VIRUES OF DHIKR SITTINGS

Anas (RA) narrates that Rasulullah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: When you pass the gardens of paradise then graze well. They asked: What are the gardens of paradise? He replied: The gatherings of Zikr

Shaikh Zakariyya’s (R) commentary:

It means that the fortunate one who has an opportunity of reaching such a gathering must feel privileged that he had an opportunity of going into a ‘garden of Paradise’ in this world. ‘Graze well’ means that just as an animal enjoys grazing in a pasture and cannot be moved away easily even if it is beaten by the owner, so too the person ‘grazing’ in the ‘gardens of paradise’ must not be quickly distracted by worldly concerns or fears but should try to remain there as long as possible. Just as Jannah is a place that is free from all sorts of calamities, so too the gatherings of Zikr are ‘safe-havens’; free from all worldly calamities. This Hadith is general and applies to a Masjid or any where else

Shaikh Zakariyya’s (R) commentary:

Mulla Ali Qari (R) explains that Allah boasts about these people because despite having worldly engagements, natural desires, temptations and the shaitaan trying to mislead them, they do not neglect and turn away from My remembrance; then the Zikr of the angels who are faced with none of these obstacles is no comparison to their Zikr.

Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates that Rasulullah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said that Allah Ta’ala says: I treat my servant according to his opinion of Me and I am with him when he remembers Me; if he remembers Me privately, I remember him privately and if he remembers Me in public, I remember him in a gathering (of the angels which is) better than his gathering

- Narrated by Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmizi, Nasai, Ibn-Majah, Ahmad

Abu Hurairah and Hazrat Abu Sa’eed (RA) testify (upon oath) that Rasulullah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said:

Any group of people who engage in the Zikr of Allah, the angels envelop them and mercy cascades upon them, tranquillity descends upon them and Allah remembers them in the presence of those who are by Him.

- Narrated by Muslim, Tirmizi, Ibn-Abi-Shaibah

It should be noted that this Hadith applies to Zikr in the Masjid and elsewhere

فاذكرونى اذكركم و اشكروا لى ولا تكفرون

“So remember Me (with Zikr) and I will remember you and be grateful unto Me and do not be ungrateful.” 2:152


الذين آمنوا وتطمئن قلوبهم بذكر الله الا بذكر الله تطمئن القلوب

“Those who believe (in Allah) and their hearts acquire tranquility with the remembrance of Allah. Hear well! It is only through the remembrance of Allah that hearts acquire tranquility.” 13:28

يا ايها الذين آمنوا اذكروا الله ذكرا كثيرا وسبحوه بكرة وأصيلا

“O Believers remember Allah in great abundance and glorify Him morning and evening.” 33:41/42

Narrated Abu Ma'bad: (the freed slave of Ibn 'Abbas) Ibn 'Abbas told me, "In the lifetime of the Prophet it was the custom to celebrate Allah's praises aloud after the compulsory congregational prayers." Ibn 'Abbas further said, "When I heard the dhikr, I would learn that the compulsory congregational prayer had ended."
(Sahih Bukhari Book #12, Hadith #802)

Sahih Muslim: Book #004, Hadith #1211, Book #004, Hadith #1794, Book #035, Hadith #6505.

Chapter 67: dhikr AFTER THE PRAYER

Chapter 69: EXCELLENCE OF dhikr AFTER PRAYER AND ITS DESCRIPTION

Malik's Muwatta Book #5, Hadith #5.1.1, Book #15, Hadith #15.7.24