The practice of Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) and Muraqabah (meditation) is esteemed highly among Sufis, with various methods prevalent among them. In our lineage, the Naqshbandiyyah Ghaffariyyah Bakhshia, the practice involves clearing the heart of distractions and focusing on Allah through the intermediary of the Sheikh. This meditation can be done both collectively and individually. Gathering in a circle for Dhikr, tracing back to early Islamic scholars, remains a tradition across all Sufi orders, whether through loud Dhikr, recitation of the Quran, or praising Allah and the Prophet. The objective is the same: to disconnect from worldly concerns for a while and direct one’s full attention to the Creator.
This tradition of Dhikr circles is grounded in the following hadith:
عَنْ انس قَالَ قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللہ صلّی اللہ علیہ وسلم اِذَا مَرَرْتُمْ بِرِیَاضِ الْجَنَّۃِ فَارْتَعُوْا قَالُوْا وَمَا رِیَاضُ الجَنَّۃِ قَالَ حِلَقُ الذِّکْرِ۔
الجامع للترمذی Tirmidhi
Narrated by Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, he said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “When you pass by the gardens of Paradise, avail yourselves of them.” The Companions asked, “O Messenger of Allah, what are the gardens of Paradise?” He replied, “The circles of Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) – sitting in circles remembering Allah.”
In the commentary on this noble hadith, the renowned scholar from the Indian subcontinent, Hazrat Sheikh Abdul Haq Muhaddith Dehlvi, may Allah sanctify his soul, writes: “This hadith proves that forming a circle for the remembrance of Allah is in accordance with the pure Shariah.”
Gathering for the remembrance of Allah, engaging in Dhikr, listening to it, and even sitting silently in the assembly of those remembering Allah are all means of blessings and the descent of mercy. Hazrat Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, says:
قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللہ صلّی اللہ علیہ وسلم لَایَقْعُدُ قَوْمٌ یَذْکُرُونَ اللہ اِلَّا حَفَّتْہُمُ المَلَاِئِکَۃُ وَغَشِیَتْہُمُ الرَحْمَۃُ وَنَزَلَتْ عَلَیْہِمُ السَکِیْنَۃُ وَ ذَکَرُھُمُ اللہ فِیْمَنْ عِنْدَہٗ۔
(رواہ مسلم مشکوٰۃ المصابیح صفحہ 196)
Saheeh Muslim / Mishkat al Masabih – Page 196
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “Whenever a group of people sits together for the remembrance of Allah, they are surrounded by angels, mercy covers them, tranquility descends upon them, and Allah mentions them among those who are with Him.”
The mentioned Hadiths clearly illustrate the virtues of forming a circle and engaging in meditation. This is why the Sufi masters have deemed meditation to be an elixir for practicing and perpetuating the remembrance of Allah within the heart. The method of meditation involves closing one’s eyes when one finds tranquility, and if a cloth is available, it should be placed over the head. All thoughts should be cleared from the heart, and with the belief in Allah’s presence, one should visualize that the remembrance of Allah is taking place, and the grace of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is being transmitted through the hearts of the saints into one’s own heart. Just as turning on a torch in darkness emits a beam of light that clarifies everything in front of it, similarly, imagine a luminous beam reaching into our heart, illuminating it. This approach makes the path to divine knowledge easy and accessible. The author of Qutb al-Irshad, Hazrat Haji Faqirullah Alvi, discusses meditation, stating:
اَلْمَرَاقَبَۃُ وَھِیَ اَشْرَفُ اَسْبَابِ الوُصُوْلِ وَاَسْھَلُ طُرُقِ حُصُوْلِ الْمَعْرفَۃِ وَ اَقْرَبُہَا وَھِیَ مُشْتَقَّۃٌ مِنْ التَرَقُّبِ وھُوَ انْتِظَارُ الْمَطْلُوبِ اَوْ مِنَ الرَّقِیْبِ وَھِیَ مُحَافَظَۃُ القَلْبِ۔
Qutb ul Irshad – Page 5611
Meditation is among the most significant means of achieving union with Allah and is an easy and direct path to attaining divine knowledge. The term meditation derives from “Murāqabah,” which is derived from “Murāqib,” meaning to await the reality one seeks, or it can also originate from “Raqīb,” signifying the act of guarding one’s heart.
Hazrat Khwaja Ahmad Saeed Quds Sirrah states that the origin of meditation (Muraqaba) is from the word “Raqab,” which means to wait. The purpose of Muraqaba is for the seeker to protect his heart from corrupt thoughts without recitation (Dhikr) and without the connection (Rabita) to the Sheikh, focusing entirely towards Allah Almighty. The method is to remain attentive towards the Divine Essence at all times with humility and modesty, until attention towards Allah becomes a habit without associating others. This is also referred to as presence, and it is indeed the purpose of Dhikr. For this reason, Hazrat Moulana Abdul Rahman Jami Rahmatullahi Alayh has beautifully said in a poem:
نقشبندیہ عجب قافلہ سالاراند
برندہ پنہاں بحرم قافلہ را
The Naqshbandi Sheikhs are the remarkable leaders of the spiritual caravan, guiding their followers to the Divine Presence through hidden paths of spirituality.
- This process involves a vigilant awareness of the Divine Presence, keeping the heart in a state of anticipation and readiness for divine inspiration, and protecting the heart from distractions and worldly preoccupations to maintain focus on Allah. Through meditation, the seeker keeps their heart and soul aligned with the remembrance of Allah, facilitating a deeper connection and understanding of the divine essence. ↩︎