Silsilah of the Tahlil

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Shaykh Yusuf al-Kuzani al-‘Ajami (q.s.) reported, in his Risalah, that Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abu Thalib (k.w.) once implored the Prophet (s.a.w.), saying, “O Messenger of Allah, guide me to the nearest of the paths toward Allah (s.w.t.), the easiest of them for His servants, and the best of them in the sight of Allah (s.w.t.).” 

The Prophet (s.a.w.) replied, “O ‘Ali, you must make a constant practice of remembering Allah (s.w.t.) in the places of private retreat.” 

Sayyidina ‘Ali (k.w.) then asked, “Does this excellent merit of the remembrance depend on its being practiced by all people?” 

The Prophet (s.a.w.) replied, “O ‘Ali, the Final Hour will not arrive, so long as someone on the face of the earth is saying, ‘Laa ilaha illa Allah.’” 

Sayyidina ‘Ali (k.w.) then asked, “So, how should I perform the remembrance, O Messenger of Allah?” 

To this, he replied, “You must close your eyes and hear it from me three times, then you must say it three times, while I listen.”  The Prophet (s.a.w.) then said, “Laa ilaha illa Allah,” “There is no god but Allah,” three times, closing his eyes and raising his voice, while Sayyidina ‘Ali (k.w.) listened. 

Then, Sayyidina ‘Ali (k.w.) said, “Laa ilaha illa Allah,” three times, closing his eyes and raising his voice just as the Prophet (s.a.w.) did, while the Prophet (s.a.w.) was listening.” 

These two ahadits have been cited in the Rimah Hizb ar-Rahim ‘ala Nuhur Hizb ar-Rajim of Shaykh ‘Umar ibn Sa’id al-Futi Thal (q.s.).  He stated that Sayyidina ‘Ali (k.w.) taught this to Shaykh Abu Sa’id ibn Abu al-Hasan Yasar al-Baswri (q.s.), who then taught it to Shaykh Habib ibn Muhammad al-‘Ajami (q.s.), who then taught it to Shaykh Abu Sulayman Dawud ibn Nuswayr ath-Tha’i (q.s.), who then taught it to Shaykh Abu Mahfuzh Mar’uf ibn Firuz al-Karkhi (q.s.), who then taught it to Shaykh Abu al-Hasan Sirri ibn Mughallis as-Saqathi (q.s.), who then taught it to Imam Abu al-Qasim al-Junayd ibn Muhammad al-Baghdadi (q.s.).  They have been transmitted since then to the masters of spiritual training, and the process will continue until Allah (s.w.t.) Wills.  They are the source of the method of teaching the awrad and the adzkar.