Abu ad-Darda (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) narrated that the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

“Should I not inform you of

the best of your deed,
and the purest of them with your Master,
and the highest of them in your ranks,
and what is better for you than spending gold and silver,
and better for you than meeting your enemy and striking their necks, and they strike your necks?”

They said: ‘Of course.’

He (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said,

“The remembrance of Allah [Most High].”

(Then) Mu’adh bin Jabal (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) said: ‘There is nothing that brings more salvation from the punishment of Allah than the remembrance of Allah.’

[Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3377]

Shaykh Ibn as-Sa’dee, may Allaah have mercy upon him, says:

One of the causes that procures eemaan is to increase the remembrance of Allaah (dhikr) at all times and to also supplicate much, which is the core of worship.
[Causes Behind the Increase and Decrease of Eemaan, by Shaykh ‘Abdur-Razzaak al-‘Abbaad (Hafidhahullah), al-Hidaayah Publications]

Shaykh Ibn as-Sa’dee, may Allaah have mercy upon him, says:

One of the causes that procures eemaan is to greater the remembrance of Allaah at all times and to also supplicate much, which is the core of worship.
[Causes Behind the Increase and Decrease of Eemaan, by Shaykh ‘Abdur-Razzaak al-‘Abbaad (Hafidhahullah), al-Hidaayah Publications]

The Morning and Evening Remembrances

Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullah) said:

The Morning and Evening remembrances are like a shield.

The thicker it is, the less affected its wearer is (from any harm).

In fact (indeed), the strength of the shield (of morning and evening remembrances) can be such that an arrow shot at (the person) returns and hits the (malicious) one who fired it.

[al-Wabil al-Sayyib, pg. 71, Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullah)]

Wear the coat of adhkar so it can protect you from the evils of humans and jinn. And cover your souls with istighfar so it can erase the sins of the night and day.

[Ibn Kathir (rahimahullah), al-Waabil al-Sayyib]

Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) said:

It is essential for one to have some time spent alone where he supplicates to Allah, makes His dhikr, prays, contemplates, reflects on himself, and rectifies his heart.

[Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 10/426]

Verily, those who keep their tongues moist with the remembrance of Allah (make dhikr continuously) would enter Jannah whilst laughing!

[Abu ad-Dardaa’ (rahimahullah), az-Zuhd of Imaam Ahmad (rahimahullah), 730]

Shaykh ibn ‘Uthaymeen (rahimahullah) said:

The prescribed legal supplications (morning, evening, before sleep adhkar and other prescribed du’as) are an unbreakable fortress stronger than the barrier of Yajuj and Majuj (Gog and Magog), but with great regret I say this, many people lack knowledge about these supplications.

[Tafseer Juzz ‘Amma, pg. 355, Shaykh ibn ‘Uthaymin (rahimahullah)]

“al-Baqiyaat as-Salihaat” — “Meaning: The Lasting, Enduring Good Deeds”

{الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا}

Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world. BUT “al-Baqiyaat as-Salihaat” (good righteous, lasting and enduring deeds, that last: i.e., the compulsory/fard prayers, all deeds of Allah's obedience, good, nice and beneficial talk, remembrance/dhikr of Allah with glorification, praises and thanks, etc.), are better with your Lord for rewards and better in respect of hope. — Surah al-Kahf, 18:46

Commenting on this verse, ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas (radiyAllahu anhu) and (so did) Mujahid, Qatadah, al-Hasan al-Basri, Sa’eed Ibn al-Musayyib, Muhammad Ibn Ka’b al-Qurazi and others say (rahimahumullah):

**The “al-Baqiyaat as-Salihaat” (referred to in the verse are these words of Dhikr):

“SubhaanAllaah”

“Alhamdulillaah”

“wa Laa ilaaha ilAllaah”

“wa Allaahu Akbar”**
[Tafseer at-Tabari (rahimahullah), 18/32]

In one of his many writings, Imam as-Sa'di (rahimahullah) wrote:

الفقير الحقيقي هو الافلاس من الباقيات الصالحات

The one who is truly impoverished is one who is bankrupt of any lasting good deeds (al-Baaqiyaat as-Saalihaat).

[Majmoo' Mu'allafat al-Sa'di (rahimahullah), 6/178]