✍ By: Maqbool Ahmad Salafi, Islamic Da’wah Center, Masrah – Ta’if
Dhikr is nourishment for the body and soul. It sustains and revives both the physical and spiritual being of a person. The one who becomes heedless of the remembrance of Allah faces great worldly and physical loss, and more dangerously, their soul becomes spiritually dead. A true believer always keeps his tongue moist with the remembrance of Allah.
Abdullah bin Busr رضي الله عنه narrated that a man said:
“O Messenger of Allah! The commands and obligations of Islam are many for me, so tell me something I can hold firmly to.”
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
«لا يزالُ لسانُك رطبًا من ذكرِ اللهِ»
“Keep your tongue always moist with the remembrance of Allah.”
Therefore, we must always glorify and praise our Creator and Master. This is our obligatory duty. Whether asleep or awake, standing or sitting, walking or working, eating or drinking — we are in constant need of His mercy. He is the One who gives life to the body, light to the eyes, strength to the limbs, thoughts and understanding to the heart and mind, and grants us the ability to work and means of sustenance.
Our existence and the entire universe depend on Him alone. How then can the limbs created by the Creator find peace without His remembrance? If only more Muslims understood this!
Let me share with you a remarkable dhikr that brings immense benefit — the forgiveness of sins and entry into Paradise.
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri رضي الله عنه reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«من قالَ: رَضيتُ باللَّهِ ربًّا، وبالإسلامِ دينًا، وبِمُحمَّدٍ رسولًا، وجَبت لَهُ الجنَّةُ»
“Whoever says: ‘I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, with Islam as my religion, and with Muhammad ﷺ as my Messenger’, Paradise becomes obligatory for him.”
SubḥānAllāh! Just three words, and the guarantee of Paradise? It seems so easy to attain Paradise.
But wait — let me add an important point. Just as faith requires affirmation with the tongue, belief with the heart, and fulfillment of its implications through one's limbs, the same applies here. For this dhikr to lead to Paradise, one must also believe in it wholeheartedly and live by its implications.
If you reflect on it, you will realize that these three phrases — Allah as Lord, Islam as religion, Muhammad ﷺ as Messenger — encompass the essence of a believer's daily life and are the very three questions asked in the grave:
① Who is your Lord?
② What is your religion?
③ Who is your Prophet?
Therefore, this dhikr requires not just verbal declaration but also belief and action, just as ʿUmar رضي الله عنه affirmed both verbally and practically.
Abu Qatadah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ was once asked about his fasting, and he became displeased. Upon this, ʿUmar رضي الله عنه said:
«رَضينا باللَّهِ ربًّا، وبالإسلامِ دينًا، وبمحمَّدٍ رسولًا»
“We are pleased with Allah as our Lord, with Islam as our religion, and with Muhammad ﷺ as our Messenger.”
This narration is also found in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, but here I have quoted Sunan an-Nasa’i for brevity. The statement of ʿUmar here was not just a dhikr but a true affirmation and practical expression of his contentment.
Thus, whoever:
✔ Declares with his tongue,
✔ Confirms with his heart that Allah is his Creator and Master, the One deserving all worship, the Sole Ruler of the universe,
✔ Believes Islam is the straight path,
✔ Acknowledges the truth of everything the Prophet ﷺ conveyed, and
✔ Lives according to the teachings of the Islamic Shari’ah,
Then surely, Allah will, by His grace, admit him to Paradise.
In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ said:
«ذَاقَ طَعْمَ الإيمانِ مَن رَضِيَ باللهِ ربًّا ، و بِالإسلامِ دِينًا ، و بِمُحمدٍ رسولًا»
“He has tasted the sweetness of faith — the one who is pleased with Allah as his Lord, Islam as his religion, and Muhammad ﷺ as his Prophet.”
This clearly shows that this dhikr is, in fact, the essence of Imān (faith) — and to truly taste its sweetness, one must:
✔ Know Allah,
✔ Believe in His Oneness, Lordship, and Names & Attributes,
✔ Reject all religions except Islam,
✔ Accept Islam wholeheartedly,
✔ And surrender to the Prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ.
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri رضي الله عنه also narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
«يا أبا سَعِيدٍ، مَن رَضِيَ باللَّهِ رَبًّا، وبالإسْلامِ دِينًا، وبِمُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيًّا، وجَبَتْ له الجَنَّةُ…»
“O Abu Sa’id, whoever is pleased with Allah as his Lord, with Islam as his religion, and with Muhammad ﷺ as his Prophet, Paradise becomes obligatory for him…”
He then added:
“…and there is another action through which a servant is raised by 100 degrees in Paradise, and the distance between each degree is like the distance between the sky and the earth.”
Abu Sa’id asked, “What is that deed, O Messenger of Allah?”
He replied: “Jihād in the way of Allah, Jihād in the way of Allah.”
Here, notice that the wording is:
“Whoever is pleased...” — indicating not just reciting the dhikr, but being truly content with heart and action. This shows once again that along with verbal dhikr, confirmation through action is essential.
There are three authentic times and places for this dhikr:
This is understood from the above-mentioned narrations, and one can say it frequently at any time.
Scholars differ regarding when during the Adhān this dhikr is said — during the testimony (Shahādatayn) or at the end of the Adhān. According to Shaykh Ibn Bāz and Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymīn, it should be said during the Shahādatayn, based on the following ḥadīth:
Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
«مَن قالَ حِينَ يَسْمَعُ المُؤَذِّنَ... رَضِيتُ باللَّهِ رَبًّا، وبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولًا، وبِالإسْلَامِ دِينًا، غُفِرَ له ذَنْبُهُ»
“Whoever says upon hearing the Mu’adhin: ‘I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone without partner, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, with Muhammad ﷺ as my Messenger, and with Islam as my religion’ — his sins will be forgiven.”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«من قال إذا أصبحَ: رَضِيتُ باللهِ رَبًّا، و بِالإسلامِ دِينًا، و بِمحمدٍ نبيًّا، فَأنا الزَّعِيمُ، لآخُذَنَّ بيدِهِ حتى أُدْخِلَهُ الجنةَ»
“Whoever says in the morning: ‘I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, with Islam as my religion, and with Muhammad ﷺ as my Prophet,’ then I guarantee that I will take his hand until I enter him into Paradise.”
There are some weak narrations about:
All these are weak (ḍaʿīf) narrations.
In conclusion, we ask Allah Almighty to grant us the ability to frequently recite this dhikr and fulfill its practical demands in our lives.
آمين
❖ The Importance of Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah)
Dhikr is nourishment for the body and soul. It sustains and revives both the physical and spiritual being of a person. The one who becomes heedless of the remembrance of Allah faces great worldly and physical loss, and more dangerously, their soul becomes spiritually dead. A true believer always keeps his tongue moist with the remembrance of Allah.
Abdullah bin Busr رضي الله عنه narrated that a man said:
“O Messenger of Allah! The commands and obligations of Islam are many for me, so tell me something I can hold firmly to.”
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
«لا يزالُ لسانُك رطبًا من ذكرِ اللهِ»
“Keep your tongue always moist with the remembrance of Allah.”
Reference: Sahih at-Tirmidhi: 3375
Therefore, we must always glorify and praise our Creator and Master. This is our obligatory duty. Whether asleep or awake, standing or sitting, walking or working, eating or drinking — we are in constant need of His mercy. He is the One who gives life to the body, light to the eyes, strength to the limbs, thoughts and understanding to the heart and mind, and grants us the ability to work and means of sustenance.
Our existence and the entire universe depend on Him alone. How then can the limbs created by the Creator find peace without His remembrance? If only more Muslims understood this!
❖ A Great Dhikr with Great Reward
Let me share with you a remarkable dhikr that brings immense benefit — the forgiveness of sins and entry into Paradise.
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri رضي الله عنه reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«من قالَ: رَضيتُ باللَّهِ ربًّا، وبالإسلامِ دينًا، وبِمُحمَّدٍ رسولًا، وجَبت لَهُ الجنَّةُ»
“Whoever says: ‘I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, with Islam as my religion, and with Muhammad ﷺ as my Messenger’, Paradise becomes obligatory for him.”
Reference: Sahih Abi Dawood: 1529
SubḥānAllāh! Just three words, and the guarantee of Paradise? It seems so easy to attain Paradise.
But wait — let me add an important point. Just as faith requires affirmation with the tongue, belief with the heart, and fulfillment of its implications through one's limbs, the same applies here. For this dhikr to lead to Paradise, one must also believe in it wholeheartedly and live by its implications.
If you reflect on it, you will realize that these three phrases — Allah as Lord, Islam as religion, Muhammad ﷺ as Messenger — encompass the essence of a believer's daily life and are the very three questions asked in the grave:
① Who is your Lord?
② What is your religion?
③ Who is your Prophet?
Therefore, this dhikr requires not just verbal declaration but also belief and action, just as ʿUmar رضي الله عنه affirmed both verbally and practically.
❖ Practical Affirmation of the Dhikr
Abu Qatadah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ was once asked about his fasting, and he became displeased. Upon this, ʿUmar رضي الله عنه said:
«رَضينا باللَّهِ ربًّا، وبالإسلامِ دينًا، وبمحمَّدٍ رسولًا»
“We are pleased with Allah as our Lord, with Islam as our religion, and with Muhammad ﷺ as our Messenger.”
Reference: Sahih an-Nasa’i: 2382
This narration is also found in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, but here I have quoted Sunan an-Nasa’i for brevity. The statement of ʿUmar here was not just a dhikr but a true affirmation and practical expression of his contentment.
Thus, whoever:
✔ Declares with his tongue,
✔ Confirms with his heart that Allah is his Creator and Master, the One deserving all worship, the Sole Ruler of the universe,
✔ Believes Islam is the straight path,
✔ Acknowledges the truth of everything the Prophet ﷺ conveyed, and
✔ Lives according to the teachings of the Islamic Shari’ah,
Then surely, Allah will, by His grace, admit him to Paradise.
❖ Another Hadith on the Reality of This Dhikr
In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ said:
«ذَاقَ طَعْمَ الإيمانِ مَن رَضِيَ باللهِ ربًّا ، و بِالإسلامِ دِينًا ، و بِمُحمدٍ رسولًا»
“He has tasted the sweetness of faith — the one who is pleased with Allah as his Lord, Islam as his religion, and Muhammad ﷺ as his Prophet.”
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 34
This clearly shows that this dhikr is, in fact, the essence of Imān (faith) — and to truly taste its sweetness, one must:
✔ Know Allah,
✔ Believe in His Oneness, Lordship, and Names & Attributes,
✔ Reject all religions except Islam,
✔ Accept Islam wholeheartedly,
✔ And surrender to the Prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ.
❖ The Dhikr Mentioned with the Reward of Paradise
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri رضي الله عنه also narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
«يا أبا سَعِيدٍ، مَن رَضِيَ باللَّهِ رَبًّا، وبالإسْلامِ دِينًا، وبِمُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيًّا، وجَبَتْ له الجَنَّةُ…»
“O Abu Sa’id, whoever is pleased with Allah as his Lord, with Islam as his religion, and with Muhammad ﷺ as his Prophet, Paradise becomes obligatory for him…”
He then added:
“…and there is another action through which a servant is raised by 100 degrees in Paradise, and the distance between each degree is like the distance between the sky and the earth.”
Abu Sa’id asked, “What is that deed, O Messenger of Allah?”
He replied: “Jihād in the way of Allah, Jihād in the way of Allah.”
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 1884
Here, notice that the wording is:
“Whoever is pleased...” — indicating not just reciting the dhikr, but being truly content with heart and action. This shows once again that along with verbal dhikr, confirmation through action is essential.
❖ When and Where Should This Dhikr Be Recited?
There are three authentic times and places for this dhikr:
① Anytime, Without Restriction
This is understood from the above-mentioned narrations, and one can say it frequently at any time.
② At the Time of Hearing the Adhān
Scholars differ regarding when during the Adhān this dhikr is said — during the testimony (Shahādatayn) or at the end of the Adhān. According to Shaykh Ibn Bāz and Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymīn, it should be said during the Shahādatayn, based on the following ḥadīth:
Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
«مَن قالَ حِينَ يَسْمَعُ المُؤَذِّنَ... رَضِيتُ باللَّهِ رَبًّا، وبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولًا، وبِالإسْلَامِ دِينًا، غُفِرَ له ذَنْبُهُ»
“Whoever says upon hearing the Mu’adhin: ‘I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone without partner, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, with Muhammad ﷺ as my Messenger, and with Islam as my religion’ — his sins will be forgiven.”
Reference: Sahih Muslim: 386
③ In the Morning — A Cause for Entry into Paradise
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«من قال إذا أصبحَ: رَضِيتُ باللهِ رَبًّا، و بِالإسلامِ دِينًا، و بِمحمدٍ نبيًّا، فَأنا الزَّعِيمُ، لآخُذَنَّ بيدِهِ حتى أُدْخِلَهُ الجنةَ»
“Whoever says in the morning: ‘I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, with Islam as my religion, and with Muhammad ﷺ as my Prophet,’ then I guarantee that I will take his hand until I enter him into Paradise.”
Reference: Silsilah al-Ṣaḥīḥah: 2686
❖ Weak Narrations Regarding Other Occasions
There are some weak narrations about:
- Saying this after every prayer
- Saying it in the evening
- Repeating it thrice in the morning and evening
All these are weak (ḍaʿīf) narrations.
❖ Final Supplication
In conclusion, we ask Allah Almighty to grant us the ability to frequently recite this dhikr and fulfill its practical demands in our lives.
آمين
