Zikr: Remembrance of Allah in the Sufi Way

ZIKR MOST NOBLE DEED IN THE SIGHT OF ALLAH:

In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Beneficent

Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon the Prophet Muhammad his noble family and companions

Zikr or Dhikr means "Remembrance". In the Islamic spirituality, Zikr denotes "Remembrance of the Most High" through vocal (loud) or silent  recitation of the Names of Allah Almighty. Zikr is usually accompanied by Salawat ala Nabi (salutations upon the Prophet and his family) and commemoration of the pious and righteous.

Various Sufi ways practice different forms and types of Zikr in various ways. But the purpose is to fill the heart and mind with the remembrance of Allah the Most High. Only in the traditional Sufi ways and those who affirms Sunni-Sufi ways (Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jamah) , the Zikr circles exists. It is they who taught and continued the tradition of Zikr circles from generations to generations. One of the signs of the correct creed of Islam can be understood by this act of worship. 

ZIKR IN QURAN:
“Remember Allah abundantly, in order that you become successful”  Quran (Surah 8: Verse 45)

“Only in the remembrance of Allah (swt) will your heart find peace”  Quran (Surah 13: Verse 28)

“Those men and women who engage much in Allah’s praise. for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a Great Reward” Quran (Surah 33: Verse 35)

“They are the most wise who remember Allah, standing sitting and lying down”  Quran (Surah 4: Verse 190)

“Their skins and their hearts soften to the remembrance of Allah” Quran (Surah 39: Verse 23)

“The remembrance of Allah (swt) is the greatest (deed)” Quran (Surah 29: Verse 45)

PEOPLE WHO FORSAKE ZIKR:

Materialistic People: “Believers, do not let either your possessions or your children divert you from the Remembrance of Allah. Those who do that shall be the losers”. Quran (Surah 63: Verse 9)

Hypocrites: “Whosoever turns away from My remembrance, his life will be made tight and narrow on the Day of Resurrection We shall raise him blind”  Quran (Surah 20: Verse 124)

“Whosoever turns away from the Remembrance of Allah, He will hurl him into a stern punishment”.
Quran (Surah 72: Verse 17)

Hypocrites and Heretical groups are deprived of Zikr Assemblies!

Devil Worshippers: “Satan has mastered them and caused them to forget the Remembrance of Allah. Those are satan’s party; and satan’s party shall assuredly be the losers” Quran (Surah 58: Verse 19)

Disbelievers: Woe to those whose hearts have hardened against the Remembrance of Allah! Those are in clear error”.Quran (Surah 39: Verse 22)

“Whosoever blinds himself from the Remembrance of the Merciful, We shall assign for him a evil satan who will be his (ever misleading) companion”  Quran (Surah 43: Verse 36)

In Hadith:

Imam Malik’s Muwatta: Yahya related to me from Malik that Ziyad ibn Abi Ziyad said that Abu’d-Darda had said, “Shall I not tell you the best of your deeds, and those that give you the highest rank, and those that are the purest with your King, and are better for you than giving gold and silver, and better for you than meeting your enemy and striking their necks?” They said, “Of course.” He said, “Remembrance (Dhikr) of Allah ta ala.” (Book 15, Hadith 15.7.24)

The Importance and Power of Zikr Allah (Remembrance of Allah):
Sunan Ibn Majah (Vol 5 Darussalam Publications)
It was narrated from Abu Darda that the Prophet (alaihiswalathu wa salam) said: “Shall I not tell you of the best of your deeds, the most pleasing to your Sovereign (Allah Malik), those that raise you most in status, and that are better than giving gold and silver,or meeting your enemy (in battle) and you strike their necks and they strike your necks?”. They said: “What is that, O Messenger of Allah?
He said: “Remembering Allah (Dhikr) Hasan,Hadith Number 3790

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah and Abu Sa’eed both bore witness that the Prophet (alaihiswalathu wa salam) said: “No people sit in a gathering remembering Allah,. But the angles surround them, mercy covers them, tranquillity descends upon them and Allah remembers them before those who are with Him” Sahih , Hadith Number 3791

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah (R.A) that the Prophet (alaihiswalathu wa salam) said: “Allah says: ‘I am with My Slave when he remembers Me, and his lips move saying My Name” (Sahih, Hadith Number 3792)

Zikr for those who have less knowledge in Shari’ah:

Sunan Ibn Majah:It was narrated from Abdullah bin Busr(R.A) that a Bedouin said to the Messenger of Allah (salla allahu alaihi wa sallam):
“The Laws of Islam are burdensome for me. Tell me of something that I will be able to adhere to. He said: ‘Always keep your tongue moist with the remembrance of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime”(Hassan, Hadith Number 3793)

The Best Zikr:
Sunan Ibn Majah: Jabir Ibn Abdullah (r.a) said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (alaihiswalathu wa salam) say: “The best of remembrance is “La Ilaha illa Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), and the best supplication is “Al-Hamdu Lillah (Praise is to Allah)” Hasan, Hadith Number: 3800

Loud Zikr (Remembrance of God’s Names) After Obligatory prayers:

Sahih Bukhari:  Narrated Abu Ma’bad: (the freed slave of Ibn ‘Abbas) Ibn ‘Abbas told me, “In the lifetime of the Prophet it was the custom to celebrate Allah’s praises aloud after the compulsory congregational prayers.” Ibn ‘Abbas further said, “When I heard the Dhikr, I would learn that the compulsory congregational prayer had ended.” (Book12, Hadith 802)

Sahih Muslim: Ibn ‘Abbas reported: Dhikr (mentioning the name of Allah) in a loud voice after obligatory prayers was (a common practice) during the lifetime of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) ; and when I heard that I came to knew that they (the people) had finished the prayer.  (Sahih Muslim Book 4, Hadith 1211)

ANGELS DESCEND IN THE ASSEMBLIES OF ZIKR:

Sahih Muslim: Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying Allah has mobile (squads) of angels, who have no other work (to attend to but) to follow the assemblies of Dhikr and when they find such assemblies in which there is Dhikr (of Allah) they sit in them and some of them surround the others with their wings till the space between them and the sky of the world is fully covered, and when they disperse (after the assembly of Dhikr is adjourned) they go upward to the heaven and Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, asks them although He is best informed about them: Where have you come from? They say: We come from Thine servants upon the earth who had been glorifying Thee (reciting Subhan Allah), uttering Thine Greatness (saying Allah o-Akbar) and uttering Thine Oneness (La ilaha ill Allah) and praising Thee (uttering al-Hamdu Lillah) and begging of Thee. Be would say: What do they beg of Me? They would say: They beg of Thee the Paradise of Thine. He (God) would say: Have they seen My Paradise? They said: No, our Lord. He would say: (What it would be then) if they were to see Mine Paradise? They (the angels) said: They seek Thine protection. He (the Lord) would say: Against what do they seek protection of Mine? They (the angels) would say: Our Lord, from the Hell-Fire. He (the Lord) would say: Have they seen My Fire? They would say: No. He (the Lord) would say: What it would be if they were to see My Fire? They would say: They beg of Thee forgiveness. He would say: I grant pardon to them, and confer upon them what they ask for and grant them protection against which they seek protection. They (the angels) would again say: Our Lord, there is one amongst them such and such simple servant who happened to pass by (that assembly) and sat there along with them (who had been participating in that assembly). He (the Lord) would say: I also grant him pardon, for they are a people the seat-fellows of whom are in no way unfortunate. (Book 035, Hadith 6505)

ZIKR IN THE HOUSE:

Sahih Muslim: Abu Musa reported Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying: The house in which Remembrance of Allah is made and the house in which Allah is not remembered are like the living and the dead. (Book 4, Hadith 1706)

ALLAH’S AND HIS SERVANT:

Sahih Muslim: Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, thus stated: I am near to the thought of My servant as he thinks about Me, and I am with him as he remembers Me. And if he remembers Me in his heart, I also remember him in My Heart, and if he remembers Me in assembly I remember him in assembly, better than his (Remembrance), and if he draws near Me by the span of a palm, I draw near him by the cubit, and if he draws near Me by the cubit I draw near him by the space (covered by) two hands. And if he walks towards Me, I rush towards him. (Book 35, Hadith 6471)

ZIKR & THE HEAVENLY FELLOWSHIP (GARDENS OF PARADISE):

Sahih MuslIm: Hanzala Usayyidi, who was amongst the scribes of Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him). reported: I met Abu Bakr. He said: Who are you? He (Hanzala) said: Hanzala has turned to be a hypocrite. He (Abu Bakr) said: Hallowed be Allah, what are you saying? Thereupon he said: I say that when we are in the company of Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) we ponder over Hell-Fire and Paradise as if we are seeing them with our very eyes and when we are away from Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) we attend to our wives, our children, our business; most of these things (pertaining to After-life) slip out of our minds. Abu Bakr said: By Allah, I also experience the same. So I and Abu Bakr went to Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) and said to him: Allah’s Messenger, Hanzala has turned to be a hypocrite. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: What has happened to you? I said: Allah’s Messenger, when we are in your company, we are reminded of Hell-Fire and Paradise as if we are seeing them with our own eyes, but whenever we go away from you and attend to our wives, children and business, much of these things go out of our minds. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: By Him in Whose Hand is my life, if your state of mind remains the same as it is in my presence and you are always busy in Remembrance (of Allah), the Angels will shake hands with you in your beds and in your paths but, Hanzala, time should be devoted (to the worldly affairs) and time (should be devoted to prayer and meditation). He (the Holy Prophet) said this thrice. (Book 37, Hadith6623)

ALLAH IS NOT HAPPY WITH THOSE WHO DOES NOT TAKE HEED TO ATTEND ZIKR CIRCLES:

Sahih Muslim: Ibn Mas’ud said: Since our acceptance of Islam and the revelation of this verse in which Allah has shown annoyance to us:” Has not the time yet come for the believers that their hearts should be humble for the Remembrance of Allah?” (lvii. 16), there was a gap of four years. (Book 43, Hadith 7178)

GREATEST BLESSINGS IN ZIKR:

Sunan Abu Dawud: Narrated Mu’adh ibn Jabal: The Apostle of Allah (peace and blessings of Allag be upon him) said: (The reward of) prayer, fasting and Remembrance of Allah is enhanced seven hundred times over (the reward of) spending in Allah’s path. (Book 14, Hadith 2492)

MANNER OF BEGINNING OR EXITING FROM ZIKR ASSEMBLY:

Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-‘As: There are some expressions which a man utters three times when he gets up from an assembly he will be forgiven for what happened in the assembly; and no one utters them in an assembly held for a noble cause or for Remembrance of Allah but that is stamped with them just as a document is stamped with a signet-ring. These expressions are: Glory be to Thee, O Allah, and I begin with praise of Thee, there is no god but thou; I ask Thy pardon, and return to Thee in repentance. (Book 41, Hadith 4839)

[Every Assembly should Praise Allah and Salute the Prophet Muhammad alaihiswalathu wa salam, all other Assemblies are cursed if it does not Praise Allah the Mighty and Sublime, this has been narrated in another Hadith, which says: If anyone attend an association which does not remember Allah and does not salute Prophet Muhammad alaihiswalathu wa salam, he will regret on the Day of Judgement]

Zikr in the Naqshabandi Haqqani Osmanli Sufi Way (Tarikat/Tariqah):

In the Naqshbandi Haqqani Osmanli Rabbani Sufi Way, Khatamul Khwajagan Zikr is recited every Thursday,usually after Sunset prayer (Maghrib Salat).

Naksibendi Hakkani Awrad (Daily Zikr) is practised by the disciple (Murid) on a daily basis , usually after Dawn prayer  (Salatul Fajr) or afternoon prayers (Asr Salat) till late night. It may take an hour to an hour and thirty minutes to recite entire Daily Awrad in the Naksibendi Hakkani Way. Experienced disciples may recite more than the basic prescribed Zikr according to his or her ability.

In the Naqshabandi Way, the Zikr is mentioned in the 11 principles of the Tarikat by Khwajah Abdul Khaliq Ghujdevani (q.s) and Khwajah Shah Bahauddin Naqshbandi (Q.S) , the Imams of the Tarikat. 

Insha Allah, later,we will write about it in other articles! Read now at: https://naqshabandi.org/topics/

It is called "Yad Kard" (Essential Remembrance) and "Baz Gasht" (Returning) and "Nigah Dasht" (attentiveness) , "Yada dasht" (recollection) and Awareness of Number (Wuquf Adadi). To Summarise all the five, it means to make Zikr with full awareness of divine presence and live according to the remembrance, which is the excellence of Zikr. Such Zikr is practised with precise number of repetitions as taught by the Shaykh.  In such a state, Zikr is not a weekly or timed event , though there is a beginning and restart of various types of Zikr (from obligatory prayers to voluntary worships and recitation of daily zikr in sitting , Zikr in the heart and Zikr in the breathe and Zikr in the tongue), which ultimately establish the Truth in the disciple and overthrow all falsehoods in his heart and mind!

And say, "Truth has come, and falsehood has departed. Indeed is falsehood, [by nature], ever bound to depart." [Quran 17:81]

Quran 95:4  We have certainly created man in the best of stature;

Quran 95:5  Then We return him to the lowest of the low,

Man is created in his original holiness, because he is created in the image of the LORD (see Hadith Below), Man's work in this world is to believe in Allah and the Last day and follow the Messengers, and to follow the guidance and by working according to faith and guidance, man may must make effort to reclaim his original holiness!. There is no original sin , there is only original holiness!. 

Abu Ismā’īl Al-Harawī (481H) with his narration to Abu Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) who said that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

خَلَقَ اللَّهُ آدَمَ عَلَى صُورَتِهِ، طُولُهُ سِتُّونَ ذِرَاعًا

“Allah’s created Ādam (‘alaihis-salām) upon His Image; Adam’s height was 60 cubits.”

Reported by Muslim (4/2184, no. 28) Bukhāri, Fathul-Bāri (6/362 no. 3326)

Quran 67:2 It is He who has created death and life to put you to the test and see which of you is most virtuous in your deeds. He is Majestic and All-forgiving.

Quran 51:56 And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.

Every act of worship is to remember Allah Almighty, so the test is who is excellent in worship, who is best in deeds, since the best deed is the Remembrance of Allah,the one who has clean and pure Zikr whose heart is free from all corruptions can only make an excellent Zikr ,i.e an excellent deed for which Allah Created man as stated in the Quran. This is where following a Shaykh is necessary. The Shaykh must be a heir to the Prophets, not a book scholar!

Quran 87:14 He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself

Quran 91:9 He has succeeded who purifies it,

Quran 91:10 And he has failed who instills it [with corruption].

On the authority of an-Nu’man ibn Basheer (ra), who said:

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say, “That which is lawful is clear and that which is unlawful is clear, and between the two of them are doubtful matters about which many people do not know. Thus he who avoids doubtful matters clears himself in regard to his religion and his honor, but he who falls into doubtful matters [eventually] falls into that which is unlawful, like the shepherd who pastures around a sanctuary, all but grazing therein. Truly every king has a sanctuary, and truly Allah’s sanctuary is His prohibitions. Truly in the body there is a morsel of flesh, which, if it be whole, all the body is whole, and which, if it is diseased, all of [the body] is diseased. Truly, it is the heart.” [Bukhari & Muslim]

When the seeker reach the perfection of Zikr everything other than the LORD of Truth will depart from him, including his own very lower level!

As it is written: . And My servant continues to draw near to me with nafil (supererogatory) deeds until I Love him. When I Love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, and his sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him; and were he to seek refuge with Me, I would surely grant him refuge.’ ” (Sahih Bukhari/Imam Nawawi 40 Hadith No:38

This is the "Abdullah" (Servant of the Most High) about whom Allah says in the Quran: 

And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided. 2:186

Some ignorant people quote Quran 2:186 to argue with Sufis and to refute Intercession and Mediation (i.e Tawassul, Isthighasa, Shafa'ath etc) But they are not understanding that, the aforementioned Hadith explains who is the servant according to Allah!. They are not His part time servants, not part worldly and part Lordly servants!. They are only the Rabbaniyyun (Quran 3:79)

It is not possible for a man whom Allah has given the Book, the Wisdom and the Prophet-hood, that he would say to the people: "Worship me instead of Allah." On the contrary he would say: "Be devoted worshippers of your Rabb in accordance with the Holy Book you have been teaching and reading." 3:79

Those who are Rabbani, they are the heirs of the Prophets. They are those with heavenly knowledge and wisdom. They are not upon the tiles of the diploma of Islam and institutional training. They are trained and raised in the prophetic way!

Sufi way is to follow the fellowship of such Servants of the Most High. The true 'Abd Allah'. The Christians misunderstood such 'Servant-hood' in Jesus Christ (Peace be upon him) and mistook him as incarnation of Almighty God, despite of the clear messages and statements in their Books (Isaiah 42:1 ,John 17:3, Acts 4:27 etc). The salafis misunderstood such stations (Maqam) and they accuse unbelief on prominent Sufi Saints, just as the Jews who misunderstood Christ and accused him of blasphemy! This how those sects emerged among Muslims who imitate the Jews and the Christians in understanding 'Beliefs (Aqeedha)' and turns against Sufi Ways (Ahlu sunnah wal Jamah)!

The correct way (tariqah) and creed (Jamah) continues with the Imams who are the heirs to the Prophets!. Insha Allah, later, we will discuss the Ahlul Bayth and how Sufi Ways related to the pious Ahlul Bayth (Progeny of the Prophet Muhammad,upon him be peace and blessings)

Peace be upon the Prophets of Allah
Praise be to Allah the LORD of the Worlds

 Jouhar Ali Naqshbandi Al-Hassani

*Representative of the Naqshbandi Sufi Way