Dhikr (the remembrance of Allah) is a very powerful way of strengthening one’s relationship with Allah Almighty. Much like a meditative tool that helps to eliminate distractions and zeros in on acquiring tranquillity, the act of dhikr helps to focus on the greatness of Allah. The more one engages in dhikr, the more consistently they will want to do it as their peace of mind grows. This is because one’s connection with Allah is being strengthened.
“Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.” (13:28)
Allah loves the person who praises and glorifies him. This is a fact. There is no doubt that as God’s love for you and your love for God continues to grow, ease and tranquillity enter your home and your heart. This is not to say challenges will not arise; instead, one’s ability to tackle and overcome these challenges will feel more manageable as a result of this special connection. All down to the power of dhikr!
Though each and every one of us is at different stages of our prayer journeys, there is one constant. We all want to do better. We all want to be more consistent. Whether this is in the quantity of prayer or in the quality, being better is our unanimous goal.
But how do we get there?
Multiple ways of course - but what are we especially excited about?
The sixty-second challenge!
After finishing your prayer, we challenge you to stay on your prayer mat for just 60 seconds. That’s just one minute. Take that minute to engage in some form of dhikr (suggestions below). It could be as simple as saying Allah’s beautiful name out 60 times – one per second. What we really like is the thought of picking a quality of Allah that you are in need of at that moment in time. Seeking more blessing in your sustenance? Reflect on Allah’s quality of ‘Ar-Razzaq’, meaning ‘The Sustainer, The Provider’. The power of your earnest dhikr will insha’Allah rain down His Sustenance on you.
To what gain, you ask? Gently embolden your mind and body to stay on the prayer mat a little longer. While this may feel a little arduous to begin with, as you fight the urge to rush off the mat, Allah will lovingly recognize your effort to stay connected with him for a little longer. There is no doubt that He will reciprocate. You will feel a sweetness and a silent peacefulness as you sit on that mat. By the very nature of being constantly connected with your Creator, this will inject sincerity in your worship and impact your levels of mindfulness in salah itself.
Short and Sweet
We would like to share some simple suggestions for your sixty-second challenge. If you have any you practice and would love to share, please do comment below! May you be rewarded for all those who are inspired by your practice.
- Tahleel: La ilaha illallah (There is no God but Allah). Testifying to the oneness of Allah can only strengthen one’s faith.
- SubhanAllah x33, Alhamdulillah x33, Allahuakbar x34. Glorify, praise and declare His greatness.
- Subhanallahi wabihamdihi Subhanallahil azeem (Glory and Praise be to Allah, Glory be to Allah, The Greatest). This particular dhikr has been recommended by the Prophet (peace be upon him) as being light on the tongue [easy to memorise] and heavy on the scale [of reward]. [Sahih Bukhari & Muslim]
- Learning the 99 names of Allah. Allah loves that a person invokes His names in supplication. “And to Allah belongs the best names, so invoke Him by them…” [7:180] Your name is one component of your identity. The first step in knowing someone is knowing their name. When someone is important to you, you remember their name and you speak it with love and familiarity. A name connotes meaning. Knowing Allah (according to human ability) is loving Him. Knowing Him entails knowing His names that He has chosen to reveal to us. Learn them and revel in the beauty of their truths.
- Seeking forgiveness by reading Astagfirullah a hundred times (I seek Allah’s forgiveness).
- On Fridays, there is much benefit in sending salutations upon the Prophet (peace be upon him). This could be as simple as reciting Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allah be upon the Prophet). The aim is to recite as many as possible on a Friday but we recommend everyone starting with something manageable. There is a special salutation for example that is recommended for reading after the Asr Salah before leaving one’s prayer spot:
اللهم صل على محمد النبي الأمي وعلى آله وسلم تسليمًا
Transliteration: Allahumma salli alaa Muhammadi-nin na-biyyil ummiyyi wa alaa aali-hi wa-sallim tasleemaa
Translation: O Allah shower your mercy upon Muhammad (peace be upon him), the unlettered Prophet, and upon his family and grant them best of peace
Other than this, one could begin with a goal of a 100 and then slowly increase through the coming weeks as they maintain consistency. Remember, consistent habits are more pleasing to Allah than those only performed once or twice. Slow and steady wins the race!
- Reflecting on one quality of Allah as found in His 99 names inspired by your own needs in that moment.
- Ponder over Allah’s cosmic signs. This would be so meaningful, particularly if the prayer has been performed outside in nature or in one’s travels. About the cosmic signs, Allah says: “In the creation of the heavens and earth and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs…” (3:190)
- Express gratitude by listing all the things you are thankful for in that moment or in that day. “Alhamdulillah for the breakfast that I was able to prepare today. Alhamdulillah for my car that got me to work today…” This may seem like a verbal exercise but anticipate the way it begins to solidify your connection with your Creator as the truth and extent of His blessings dawn on you – subhanAllah.
- The simplest one of all? Recite the beautiful name of Allah. ‘Allah’, ‘Allah’, ‘Allah’.
Challenge:
It can feel overwhelming trying something new and making it a part of your life. Our tip for you is to pick just one suggestion from the list above (or perhaps there’s something we haven’t mentioned that you’d like to try) and try it for a week. Perhaps try it with just one prayer or two a day: put it in your diary or habit tracker and tick it off once accomplished that day. You’ll get the satisfaction of seeing your target being met and insha’Allah you will be motivated to try again the second time you are on your menses!
So ladies and gentlemen, set that timer to 60 seconds and watch your countdown to heaven soar you to levels of mindfulness that one can only imagine.
Share your success stories with us on social media. Success doesn’t look the same for everyone so please don’t hesitate! Just attempting the challenge looks pretty successful to us!