrullah is the recipient of Allah’s (SWT) magnificent sacred hadith: “Remember Me, and I will remember you.” In accordance with the secret, “I am the companion of those who remember Me,” the servant attains a station of spiritual companionship and closeness during remembrance. In true remembrance, the servant transcends their own existence and plunges into an ocean of divine grace (fayz) and love (mahabba). At this level, supplications and requests give way to profound silence and absolute surrender. In short, Zikrullah is the strongest rope that connects the ephemeral human being to the Eternal Allah (SWT).