"Remind yourselves of Allah, for it is a cure. Do not remind yourselves of the people, for it is a disease." [Al Zuhd pg. 101]
When one's heart is attached to other than Allah azza wa jall, it will not find rest until it completely turns to remembering the Creator more than the creation. The Creator is the only one who is aware of your insides and of your deepest, most precious thoughts and feelings. Many times we think and feel certain emotions that may pain us if we were to speak of them or express them. In fact, the ones we express these emotions to (if we were to do so) would find us crazy and not purely sane. The thought of remembering that there is one who knows how you feel is a great escape from these emotions themselves and an amazing thought to hold on to. The beauty of knowing and realizing that there is the One and Only who truly knows and understands you the best keeps the heart firm and content and puts a smile of contentment and faith on one's face.
Remembrance of Allah is an important part of worship in Islaam. Allah has mentioned dhikr (remembrance) many times in the Noble revelation. The greatest form of remembrance is reciting the Quran. Dhikr can be something as simple as gazing into a lovely, thick bush of green and a vine of daises growing with grace from a brown wood fence. The fence may have been together by man but the vine and luscious colors of the flowers were definitely designed by one, Allah tabaraka wa ta'ala. Dhikr can be looking up at a tall tree and realizing how Allah was the maker of this tall creation. Thinking of this tree or that thick bush of evergreen can make one think of what lies ahead in the gardens above and what Allah has prepared for the sincere believers in the next life. Dhikr can be to say some simple words that the prophet said may seem small to us but are heavy on the scale, "Subhaan Allahi wa biHamdih Subhaanil Adheem" One can say these words various times and grow oneself a forest of palm trees in al jannah without even realizing it. Dhikr can also be to remember the many times Allah azza wa jall found a way out for you from a tough situation when you were helpless and needed Him. Dhikr can be showing gratitude to the Most High for the many favours he has bestowed upon you, the big and small ones. The ultimate gain or win-win from dhikr is having gained inner peace and rest in one's heart from all the various feelings and distractions. It is most certainly as Al Haqq azza wa jall says,
Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest. [Surah Ar-Ra'ad ayah 28]
Remembering Allah and pondering over the creation and the beauty that surrounds and recalling the many favours He has bestowed upon us, helps us to be balanced in our heart and to feel contentment. Nowadays we feel so proud and accomplished when we make our daily adhkaar after our prayers and sunan. Sometimes we go over our adhkaar like they are a routine or chore. There are as we said various ways to remember Allah. The point is t ponder and contemplate and not simply recite words.To the early pious, dhikr or remembering Allah was their special moment of peace. It was their therapy for the body and soul. It was their way of cleansing their minds and hearts from all of the day's hardwork. It was a spiritual escape from the worldly filth and distractions of the glamours of the world.
Many of the people in the non-islaamic societies often complain of depression and anxiety. The reality and true problem is there is a major lack of emaan (faith). The heart will constantly suffer and be in a state of distress if is missing the ingredient of pure faith in its creator and submission to Him. How can one not expect depression when waking up every day to a life without true meaning and purpose? The heart of such a person will never be in complete peace. The heart of the believer is very strong compared to the heart of the non-believer. One realizes the true Creator and lives a life of meaning and is working towards a goal, while the other is in a constant state of confusion and walks around in the darkness of misguidance. The power of tawheed (belief in Allah) always outweighs the heart that is wavering around in disbelief , shirk and all sorts of deviation. There are many diseases of the heart as we know it. The believer can undoubtedly over come these diseases with remembrance of Allah the Almighty.
The heart must teach itself to not rely on others and remember them so much. The people can do little for you but it is Allah who is always there and watching over us even when we are not even aware. One of the beautiful and powerful names of the Creator is Al Khabeer meaning, "The All-Aware" Just imagine that there is one who is aware of every big and little thing in the universe, nothing is hidden from Him whatsoever. Imagine that there is one who controls all things, one who is aware of your very thoughts, intentions, and feelings and that only He can answer to your prayers just by you thinking it and not even raising your hands to Him yet.
Subhan Allah! Glory be to Him and He is free from all that they associate to Him.
May Allah make our hearts pure and give us rest in His remembrance. May Allah not make us so attached to others that we forget Him, our master and creator. The lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is in between.
Aameen, barak Allaahu feekum.
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