Is it possible to go through real hardship — grief, loss, financial pressure, illness — and still be, at some deep level, content? Not pretending. Not forcing positivity. Actually content.
Islam says yes. And it names the source: dhikr — the remembrance of Allah ﷻ.
A statement, not a metaphor
Allah ﷻ says in Surah Ar-Ra’d (Quran 13:28): “Truly, it is in the remembrance of Allah that hearts find rest.” This isn’t poetry. It’s a factual claim about the human heart. The thing that brings rest is known. The question is whether we’re accessing it.
Ibn al-Qayyim ؒ wrote that in the heart there is a void that cannot be filled with anything in this world — not wealth, not relationships, not achievement, not comfort. It can only be filled by loving Allah ﷻ, turning to Him consistently, and remembering Him. Give the void everything else and it remains empty. Give it dhikr, and it settles.
The fish and the water
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The parable of the one who remembers his Lord and the one who does not is like the parable of the living and the dead.” (Bukhari · 6407). Ibn Taymiyyah ؒ built on this: “Dhikr for the heart is like water for the fish. What happens to a fish when it’s taken out of water?”
The heart without dhikr isn’t just deprived — it’s out of its element. We aren’t designed for a life without remembrance. The restlessness, the persistent feeling that something’s missing despite having what we need — that’s often a heart out of its natural medium.
What dhikr actually does
It recalibrates your perspective. SubhanAllah places you in relationship with a God who is free from all imperfection. Alhamdulillah redirects your attention to what’s been given. Allahu Akbar reminds you of the actual proportions of things. Repeat these — genuinely, with understanding — and your relationship to your circumstances shifts.
It dissolves loneliness. Allah ﷻ says in a Hadith Qudsi: “I am with My servant when he remembers Me.” (Ibn Majah · 3792). There is no moment of sincere dhikr in which you are alone. The One who created and sustains everything is present. That’s not a religious platitude — it’s a relationship claim.
It polishes the heart. The Prophet ﷺ said: “For everything there is a polish, and the polish of the heart is the remembrance of Allah ﷻ.” (Bayhaqi). Just as copper tarnishes without care, the heart accumulates the grime of heedlessness and sin. Dhikr reverses it. Consistently.
The morning and evening adhkar
The most structured dhikr practice in the Sunnah is the morning and evening adhkar — specific supplications the Prophet ﷺ made after Fajr and around Maghrib. They cover protection, gratitude, trust in Allah ﷻ, and remembrance of death. Done properly, they take 10-15 minutes.
There is substantial research showing that structured morning routines — particularly those involving gratitude and intentional reflection — reduce anxiety and increase life satisfaction. The adhkar provide exactly this, with a theological depth that secular mindfulness practices don’t have.
If you start with nothing else: Ayat al-Kursi after every obligatory prayer. The three Quls morning and evening. SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar 33 times each after Fajr and Isha. That practice — done daily, with understanding — will change the baseline feeling of your day within weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does dhikr do for the heart?
According to the Quran (13:28), dhikr brings rest to the heart. Scholars describe it as the polish that removes the tarnish of heedlessness and sin (Bayhaqi), the water that keeps the spiritual heart alive (Ibn Taymiyyah ؒ), and the practice that fills the void nothing worldly can fill (Ibn al-Qayyim ؒ).
What are the best forms of dhikr?
SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, and Allahu Akbar are described by the Prophet ﷺ as among the most beloved words to Allah ﷻ (Muslim · 2137). “La ilaha illAllah” is the best of dhikr (Tirmidhi · 3383). The morning and evening adhkar are the most comprehensive daily practice, covering protection, gratitude, and remembrance systematically.
How does dhikr help with loneliness and anxiety?
Through the Hadith Qudsi — “I am with My servant when he remembers Me” (Ibn Majah · 3792) — dhikr establishes the actual presence of Allah ﷻ in the moment of remembrance. Research on repetitive religious practice shows measurable reductions in cortisol and anxiety. Theologically, dhikr also reframes worry by redirecting the heart toward the One who actually controls outcomes.
Malik ibn Dinar ؒ said: “Seekers of pleasure find no pleasure like the remembrance of Allah ﷻ.” The pleasure of the world is noisy and brief. This one is quiet and doesn’t leave.