It has been summarised from the book ‘Invocation of God’ by Ibn al-Qayyim
[Wabil as-Sayyib in Arabic]
Edited: A.B. al-Mehri
1. Remembrance of God [Dhikr] drives away and breaks the devil [shaytan]
2. It pleases ar-Rahman [the Most-Merciful]
3. It removes the cares and worries of the Heart
4. It brings joy and happiness to the Heart
5. It strengthens both body and Heart
6. It endows the person with Love of God which is the very spirit of Islam – for God has opened a way of access to everything, and the way to Love is constancy in Remembrance [Dhikr].
7. It endows one with Muraqabah [vigilance] which opens to the door to Ihsan – entering therein, the servant worships God as if he were seeing Him.
8. It predisposes the servant to turn back to God in every state.
9. It endows him with proximity to God. His proximity to God is in proportion to his remembrance; his distance in proportion to his heedlessness.
10. It endows him with God’s own remembrance of him, God says, ‘Remember Me, I shall remember you.”
11. It endows the heart with life. Ibn Taymiyah said, ‘Remembrance is to the heart what water is to fish. What happens to the fish that leaves the water?’
12. It polishes away the Heart’s tarnish
13. It erases sins and repels them
14. It removes estrangement between the servant and his Lord.
15. Words of Remembrance become like the buzzing of bees around the Throne of God.
16. When he knows his Lord through Remembrance [Dhikr] in times of ease his Lord will know him in times of adversity.
17. Remembrance of God [Dhikr] is most effective thing to repel the punishment of God
18. Tranquillity descends upon the Heart
19. The Remembrance of God [Dhikr] and tears that are shed – give a person shade on the Day of Judgement.
20. It is the easiest form of worship – using the tongue is easier compared to actions of hands and feet.
21. Plants trees in Paradise.
22. Constancy in Remembrance of God [Dhikr] brings about security from forgetfulness of Him. This forgetfulness is the cause of the servant’s misery both in this worldly life and the Day of Judgement.
23. Ibn Taymiyah said, ‘Truly there is a Heaven in this world [and] whoever does not enter it, will not enter the Heaven of the next world.’
24. It enters Light [Nur] in to the Heart – more Remembrance of God [Dhikr] = more light
25. God is with the one when he remembers Him. “I am with My slave when he remembers Me and when his lips move to mention Me.”
26. Remembrance of God [Dhikr] is basis of Gratitude and thanks [Shukr] – when you remember Him abundantly you thank Him abundantly.
27. Remembrance of God [Dhikr] is both the source and the basis of intimate friendship with God – A servant continues to remember his Lord until He loves him.
28. Nothing attracts God’s blessings and repels His wrath as does His remembrance. He repels harm from them and defends them in proportion to the strength and the completeness of their faith in Him. The very substance and power of this faith comes through [His] remembrance. The stronger one’s faith and more abundant the remembrance, the greater God’s defence of him. For the one who falls short, it falls short. i.e. STRONGER DHIKR = STRONGER IMAN = STRONGER DEFENCE
29. God’s remembrance of him precedes his remembrance of Him, for when God remembers His servant, it inspires the servant to remember Him. In prayer, you remember God and He remembers you, and His remembrance of you is greater than your remembrance of Him.
30. The most excellent of those who perform any practice are people who do it with the greatest remembrance of God. The most excellent of those who fast, are those who remember God the most in their fasting -the most excellent of those who do Hajj, are those who remember God the most in [their Hajj] etc.
