Voice of British Muslim Women

Tooba Khokhar, Cambridge

“Remember Me, I will remember you…” [2:153]

Remembrance means to recollect, bring to mind, and reminisce over a thing. So how does one “remember” the Lord of all Creation? In the Holy Qur’an, Prophet Abraham (on whom be peace) poses to God a deeply profound question:

“And remember when Abraham said, ‘My Lord, show me how Thou givest life to the dead.’ He said, ‘Hast thou not believed?’ He said, ‘Yes, but I ask this that my heart may be at rest.’ He answered, ‘Take four birds and make them attached to thyself. Then put each of them on a hill; then call them; they will come to thee in haste. And know that Allah is Mighty, Wise.’” [2:261]

In this verse, we are told we are like birds who hasten to their Lord in recognition that He is our Master. In truth, in remembering God, we are reacquainting our heart with its Creator and Source.

Indeed, the love of God that is implanted in our souls draws us towards Him, and to His remembrance. As 13th century Persian mystical poet, Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi so put:

“That which is of the sea will long for the sea

From whence it came, there it will go

From the mountains flow the swift-rushing torrents,

and from our body the soul whose motion is mingled with love.” ¹

Remembrance often takes the form of reciting invocations. His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad (may Allah be his Helper) in a moving sermon delivered on the unity of God as embodied in the noble character of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke of a Prophetic tradition that describes how Paradise will be adorned with the plants of ‘Holy is Allah’, ‘All Praise belongs to Allah’, ‘there is no God but Allah’ and ‘Allah is the Greatest’.²

Indeed, the example of our noble Prophet has taught us to inculcate dhikr (remembrance) in each moment of our day. There is a prayer for when we wake, eat, sleep, journey and much else; remembering in each particular Attributes and powers of Allah. The outer and inner dimensions of worship are intrinsically linked after all; and as the Arabic expression goes, that which is in the heart is often on the tongue.

Furthermore, as highlighted by His Holiness Mirza Bashir-ud-Deen Mahmood Ahmad (may Allah be pleased with him) in his book Remembrance of Allah, the obligatory Islamic Prayer as well as other virtuous acts such as the recitation of the Holy Qur’an are also considered to be forms of remembrance. However, it is important that these acts of remembrance emerge from the heart and are not simply verbal utterances.

Commenting on Chapter 13, verse 29 of the Holy Qur’an, His Holiness expounds: “Hearts find comfort in dhikr. Why? This is so because anxiety develops when man thinks that he is about to be destroyed by some calamity and if he believes with certainty that there is a remedy for every calamity and ailment, then he will not become anxious. Thus, when someone remembers Allah and understands that Allah possesses unlimited powers and can remove all types of ailments, his heart tells him that when he has such a God, then what is the need for him to become anxious about any difficulty? He will Himself remove it. In this way he finds comfort” ³

Indeed, there are countless benefits to engaging in remembrance, and adopting the Prophetic example in invoking God morning and evening. As His Holiness further elucidates in Remembrance of Allah:

“Love grows because it is a rule for man that the object that he constantly remains in touch with, he cultivates love for it… Thus, when a servant of Allah remembers Allah morning and evening, and in fact, at all times, and mentions His name, then gradually, the love of Allah the Exalted goes on growing in his heart.”⁴

1. Mawlana Rumi, Masnavi-e-Ma’navi, Book I, ch. 36

2. Friday Sermon 27th March 2026 (https://www.alislam.org/friday-sermon/2026-03-27.html)

3. Remembrance of Allah, p. 109

4. Remembrance of Allah, p. 115