Dhikr — ذِكْر — means remembrance: the remembrance of Allah ﷻ through prescribed phrases, names, and supplications. Allah ﷻ says: “Remember Me and I will remember you.” (Quran 2:152). And: “Truly it is in the remembrance of Allah ﷻ that hearts find rest.” (Quran 13:28). Dhikr is the act that produces the state the heart most needs — not through effort of will, not through psychological technique, but through turning the attention toward the One whose remembrance is the specific cause of tuma’ninah (settled rest).
The core dhikr formulas
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The best dhikr is La ilaha illAllah.” (Tirmidhi 3383). And the two phrases most beloved to Allah ﷻ: “SubhanAllahi wa bihamdih, SubhanAllahil Adheem” (Bukhari 6406). The three pillars of dhikr said 33 times each after prayer: SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar — ending with La ilaha illAllah wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul mulku wa lahul hamd, wa huwa ala kulli shay’in qadir (Muslim 597). These three formulas — the after-prayer dhikr, the two beloved phrases, and la ilaha illAllah — form the core of the regular dhikr practice.
The morning and evening adhkar
The morning adhkar (after Fajr) and evening adhkar (after Asr or Maghrib) are the most important structured dhikr practice. They include the three Quls, Ayat al-Kursi, the Sayyid al-Istighfar, the comprehensive protection dua, the Bismillah protection formula, and specific phrases for the morning and evening. Together they take 10-15 minutes and cover protection, forgiveness, provision, and continuous divine-awareness throughout the day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is dhikr in Islam?
Dhikr is the remembrance of Allah ﷻ — through prescribed phrases like SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar, la ilaha illAllah, and specific formulas from the Quran and Sunnah. The Quran promises: remember Me and I will remember you (2:152), and identifies dhikr as the specific cause of heart-rest (13:28). The core regular practice: morning and evening adhkar, after-prayer dhikr (33 each of the three formulas), and continuous dhikr throughout the day.
What is the best dhikr?
The Prophet ﷺ said the best dhikr is la ilaha illAllah (Tirmidhi 3383). The best supplication is Alhamdulillah. The two phrases most beloved to Allah ﷻ and heaviest on the scale: SubhanAllahi wa bihamdih and SubhanAllahil Adheem (Bukhari 6406). The most rewarded structured practice is the morning and evening adhkar — providing comprehensive coverage of protection, forgiveness, and continuous divine-awareness.
Remember Me and I will remember you. That exchange — the human turning toward Allah ﷻ and being turned toward — is what dhikr is. SubhanAllah. Alhamdulillah. Allahu Akbar. Begin there.