Remembrance of God (Dhikr)

Dhikr may be recited Jalli (aloud) or Khafi (silently in the heart). Some orders stress the former, while others emphasize the latter. Both types of dhikr offer the same benefits. They differ only in technique. Both forms also find justification in guidance given by the Prophet Muhammad. Some orders do dhikr while standing, some while sitting in a certain posture, and some while moving. Shaykhs introduced these variations to intensify the dhikr.

Through dhikr, Sufi masters train students to purify their hearts and souls. The shaykh’s role is to guide seekers to the original remembrance; to enable them to become continuously and spontaneously aware of the Divine Presence in the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of life, in the outer and inner realms.