Continuing with the benefits of mentioning Allah, the following are further benefits that the slave will harvest in this world, as well as the Hereafter, due to mentioning Him:
[30] 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.”
[31] Hearts are cured by the medicine of mentioning Allah and sickened by being heedless of and forgetting Him. `Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “Mention Allah, as it is the ultimate cure.”
[32] Allah’s blessings are not drawn, nor is His wrath appeased, by anything better than mentioning Him.
[33] 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.” [Quran 33: 41-43]
This mercy from Allah, glory be to Him, and the supplications by His angels for those who frequently mention Him are the means by which they are brought out of darkness into the light, which entails the attainment of all goodness and the protection from all evil. Woe to those who are forgetful of their Lord, for being deprived of His graces! May Allah grant us all success in mentioning Him.
[34] The assemblies in which Allah is mentioned are the only ones, anywhere, which the angels attend. Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that Allah's Messenger said: “Allah has mobile squads of angels who traverse the roads seeking those who mention Him. When they find people doing so, they call one another and say: 'Hasten to what you are looking for!' They then surround them with their wings until the space between them and the sky is full. Allah the Exalted and Glorious then asks them (although He is best informed about everything): `What are My servants saying?` They reply: `They are glorifying You, uttering Your Greatness, recognising Your Oneness, and celebrating Your praise.` Allah will say: `Have they ever seen Me?` They say: `No, we swear by Allah that they have never seen You`. Allah says: `How would it have been if they saw Me?` The angels reply: `If they saw You, they would worship You more devoutly and celebrate Your Glory more deeply, and declare Your freedom from any resemblance to anything more often` …” until he said: “… Then Allah says: `I make you witnesses that I have forgiven them`. One of the angels then says: `There is someone amongst them, and he is not one of them, but came for some need`. Allah would say: `These are people whose companions will not suffer from misery.'” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
In this way, the assemblies that contain the mentioning of Allah are the assemblies of the angels, while those of forgetfulness and heedlessness of Allah are the assemblies of the devils. Everyone selects his counterpart, whether angelic or devilish.
[35] Allah the Almighty boasts to the angels about those who mention Him. Mu`aawiyah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah 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 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] This boasting is an indication of the lofty rank that mentioning Allah holds in His sight, and how much it is loved by Him.
[36] All righteous deeds were legislated in order to establish the mention of Allah, as Allah says (what means): “…Establish prayer for My mention.” [Quran 20:14] 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…” [Quran 32: 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]
‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: “Circumambulation around the Ka’bah, walking between mount Safaa and mount Marwah, and the casting of the stones at the Pillars (during Hajj) were only legislated to establish the mentioning of Allah.” [Abu Daawood]
[37] 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 and Muslim] Thus, he made the mention of Allah make up for whatever deeds they missed out on.
[38] It assists one in performing more good deeds and in remaining obedient to Allah. `Abdullaah bin Bishr, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that one of the Companions said: "O Messenger of Allah! There are many injunctions of Islam upon me, so tell me something to which I may hold fast." He replied: “Keep your tongue moist with the remembrance of Allah.” [At-Tirmithi] The man was not suggesting that the Prophet should exempt him from his religious obligations, rather, he needed something that would help him perform them all. Therefore, he guided him to what would assist him to perform them and cause him to be keen to adhere to them, thus facilitating their performance. The person who frequently mentions Allah will love Him and whatever pleases Him, and nothing would then be dearer to him than endeavouring to please his Lord.