"REMEMBER ME, THEN, AND I WILL REMEMBER YOU. AND BE THANKFUL TO ME, AND BE NOT UNGRATEFUL TO ME." (SURAH AL-BAQARAH:152) - PART 1

فَٱذۡكُرُونِىٓ أَذۡكُرۡكُمۡ وَٱشۡڪُرُواْ لِى وَلَا تَكۡفُرُونِ (سورة البقرة:۱۵۲) حصہ اوّل

Dhikr or "Remembrance" is essentially an act of the heart or mind, but as whatever is inside our minds is expressed through our speech, therefore, reciting Allah Ta'alah's name, or a verse of the Holy Quran, is also described as Dhikr. This means that the real authentic Dhikr is one in which a person is not only repeating Allah's name with his tongue, but is also remembering Allah in his mind at the same time. One must, however, bear in mind that in early stages just repeating Allah's name with one's tongue without the mind being engaged, is also not without benefit. Once a person complained in front of the great Sufi Abu Uthman RE that while we recite Allah's name with our tongues, our mind are empty of his remembrance, he replied that first of all thank Allah Ta'alah that he has engaged at least one part of your body, that is your tongue, in his service. (Qurtubi)

From Ma'ariful Quran, Interpretation of Surah Al-Baqarah, by Mufti Muhammad Shafi RE