Fiqh
Du'a and dhikr
Talking to God, and remembering Him
3 min, Intro
Beyond the five set prayers, Muslims talk to God in their own words (du'a) and remember Him with short phrases (dhikr) through the day. No priest, no set language, no special place.
Draft written with AI help: awaiting scholar review
The thread
The five set prayers are not the only way Muslims turn to God. This lesson follows the rest. Du'a: talking to God in their own words, with the Qur'an's promise that He is near. And dhikr: short phrases of remembrance through the day that add up.
"I am near"
In the middle of the Qur'an's passage on fasting comes one line: when My servants ask you about Me, I am near. I answer the call of the caller when he calls on Me.
Du'a is talking to God in your own words. It needs no priest, no set words and no particular language. Muslims ask for help with exams, health, family and forgiveness.
The Prophet ﷺ put it simply: du'a is worship.
وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌۖ أُجِيبُ دَعۡوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِۖ فَلۡيَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لِي وَلۡيُؤۡمِنُواْ بِي لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡشُدُونَ ١٨٦
186 When My slaves ask you concerning Me, I am indeed near. I respond to the call of the supplicant when he calls upon Me; so they should respond to Me and believe in Me, so that they may be guided.
Du'a is worship.
Sunan Abi Dawud 1479, Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2969 Sahih Graded hasan sahih by al-Tirmidhi
No middleman. God is near.
Dhikr: remembering God
Du'a is asking. Dhikr means remembrance. Its simplest forms are short phrases: Subhan Allah, glory be to God; al-hamdu lillah, all praise is for God; Allahu akbar, God is greater; la ilaha illa Allah, there is no god but God.
After each prayer, many Muslims say the first three, thirty-three times each. Often they count on their fingers or prayer beads.
The Qur'an says: in the remembrance of God, hearts find rest.
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَطۡمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِۗ أَلَا بِذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطۡمَئِنُّ ٱلۡقُلُوبُ ٢٨
28 those who believe and whose hearts find tranquility in the remembrance of Allah, for indeed in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find tranquility.
In the remembrance of God, hearts find rest.
Light on the tongue
Some phrases of remembrance are very short. The Prophet ﷺ said that two phrases are light on the tongue, heavy on the scales, and beloved to the Most Merciful: Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi, glory and praise be to God; Subhan Allah al-'Azim, glory be to God the Magnificent.
One more thing about it. It is the last hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari.
The idea is that small, constant remembrance adds up.
Two words are light on the tongue, heavy on the scales, and beloved to the Most Merciful: Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi, Subhan Allah al-'Azim.
Sahih al-Bukhari 7563, Sahih Muslim 2694 Sahih In Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim
Small, constant remembrance adds up.