Methods of Performing Dhikr

Obligatory and Voluntary Dhikr

Now the question remains: ‘What are the methods of performing these forms of dhikr?’ Concerning this it should be remembered that there are two categories of dhikr: those that are obligatory, and those that are voluntary. There is no need here to mention anything about the obligatory types of dhikr because, by the grace of God, the people of our Jama‘at do indeed carry these out. So what remains are the voluntary forms of dhikr and there is a need to say something about them. However, since this is a lengthy topic, I leave it for now and wish to explain how the Quran should be recited.

Concerning this it should be remembered that one should establish a certain fixed amount that must be read every day. It should not be the case that the Holy Quran is picked up at some random time for some portion to be read from it. On the contrary, it should be read regularly and according to a fixed appointed measure. Irregular reading—that is, reading it sometimes—does not yield any benefit. Thus, with regard to the reading of the Holy Quran, a certain portion should be fixed and that should be completed every day. Whether that portion is one part, or half of one part, or three or four parts, it must be recited daily and one should not fail in completing that. The Holy Prophet (sas) says, ‘Allah loves that worship the most which one adopts as a routine and doesn’t allow hiatus’1 because a break discloses that he is not passionate about it, and the heart cannot be purified without enthusiasm and heartfelt love.

I have observed that whenever the Holy Quran is not recited due to being preoccupied with some writing or for any other reason, the heart suffers on account of it and its effect is felt in other acts of worship as well.2 So, firstly, the Holy Quran should be recited daily, and secondly, the Holy Quran should be read with understanding and it should not be recited so hastily that its meanings are not understood at all. It should be recited with tartil [slowly, clearly, and distinctly] so that its meaning is understood and the respect due to the Holy Quran is also kept in mind. Thirdly, as far as possible, wudu [ablution before offering Prayer] should be performed before the recitation of the Holy Quran, although reciting the Holy Quran without ablution is also permissible in my opinion. It is true, however, that some scholars have disliked the recitation of the Holy Quran without first performing the ablution. In my view, recitation of the Holy Quran without ablution is not forbidden, but it is appropriate to perform ablution for greater effect and spiritual merit.

A friend asks what should be done if one does not understand the meanings of the Holy Quran. Such people should try to read the translation of the Holy Quran. Nevertheless, if one does not know the entire translation, the translation of some portion of the Holy Quran may be learnt and when the daily recitation is done, that portion of which the translation is known may be recited as well.

Someone may ask: ‘What is the benefit of reciting the parts which we do not understand?’ Regarding this, remember that when something is done with sincerity and good intention, Allah definitely rewards it. If you recite for the sake of God without knowing the meanings, He will certainly bless you because of your sincerity. Moreover, it is also true that mere words have their effect as well. Note how the Holy Prophet (sas) has commanded that the Adhan [Call for Prayer] be recited in the ears of a newborn child. Even though the child is unable to know or understand anything at that time, according to the saying, ‘What is given is put to use’, he is undoubtedly influenced by the words of the Adhan.

Other Forms of Remembrance of Allah

Apart from the recitation of the Holy Quran, other forms of dhikr consist of tasbih [expressing glory of God by reciting Subhanallah (Holy is Allah)] and tahmid [praising Allah by reciting Alhamdulillah (All praise belongs to Allah)] that one can perform while sitting alone or in company.

One type of such dhikr is also obligatory, like saying the takbir [reciting Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)] while slaughtering an animal. If the takbir is not proclaimed at that time, eating that animal is forbidden. A second form of this dhikr is nafl [supererogatory] which is repeated in a low voice at other times. The Holy Prophet (sas) has made this into something very vast; that is to say, he has prescribed some form of dhikr for every occasion. For example, when you sit down to eat he has taught us to say: [‘In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful’].

This does not mean that if someone does not recite this, his belly will not get filled, but what it does mean is that the true purpose behind eating will be fully achieved in this way; that is, reciting the name of Allah will greatly benefit our spirituality.

Then there is the command to recite at the commencement of every activity, so that there may be blessings in that work. And when that task is completed we are taught to say:

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so that there may be blessings in that task. Similarly, if someone dons new clothes or begins the use of something new, he should say Alhamdulillah [‘All praise belongs to Allah’] to express gratitude.

On every occasion of sorrow and difficulty we are to say:

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When faced with a task beyond one’s power and capability, we should say: [‘There is no strength nor power except from Allah’].

In short, these are the forms of dhikr that relate to aspects of life one faces daily. Every human being experiences either joy or sorrow during the day. Thus, when faced with joy, one says: [Alhamdulillahi Rabb-il-Alamin—‘All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the worlds’]. And when confronting sorrow, one should say: [Inna Lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji‘un]. Allah the Exalted says:

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The Holy Prophet (sas) has prescribed a particular kind of dhikr for every occasion, so that by doing them, man remains constantly engaged in the remembrance of Allah. For example, if a person is sitting in his office working and he hears some good news concerning himself, he should say Alhamdulillah. If he should learn some such happy news while walking, then again, he should say Alhamdulillah. If he receives a glad tiding while laying down, he should again say Alhamdulillah. Thus, in this way he will be performing the remembrance of Allah while [standing, sitting, or lying on your sides]. Then the Holy Prophet (sas) says, [The best remembrance (of Allah) is, ‘there is no one worthy of worship except Allah’] (Sunan at-Tirmidhī, Kitābud-Da‘wāt, Bāb ma jā’ anna Da‘watul-Muslimi Mustajābatun; Hadith 3383).

As narrated by Jabir in Tirmidhī, the best and the foremost way of remembering Allah is that one should attest to the statement that there is no one worthy of worship except Allah.

There are various merits of other forms of dhikr. Thus, the Holy Prophet (sas) has said concerning: [Subhan-Allahi wa bi-hamdihi, Subhan-Allah-hil-‘Azim—‘Holy is Allah and worthy of all Praise; Holy is Allah, the Great’] that ‘There are two statements which are very light on the tongue to say, but when they will be weighed on the Day of Judgement, their weight will be so much that because of them the arm of the scale containing the good deeds will become very heavy. And they are so very dear to the Gracious God’ (Sahīh al-Bukhārī, Kitāb-ul-Īmāni wan-Nud-hūr, Bāb Idhā Qāla Wallāhi lā Atakallam-ul-Yauma fa Salla au Qara’ au Sabbaha au Kabbara au Hamida aur Hallala fa-hua ‘Alā Niyyatihī; Hadith 6682; Sunan at-Tirmidhī, Kitāb-ud-Da‘wāt, Bāb fī Fada’ili Subhān-Allāhi wa bi-Hamdihī; Hadith 3467).

This is also a dhikr of a very high order so much so that once, when the Promised Messiah (as) got up to offer Tahajjud [early morning supererogatory prayers] during a bout of severe illness and fell down due to fainting and could not offer the prayer, he received a revelation that in such a condition instead of getting up to offer the Tahajjud, he should just recite this while lying down. So this too is a dhikr that possesses immense merit. It is narrated in the sayings of the Holy Prophet (sas) that he used to recite it very often.

The Holy Prophet (sas) has told us that these two forms of dhikr are superior. There is, however, another dhikr which is highly commendable. Although no hadith has been preserved about it, reason guides us towards its very lofty merit. This dhikr consists of reciting the verses of the Holy Quran. If they are recited by way of remembrance of Allah, then it is twice as blessed because it yields a reward for reciting the Holy Quran as well as performing dhikr. Having stated the nature and the forms of dhikr, I will now describe the precautions about them.