Dhikr
Dhikr, literally means "remembrance, reminder" or "mention, utterance". They are Islamic devotional acts, in which phrases or prayers are repeated. It can be counted on a set of prayer beads or through the fingers of the hand. It plays a central role in Sufi Islam. A person who recites the Dhikr is called a ḏākir.
Tasbih, literally meaning "glorification" is a form of dhikr that involves the repetitive utterances of short sentences glorifying God.
The content of the prayers includes the names of God, or a dua taken from the hadiths or the Quran.
Importance
There are several verses in the Quran that emphasize the importance of remembering the will of God by saying phrases such as "God willing" "God knows best," and "If it is your will.' This is the basis for dhikr. Surah al-Kahf, Ayah 24 states a person who forgets to say, "God willing", should immediately remember God by saying, "Maybe my Lord will guide me to more akin to rectitude than this." Other verses include Surah al-Ahzab, Ayah 41, "O you who have faith! Remember Allah with frequent remembrance", and Surah ar-Ra'd, Ayah 28, "those who have faith, and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah.' Look! The hearts find rest in Allah's remembrance!" Muhammad said, 'The best is lā ʾilāha ʾillā -llāh, and the best supplicatory prayer is ʾalḥamdu lillāh.Muslims believe dhikr is one of the best ways to enter the higher level of Heaven and to glorify the Monotheistic Oneness of God.
To Sufis, dhikr is seen as a way to gain spiritual enlightenment and achieve union or annihilation in God. All Muslim sects endorse individual rosaries as a method of meditation, the goal of which is to obtain a feeling of peace, separation from worldly values, and, in general, strengthen Iman.
Common Types of Dhikr
| Arabic Qurʾanic Spelling | Transliteration IPA | Phrase |
| بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ | bismi -llāhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīm /bis.mi‿l.laː.hi‿r.raħ.maː.ni ‿r.ra.ħiː.mi/ | In the name of ALLAH, the All-Merciful, the Especially-Merciful. |
| أَعُوذُ بِٱللَّٰهِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَانِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ أَعُوذُ بِٱللَّٰهِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ | ʾaʿūḏu bi-llāhi mina š-šayṭāni r-rajīm /ʔa.ʕuː.ðu bil.laː.hi mi.na‿ʃ.ʃaj.tˤaː.ni‿r.ra.d͡ʒiː.mi/ | I seek refuge in ALLAH from the pelted Satan. |
| أَعُوذُ بِٱللَّٰهِ ٱلسَّمِيعِ ٱلْعَلِيمِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَانِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ أَعُوذُ بِٱللَّٰهِ ٱلسَّمِيعِ ٱلْعَلِيمِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ | ʾaʿūḏu bi-llāhi s-samīʿi l-ʿalīmi mina š-šayṭāni r-rajīm /ʔa.ʕuː.ðu bil.laː.hi‿s.sa.miː.ʕi‿l.ʕa.liː.mi mi.na‿ʃ.ʃaj.tˤaː.ni‿r.ra.d͡ʒiː.mi/ | I seek refuge in ALLAH, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing, from the pelted Satan. |
| سُبْحَانَ ٱللَّٰهِ سُبْحَٰنَ ٱللَّٰهِ | subḥāna -llāh /sub.ħaː.na‿ɫ.ɫaː.hi/ | Glorified is ALLAH. |
| ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّٰهِ | ʾalḥamdu lillāh /ʔal.ħam.du lil.laː.hi/ | All praise is due to ALLAH. |
| لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ | lā ʾilāha ʾillā -llāh /laː ʔi.laː.ha ʔil.la‿ɫ.ɫaː.hu/ | There is no deity but ALLAH. |
| ٱللَّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ | ʾallāhu ʾakbar /ʔaɫ.ɫaː.hu ʔak.ba.ru/ | ALLAH is greater . |
| أَسْتَغْفِرُ ٱللَّٰهَ | ʾastaḡfiru -llāh /ʔas.taɣ.fi.ru‿ɫ.ɫaː.ha/ | I seek the forgiveness of ALLAH. |
| أَسْتَغْفِرُ ٱللَّٰهَ رَبِّي وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ | ʾastaḡfiru -llāha rabbī wa-ʾatūbu ʾilayh /ʔas.taɣ.fi.ru‿ɫ.ɫaː.ha rab.biː wa.ʔa.tuː.bu ʔi.laj.hi/ | I seek the forgiveness of ALLAH and repent to Him. |
| سُبْحَانَكَ ٱللَّٰهُمَّ سُبْحَٰنَكَ ٱللَّٰهُمَّ | subḥānaka -llāhumm /sub.ħaː.na.ka‿ɫ.ɫaː.hum.ma/ | Glorified are you, O ALLAH. |
| سُبْحَانَ ٱللَّٰهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ سُبْحَٰنَ ٱللَّٰهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ | subḥāna -llāhi wa-bi-ḥamdih /sub.ħaː.na‿ɫ.ɫaː.hi wa.bi.ħam.di.hiː/ | Glorified is ALLAH and by His praise. |
| سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ ٱلْعَظِيمِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ سُبْحَٰنَ رَبِّيَ ٱلْعَظِيمِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ | subḥāna rabbiya l-ʿaẓīmi wa-bi-ḥamdih /sub.ħaː.na rab.bi.ja‿l.ʕa.ðˤiː.mi wa.bi.ħam.di.hiː/ | Glorified is my ALLAH, the Great, and by His praise. |
| سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ وَبِحَمْدِهِ سُبْحَٰنَ رَبِّيَ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ وَبِحَمْدِهِ | subḥāna rabbiya l-ʾaʿlā wa-bi-ḥamdih /sub.ħaː.na rab.bi.ja‿l.ʔaʕ.laː wa.bi.ħam.di.hiː/ | Glorified is my ALLAH, the Most High, and by His praise. |
| لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّٰهِ ٱلْعَلِيِّ ٱلْعَظِيمِ | lā ḥawla wa-lā quwwata ʾillā bi-llāhi l-ʿalīyi l-ʿaẓīm /laː ħaw.la wa.laː quw.wa.ta ʔil.laː bil.laː.hi‿l.ʕa.liː.ji‿l.ʕa.ðˤiː.mi/ | There is no power no strength except from ALLAH, the Exalted, the Great. |
| لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّالِمِينَ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَٰنَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ | lā ʾilāha ʾillā ʾanta subḥānaka ʾinnī kuntu mina ẓ-ẓālimīn /laː ʔi.laː.ha ʔil.laː ʔan.ta sub.ħaː.na.ka ʔin.niː kun.tu mi.na‿ðˤ.ðˤaː.li.miː.na/ | There is no god except You, glorified are you! I have indeed been among the wrongdoers. |
| حَسْبُنَا ٱللَّٰهُ وَنِعْمَ ٱلْوَكِيلُ | ḥasbunā -llāhu wa-niʿma l-wakīl /ħas.bu.na‿ɫ.ɫaː.hu wa.niʕ.ma‿l.wa.kiː.lu/ | ALLAH is sufficient for us, and He is an excellent Trustee. |
| إِنَّا لِلَّٰهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ إِنَّا لِلَّٰهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ | ʾinnā lillāhi wa-ʾinnā ʾilayhi rājiʿūn /ʔin.naː lil.laː.hi wa.ʔin.naː ʔi.laj.hi raː.d͡ʒi.ʕuː.na/ | Verily we belong to ALLAH, and verily to Him do we return. |
| مَا شَاءَ ٱللَّٰهُ كَانَ وَمَا لَمْ يَشَاءُ لَمْ يَكُنْ | mā šāʾa -llāhu kāna wa-mā lam yašāʾu lam yakun /maː ʃaː.ʔa‿ɫ.ɫaː.hu kaː.na wa.maː lam ja.ʃaː.ʔu lam ja.kun/ | What ALLAH wills will be, and what ALLAH does not will, will not be. |
| إِنْ شَاءَ ٱللَّٰهُ | ʾin šāʾa -llāh /ʔin ʃaː.ʔa‿ɫ.ɫaː.hu/ | If ALLAH wills. |
| مَا شَاءَ ٱللَّٰهُ | mā šāʾa -llāh /maː ʃaː.ʔa‿ɫ.ɫaː.hu/ | What ALLAH wills. |
| بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّٰهِ | bi-ʾiḏni -llāh /bi.ʔið.ni‿l.laː.hi/ | By the permission of ALLAH. |
| جَزَاكَ ٱللَّٰهُ خَيْرًا | jazāka -llāhu khayrā /d͡ʒa.zaː.ka‿ɫ.ɫaː.hu xaj.ran/ | ALLAH reward you goodness. |
| بَارَكَ ٱللَّٰهُ فِيكَ بَٰرَكَ ٱللَّٰهُ فِيكَ | bāraka -llāhu fīk /baː.ra.ka‿ɫ.ɫaː.hu fiː.ka/ | ALLAH bless you. |
| فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّٰهِ | fī sabīli -llāh /fiː sa.biː.li‿l.laː.hi/ | On the path of ALLAH. |
| لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ ٱللَّٰهِ | lā ʾilāha ʾillā -llāhu muḥammadun rasūlu -llāh /laː ʔi.laː.ha ʔil.la‿ɫ.ɫaː.hu mu.ħam.ma.dun ra.suː.lu‿ɫ.ɫaː.hi/ | There is no deity but ALLAH, Muhammad is the messenger of God. |
| لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ ٱللَّٰهِ عَلِيٌّ وَلِيُّ ٱللَّٰهِ | lā ʾilāha ʾillā -llāhu muḥammadun rasūlu -llāhi ʿalīyun walīyu -llāh /laː ʔi.laː.ha ʔil.la‿ɫ.ɫaː.hu mu.ħam.ma.dun ra.suː.lu‿ɫ.ɫaː.hi ʕa.liː.jun wa.liː.ju‿ɫ.ɫaː.hi/ | There is no deity but ALLAH, Muhammad is the messenger of ALLAH, Ali is the vicegerent of ALLAH. |
| أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ ٱللَّٰهِ | ʾašhadu ʾan lā ʾilāha ʾillā -llāhu wa-ʾašhadu ʾanna muḥammadan rasūlu -llāh /ʔaʃ.ha.du ʔan laː ʔi.laː.ha ʔil.la‿ɫ.ɫaː.hu wa.ʔaʃ.ha.du ʔan.na mu.ħam.ma.dan ra.suː.lu‿ɫ.ɫaː.hi/ | I bear witness that there is no deity but ALLAH, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of ALLAH. |
| أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ ٱللَّٰهِ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ عَلِيًّا وَلِيُّ ٱللَّٰهِ | ʾašhadu ʾan lā ʾilāha ʾillā -llāhu wa-ʾašhadu ʾanna muḥammadan rasūlu -llāhi wa-ʾašhadu ʾanna ʿalīyan walīyu -llāh /ʔaʃ.ha.du ʔan laː ʔi.laː.ha ʔil.la‿ɫ.ɫaː.hu wa.ʔaʃ.ha.du ʔan.na mu.ħam.ma.dan ra.suː.lu‿ɫ.ɫaː.hi wa.ʔaʃ.ha.du ʔan.na ʕa.liː.jan wa.liː.ju‿ɫ.ɫaː.hi/ | I bear witness that there is no deity but ALLAH, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of ALLAH, and I bear witness that Ali is the vicegerent of ALLAH. |
| ٱللَّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ | ʾallāhumma ṣalli ʿalā muḥammadin wa-ʾāli muḥammad /ʔaɫ.ɫaː.hum.ma sˤal.li ʕa.laː mu.ħam.ma.din wa.ʔaː.li mu.ħam.ma.din/ | O ALLAH, bless Muhammad and the Progeny of Muhammad. |
| ٱللَّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَجِّلْ فَرَجَهُمْ وَٱلْعَنْ أَعْدَاءَهُمْ | ʾallāhumma ṣalli ʿalā muḥammadin wa-ʾāli muḥammadin wa-ʿajjil farajahum wa-lʿan ʾaʿdāʾahum /ʔaɫ.ɫaː.hum.ma sˤal.li ʕa.laː mu.ħam.ma.din wa.ʔaː.li mu.ħam.ma.din wa.ʕad͡ʒ.d͡ʒil fa.ra.d͡ʒa.hum wal.ʕan ʔaʕ.daː.ʔa.hum/ | O ALLAH, bless Muhammad and the Progeny of Muhammad, and hasten their alleviation and curse their enemies. |
| ٱللَّٰهُمَّ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِيِّكَ ٱلْفَرَجَ وَٱلْعَافِيَةَ وَٱلنَّصْرَ | ʾ allāhumma ʿajjil li-walīyika l-faraja wa-l-ʿāfiyata wa-n-naṣr /ʔaɫ.ɫaː.hum.ma ʕad͡ʒ.d͡ʒil li.wa.liː.ji.ka‿l.fa.ra.d͡ʒa wal.ʕaː.fi.ja.ta wan.nasˤ.ra/ | O God, hasten the alleviation of your vicegerent, and grant him vitality and victory. |
| لَا سَيْفَ إِلَّا ذُو ٱلْفَقَارِ وَلَا فَتَىٰ إِلَّا عَلِيٌّ | lā sayfa ʾillā ḏū l-faqāri wa-lā fatā ʾillā ʿalīy /laː saj.fa ʔil.laː ðu‿l.fa.qaː.ri wa.laː fa.taː ʔil.laː ʕa.liː.jun/ | There is no sword but the Zu al-Faqar, and there is no youth but Ali. |
Quran as Dhikr
Reciting the Quran sincerely is also considered a kind of Dhikr. For example:- Reciting Surah al-Ikhlas is equal to one-third of the Quran.
- Reciting Surah al-Ikhlas times gives a palace in Heaven.
- Reciting Surah al-Kafirun is equal to one-fourth of the Quran.
- Reciting Surah an-Nasr is equal to one-fourth of the Quran.
- Reciting Surah az-Zalzalah is equal to half of the Quran.
Hadiths mentioning virtues
Tasbih of Fatimah
The Islamic Prophet Muhammad is reported to have thought his daughter Fatimah bint Rasul Allah a special manner of Dhikr which is known as the "Tasbih of Fatimah". This consists of:- 33 repetitions of subḥāna -llah, meaning "Glorified is God". This saying is known as Tasbih.
- 33 repetitions of al-ḥamdu lillāh, meaning "All Praise belongs to God". This saying is known as Tahmid.
- 34 repetitions of ʾallāhu ʾakbar, meaning "God is Greater ". This saying is known as Takbir.
Prayer beads
When the dhikr involves the repetition of particular phrases a specific number of times, the beads are used to keep track so that the person performing dhikr can turn all of their focus on what is actually being said - as it can become difficult to concentrate simultaneously on the number and phrasing when one is doing so a substantial number of times.
In the United States, Muslim inmates are allowed to utilize prayer beads for therapeutic effects. In Alameen v. Coughlin, 892 F. Supp. 440, Imam Hamzah S. Alameen, a/k/a Gilbert Henry, and Robert Golden brought suit against Thomas A. Coughlin III, etc., et alia in the State of New York pursuant to 28 USC @ 1983. The plaintiffs argued that prisoners have a First Amendment Constitutional right to pursue Islamic healing therapy called KASM which uses prayer beads. The rosary of oaths, which Alameen developed, was used to successfully rehabilitate inmates suffering from co-occurring mental health challenges and substance abuse issues during the 1990s. All people, including Muslims and Catholics, were allowed to use prayer beads inside prisons, lest their freedom of religion be violated when the prison administration forbade their possession as contraband in the penal system. The practice of carrying prayer beads became controversial when gang-members began carrying specific colors of prayer beads to identify themselves.
Dhakir
A "dhakir" or "Zaker", or reminder, is considered a maddah who reminds the remembering of Allah for people, and he himself should also be reciter of dhikhr; namely, not only he ought to be a recital of Dhikr, but also he should put the audience in the situation of dhikr reminding. Idiomatically the term means "praiser of God" or "professional narrator of the tragedies of Karbala ". To some extent, it can mean Maddah/panegyrist too.The root of the word "Dhakir" is "Dhikr" which means remembering/praising; and the word "Dhakiri" is the act which is done by Dhakir, i.e. mentioning the Dhikr by observing its specific principles/manners.
Sufi view
Every Tariqa have their own way of spiritual practices and all of them are connected to a certain lineage likeFollowers of Sufism often engage in ritualized dhikr ceremonies, the details of which sometimes vary between Sufi orders or tariqah. Each order, or lineage within an order, has one or more forms for group dhikr, the liturgy of which may include recitation, singing, music, dance, costumes, incense, muraqaba, ecstasy, and trance. Though the extent, usage and acceptability of many of these elements vary from order to order - with many condemning the usage of instruments and intentional loss of control. In addition, costumes are quite uncommon and is almost exclusively unique to the Mevlavi order in Turkey - which is an official cultural "heritage" of the secular Turkish state. In Sufism, group dhikr does not necessarily entail all of these forms.
The most common forms of Sufi group dhikr consist in the recital of particular litanies, a composition of Quranic phrases and Prophetic supplications, or a liturgical repetition of various formula and prayers. All of these forms are referred to as a "hizb" or a "wird". This terminological usage is important as some critics often mistakenly believe that the word hizb only refers to a portion of the Quran. In addition, many recite extended prayers upon Muhammad of which the Dala'il al-Khayrat is perhaps the most popular. Though common to almost all Sufi orders, some prefer to perform their dhikr silently - even in group settings. In addition, most gatherings are held on Thursday or Sunday nights as part of the institutional practices of the tariqah - though people who don't live near their official zawiya gather whenever is convenient for the most people.
Another type of group dhikr ceremony that is most commonly performed in Arabic countries is called the haḍra. The haḍra is a communal gathering for dhikr and its associated liturgical rituals, prayers, and song recitals, performing both in private or public. Though the haḍra is popular, it is mostly practiced in North Africa, the Middle-East and Turkey. In Turkey this ceremony is called "Zikr-i Kiyam" and "imara" in Algeria and Morocco. In places like Syria where Sufis are a visible part of the fabric and psyche of society, each order typically has their private gathering on one day and will participate in a public haḍra at a central location to which both the affiliated and unaffiliated alike are invited as an expression of unity. Similar public ceremonies occur in Turkey, Egypt, Algeria and Morocco.
For those who perform it, the haḍra marks the climax of the Sufi's gathering regardless of any teaching or formal structure - it often follows a formal teaching session as a way of internalizing the lessons. Musically, the structure of the haḍra includes several secular Arab genres and can last for hours. It is directed by the sheikh of the tariqa or one of his representatives; monitoring the intensity, depth and duration of the phases of the haḍra, the sheikh aims to draw the circle into deep awareness of God and away from the participants own individuatedness. The dhikr ceremonies may have a ritually determined length or may last as long as the Sheikh deems his murids require. The haḍra section consists of the ostinato-like repetition of the name of God over which the soloist performs a richly ornamented song. In many haḍras, this repetition proceeds from the chest and has the effect of a percussion instrument, with the participants bending forward while exhaling and stand straight while inhaling so that both the movement and sound contribute to the overall rhythm. The climax is usually reached through cries of "Allah! Allah!" or "hu hu" while the participants are moving up and down. Universally, the haḍra is almost always followed by Quranic recital in the tarteel style - which according to al-Junayd al-Baghdadi, was a prophetic instruction received through a dream.
More common than the haḍra is the sama`, a type of group ceremony that consist mostly of the audition of spiritual poetry and Quranic recitation in an emotionally charged manner; and thus is not dhikr is the technical sense the word implies. However, the same debate over certain matters of decorum apply as exists with the haḍra. Even though group dhikr is popular and makes up the spiritual life of most Sufi adherents, other more private forms of dhikr are performed more routinely - usually consisting of the order's wird - which adherents usually recite privately, even if gathered together. So although group dhikr is seen as a hallmark of Sufism, the Sufis themselves practice the same private forms of worship that other Muslims practice, though usually more frequently and methodically; group dhikr is a less frequent occurrence and is not the end-all-and-be-all of Sufism, as some Sufi orders do not even perform it.