TIps for Making Dhikr a Regular Part of Your Day

“Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest”
(Quran 13:28).

Dhikr, meaning “remembrance” or “mention” is an important aspect of the Muslim faith. In the context of the religion, Dhikr is to praise, worship, and remember Allah. Doing so keeps our hearts and minds focused on holiness, purity, and divinity. To make Dhikr is to strive for a pure heart, a clean mind, and a constant state of worship for Allah.

There are many ways to make Dhikr. Common among them are recitation. Phrases like “Alhumdullah,” “Subhanallah,” and “Allahu Akbar” are repeated throughout the day. Doing so keeps our minds focused on Allah, and stores up rewards for us in heaven as acts of worship.

Although Dhikr should be a part of our day-to-day life, we often fail to make it so. While distractions are aplenty, we encourage you to keep the name of Allah on your mind and your tongue. Here are some ways to incorporate good Dhikr habits into your daily life!

Work Your Way Up

“Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of
Allah: for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction,”
Qura’an 13:28.

Building a new habit can be as tough as nails. To build a healthy, sustainable habit out of making Dhikr, start small and work your way up. Going from never making dhikr, to making dhikr throughout the day can be tough. Taking too big of a leap might discourage you. Instead, set aside specific times dedicated to Dhikr. For example, quiet, tranquil mornings are the perfect time to focus your heart and mind on Allah. Set aside a little time after morning prayers to make Dhikr. Then, you can expand the habit into other parts of your day.

Build On An Existing Habit

“O ye who believe! Celebrate the praises of Allah, and do this often;
And glorify Him morning and evening,”
Qura’an 33:41-42.

We all have habits, and we all have our own daily routine. Luckily, it's easy to establish a new habit when you tie it to an old one. So, try making Dhikr while doing part of your daily routine. Including Dhikr into an existing habit also makes it easier to keep your concentration on God. For example, you can start reciting dhikr when you do your daily skincare routine. Or, you can recite Dhikr on your daily commute, or when you go to pick your kids up from school! During a morning run is also a perfect time for Dhikr.

Set Goals, Reward Yourself For Reaching Them

“And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.
And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty,”
Qura’an 5:2.

Building habits is easier when you incentivize yourself. Setting goals is a good place to start. Set a realistic starting goal for yourself. Maybe your first goal can be to recite 100 Dhikr per day. Just setting a goal is encouraging, and makes us more likely to follow through. Then, when you’ve reached your goal, give yourself a little reward. It could be a piece of chocolate, or by watching an episode of your favourite TV show. Either way, goals and incentives are a great way to build consistent, long-lasting habits!

What To Say During Dkihr

There are a variety of ways to recite Dhikr. One common and simple way to make Dhikr is to repeat the holy phrases, “Subhanallah,” (glory be to God) “Alhumdullah,” (praise God) and “Allahuakbar,” (god is the greatest). If you want to say Dhikr 100 times, you can say Subhanallah 33 times, Alhumdullah 33 times, and Allahu Akbar 34 times. Doing so is a common and respected approach to Dhikr, and a good starting point to build your habit.

You can also read/recite Qura’an as a part of Dhikr. Until you’ve memorised ayat from the Qura’an, you can simply read. Once you have ayat memorised, you can recite them any time to make Dhikr.

Finally, another great way to make Dhikr is by reciting the 99 names of Allah. It will likely take you awhile to memorise all 99 names. Until you do, you can rely on an online list. When you’re reciting the names, try writing them down as you recite. It's far easier for us to memorise things that we’ve written down.