Abdessalam Yassine
November 21, 2013
Remembrance is the relief of the believers’ hearts. God the Almighty says,
(Those who believe, and whose hearts find their rest in the remembrance of God, for verily, in the remembrance of God [men’s] hearts do find their rest.) ar-Ra‘d :28.
Mālik bin Dīnār [God have mercy upon him] said, “A person’s heart will never find rest except in the remembrance of God.” The hearts of the lovers will never be relieved except with the remembrance of God and the souls of the believers will not find rest except in seeing Him. Dhun-Nūn [God have mercy upon him] said, “This world will not be good except when remembering Him. The Hereafter will not be good except through His forgiveness. Paradise will not be good except when seeing Him.”
Staying Alone for Remembrance of God
True lovers of God will hate anything that distracts them from remembering God. They don’t love anything more than staying alone in order to remember Him. When a lover’s knowledge of God is complete, nothing will distract his heart and tongue from remembering Him. ‘Ali bin Abī Ṭālib [God be pleased with him] said, “They lived in this world with their bodies, but their souls cling to the Supreme God.”
A poet said in this regard,
My body is with me, But my soul is with You. The body is in a strange country While the soul is at home.
This was the mode of the Messengers and their sincere followers, as God says,
(O you who believe! When you meet a troop, stand firm and remember God abundantly.) al-Anfāl :45.
God also says,
(So when you have accomplished your holy rites [Manāsik], remember God just as you remember your forefathers.) al-Baqara :200.
God also says,
(Remember God standing, sitting down, or lying down on your sides.) an-Nisā’ :103.
The above verse refers to the performance of prayers in case of fear. Therefore, God the Almighty says,
(But when you are free from danger, observe regular prayers.) an-Nisā’ :103.
God also says about Friday prayer,
(And when the prayer is finished, disperse freely through the land and seek God’s bounty; and remember God often, so that you may be successful.) al-Jumu‘a :10.
God has enjoined His worshipper to perform prayer, work and remember Him. Therefore, it is desirable to remember God in places such as markets because people always forget to do so in these places. Abu ‘Ubayda bin ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ūd [God have mercy upon him] said, “As long as a man’s heart remembers God, he is just like a person performing prayer even if he has been in the market. If he moved his lips with the remembrance of God, it is even better.”
