In this article our talk about the benefits of mentioning Allah will be continued:
13. The continuous mentioning of Allah by His slaves protects them from being neglected by Allah, which is the direct cause of their misery in this world and the Hereafter. Forgetting Allah (by failing to mention and glorify Him) leads to forgetting one’s own self and what benefits it, as Allah Almighty Says (what means): “And be not like those who forgot Allah, so He made them forget themselves. Those are the defiantly disobedient.” [Al-Hashr: 19] By forgetting one’s own soul, a person becomes oblivious of taking care of its interests, which inevitably causes its degradation and destruction.
This is like a person who has a garden and cattle that may only survive and be fruitful by caring for them, such wealth will certainly become ruined when neglected.
14. There is a hardness in the heart that cannot be melted except by mentioning Allah the Almighty. Therefore, the slave must treat his hardened heart by mentioning Him. A man complained of his hard heart to Al-Hasan who responded by saying: “Melt it by mentioning Allah.”
15. Mentioning Allah calls for the mercy of Allah and the supplications of His angels for the one who does so. Such a person will indeed be amongst the successful; Allah Almighty Says (what means): “O you who believe! Mention Allah with much mention. And exalt Him morning and afternoon. It is He who confers blessing upon you, and His angels [ask Him to do so] that He may bring you out from darkness into the light. And ever is He, to the believers, Merciful.” [Al-Ahzaab: 41-43]
16. Allah the Almighty boasts to the angels about those who mention Him. Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that Mu`aawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, came to an assembly in the mosque and said to the people present: “What makes you sit together?” They replied: “We sat to mention Allah and praise Him for guiding us to Islam and bestowing His favours upon us.” He, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “I adjure you by Allah, has anything else made you sit in this way?” They replied: “We swear by Allah! Nothing made us sit here but that.” He, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “I did not adjure you because I suspected you (of lying), and I am the least who reports on behalf of the Messenger of Allah who came to an assembly of some of his companions in the mosque and said to the people present: “What makes you sit together?” They replied: “We sat to mention Allah and praise Him for guiding us to Islam and bestowing His favours upon us.” He said: “I adjure you by Allah, has anything else made you sit in this way?” They replied: “We swear by Allah! Nothing made us sit here but that.” He said: “I did not adjure you because I suspected you (of lying), but (the angel) Jibreel came and told me that Allah was boasting about you to the angels.” [Muslim].
17. All righteous deeds were legislated in order to establish the mention of Allah, as Allah Says (what means): “…Establish prayer for My mention.” [Taa Haa: 14] Meaning, in order to establish My mention. Allah also Says (what means): “Recite, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the mention of Allah is greater…” [Al-‘Ankaboot: 45] Imaam Ibn Taymiyyah said: “The correct way to understand this verse is that prayer achieves two great objectives, the first of which is prohibiting immorality and the second being the mentioning of Allah, which is the greater of the two objectives.” [End of quote]
18. Continual mentioning of Allah can be a substitute for optional acts of worship. Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that some of the poor Emigrants came to the Messenger of Allah and said to him: "The wealthy have obtained the highest ranks and everlasting bliss!" He asked: “How is that?” They replied: "They offer prayers as we do, and observe fasting as we do, but they give in charity and we do not, and they emancipate slaves and we cannot." He said: “Shall I not teach you something whereby you will catch up with those who have preceded you and be ahead of those who follow you; something in which no one can better you, unless he does as you do?” They said: "Indeed, O Messenger of Allah!" He said: "Say: 'Subhaanallaah, Allahu Akbar and Al-Hamdu lillaah' (i.e. Glory be to Allah, Allah is the Greatest, and All praise is due to Allah) thirty-three times at the end of every prayer.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim] ‘Abdullaah Ibn Mas’ood, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "It is dearer to me to utter glorification of Allah saying ‘Subhaanallaah’ than to spend their number in golden currency" [End of quote].
19. Mentioning Allah grants one the power and energy that enables him to do what he could otherwise never do. When Faatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, who was the daughter of the Messenger of Allah complained to him about the hardness of her hands and the pain in them due to her heavy housework, and therefore requested a maid, he instructed her and her husband `Ali, may Allah be pleased with them, with something better, which was: “When you go to bed, recite: Takbeer ('Allahu Akbar' (i.e., Allah is the greatest)) thirty-three times and Tasbeeh ('Subhaan-Allah' (i.e., Glory be to Allah)) thirty-three times and Tahmeed ('Al-Hamdu lillaah' (i.e., All praise is due to Allah)) thirty-three times.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
20. The frequent mentioning of Allah safeguards the person from hypocrisy, because Allah describes the hypocrites Saying (what means): “…And they do not mention Allah, except a little.” [An-Nisaa’: 142] Ka’b said: “He who frequently mentions Allah will be safeguarded from hypocrisy”. Allah knows best, but perhaps this is why Allah concludes Chapter Al-Munaafiqoon (i.e. the hypocrites) with the following verse (which means): “O you who believe! Let not your wealth and your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that – then those are the losers.” [Al-Munaafiqoon: 9].
21. The mentioning of Allah is a deed that has a unique and distinctive sweet taste that other good deeds cannot come close to producing. Maalik bin Deenaar said: “Nobody ever found more sweetness and enjoyment than in mentioning Allah.” [End of quote]
22. Frequently mentioning Allah increases the number of witnesses that will testify in favour of the person.
23. It is the better than supplication, because mentioning Allah actually praising Allah Almighty, while supplication is asking ones need from Allah, and there can be no comparison between the two. Mentioning Allah is a means of having ones supplications accepted and responded to, as any supplication that is preceded by the mention and praise of Allah is more likely to being responded to and accepted by Allah, than a supplication without such praise and mention.
The types of mention:
First: Mentioning and praising Allah, the Exalted Almighty, by His Names and Attributes, such as saying: “All perfect Praise is due to Allah” and “All thanks are due to Allah”.
Second: Mention by informing about Allah’s Names and Attributes, such as saying: “Allah, the Exalted Almighty, Hears the sounds of His slaves and Sees their actions”.
Third: Mentioning the commands and prohibitions of Allah, such as saying: “Allah, the Exalted Almighty, commanded such and such and forbade such and such”.
Forth: Mentioning the favours and bounties of Allah.
Mentioning Allah is performed with ones heart as well as his tongue and that of the heart is superior to that of the tongue, and the best type of mention is that which is performed by both the heart and the tongue.