Religious education has not yet become widespread. Only a few parents give due attention to matters of faith when talking with their children. Therefore, even Muslims get confused when they are asked what dhikr is. We are somehow more used to hearing and saying the word "prayer." It turns out that the appeal to Allah is different. Let us examine in detail what dhikr is, when and how it is read. Why did we come up with such a strange prayer.
A few words about faith
As you already understood, we will talk about Islam. In order for the reader to understand some subtle points, it is necessary to turn to the essence of the Muslim worldview. According to tradition, everything in the world happens according to the will of Allah. People brought up in a strict religious tradition cannot even think of indignation. They accept the will of the Almighty with humility and gratitude. It is necessary for a modern person to learn it, otherwise it will not be clear what dhikr is. Take a look deep inside: do you often thank the Lord for trouble and failure? In the Slavic tradition there is no such comprehensive obedience as in Islam. That’s why we sometimes misunderstand each other. Muslims live simply: what is now, Allah gave. Need to thank and ask for more. The Almighty constantly watches over his children. It will certainly provide an opportunity to somehow change life, if you know how to sin less. The bottom line is to constantly keep in your soul the image of the Almighty, not to lose touch with him. When you follow the path of Allah, you remain sinless. You just need to hold the thread that binds your soul to it. The dhikr, read daily, allows you to be with Allah and constantly hear his commands and advice. This is a kind of praise of the Almighty, aimed at ensuring that his image is always in the soul, not erased by ordinary vanity. If we look deeper what dhikr is, we will find out: this is one of the methods of meditation or self-hypnosis.
Why do believers read dhikr?
We all dream of something, believing that the fulfillment of our cherished desire will bring happiness. Someone dreams of money, others need earthly love, still others seek career growth. Each has its own fix idea. Having received the desired, we suddenly realize that the feeling of joy is fleeting. A new goal looms ahead. And the habitual disappointment is rooted in the soul again, the fear of not achieving something and the like. And so it can last a lifetime. She turns into a constant discontent caused by a feeling of dissatisfaction. Years run, and happiness is as far away as in youth. But we come to this world after another. It was created for people by the Almighty, and in their pride they do not even have time to thank, enjoy this perfection. To see and understand it, you need to do a little - to calm the soul, to move constantly changing desires to the far corner. To do this, use dhikr in Islam. A short prayer helps to return to real reality, to keep the thought of gratitude to Heaven for the planet and all that is here. It calms the soul, pacifies, allows you to look at everything that is happening philosophically, accept events as they are, and even evaluate them correctly. Dhikr, read regularly, structures thoughts, eliminates vanity and anxiety.
Types of Dhikr
In Islam, they believe that it is always necessary to remember the beautiful names of Allah. There are three types of dhikr. It can be carried out by the tongue, heart and whole body. What is meant? When a believer reads sacred words or simply calls the names of the Most High - this is the dhikr of the language. As a rule, the day begins with a Muslim. There is a line in the Qur'an: “O those who believe! Remember Allah repeatedly. ” Therefore, the Almighty must be constantly present in thoughts. So, a person can feel a connection with him continuously. The dhikr of the heart is prayer without words. It is necessary to learn this method, the very sensation of soul movements does not come to a person. First, believers speak with their mouths, monitoring their feelings. Only after a long time do they understand what the dhikr of the heart is. The last kind is the praise of Allah with all parts of the body. These short prayers are aimed at being constantly with the soul next to the Almighty, hearing his will, not sinning, not succumbing to temptations. Different branches of Islam have developed their own traditions. Read them in Arabic. But nations use their own languages for prayer. And the dhikr of the heart does not require words at all. Let's talk about the traditions of different nations.
Group praise of Allah
They say that neither the village, it’s its own holes. Dhikr is used by all peoples professing Islam. But each has its own characteristics. The Chechen dhikr is a special dance, accompanied by choral “singing”. Men in a multitude move in a circle, pronouncing the names of Allah. As the participants of the event themselves say, the Chechen dhikr fills everyone with forces, allows you to forget about fatigue, fear, anger. Such peculiar prayers became widely known during the war. People were surprised by male round dances. However, they have a very ancient tradition. Thus, representatives of this nationality are charged with courage to defend the rights of their community. The dhikr uttered together brings people together. Everyone has an incredible sense of community in their souls that allows them to take risks. Dhikr is used as a special type of unifying psychological practice. Prayer is necessary for people who have lived for centuries in very difficult conditions. They need confidence that the Almighty has not forgotten about their people, is looking after the weak, and will help in a difficult situation. In the dhikr dance, warriors take part. They defend the community, risking their lives. In such circumstances, it is very important to be sure that there is a faithful friend nearby who will not be left to the mercy of fate. Ingush dhikr looks a little different. Only men participate in that ritual dance, but his movements are not so expansive. The goals are the same - to come closer to the Almighty together.
Sufi Practice - Dhikr
Singing, accompanied by dance movements, is used to educate the spirit, filling the body with divine vibrations. Sufi dhikr are individual and group. The latter attract particular attention with their beauty and effectiveness. Sufis are sure that sounds help to cleanse a person’s body, mind and soul. This practice is used for healing purposes. Zikr in Islam is a way closer to the Almighty. Sufi practice has a slightly different focus. Engaged in singing dhikr, a person fills his space with divinity, creates a temple. It is recommended to practice the technique under the guidance of a spiritual mentor. He will explain how to prepare for the event in order to get the right effect. Sufis consider the preparatory phase to be important. Only people who have managed to adopt an ascetic lifestyle, who have a sincere intention to follow the path of enlightenment, are allowed to group dhikr. It is recommended to use aromatic oils, dress up in ritual robes. Sufi dhikr is a holiday for the initiates. Together they create a special space. Allowing untrained people to such creativity is not recommended. Participants create a single space that anyone can overexert or defuse.
What is the essence of dhikr among the Sufis
The philosophical meaning of practice is that the whole essence of man is revealed to the divine. Sufis also distinguish three types of dhikr. Prayer is pronounced daily. The most common text is: “Laa ilaah ill Allaa.” This combination of sounds means: "There is no God but God." Dhikr, the words of which are given, it is recommended to pronounce as often as possible. It is both a separate practice and preparation for a group event. The Sufi is important to grow to a dhikr of the heart. This is a state where words are no longer needed. I thought about the Almighty - the light immediately appears in the soul, talking about the connection with it. Group dhikr is the third level, the most difficult. In unity with Allah, mind, body and spirit participate. It is conducted under the guidance of a mentor. Dressed in ritual outfits, people gather in a special room where the event is held. Its purpose is to create an atmosphere of unity with the Almighty, a special space filled with divine energies. It is believed that the practice confirms that it has a healing effect on the participants. In the process of prayer, the names of Allah taken from the Koran are mentioned. In this book, there are ninety-nine of them. Dhikr aims to ensure that the participants are fully focused on God, open to him. A prayer dance is performed for a long time. This is necessary to achieve concentration by all members of the group.
How dhikr is read
We will tell for those who do not have a spiritual mentor how this prayer is held. Dhikr begins with the utterance of the phrase “la ilaha illa-Alahu”. This is the beginning of the “Shahada” (the Muslim creed). If you are praying alone, then sit on the mat with your legs crossed. Group dhikrs are accompanied by whirling dervishes or other rhythmic exercises. The first phrase is followed by the names of Allah. They are pronounced rhythmically, intently, until the penetration of words into each cell of the body is reached. It is difficult to describe it. But you must completely abandon ordinary thoughts. This is only the first step. Continue the prayer. Singing will cause the body to begin to fill with tangible light. As a rule, dhikr is read an odd number of times, for example, 201, 2001 and the like. Group meditation is necessarily led by a sheikh (teacher). He builds or seats participants and hurts the rhythm and order of movements. It is believed that energy should spread from the heart throughout the body. For this, exercises are selected. In the dhikr, the truncated name of the Most High “lahu” and its form is sometimes used. You should be careful with him, and beginner Sufis are advised to avoid using such formulas. Sometimes during group meditation, participants fall into a trance. Mentors monitor their condition, helping to recover, if necessary.
How to pray every day
The road to spiritual enlightenment is difficult and bumpy. But you need to start somewhere. Dhikras for every day are recommended, as a rule, by mentors. If you don’t get one, don’t be smart, but turn to the Qur'an. All Islamic practices are based on its texts. Therefore, you cannot invent a gag. Read the words from the holy book. One of the formulas: “la ilaha illa-Alahu”, it has already been mentioned. Then list all the names of Allah that you remember. Of course, it will be necessary to learn all ninety-nine over time. Remember that dhikr is a spiritual exercise. Pronounce it should be in seclusion, sitting on a prayer rug. Nothing should distract from this important activity. The phrase "La hawla wa la kuvvata illa billah" is also suitable for daily prayer, like any other of the Koran. (It means: "Strength and power belong only to Allah.") It’s important to understand why you are doing this. And there can be only one goal - to feel unity with the Almighty. It is necessary to recite a prayer an odd number of times. Get rid of fussiness in these minutes, think about God, strive for him. This is the first stage: the dhikr of the tongue. After a certain time, you will have a feeling of light in your chest. Then you can try the dhikr of the heart. But rushing is not recommended. This path requires concentration, to some extent self-denial. As the sheikhs say, one must renounce everything earthly, completely dissolve in the Divine.
Dhikr time
The Qur'an says that it is possible to praise Allah constantly. There is no need to wait for this for any specific time. Zikr is good for a believer. Namaz is performed in the allotted hours. But it happens that the soul requires communication with the Almighty. Then retire and read the dhikr. However, there are requirements for this action. It is not good to turn to Allah in an untidy state. In Islam, special attention is paid to the cleanliness of the body and premises. Every believer should be tidy, not to be confused with wealth or luxury. Any poor person can be careful in dress and behavior. Lack of funds for new things is not a vice. Envy or anger, insult to a bitter share is considered a sin. Any condition of the pocket does not eliminate the need to wash and wash clothes. Remember this when planning to read the dhikr. Carelessness in the room and attire makes it impossible to focus on what you are doing. And this puts a sense of divinity, closer to Allah. The described requirements are natural for people brought up in faith. The parents of cheating talk about them. But for those who came to Islam in adulthood, such advice may come in handy. It is still important to be persistent and responsible. Prayer should be part of your life. That is, in reading dhikr, accuracy and systematicity are needed. It is not worth doing this sometimes, according to the mood. Such an approach is equated with disorder of spirit.
Conclusion
Sometimes a modern person, spoiled by civilization, perceives religion in the form of a kind of magic wand. If I want, I will take it in my hands, and the world will shine, and if I get tired, I’ll put it in the chest again. Of course, this approach will not bring results. The only thing that awaits a person is disappointment. Any faith requires the work of the spirit. Dhikr is an effort to achieve unity with God. Not everyone can immediately feel at least a drop of light. Need work, perseverance, desire and desire for results. The body, mind, and spirit, and will have to be strained. Goodness itself rarely falls on the head. Maybe only if the saints were born and managed to maintain this state, which is unlikely. The path to oneness with God is thorny. You will meet on this road many temptations, bumps, fill in cones. But the results will be much more serious than those that the imagination can dare. But everyone should learn about it independently. Nobody will go this way for you, which is wonderful! The Almighty endowed each with his own destiny, and it cannot be taken away from us, unless you yourself refuse. We all face a choice: to be in the futile worldly bustle or to try to rise above it, to approach the divine.