The Power of Remembrance of Allah

 The Power of Remembrance of Allah

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

It is said that a Sufi devoted himself to the remembrance (zhikr) of Allah with great passion and consistency. He continued this practice so fervently that his lips became sweet from the constant repetition of Allah’s name. One day, Satan whispered to him, "Why do you keep remembering Allah so much? You have never heard a response from Him. Your love is one-sided, and this silence is proof that your remembrance is not accepted by Allah."

This evil thought disheartened the Sufi, and he stopped zhikr. Brokenhearted and sorrowful, he went to sleep. Though his eyes closed, his destiny awakened.

In his dream, he saw Hazrat Khizar (AS), who asked him, "Why have you stopped remembering Allah? Why have you become disheartened by this beautiful act?" The Sufi replied, "I stopped because I never received a response from Allah despite my efforts. This made me think my remembrance was not accepted."

Hazrat Khizar (AS) then conveyed Allah’s message to him:

"The very fact that you engage in My remembrance is proof of its acceptance. When you say ‘Allah’ for the first time, it is accepted by Me, and that is why you are given the ability to say it again. The yearning, love, and sincerity in your heart are signs that your zhikr is accepted.

O servant, your efforts and struggles in My love are merely a reflection of the pull and attraction I have placed in your heart. Your fear and devotion towards Me are My gifts to you, and every time you call out ‘Allah,’ My response is already within it. The acceptance of your zhikr is evident in the fact that you have been blessed with the ability to remember Me."

A wise saying reflects this:

"An ignorant person remains distant from zhikr and the blessings of prayer because they are not given permission to call upon their Lord."

The reward of remembering Allah is contained within the act itself. Allah grants the ability to remember Him to those whom He loves, and this is the greatest sign of its acceptance.