Friday Sermon – April 24, 2026 (7 Dhū al-Qaʿdah 1447 AH)
The Remembrance of Allah (Dhikr): The Life of Hearts and the Light of the Path
All praise belongs to Allah. We worship Him and seek His help. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad (salla lláhu ʻalayhi wa sallam) is His servant and messenger. “O you who believe, be mindful of Allah and speak upright words. He will set your deeds right and forgive your sins. Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has indeed achieved a success.”
Allah the Almighty says in His Book: “O you who believe! Remember Allah abundantly and glorify Him morning and evening.” (33:41)
Remembrance of Allah—dhikr—which we recite in the morning and evening, may at times pass over our tongues while our hearts remain absent. It then becomes a mere habit rather than a true act of worship. True remembrance, O servants of Allah, is when the heart is fully present and aware, when a believer senses the greatness of the Creator in everything he sees and in every experience he undergoes. It is to recognize the signs of Allah’s power both in the universe and within oneself. As the poet said: “In everything there is a sign that points to His Oneness.”
The highest level of such awareness is deep reflection (tafakkur). Jibril (peace be upon him) came to the Prophet ((salla lláhu ʻalayhi wa sallam) during the stillness of the night with profound verses that awaken the heart: “Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and in the alternation of night and day are signs for people of understanding.” (3:190)
The Prophet ((salla lláhu ʻalayhi wa sallam) wept until his tears flowed down his beard and said: “Tonight, verses were revealed to me. Woe to the one who recites them but does not reflect upon them.”
The night was chosen for this revelation because it is a time of calm and silence, when the soul becomes tranquil and the heart is ready to connect with its Lord. When the heart is purified, it realizes that this universe was not created in vain and begins to say: “Our Lord, You have not created this without purpose. Glory be to You! Protect us from the punishment of the Fire.” (3:191)
Dear brothers and sisters,
living in a busy city such as Prague, take a moment each morning to reflect on the flow of life: one person heading to work, another to school, and another to the marketplace. Imagine if faith were the driving force behind each of them. When a student remembers Allah while studying and sees in knowledge the precision of divine creation, learning itself becomes an act of worship. When a driver stuck in traffic fills the time with remembrance and seeking forgiveness, frustration turns into calm and patience. When a mother in her home and a worker in a factory connect their efforts to Allah, blessings enter both their livelihood and their character.
But when the heart is empty of remembrance, the world feels barren, and hearts grow hard—like stones, or even harder.
Through remembering Allah, life gains beauty, and a person tastes something of Paradise even in this world. Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “There is a paradise in this world; whoever does not enter it will not enter the Paradise of the Hereafter. This paradise is the remembrance of Allah.”
The Prophet (salla lláhu ʻalayhi wa sallam) was the perfect example. Whatever he did, he filled it with remembrance of Allah. Upon waking, he would say: “Praise be to Allah who gave us life after causing us to die.”
When the wind blew, he would say: “ O Allah, I ask You for the good that comes from it.”
When it rained, when he entered the mosque, when he dressed—
it was as though his entire day was immersed in dhikr, even while he governed a state, led armies, and judged between people.
Living in an environment where remembrance of Allah is not always encouraged—where the call to prayer is rarely heard and visible signs of faith are limited—is undoubtedly more challenging. Yet the reward is greater. Even if the adhan fades from the minarets, it must not fade from our hearts. And if you do not find support around you, then build within your homes, with your families and children, an atmosphere filled with faith. Teach them that the remembrance of Allah is the language of the entire universe.
O Allah, make us among those who remember You often. Rectify our hearts, purify our tongues, and help us to remember You, to thank You, and to worship You in the best manner.
