Welcome to the 16th episode of Heavenly Call on the occasion of the blessed fasting month of Ramadhan.

We start with the special supplication of the 16^th day:

“O Allah, enable me this day to follow in the steps of the pious; hold me back in it from the company of the wicked; and grant me haven in the abode of permanence with Your mercy; by Your Divinity O God of all the worlds!”

Yesterday we discussed God’s commandment to the believers to shun duplicity in words and deeds as it is the sign of hypocrisy. Today we focus on Zikr or the remembrance of God, which is one of the important factors that can prevent us from duplicity of words and deeds. The Noble Qur'an says in this regard in ayahs 41 and 42 of Surah al-Ahzaab:

“O you who have faith! Remember Allah with frequent remembrance;

And glorify Him morning and evening.”

Human beings are in need of a safe haven in order to feel secure within it, in order to firm up their faith and develop the spirit to embark on the various aspects of life with motive so as to achieve both their material and spiritual goals, with no fear of dangers and problems. At the same time, if some setback were to occur, the true believer never gets disappointed, but on the contrary, with hope in God, he strives with more endeavor to achieve success.

The Noble Qur'an, cautioning people not to seek shaky refuges that are prone to destruction, says in ayah 41 of Surah Ankabout:

“The parable of those who take guardians instead of Allah is that of the spider that takes a home, and indeed the frailest of homes is surely the home of a spider; had they known.”

Thus, the innate call of monotheism guides us towards refuge in the One and Only God and to always remember Him, since His power is superior to all powers and will never perish. It is only He who can grant us tranquility in the most adverse circumstances, give us hope and show us the straight and unwavering path. Therefore, not just the performance of the five times daily ritual prayers, but every moment of our life, beginning with our rising from the bed, taking of food, leaving home for work, discharging our duties, familiarizing ourselves with the latest news and developments, recreational activities, returning to the sanctuary of the home in the afternoon or the evening, relaxing with our family, chatting with our friends, and going to bed at night, we should always be cognizant of God Almighty.

The question is: What is the remembrance of God and how can we properly observe it?

The answer is simple. The remembrance of God has three stages, that is, through words, deeds and most important from the depth of the heart. Verbal remembrance mean we recite phrases like “Allah-o Akbar” (God is the Greatest), “al-Hamdu Lillah” (All praise belongs to God), “Shukran Iillah” (Thanks to God), and so on. In the next stage come our morally upright actions and deeds that are for the sake of God, and with proper cognizance of God, rather than self-conceited and deceitful acts. The third and the most important stage is the remembrance of God from the depth of our heart and soul. This is what the Qur'an refers to in ayah 28 of Surah Ra’d:

“Those who have faith, and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah.’ Look! The hearts find rest in Allah’s remembrance!

It is interesting to note that one of the names of the holy Qur'an is “Zikr” which means “reminder”, as it is mentioned in ayah 50 of surah Anbiya', where God Almighty says: “This is the Blessed Reminder which We have sent down.”

Another way of remembrance of God is to ponder on the wonders of creation. The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS), whenever he woke up for the late midnight prayer, he would look at the sky and with tears in his eyes, would recite ayahs 190-191 of surah Al-e Imran:

“Indeed in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alteration of night and day, there are surely signs for those who possess intellects. Those who remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], 'Our Lord, You have not created this in vain! Immaculate are You! Save us from the punishment of the Fire!"

There are two points in these ayahs: First, those who possess intellect reflect on the glorious creation and remember God's greatness and glory. Secondly, they understand that the world of creation is not in vain and has a lofty aim.

AS/ME