Three Most Powerful Dhikr Recitations
Introduction
Remembering Allah (dhikrullah) is one of the most noble, easy, yet spiritually powerful tongue-based acts of worship. Allah SWT commands His servants to remember Him abundantly, reminding us that through the remembrance of Allah, the human heart finds ultimate peace and tranquility.
Among the various dhikr taught by the Prophet Muhammad SAW, there are three primary recitations recommended to be practiced 100 times daily. These dhikr possess immense power, offering grand-scale forgiveness of sins and the multiplication of good deeds.
Here are the three most powerful dhikr recitations along with their respective virtues:
1. The First Dhikr: Full Tahlil
The tahlil formulation to recite is:
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Meaning: “There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, He is Alone, without partner. To Him belongs all sovereignty and praise, and He has power over all things.”
Virtues:
The Prophet SAW said in a narration recorded by Imam Al-Bukhari (No. 3293):
“Whoever says this one hundred times in a day will have a reward equivalent to freeing ten slaves, one hundred good deeds will be recorded for him, one hundred bad deeds will be erased from his record, and he will have protection from Satan on that day until evening. No one will bring a better deed than him except someone who does more than that.”
2. The Second Dhikr: Tasbih (Subhanallah wa Bihamdihi)
The tasbih formulation to recite is:
سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ
Meaning: “Glory be to Allah and all praise is to Him.”
Virtues:
Forgiveness Like the Foam of the Sea: The Prophet SAW said in a hadith narrated by Al-Bukhari (No. 6405):
“Whoever recites ‘Subhanallah wa bihamdihi’ one hundred times a day will have his sins forgiven, even if they are like the foam of the sea.”
Gaining a Thousand Good Deeds a Day: One day, the Prophet SAW asked his companions, “Is any of you unable to earn a thousand good deeds in a day?” One of them asked, “How can we earn a thousand good deeds, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied:
“By glorifying Allah (saying Subhanallah) one hundred times, for which a thousand good deeds will be written for him or a thousand sins will be wiped off from his record.” (HR. Muslim)
3. The Third Dhikr: Istighfar and Repentance
The formulation of istighfar frequently recited by the Prophet SAW is:
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَتُب عَلَيَّ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
Meaning: “My Lord, forgive me and accept my repentance. Verily, You are the One Who accepts repentance, the Merciful.”
Virtues:
Even though the Prophet SAW was infallible (ma’sum), he was the most diligent in seeking forgiveness. The companion Ibn Umar radhiyallahu ‘anhuma related:
“We counted that the Messenger of Allah shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam would say in a single gathering: ‘Rabbighfirlii wa tub ‘alayya innaka antat tawwabur rahiim’ one hundred times.” (HR. Ibnu Majah No. 3814)
The Prophet SAW also said:
“O people, repent to Allah! Verily, I repent to Him one hundred times in a day.” (HR. Muslim No. 2702)
Conclusion
These three dhikr are extremely light on the tongue but weigh heavily in the Scales of Allah SWT. Allocating just 10 to 15 minutes daily to complete the count of one hundred for each of these recitations is one of the best investments for the Hereafter. Let us moisten our tongues daily with tahlil, tasbih, and istighfar, as a testament to our love for Allah SWT and His Messenger.
Adapted from the Friday Sermon by Ustadz Sodiq Fajar (Dakwah.id).
