What does zikr mean in English?

Zikr (dhikr) means 'remembrance' in English — specifically the remembrance of Allah. In practice it refers to short phrases of praise and remembrance such as SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah and La ilaha illa Allah.

What is zikr in Arabic?

In Arabic, zikr is written ذِكْر. It comes from the root dh-k-r (ذ-ك-ر), which means to remember, mention or recall. The Quran often pairs it with Allah, as in 'wadhkuru-llaha kathira' — 'and remember Allah much.'

Why is dhikr spelled zikr and zikir?

They are all transliterations of the same Arabic word ذِكْر. 'Dhikr' reflects the Arabic letter dhal (ذ), while 'zikr' and 'zikir' reflect how it is commonly pronounced in Urdu, Turkish and other languages. All refer to the same thing.

How do you pronounce dhikr?

Dhikr is pronounced roughly 'thikr' — the 'dh' is like the 'th' in 'this,' followed by a soft 'k-r.' In many languages it is pronounced 'zikr.'

Meaning · Dhikr

What does dhikr (zikr) mean in English & Arabic?

The Zikar Team · 4 min read · Published 10 Jun 2026

You'll see it written as dhikr, zikr, or zikir — but it's all the same Arabic word, and it sits at the heart of Muslim worship. Here's what zikr means in English and Arabic, why it has three spellings, how to say it, and what it looks like in practice.

Zikr meaning in English

Zikr (dhikr) means "remembrance" in English — and in Islam, specifically the remembrance of Allah. It is the act of keeping Allah present on the tongue and in the heart through words of praise, glorification and gratitude.

In everyday use, "dhikr" also refers to the short phrases Muslims repeat — such as SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah and Allahu Akbar — and the act of repeating them.

Dhikr in Arabic

In Arabic, dhikr is written:

ذِكْر dhikr / zikr — "remembrance, mention, recollection"

It comes from the three-letter root ذ-ك-ر (dh-k-r), which means to remember, to mention, or to call to mind. The same root gives words like tadhkir (reminding) and dhikra (a reminder). The Quran uses it constantly — for example:

وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ "And remember Allah much, that you may be successful." — Quran 62:10

Why is it spelled dhikr, zikr, and zikir?

All three are transliterations of the one Arabic word ذِكْر — the differences are just about how the first letter is written in English:

Dhikr — the most precise transliteration. The "dh" represents the Arabic letter dhal (ذ), pronounced like the "th" in "this."
Zikr — reflects how the word is commonly pronounced in Urdu, Persian, Turkish and across South Asia.
Zikir — the same, with a vowel added (common in Turkish and Indonesian/Malay).

They all mean exactly the same thing. (Our app is named Zikar for the same reason — it's the spelling most familiar to many of the communities we serve.)

How to pronounce dhikr

Dhikr is pronounced roughly "thikr" — start with the soft "th" sound of "this," then a light "k-r." In many languages it's simply said as "zikr." Both are understood everywhere.

Examples of dhikr

Dhikr can be a single word or a short phrase. The most common include:

SubhanAllah — "Glory be to Allah"
Alhamdulillah — "All praise is for Allah"
Allahu Akbar — "Allah is the Greatest"
La ilaha illa Allah — "There is no god but Allah"
Astaghfirullah — "I seek the forgiveness of Allah"

For a fuller collection, see our dhikr list of 30 authentic phrases with meaning.