What is Dhikr and Prayer? How Can it Help You Overcome Sins?

For Allah to say the sin, I'm gonna change it into Hasanat. What kind of mercy is this?

Remembrance of Allah removes the sins, attracts Divine Mercy. You know, brothers and sisters, the word "Dhikr" means remembrance, and Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala, only instructs the human being to do Dhikr. Everything else does Tasbih. Mala'ika, they do Tasbih, the mountain, does Tasbih.

"Ma min sha'in illa yusabbihu bi hamdih, wa lakin la tafqawna tasbihahum" (17:44). Allah doesn't tell Mala'ika to do Dhikr, doesn't tell the trees to do Dhikr. Why? Because Dhikr means remembrance. You only ask someone to do Dhikr if they have the potential to forget. Do Mala'ika forget for them to do Dhikr? Does the moon, the sun, are these entities that forget? Only Insan is invited to remember.

Because some Arab linguists, they say the word Insan, some say that it comes from the word nisian, which means to forget. Because it's in the nature of the human being to forget. This is why Allah has legislated Salah five times a day. If there was no Salah, we human beings, we forget who we are. So Allah has to remind us. He makes us put our faces on the ground, so we remember where we came from and where we are going.

If it wasn't for this Salah on a regular basis, many of us would become like Fir'awn: "Ana Rabbukum al-'ala" (79:24). Allah allah wants you to physically go down, and rub your face on the earth, to know who is the Lord and who is the servant.

There is a hadith from the Holy Prophet where he says: "ma jalasa kawmun yadkurun Allah", there is not a single group of people who come together and they remember Allah. "Illa nada bihim unadi min as-sama'", except that a caller will call out to this congregation. "Qumu, fa qad baddala Allah us-sa'iyatikum, hasanat". Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad [Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad]. A caller will call out to this majlis, to this gathering saying that: rise up for Allah not only has He forgiven, it would be merciful if Allah says you have a clear record now. It would be merciful of Allah 'azza wa jal, to say you know what? The sin is still on your record but I am not going to punish you.

Sometimes if you speed, right? If you have a heavy foot, you get a ticket but maybe they will waive the fine, right? You don't pay a fine, but it is still on your record. Maybe they can remove it from your record. If we commit sin and Allah says it is on your record but there's no 'adab. Allah would be Merciful. If Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala says I will remove the a'dab and I will remove it from your record. This would also be Rahma. But for Allah to say the sin, I'm going to change it into hasanat, what kind of mercy is this!

That I will transform the sins into good deeds and I will reward you. This is the power of Dhikr. Is this a Lord who is eager to punish? Brothers and sisters, there was a man, Hasan Al-Basri he comes to Imam Zayn Al-'Abidin. He says: "Ya Ibn Ar-Rasuli Allah, 'ajibtu liman naja'a. Kayfa naja'a?" Sometimes you meet people, they are not that religious and they are shocked, like how are you so religious? It is difficult. It is going to be difficult to go to Jannah. So many do's and don'ts. This man is saying the same thing to Imam Zayn Al-'Abidin. I am amazed. How does someone attain salvation? So much red tape, so many rules.

You look at the Book of our Maraj'a. It is a thick book. So much haram, mustahabb, makruh. There's a lot of rules. A lot of do's and don'ts. What does the Imam say? Does the Imam say you know, you are right, it is difficult.

The Imam says: "amma ana, fa 'ajibtu liman halak. Kayfa halak ma'asati Rahmati Allah?" He says as for me, I am shocked. I am amazed, at the one who is punished by Allah in the Hellfire, despite the fact that Allah is so Merciful. This is really ajeeb, to go to the Hellfire.