What Is the Effect of Remembrance of Allah on Man?
ما أثر ذكر الله على الإنسان؟
What is the effect of the remembrance of Allah on man?
The remembrance of Allah (Dhikr) is a foundational worship mentioned more than two hundred and fifty times in the Holy Quran. Its primary effect is bringing profound peace to the human heart, serving as spiritual nourishment that transforms a believer from a state of spiritual death to vibrant life.
Understanding the impact of Dhikr reveals why it is the ultimate medicine for the modern soul's anxieties and distress.
Why is the remembrance of Allah so frequently mentioned in the Quran?
It is mentioned more than two hundred and fifty times to emphasize that Dhikr is a continuous act of worship that should be present in all aspects of a believer's life, involving the heart, mind, and tongue.
How does Dhikr affect a person's emotional state?
As explicitly stated in Surah Ar-Ra'd, the primary emotional effect of Dhikr is profound tranquility and assurance. It calms the soul and removes anxiety by connecting the heart to its Creator.
What is the prophetic comparison between someone who remembers Allah and someone who does not?
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ beautifully compared the one who remembers Allah to a living person, and the one who neglects His remembrance to a dead person, illustrating that Dhikr is the true lifeblood of the spiritual heart.
The Impact of Remembrance on the Soul
1. A Comprehensive Worship
The remembrance of Allah is mentioned in the Holy Quran more than two hundred and fifty times. These verses collectively confirm that remembrance should accompany a person in all their affairs, conditions, and stages of life, because it is the worship of the heart, the mind, and the tongue.
2. Nourishment and Tranquility
The essence of Dhikr is that God Almighty made it nourishment for the heart. Allah Almighty says: (Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured.) Ar-Ra'd 13:28. Remembrance is life for the heart of the one who remembers, because if he remembers Allah with his tongue and his heart aligns with it, the soul finds rest and the spirit is calmed by His remembrance.
3. The Greatest Act
(Recite, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows that which you do.) Al-Ankabut 29:45. (This verse illustrates that while prayer prevents evil, the ultimate goal and the highest state achieved through it is the continuous remembrance of Allah).
4. The Living versus The Dead
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "The example of the one who remembers his Lord in comparison to the one who does not remember his Lord, is that of a living creature compared to a dead one." (Sahih al-Bukhari 6407) (This profound metaphor emphasizes that a body without Dhikr is merely a walking corpse, as true life resides in the connection with the Creator).
Scholarly Insight: In Islamic spirituality (Tazkiyah), Dhikr is not just a recommended action but the very lifeline of faith. Scholars note that while physical acts of worship like fasting and Hajj have specific times and limits, Dhikr has no bounds. The profound effect of Dhikr on the human psyche is that it directly combats anxiety, depression, and spiritual emptiness. Imam Ibn al-Qayyim famously stated that the heart has a void that cannot be filled by anything of this world, only by the remembrance of Allah. It acts as an anchor, ensuring that while the believer's hands are busy with worldly affairs, their heart remains firmly attached to the Creator, immune to the turbulent storms of life.
ما أثر ذكر الله على الإنسان؟
ذُكر الله في القرآن الكريم أكثر من مئتين وخمسين مرة، وهو عبادة أساسية. وأثره الرئيسي هو جلب الطمأنينة العميقة لقلب الإنسان، حيث يمثل غذاءً روحياً ينقل المؤمن من حالة الموت الروحي إلى الحياة النابضة.
إن فهم تأثير الذكر يكشف سبب كونه الدواء الأمثل لقلق وضيق الروح في العصر الحديث.
أثر الذكر على النفس
1. عبادة شاملة
وردت في القرآن مادة الذكر في أكثر من مئتين وخمسين آية، تؤكد هذه الآيات في مجموعها أن الذكر ينبغي أن يدور مع الإنسان في كل شؤونه، وأحواله، وأطواره، لأنه عبادة القلب، والفكر، واللسان.
2. الغذاء والطمأنينة
أصل الذكر أن الله سبحانه وتعالى جعله غذاءً للقلب قال تعالى: ﴿الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُمْ بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ ﴾ سورة الرعد 13:28. الذكر حياة لقلب الذاكر لأنه إن ذكر الله بلسانه وتواطأ على ذلك قلبه ولسانه فتسكن النفس وتهدأ الروح بذكره.
3. العمل الأكبر
(اتْلُ مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ ۖ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ ۗ وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ) العنكبوت 29: 45. (توضح هذه الآية أنه بينما تنهى الصلاة عن الشر، فإن الهدف الأسمى والحالة العليا التي تتحقق من خلالها هي دوام ذكر الله).
4. الحي والميت
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم (( مَثَلُ الَّذِي يَذْكُرُ رَبَّهُ وَالَّذِي لاَ يَذْكُرُ مَثَلُ الْحَيِّ وَالْمَيِّتِ ))، رواه البخاري 6407. (يؤكد هذا التشبيه العميق أن الجسد بلا ذكر ما هو إلا جثة تمشي، فالحياة الحقيقية تكمن في الصلة بالخالق).
1. The Oasis of Deep Psychological Tranquility | طمأنينة القلوب وسكينة الأرواح
In an anxious modern world, the Quran delivers the ultimate spiritual antidote in Surah Ar-Ra'd: "Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured" (13:28). Connecting with the Eternal Sovereign relieves existential dread, anchoring the restless mind in supreme peace.
أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ (سورة الرعد: 28)
يقدم القرآن الكريم العلاج الشافي لقلق النفس المعاصرة وحيرتها: {أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ}؛ فالقلب البشري لا يسكن ولا يرتاح بحطام الدنيا الفاني، وإنما يستقر أنسه حين يتصل بخالقه العظيم، فتزول عنه المخاوف وتهدأ اضطراباته.
2. Spiritual Life vs. Death: The Prophetic Metaphor | الفرق بين الحي والميت: حقيقة الحياة الإيمانية
The Prophet diagnosed the foundational difference between human souls: the person who remembers Allah is vibrant and alive, while one who is oblivious is like a walking corpse. Dhikr is the heartbeat of consciousness that distinguishes genuine spiritual existence from mere biological survival.
مَثَلُ الَّذِي يَذْكُرُ رَبَّهُ وَالَّذِي لاَ يَذْكُرُ مَثَلُ الْحَىِّ وَالْمَيِّتِ (صحيح البخاري 6407)
شبه النبي ﷺ أثر الذكر في النفس بالحياة والموت: "مثل الذي يذكر ربه والذي لا يذكر مثل الحي والميت"، رواه البخاري 6407؛ فالذاكر روحه حية نضرة تتنسم نسائم الإيمان، والغافل جسد ميت وإن مشى بين الناس وأكل وشرب، لتعطل بصيرته وحرمانه من نور ربه.
3. An Impenetrable Citadel Against Demonic Whispers | حصن حصين من وساوس الشيطان ونزغاته
Dhikr is a means of seeking Allah's protection from Satan (Al-Waswas Al-Khannas), whose whispers believers resist through remembrance and refuge in Allah. Ibn Kathir reports Ibn Abbas's explanation that the whisperer withdraws when a person remembers Allah and whispers during heedlessness. Believers therefore seek Allah's protection and resist the temptation to sin.
مِن شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ (سورة الناس: 4)
الذكر هو السلاح القاطع والدرع الحصين أمام كيد الشيطان وجنوده؛ وقد نقل ابن كثير عن ابن عباس أن الشيطان جاثم على قلب ابن آدم، فإذا غفل وسوس، وإذا ذكر الله خنس؛ فالذكر والاستعاذة بالله من أسباب دفع وسوسته ومقاومة إغوائه، مع دوام الحذر من الغفلة.
4. Enveloping Mercy and Angelic Accompaniment | تنزل السكينة وحفوف ملائكة الرحمة
When people gather to remember Allah, the authentic narrations describe blessings surrounding their gathering: specialized roving angels descend to encompass them with their wings, divine mercy wraps their gathering, and transcendent serenity settles into their hearts.
حَفَّتْهُمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ، وَغَشِيَتْهُمُ الرَّحْمَةُ، وَنَزَلَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّكِينَةُ (صحيح مسلم)
حين يجلس قوم يذكرون الله تحفهم الملائكة وتغشاهم الرحمة وتنزل عليهم السكينة ويذكرهم الله فيمن عنده؛ وقد ثبت أن الله يباهي ملائكته بالقوم الذين جلسوا يذكرونه ويحمدونه على هدايته ونعمته (صحيح مسلم 2701).
Scholarly Insight: The more than two hundred and fifty Quranic mentions of Dhikr underscore that human peace is not found in earthly wealth, but in uninterrupted conscious connection with the Divine. Read more in the tafsir of Surah Ar-Ra'd.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
What does Surah Ar-Ra'd (13:28) state regarding the heart's peace?
"Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured."
What metaphor did the Prophet use to contrast the one who remembers Allah from one who does not?
He compared them to the living and the dead (Sahih al-Bukhari 6407).
How does Dhikr protect a person from demonic whispers?
Al-Khannas is the withdrawing whisperer. Ibn Kathir reports Ibn Abbas's explanation that he withdraws with remembrance and whispers during heedlessness.
What three blessings descend upon people who sit remembering Allah?
Angels surround them, divine mercy covers them, and serenity descends upon their hearts.
Prepared by Eng. Ghada Homad, founder of IslamFAQ, researched and written in consultation with qualified scholars, reviewed by Professor Khaled Jassem Al-Houli, Associate Professor of Comparative Jurisprudence and Islamic Politics, Faculty of Sharia and Islamic Studies, University of Kuwait. Read more about the authors and this project →