God says
Verily, I -- I alone – am God: there is no deity save Me. Hence worship Me alone and be constant in prayer, so as to remember Me ! * -- Q.20:14
*Thus, conscious remembrance of God and of His oneness and uniqueness is declared to be the innermost purpose, as well as the intellectual justification, of all true prayer.
O you who have attained to faith! Remember God with unceasing remembrance, and extol His limitless glory from morning till evening.* -- Q.33:41,42
* Lit. “at morning and evening”, i.e., at all times.
Prophet said
‘The best Zikr is: There is no deity but God (LA ILAHA ILLAL LAH), and the best invocation is: All praise is to God (ALHAMDU LILLAH)’ - Titmizi. Narrator: Jaber.
‘Before departing from the prayer at dawn whoever utters ten times LA ILAHA ILLAL LAHU WAHDAHU LA SHAREEKA LAHU LAHUL MULKU WA LAHUL HAMDU WA HUWA ‘ALA KULLI SHAIYIN QADEER – ten virtues are recorded for him for every utterance, ten sins are effaced from him, and ten ranks are raised up for him….’ – Part of H:Tirmizi. N: Abu Zarr.
Modes of Zikr.
Given below are a few hymns of great value.
TASBIH: ‘SUBHANAL LAH’ (Glory be to God).
TAKBIR: ‘ALLAHU AKBAR’ (God is the greatest).
TAHLIL : ‘LA ILAHA ILLAL LAH’ (There is no deity but God).
TAHMID: ‘AL HAMDU LILLAH’ (All praise is due to God alone).
TAQDIS : ‘SUBHANAL MALIKUL QUDDOOS’. (Glory be to the Holy King)
LAHAUL : ‘LA HAULA WALA QUWWATA ILLA BILLAH’ (There is no power and no might or movement except with God).
(Following combination of five hymns makes an excellent ZIKR.)
SUBHANALLAHI, WALHAMDU LIL-LAHI, WALA ILAHA ILLAL-LAHU, WALLAAHU AKBAR, WA LA HAULA WALA QUWWATA ILLA BILLAH
