The Essence of Dzikr in All Sufi Orders

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

The following is based on an excerpt from Miftah ash-Shudur.  Concerning the individual bay'ah, it had been narrated by Shaykh Yusuf ibn Muhammad al-Kurani (q.s.), in a valid sanad, that Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abu Thalib (k.w.) had ever asked the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), “Ya Rasulullah, show me the shortest path to Allah which is also the easiest and the most meritorious in the Sight of Allah to pass through by His Servants!” 

Rasulullah (s.a.w.) answered, “That you perform the permanent dzikrullah, and the most holy and weighty utterance so far made by myself and the Prophets before me; that is ‘Laa Ilaha illa Allah.’  If you put all the things in the skies and earth on one side of the weighing scale and kalimah ‘Laa ilaha illa Allah’ on the other, you will find the side with the kalimah ‘Laa Ilaha illa Allah’ weighing heavier.” 

Then he said, “Ya ‘Ali, Doomsday shall not appear if on this Earth, there are still people who pronounce ‘Laa ilaha illa Allah.’” 

Sayyidina ‘Ali (k.w.) asked, “Show me the proper method to do the dzikr, Ya Rasulullah.” 

Rasulullah (s.a.w.) answered, “Close both your eyes and listen to me pronouncing it three times.  After that, you utter it three times and I will listen.” 

Then, Rasulullah (s.a.w.) uttered, “Laa ilaha illa Allah” three times, with both his eyes closed in a loud voice while Sayyidina ‘Ali (k.w.) listened.  After that, Sayyidina ‘Ali (k.w.) pronounced it in the same way while Rasulullah (s.a.w.) listened. 

This is the method of the talqin dzikr as explained by Sayyidina ‘Ali (k.w.).  It is further explained that the talqin dzikr of the heart, which is esoteric in nature, is performed with the itsbat, positive declaration; not with the nafi, negation of the fancy of existence of other than Allah (s.w.t.). 

This pronouncement of the Ism adz-Dzat is Decreed by Allah (s.w.t.) in the Qur’an: 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنعَام

...‌ۖ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ‌ۖ ثُمَّ ذَرۡهُمۡ فِى خَوۡضِہِمۡ يَلۡعَبُونَ (٩١) 

… Say: “Allah (Sent it down)”: then leave them to plunge in vain discourse and trifling.  (Surah al-An’am:91) 

Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) taught Sayyidina ‘Ali (k.w.) as such, “O ‘Ali, close both your eyes, shut your lips and fold your tongue, then pronounce, ‘Allah, Allah.’” 

This is the method that was taught and given to Sayyidina Abu Bakr ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Utsman asw-Swiddiq (r.a.) in secrecy by the Prophet (s.a.w.) and this is the dzikr that can be implanted firmly into the heart. 

For this, Prophet (s.a.w.) praised Sayyidina Abu Bakr (r.a.), not because of his diligence in praying and fasting but because of that something which had been firmly implanted into his heart. 

Allah (s.w.t.) Says, in the Qur’an: 

سُوۡرَةُ الرّعد

ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَطۡمَٮِٕنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۗ أَلَا بِذِڪۡرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطۡمَٮِٕنُّ ٱلۡقُلُوبُ (٢٨) 

Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah: for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction. (Surah ar-Ra’ad:28) 

The essence of all  thuruq is these two adzkar, the dzikr jawhar and dzikr khafi.