ذِكْر mention in Arabic
ذِكْر is how you say “mention” in Arabic.
Root ذ ك ر ḏ-k-r. noun (verbal noun / maṣdar). ḏikr.
Arabic
English
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Meaning of mention in Arabic
- mention; the act of speaking of, telling, or relating something the primary infinitive noun of ḏakara in its speech sense — 'he mentioned it, told it, related it, said it'
- remembrance, memory; recollection the same word also serves as infinitive noun for ḏakara meaning 'he remembered it' or 'became reminded of it' after forgetting
- praise, glorification, especially of God used tropically: 'he magnified Him, celebrated, lauded, or praised Him, asserted His unity' — the source of ḏikr as devotional remembrance/praise of God
Example sentence
أول منَازِل الْقَوْم ذِكر الله كثيرًا وتسبيحه بُكرةً وأَصِيلًا،
The first stage of the journey is frequent remembrance of God and glorifying Him morning and evening.
ذِكْرُ remembrance
dhikr means 'remembrance, mention'; the '-u' ending marks it as the predicate ('…is remembrance'), heading an 'of…' phrase with the next word.
The English is machine-translated.
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How it is used
ḏikr treats remembering something and speaking of it as two sides of the same root idea — you 'preserve something in memory' and you 'mention' it with the same word. Its tropical use for magnifying, praising, or asserting the unity of God is the root of ḏikr as devotional remembrance/praise in later religious usage.
Words from the same root
- ذَكَرَهُ he remembered it; he mentioned, told, or related it (form I)
- تَذَكَّرَ to remember, recollect, call to mind (form V)
- اِدَّكَرَ to remember, recollect — a variant form with the same sense as taḏakkara (form VIII)
- ذِكْرَى remembrance, memory, recollection (feminine verbal noun)
- ذُكْرٌ remembrance — a related noun distinguished from ḏikr by some grammarians
- ذَكِيرٌ one who remembers well; mindful, retentive of memory
More example sentences
الذِّكرُ في الإسلامِ ليسَ أصواتًا فارغة، بل معانٍ مكتملة تُنطَق في جُملٍ تامَّة تُغذّي العقلَ والقلب
Remembrance in Islam is not empty sounds, but complete meanings articulated in complete sentences that nourish the mind and heart.
الذِّكْرُ remembrance
Fronted subject, nominative — 'the remembrance' as topic. al- makes it the general, well-known practice; the verbless sentence will pin a predicate to it.
لذلك جاء الذكرُ المشروعُ بصيغٍ تحملُ المعنى
Therefore, the prescribed remembrance comes in forms that carry meaning:
الذِّكْرُ the remembrance
The subject of 'came', nominative, after its verb. al- ties it to the remembrance already under discussion.
أمّا الاقتصارُ على ذِكرِ الاسمِ المُفرَدِ مُجرّدًا من جملةٍ ومعنى فليسَ من هديِ الوحي،
As for merely mentioning the single name detached from a sentence and meaning, it is not part of divine guidance,
ذِكْرِ mentioning
'the mentioning of', genitive after 'ala' and head of an 'of' pairing with 'the name' — 'the saying OF the name'.
الذِّكرُ النافعُ يجمعُ ثلاثةَ أمور
Beneficial remembrance encompasses three aspects:
الذِّكْرُ the remembrance
Fronted subject, nominative — 'the remembrance' as topic. al- keeps it the known practice being characterised.
إذا أردتَ ذِكرًا يغيِّرُ يومَك فلا تكتفِ بصوتٍ بلا معنى
If you want a remembrance that transforms your day, do not settle for a sound without meaning.
ذِكْرًا remembrance
'a remembrance', accusative as the object of 'you want', indefinite — 'some dhikr'. The ending both marks the object role and keeps it general.
اجعل ذِكرَك جُمَلًا تامّة تقود قصدك
Make your remembrance complete sentences that guide your intention.
ذِكْرَكَ your remembrance
'your remembrance' — the first object of 'make', with 'your' attached. It is the thing to be turned into something.
هكذا يتحوّل الذِّكرُ إلى مدرسةٍ يومية يعلّمك النظرَ الصحيح، يطهّر لسانك من اللغو، ويَشدُّ قلبَك إلى ربّه،
This is how remembrance becomes a daily school: it teaches you correct perception, purifies your tongue from idle talk, and binds your heart to its Lord,
الذِّكْرُ remembrance
The doer of 'turns into', nominative, after its verb. al- ties it to the remembrance under discussion.
الذِّكرُ ليس ترديدًا عشوائيًا؛ هو هندسةُ نِيّةٍ تُحوِّلُ الوقتَ إلى عبادة
Remembrance is not random repetition; it is the engineering of intention that transforms time into worship.
الذِّكْرُ remembrance
Fronted subject, nominative — 'remembrance' as the topic. al- makes it the general practice; the verbless sentence will pin a predicate to it.
اجعل للصبحِ والمساءِ وِردًا من الأذكارِ المأثورة، واقرأه بمهلٍ وفهم، ثم اسأل نفسَك ماذا تغيّر؟
Make for the morning and evening a habitual recitation from established remembrances, read it with care and understanding, then ask yourself: what has changed?
الأَذْكَارِ remembrances
Genitive after 'min' — 'the remembrances'. Broken plural of 'dhikr'; the stock from which your portion is taken.
والنتيجةُ يومٌ منظَّمٌ بنورِ الذِّكر، محروسٌ من العادةِ الفارغة، متَّجِهٌ إلى الله
The result is a day organized by the light of remembrance, guarded from empty habits, and directed toward Allah.
الذِّكْرِ remembrance
Genitive owner of 'light' — 'remembrance'. The light belongs to, comes from, dhikr.
وَكَذَلِكَ مَا شرع للْمُسلمين فِي صلَاتهم وأذانهم وحجهم وأعيادهم من ذكر الله تَعَالَى
And likewise, what has been prescribed for the Muslims in their prayers, call to prayer, pilgrimage, and festivals in remembering Allah, the Exalted.
ذِكْرِ remembering
'the remembrance of', genitive after 'min', and head of an 'of' pairing with 'Allah' — 'the remembrance OF Allah'. So what was prescribed is, namely, God's remembrance.
فَجَمِيع مَا شَرعه الله من الذّكر إِنَّمَا هُوَ كَلَام تَامّ لَا اسْم مُفْرد وَلَا مظهر وَلَا مُضْمر
For everything that Allah has prescribed as remembrance is complete speech, not a single word nor an explicit or implicit noun.
الذِّكْرِ remembrance
Genitive after 'min' — 'remembrance'. It names what kind of prescribed thing is meant: dhikr.
وَكَذَلِكَ مَا شرع للْمُسلمين فِي صلَاتهم وأذانهم وحجهم وأعيادهم من ذكر الله تَعَالَى إِنَّمَا هُوَ بِالْجُمْلَةِ التَّامَّة كَقَوْل الْمُؤَذّن
Likewise, what has been legislated for Muslims in their prayers, calls to prayer, pilgrimage, and festivals, as a remembrance of Allah the Almighty, is indeed in complete sentences like the statement of the caller:
ذِكْرِ remembrance
'the remembrance of', genitive after 'min', head of an 'of' pairing with 'Allah' — 'the remembrance OF Allah'.
فَجَمِيع مَا شَرعه الله من الذّكر إِنَّمَا هُوَ كَلَام تَامّ لَا اسْم مُفْرد وَلَا مظهر وَلَا مُضمر
Therefore, all that Allah has prescribed of remembrance is indeed complete speech, not a single noun, whether explicit or implicit.
الذِّكْرِ remembrance
Genitive after 'min' — 'remembrance'. It names what kind of prescribed thing is meant.
كلمةُ ذكرٍ خفيّة، وردُّ أمانةٍ، وكفُّ أذًى عن طريق الناس كلّها تزداد ثِقَلًا بقدر الصدق فيها
A hidden word of remembrance, returning a trust, and withholding harm from people's paths—all increase in weight according to the sincerity within them.
ذِكْرٍ of remembrance
Genitive owner of 'word' — 'remembrance'; 'a word of dhikr'.
يجب مع الذكر عند مالك وأحمد، فإذا تركه عمداً بطلت صلاته،
It is obligatory with remembrance according to Malik and Ahmad; if he deliberately omits it, his prayer is invalidated.
الذِّكْرِ the remembrance
Genitive after 'ma'a' — 'the remembrance (its set wording)'; obligatory together with reciting it.
وما يذكره أصحاب أحمد في مسائل الخلاف إن إيجاب هذه الأذكار من مفردات أحمد عن الثلاثة؛
What Ahmad’s followers mention in matters of dispute is that mandating these remembrances is unique to Ahmad among the three.
الأَذْكَارِ remembrances
Genitive owner of 'obligating' — 'the remembrances'; broken plural of 'dhikr'.
يجب مع الذكر عند مالك وأحمد،
It is required along with remembrance according to Malik and Ahmad,
الذِّكْرِ remembrance
Genitive after 'ma'a' — 'the remembrance (its set wording)'; obligatory together with reciting it.
والأنس بِذكرِهِ كهرب الْحُوت إِلَى المَاء والطفل إِلَى أمه
And finding solace in His remembrance is like the fish's need for water and the child's need for its mother.
بِذِكْرِهِ in His remembrance
'Bi-' (in / with) fused with 'remembrance' plus '-hi' (His) attached, genitive — comfort 'in remembering Him'. The 'bi-' marks what the solace is found in.
من ذكره نَار
From his mention is fire.
ذِكْرِهِ his mention
A verbal noun 'mention / recollection' with '-hi' (his) attached, genitive after 'from', the fronted predicate — 'from his very mention [comes] fire'. The suffix points to Abu Bakr.
الرافضي أَن يفر من مجْلِس ذكره
The objector desires to escape from the gathering where he is mentioned.
ذِكْرِهِ his mention
A verbal noun 'mention / commemoration' with '-hi' (his) attached, the owner completing 'the gathering of his mention', genitive. Any assembly where Abu Bakr is praised.
مَا علمت أَن أحدا سمع بِالْجنَّةِ وَالنَّار تَأتي عَلَيْهِ سَاعَة لَا يُطِيع الله فِيهَا بذكرا وَصَلَاة أَو قراة أَو إِحْسَان
I have not known anyone who has heard of Paradise and Hell to have an hour pass without obeying God through remembrance, prayer, reading, or charity.
بِذِكْرٍ through remembrance
'By means of remembrance', the 'bi-' of instrument with an indefinite noun, opening the list of how one obeys. The noun names the recollection of God, kept indefinite as 'some remembrance or other'.
فقال رسول الله والذي نفسي بيده لو تدومون على ما تكونون عندي وفي الذكر لصافحتكم الملائكة على فرشكم وفي طرقكم، ولكن يا حنظلة ساعة وساعة ثلاث مرات،
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: 'By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, if you remained in the state that you are with me and in remembrance, the angels would shake hands with you in your beds and on your paths. But, O Hanzala, a time and a time.' He repeated this three times.
الذِّكْرِ remembrance
Genitive after 'in', this is 'the remembrance [of God]' — the dhikr that, kept up, would draw the angels. Its ending follows from the preposition.
Common questions
- How do you say "mention" in Arabic?
- ذِكْر (ḏikr).
- What is the root of ذِكْر and what does it mean?
- The triliteral root ذ-ك-ر (ḏ-k-r), covering both 'to remember' and 'to mention, speak of'.
Related words
Definitions summarised from Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon (E. W. Lane, 1863–1893).