Dhikr Meaning: What Is Dhikr in Islam? 6 Authentic Hadith

If you have ever asked what the word means, here is the dhikr meaning in one line: dhikr is the remembrance of Allah. The Arabic word means both to remember and to mention, so it covers what we hold in the heart and what we say with the tongue. Below are 6 authentic hadith that show what dhikr is, how it changes a person, and why the Prophet ﷺ called it the best of deeds.

Dhikr meaning: what is dhikr in Islam?

In the Quran and the Sunnah, dhikr is any remembrance of Allah: praising Him, glorifying Him, declaring His oneness, thanking Him and calling on Him. Allah commands it directly:

The everyday words of dhikr are short: SubhanAllah (glory be to Allah), Alhamdulillah (all praise is for Allah), La ilaha illallah (there is no god but Allah) and Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest). We explain them in the four heavy phrases of dhikr, and the Prophet ﷺ named the best of them in the best remembrance and supplication. You will find these terms, and many more, in our glossary of Islamic words.

Dhikr is wider than a list of phrases. In HadeethEnc’s explanation of Muslim 2676, the scholars note that dhikr can be with the tongue alone, the heart alone, or both together, which is the highest level. They also cite an-Nawawi: the virtue of dhikr is not limited to tasbih, tahlil, tahmid and takbir, because everyone who obeys Allah is, in that act, remembering Him.

1. The living and the dead

Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated this short comparison from the Prophet ﷺ.

A body without a soul is still there, but it has no life. HadeethEnc explains that the one who remembers Allah is like a living person, outwardly and inwardly, while the heedless one is like the dead. Its benefits add an-Nawawi’s point that a house should not be empty of the remembrance of Allah.

Try this: choose one room or one moment at home, such as after Maghrib, and make it a time when Allah is remembered aloud, even for two minutes.

2. Allah is with the one who remembers Him

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated this Hadith Qudsi, in which the Prophet ﷺ tells us what Allah says.

This is the heart of the dhikr meaning: when we remember Allah, He remembers us. HadeethEnc explains that Allah is with the one who remembers Him through mercy, success, guidance, care and support, and that His reward always exceeds the small step the slave takes towards Him.

Try this: when you feel alone or worried, remember Allah quietly in your heart and then with your tongue, trusting that He is with you as you do.

3. Angels surround the gatherings of dhikr

Al-Agharr Abu Muslim reported that Abu Hurayrah and Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with them) both bore witness that the Prophet ﷺ said:

Four gifts are named here: the company of angels, mercy, tranquility, and being mentioned by Allah. Dhikr is something we can do alone, but this hadith shows the special reward of doing it together, in a circle of learning, a family gathering or after salah in the masjid.

Try this: sit with your family for five minutes this week to read a few verses of the Quran or say the morning or evening dhikr together.

4. The mufarridun have gone ahead

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ was travelling on the road to Makkah and passed a mountain called Jumdan. He said:

HadeethEnc explains that the Prophet ﷺ likened those who remember Allah much to Jumdan, a mountain standing on its own, because they move ahead of others to the highest ranks of Paradise. The same words close a famous verse, Surah al-Ahzab 33:35, which promises them forgiveness and a great reward.

Try this: link a short dhikr to something you already do many times a day, such as unlocking your phone or waiting at a traffic light.

5. Keep your tongue moist with dhikr

‘Abdullah ibn Busr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man came to the Prophet ﷺ feeling overwhelmed.

The man was not asking to drop the obligations. He was asking for one easy deed he could keep up. HadeethEnc (which grades it Sahih) explains the answer: keep the tongue moving with remembrance at all times and in every state, with tasbih, praise, seeking forgiveness and dua.

Try this: pick one phrase, such as “SubhanAllah wa bihamdihi”, and repeat it on your commute instead of filling the silence with something else.

6. The best of deeds

Abu ad-Darda’ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ asked his Companions a question.

The same hadith is in Sunan Ibn Majah 3790, also graded Hasan (Darussalam). It does not mean we leave charity or other duties; it shows how much weight a deed that costs no money and little effort can carry with Allah.

Try this: before you sleep tonight, count one good deed that cost you nothing: a few minutes of dhikr can be that deed.

Bringing it together

Allah describes what dhikr does for the believer’s heart:

Reflection: I think many of us treat dhikr as something extra, for people with free time. These hadith turn that around. Dhikr is what keeps the heart alive, brings Allah’s company and His mention of us, and can carry more weight than gold. It asks very little: a moving tongue and a present heart.

Questions people ask

Key lessons

• The dhikr meaning is remembering and mentioning Allah, in the heart and on the tongue.
• The one who remembers Allah is like the living; the heedless one is like the dead.
• Allah is with the one who remembers Him and mentions him in a better gathering.
• Angels, mercy and tranquility surround those who sit together in dhikr.
• Dhikr is among the best and purest of deeds, and it costs nothing.

Part of our Dhikr series: see all our dhikr articles in one place.

A question to take with you: which moment of your day is still empty of the remembrance of Allah, and what short dhikr could fill it?

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