Dhikr in Assembly & in a Circle

Hadhrat Abu Sa`eed Khudri relates that once Hadhrat Mu`awiyah visited the mosque and saw a circle (of reciters). He asked,

"What has made you sit?"

They said, "We have assembled here to remember Allah."

He [Mu`awiyah] said, "By Allah you did not sit except for this purpose?"

They affirmed, "We did not sit except for this."

What has made you assemble here?'

They answered, `We have gathered to remember Allah and praise Him for having led us to Islam and granted this favour to us.'

Here is another hadith, which shows the benefit of doing dhikr in assembly.

Ibn `Umar reported, "The Prophet, peace be upon him, said,

`When you pass by a garden of paradise, avail yourselves of it.' The Companions asked, `What are the gardens of Paradise, O Messenger of Allah?" The Prophet, peace be upon him, replied, `The assemblies of dhikr. There are some angels of Allah who go about looking for such assemblies of dhikr, and when they find them they surround them.'"

There is also this important hadith about dhikr in general, and dhikr in an assembly:

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Prophet (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Allah the Almighty says:

I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assembly better than it. And if he draws near to Me a hand's span, I draw near to him an arm's length; and if he draws near to Me an arm's length, I draw near to him a fathom's length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.

Imam Ghazali said, "You must know that Allah removed all the veils of ignorance and brought people to the state of vision through their continuous Dhikr. The first stage of Dhikr is the Dhikr of the Tongue, then the Dhikr of the Heart, then the Appearance of the Divine Presence in the reciter of dhikr, making him no longer need to do dhikr." ¹³

Shaykh al-Munawi said, "For the seeker in Allah's Way, the thing of highest benefit to him is dhikr with the name, 'Allah,' whereby he will taste and see the Love of the Divine Presence [adh-dhawq wal hubbu fillah]."¹⁴

Imam Junaid said, "Whoever made Dhikr with the all- encompassing Name, 'Allah,' is the one who left himself behind, connecting to His Lord, existing in His presence, looking at Him through his heart, where the Light of Allah has burned away his physical body."¹⁵

Therefore, it is the practice of the grandshaykhs of the Naqshbandi Order to initiate their murids in dhikr with the Unique Name encompassing All Attributes, 'Allah,' and by negation and affirmation of the affirmation of faith, la ilaha illallah. Through these two forms they will be able to reach the State of Ihsan, Perfection, which was mentioned by the Prophet in the hadith narrated by Bukhari and Muslim, "al-Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you are seeing Him."

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya said, "If a person wants to be guided, he must look for a person who is from the People of Dhikr. If he found one who is from the People of Dhikr, keeping Dhikr continuously, and following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), he must stick to him."¹⁶

Ibn Hajar al-Haythami said, "The seeker in the first stages, before reaching to the stage of Knower, must obey the orders of his Shaykh, who is carrying both knowledges, the Divine knowledge and the knowledge of the Shari'ah, because he is the Great Physician who has tasted and sensed all the Heavenly Wisdom through keeping the Dhikr in his heart."

______________________________

In the Name of Allaah, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate

• Sura tul-Faatihah                                                                7 Times

“All Praise be to Allaah, Lord of the Worlds.

The All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate.

Master of the Day of Judgment.

You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.

Guide us in the Straight Path.

The Path of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace,

Those whose portion is not wrath and who go not astray.”

• Durood Shareef                                                                  100 Times

Salawaat ul Khidri: Sallallaahu ‘alaa Habeebihee Muhammadiw wa Aalihee wa As-haabihee wa Sallam

“May Allaah (Almighty and Glorious is He) send blessings upon His Beloved, Muhammad (Allaah bless him and give him peace), and upon his Family and upon his Companions and Peace.”

• Sura tul-Inshirah                                                                79 Times

“Have We not expanded your breast for you?

And We have taken off from you your burden –

Which had weighed down your back –

And We have exalted for you your remembrance.

So verily, with every hardship there is ease –

Again, surely with every hardship there is ease.

Therefore, when you are free, still labour hard,

And to your Lord turn your attention.”

• Sura tul-Ikhlaas                                                                     1000 Times

“Say: ‘He is Allaah, the One and Only.

Allaah, the Eternal, Absolute.

He begets not nor is He begotten –

Nor is there anyone equal to Him.”

• Sura tul-Faatihah                                                                    7 Times

“All Praise be to Allaah, Lord of the Worlds.

The All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate.

Master of the Day of Judgement.

You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.

Guide us in the Straight Path.

The Path of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace,

Those whose portion is not wrath and who go not astray.”

• Durood Shareef                                                                                 100 Times

Salawaat ul Khidri: Sallallaahu ‘alaa Habeebihee Muhammadiw wa Aalihee wa As-haabihee wa Sallam

“May Allaah (Almighty and Glorious is He) send blessings upon His Beloved, Muhammad (Allaah bless him and give him peace), and upon his Family and upon his Companions and Peace.”

• Aaya tul Kareemah                                                                           500 Times

“Laa ilaaha illaa anta subhaanaka innee kuntu minaz-zaalimeen”

“There is no god except You. Glory be to You! Surely I was from the wrongdoers.”

• Durood Shareef                                                                                 100 Times

Salawaat ul Khidri: Sallallaahu ‘alaa Habeebihee Muhammadiw wa Aalihee wa As-haabihee wa Sallam

“May Allaah (Almighty and Glorious is He) send blessings upon His Beloved, Muhammad (Allaah bless him and give him peace), and upon his Family and upon his Companions and Peace.”

• Laa ilaha illallaahu                                                                      100 Times

There is no god except Allah (Exalted is He)

• Yaa Allaahu                                                                                    100 Times

O Allaah! (the One Whose Existence is necessary)

• Yaa ‘Azeezu                                                                                   100 Times

O Mighty One!

• Yaa Wadoodu                                                                                100 Times

O Loving One!

• Yaa Kareemu                                                                                 100 Times

O Generous One!

• Yaa Wahhaabu                                                                             100 Times

O Bestower!

• Yaa Hayyu Ya Qayyoom                                                           100 Times

O Ever-Living One! O the Self-Sustaining One!

• Has bunallaahu wa ni’mal wakeel –

      ni’mal mawlaa wa ni’man-naseer                                        100 Times

 Allaah is sufficient for us, and He is the Best Guardian.

The Excellent Protector and the Excellent Helper!

• Yaa Qaadiyal Hajaat                                                                  100 Times

O Fulfiller of Needs! 

• Yaa Daafi’al Baliyyaat                                                                100 Times

O Averter of calamities!

• Yaa Hallal Mushkilaat                                                               100 Times

O Changer of Difficulties to easiness!

• Yaa Kaafiyal Muhimmaat                                                         100 Times

O Sufficient One for difficulties!

• Yaa Shaafi’yal Amraad                                                                 100 Times

O Curer of illnesses!

• Yaa Munazzilal Barakaat                                                          100 Times

O Causer of Blessings to descend!

• Yaa Musabbibal Asbaab                                                           100 Times

O Originator of Causes!

• Yaa Raafi’ad  Darajaat                                                               100 Times

O Elevator of Spiritual Stations!

• Yaa Mujeebad Da’waat                                                             100 Times

O Responder of Supplications!

• Yaa Amaanal Khaa-i-feen                                                         100 Times

O Hope of the fearful ones!

• Yaa Khayran – Naasireen                                                        100 Times

O Best of the Helpers!

• Yaa Daleelal Mutahayyireen                                                   100 Times

O Guide of those who are Astonished in Your love!

• Yaa Ghiyaathal Mustaghitheena Aghithnaa                     100 Times

O Listener of Supplications, listen to our supplication! 

• Yaa Mufarrihal Mahzooneen                                                  100 Times

O Bestower of Happiness on the sorrowful!

• Rabbi annee maghloobun fantasir                                      100 Times

My Lord! Verily I have been overpowered, so Help me!

• Yaa Allaahu, Yaa Rahmaanu, Yaa Raheemu, Yaa Arhamar-Raahimeen

                                                                                                                       100 Times

O Allaah! O All-Merciful! O All-Compassionate!

O most Merciful of the merciful!

• Kalima At Tamjeed                                                                          100 Times

Subhaanllaahi  wal-Hamdu lillaahi wa laa ilaaha illallaahu wallaahu Akbar   walaa hawla walaa quwwata illaa billaahil ‘Aliyyil ‘Azeem

Glory be to Allaah and all Praise is due to Allaah, there is no god but Allaah,

Allaah is the Greatest. There is no power nor any strength except with Allaah,

the All-High, the Supreme!

• Allaahummas turnee bisatrikal jameel                               100 Times

O Allaah! Cover me with Your Beautiful Veil!

• Durood Shareef                                                                                 100 Times

Salawaat ul Khidri: Sallallaahu ‘alaa Habeebihee Muhammadiw wa Aalihee wa As-haabihee wa Sallam

“May Allaah (Almighty and Glorious is He) send blessings upon His Beloved, Muhammad (Allaah bless him and give him peace), and upon his Family and upon his Companions and Peace.”

 Supplication (Du’a)

The following Dua was recited by our Blessed Shaykh. (please note: certain elements have been expanded to facilitate a coherent understanding in the English Language. Furthermore, elements have been added that are recited by Mawlana Shaykh Riaz Ahmad an-Naqshbandi)

"Recital of Salawaat Tu’naj’inah then Sura tul-Faatihah Sharif followed by:

I present the blessings of the Khatam to the souls of Sayyidunnaa Shah Baha’Ud’Din Naqshband, Sayyidunnaa Khawajah Moin’Ud’Din Chisti, Sayyidunnaa Shahab’Ud’Din Suhwardi and to Sayyidunnaa Gawth al Azam Shaykh Abd’ul Qadir al-Jilani al-Hassani wal-Hussaini. Further I present the blessings of the Khatam to the blessed soul of my master Mawlana Shaykh Khawajah Sufi Muhammad Aslam, O Allah elevate his rank, bless us by following his way and keep us in his company!

O Allah, I beseech you through your Infinite Mercy that through the Baraka (goodness) of the Khatam make all difficulties easy. O Allah protect us from the attacks of shaitan and the zalimen (evil transgressors). O Allah protect us further from the attacks of the ego (nafs) and the desires of the world (duniya). O Allah take us away from the door of others and keep us at your door (in your blessed countenance). Shift us away from the presence of others and enable us to seek Your (Majestic and Beautiful) Presence.

O Generous Lord! Make the residents of this locality virtuous. O Allah! have Mercy on the state of this locality. Grant harmony and understanding between each other. O Allah instil: within those unable to pray the ability to pray; within those who have no Dhikr (Remembrance of You) the ability to make Dhikr; within those who have no Fikr (no worry or concern of their deeds) the ability to reflect; bestow upon those who have no offspring pious and upright progeny.

O Allah! Those friends who ask us and write to us to supplicate for them and render their service to us for Your Pleasure and those who travel far distances seeking Your Pleasure, enrich them all openly and secretly.

Un’sur’na fa’in-na’ka khair’un-Na’si’reen. Waf’tah’la’na fa’in-na’ka khair’ul fati’heen. Wag’fir’la’na fa’in-na’ka khair’ul ga’fi’reen. War’ham’na fa’in-na’ka khair’ur Ra’hi’meen. War’zuq’na fa’in-na’ka khair’ur Ra’zi’keen. Wah’fiz’na fa’in-na’ka khair’ul Ha’fi’zeen. Wah’di’na wa’naj’i’na mi’nal ko’miz’zwali’meen.

Wa Sallal-la-hu-ala Habeeb-e-hi Muhammad dinw wa ‘aali-hi-wa ashaab-i-hi-aj’ma’een. Bi’rah’ma’ti’ka Ya Ar’ha’mar Ra’hi’meen."