The Sleep of Carelessness and the Reviving Power of Remembrance
The greatest calamity that can befall a human heart is to become negligent of remembering Allah, leading to spiritual death. Worldly desires, selfish inclinations, and the desire for possession cover the heart like rust. The sole remedy for this spiritual death is to infuse the heart with the remembrance of God (Zikr). Remembrance is the strengthening oil for the heart, the wind for the wings of the soul. Constantly remembering Allah subdues the ego, repels the whispers of Satan, and illuminates the darkness within with the lamp of worship.
Outward and Inward Remembrance
Remembrance cannot be limited to the movement of the tongue alone. True remembrance is when both the tongue and the heart remember Allah; for the tongue is the offspring of the heart and must obey it. Outward remembrance is a natural consequence of witnessing (shahada) that sprouts inwardly and the clarity of understanding. A person first remembers the Creator with their heart, then this sublime feeling pours forth through their tongue. Any remembrance done only with the tongue, without reaching the heart, is incomplete. When the heart is completely filled with the light of Allah, everything other than Him (masiva) vanishes, leaving only His absolute existence.
Divine Proximity Through Remembrance
The servant who perseveres in remembrance becomes a recipient of the immense sacred hadith of God: “Remember Me, so that I may remember you.” In accordance with the secret, “I am the companion of those who remember Me,” the servant attains the station of spiritual companionship and closeness during remembrance. In true remembrance, the servant transcends their own existence and plunges into a sea of divine grace and love. At this level, prayers and supplications 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.