Perseverance in Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah / Dawām al-Dhikr)
Addressed to: one of the sons of Mir Muhammad Nu‘mān (may Allah have mercy on him)
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace upon the Master of the Messengers and his pure family, all of them.
Be informed and fully aware that your success, salvation, and ultimate well-being—as well as that of all the children of Adam—lies in the remembrance (dhikr) of Allah, Glorious is His Majesty.
As far as possible, dedicate all your time to the remembrance of Allah Almighty, and do not allow even a single moment of heedlessness. Praise and thanks be to Allah Most High that in the Ṭarīqah ‘Āliyyah Naqshbandiyyah, the blessing of perpetual remembrance (dawām al-dhikr) is granted right from the beginning. Because in this path the end is embedded in the beginning, this bounty becomes attainable early on.
Therefore, it is most appropriate and beneficial—rather, it is essential and obligatory—for the seeker to adopt this path. You must divert the full attention of your heart from all other directions and turn it entirely toward the noble shuyūkh of this exalted path. Seek spiritual aid from their purified inner selves.
In the beginning, there is no alternative but to engage in dhikr. You must direct your attention toward the physical heart (qalb ṣanūbrī). This piece of flesh is like a chamber for the true spiritual heart.
Conceive the Blessed Name (Ism al-Jalālah – Allah) within this heart. At that time, do not intentionally move any limb. Rather, sit in full focus, directing your attention toward the heart.
Do not let your imaginative faculty (quwwat-e-mutakhayyilah) form a visual image of the heart, nor remain engaged with such an image. This is because the objective is to direct your focus toward the heart itself, not toward its shape or form.
At this moment, visualize the Supreme Name Allah in your heart without any form or quality—free of image or structure.