Dhikr of Allah (The Glorified and the Exalted) in Congregation
On the authority of Hadrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) from Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) who said:
Allah (The Glorified and the Exalted) has supernumerary angels who rove about seeking out gatherings in which Allah's name is being invoked; they sit with them
He said: Then Allah (The Glorified and the Exalted) asks them - (though) He is Most-Knowing about them: "From where have you come?" And they say: "We have come from some servants of Yours on earth: they were glorifying You, exalting You, witnessing that there is no god but You, praising You, and asking (favours) of You." He (Allah, The Glorified and The Exalted) says: "And what do they ask of Me?" They (the angels) say: "They ask of You Your Paradise." He says: "And have they seen My Paradise?" They say: "No, O Lord." He says: "And how would it be were they to have seen My Paradise!" They (the angels) continue to say: "And they ask protection of You." He asks: "From what do they seek protection?" "From Your Hell-fire, O Lord" (reply the angels). He asks: "And have they seen My Hell-fire?" They say: "No". He says: "And how would it be were they to have seen My Hell-fire!" They, the angels continue to say: "And they ask for Your forgiveness."
He (Prophet Muhammad, may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) said: Then He (Allah, The Glorified and The Exalted) says: "I have forgiven them and I have bestowed upon them what they have asked for, and I have granted them sanctuary from that from which they asked protection." He (Prophet Muhammad, may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) said: They (the angels) say: "O Lord, among them is so-and-so, a much sinning servant, who was merely passing by and sat down with them." He (Prophet Muhammad, may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) said: And He (Allah, The Glorified and The Exalted) says: "And to him (too) I have given forgiveness: he who sits with such people shall not suffer." (Muslim) (Hadith Qudsi)
Dhikr of Allah (The Glorified and the Exalted) in Solitude and in Congregation On the authority of Hadrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) said: Allah the Almighty says:
I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to Himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assembly better than it. And if he draws near to Me a hand's span, I draw near to him an arm's length; and if he draws near to Me an arm's length, I draw near to him a fathom's length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed. (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah) (Hadith Qudsi)
Tasbih, Tahmid and Takbir
Narrated Sayyidina 'Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him): Fatima (may Allah be pleased with her) came to Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) asking for a servant. He said, "May I inform you of something better than that? When you go to bed, recite 'Subhan Allah' thirty three times, 'Alhamdulillah' thirty three times, and 'Allahu Akbar' thirty four times." Sayyidina 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) added, "I have never failed to recite it ever since." Somebody asked, "Even on the night of the battle of Siffin?" He said, "Even on the night of the battle of Siffin." (Bukhari)
Dhikr after Salah
Narrated Abu Ma'bad, the freed slave of Hadrat ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him): Ibn 'Abbas told me. "In the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) it was the custom to celebrate Allah's praises aloud after the compulsory congregational prayers." Hadrat Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) further said, "When I heard the Dhikr, I would learn that the compulsory congregational prayer had ended." (Bukhari)
The best Dhikr: لا إله الا الله
Hadrat Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah's Prophetic Messenger (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) said, "Whoever professes that none is worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His
