(14) Remembering Allah and asking forgiveness
There are 3 points to discuss in this regard:
A- Rewards
B-Types
C- Advantages
A- Rewards
The second medicine to change the commanding self (al-Ammara) for the better is the constant remembrance of Allah and asking for His forgiveness.
Allah (SWT) says: “Further I have spoken to them in public and in private, saying, ‘Ask forgiveness from your Lord, surely He is the most Forgiving.’” (Nuh, 9-10).
Remembering Allah purifies the soul and gives it immunity and strength, and takes those who remember Allah from the camp of the heedless to the camp of the conscious.
Allah (SWT) says: “And glorify the name of your Lord morning and evening.” (Al-Insan, 25).
And Allah (SWT) also says: “So glory be to Allah, when you reach evening and when you rise in the morning.” (Ar-Rum, 17).
Those who remember Allah are living and those who do not are among the dead, even though they are present with their bodies, living and seeking sustenance.
In the hadeeth: “Those who remember Allah and those who do not, are like the living and dead.” ( Al – Bukhari, 6407).
Those with a commanding self (Ammara) should not lose hope to be forgiven no matter what bad history they may have had. Allah has opened the door of hope for even those with a heavy load of bad deeds .
In hadeeth Qudsi Allah says: “Oh Son of Adam, if you supplicated to Me and requested Me to forgive you, I will forgive all your bad deeds. Oh son of Adam, if you presented to Me bad deeds up to the sky and you asked for My forgiveness, I will forgive you. Oh son of Adam, if you bring Me the earth as your bad deeds and you ask Me sincerely, not associating partners with Me, I will reward you that in forgiveness.” (At– targheeb wa At tarheeb 4/214)
So Allah has promised to forgive all bad deeds regardless of how many they are, or how big they are, as long as you repent, come back to Allah and ask for His forgiveness and not associate partners with Him.
Remembering Allah and asking forgiveness relieves distress and opens wide the doors for sustenance of Allah for His servant.
In a hadeeth, the Prophet (PBUH) says: “Whoever continues to ask for forgiveness, Allah will bring relief to his distress and solutions to his problems and gives these to him before he knows it.” (Abu Dawood, 1518).
And any time the servant moves closer to Allah, Allah will come even closer.
In hadeeth Qudsi Allah(SWT) says: “I have trust in My servant and I will be with him whenever he asks for My forgiveness. If he mentions Me in himself, I will mention him in My self. If he mentions Me among a crowd, I will mention him among a crowd better than his. If he comes to Me (shibr), I will come to him (Zirah) and if he comes to Me (zirah) I will come to him (Baa), and if he comes to Me walking I will come to him running.” (Muslim, 2675).
B-Types
Based on the preceding, it is clearly important that the Muslim maintains the rememberance of Allah (SWT) and asking forgiveness from Him, and this will surely lead to a healthy soul and stable life. There are four methods that Prophet (PBUH) talked about remembering Allah (SWT):
Statements remembering Allah (SWT) that are recited at the end of every Salat, such as saying: 33 times “Sub-han Allah”, 33 times “Al-Hamdu Lil-lah”, 33 times “Allahu Akbar”, and complete to hundred by saying one last statement, “Sub-han Allah, wa-Al-Hamdu Lil-lah, wa-Allahu Akbar, wa La Haw-la, wa La Qu-wata, Il-la Bil-la Al-Alee Al-Azeem.
Remembering Allah (SWT) morning and evening, such as reciting some Ayat from Qur’an and some specific Ahadith. The Prophet (PBUH) used to recite these every morning and evening.
There are many relevant statements and supplications that mention Allah (SWT), which support Muslims for every task they undertake.
It is recommended to mention Allah (SWT) explicitly any where and any time. Therefore, Muslims will gain rewards and support from Allah (SWT).
C- The advantages of asking for Allah’s forgiveness for a Muslim are that it
- Makes the Muslim get closer to his Lord, His blessings and His Paradise.
- Keeps a Muslim away from the punishment of Allah and His Hellfire.
- Keeps a Muslim away from the devil and his ways of deception.
- It provides a Muslim with tranquility, peace and a dignified life in this life and the hereafter.
We ask Allah to make us of those who remember Himand continue to ask for His forgiveness, throughout morning and evening.
Written by: Dr. Ahmed A. S. Hammouda
Professor in Al-Azhar University
And Islamic American University
Translated by: Abdullah Zettili
