Dhikr and du'a: remembering Allah
Islamic Studies · Key Stage 2 · The School
Remembering, in short phrases
DHIKR means remembering Allah. It can be a single phrase, repeated: SubhanAllah (glory be to Allah), Alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah), Allahu Akbar (Allah is greatest). Muslims say these throughout the day, not only during the five prayers. People say them on the way to school, or before a meal.
Asking, in your own words
DU'A means calling on Allah. It means asking for something. It can use set words from the Quran or hadith. Or a person's own words, in any language. It can be about anything. Health. An exam. Forgiveness. Someone else's wellbeing.
Why remember at all
The Quran says it directly. "So remember Me; I will remember you" (2:152). Dhikr and du'a do not need a mosque or a prayer mat. Walking. Cooking. Waiting for a bus. Any of these moments can carry a short remembrance. A short walk is enough time for one.
A pupil says "Alhamdulillah" after a good grade. That is dhikr — a short remembering, without asking for anything. The same pupil, worried about an exam, quietly asks Allah to help them do well. That is du'a — a request. Both take seconds. Neither needs a mosque, a special time, or even any Arabic at all.