Thikr or Dhikr of Allah is the act of remembering and mentioning Allah. It is one of the few acts of worship that have been prescribed in numbers in Hadith (i.e. Alhamdulillah 33x, Allahu Akbar 33x…)
Whether using a counter, sibha (rosary), or your fingers, Thikr can get repetitive and turn into a number game very easily.
How to remember Allah
Sometimes when Dunya consumes us, we forget Allah.
Here are some ways I remind myself to do Thikr:
- I set reminders on my phone throughout the day
- I train myself to switch to Thikr whenever I start humming music
- I make it a habit to make Thikr whenever I am walking, going up or down some stairs, or even jogging!
Deeper Thikr
Alhamdulillah, I have found a system that helps me stay mindful and intentional whenever I am making Thikr without losing focus mid-way.
We all have things we are grateful for, things we regret, things we are worried about, and things we are in awe of. If you can’t recall all these at once, write them down on paper.
Next, you will start your Tasbih or Thikr
Alhamdulillah 33x (Thank God) FOR
Astaghfurallah 100x (I seek forgiveness) FOR
Allahu Akbar 33x (Allah is bigger) THAN
Subhan Allah 33x (Glory to Allah) FOR
Alhamdulillah FOR my health
Astaghfurallah FOR backbiting yesterday
Allahu Akbar THAN my worry about xyz
Subhan Allah FOR the moon
Then you will repeat this process till you complete your Thikr.
How to count Thikr
The Sunnah is to count using your right hand with your fingertips. This is the way Prophet Muhammad used to do it.
I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) counting the tasbih. Ibn Qudamah said: With his right hand. (Sunan Abi Dawud)
However, if you are just starting and struggling to keep count. Some people prefer to use an electronic counter or a rosary.
