VeiledOne
11-05-2005, 08:15 PM
AUDIBLE AND INAUDIBLE DHIKR
A Balanced View of Dhikre Jahri and Dhikre Khafi by the eminent saint, Hadrat Moulānā Mirzā Mazhar Jāne Jānā (Rahimahullāh)
This was a letter written by Moulānā Mirzā Mazhar Jāne Jānā (Rahimahullāh) in Persian. Hereunder follows the English translation of the letter.
After praising Allāh and sending salutations to Nabī e, it should be remembered that a group of Hanafī jurists have exceeded the limits in rejecting dhikre jahrī (audible dhikr) and issuing the verdict that it is harām. Some scholars of hadīth (muhaddithūn) have proven the permissibility of audible dhikr and have endeavoured to prove that audible dhikr is more virtuous than inaudible dhikr. Both these groups have treaded the path of excess and immoderation. They have not been just in this discussion which requires some clarification and a conclusive decision.
This clarification will be discussed hereunder. It should be borne in mind that dhikr means to remember. This is of three types:
Firstly, to engage in dhikr with the tongue only without engaging the heart. It is clear that this type of dhikr is not taken into consideration and is actually a part of the neglect of dhikr.
The second type of dhikr is dhikr of the heart without any movement of the tongue. In the terminology of the Sūfīs, it is termed “dhikr khafī” - silent dhikr. The basis of all the meditation (murāqabah) of the Sūfīs is this type of dhikr (khafī ). It is practised by all the different groups of the Sūfīs.
This dhikr is of two types:
Firstly, to remember only the being of Allāh and not to ponder over any of His attributes.
Secondly, to ponder over one of Allāh's attributes at the time of engaging in dhikr, together with pondering over His being.
Both these forms are deduced from the verse,
وَاذْكُر رَّبَّكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعاً وَخِيفَةً وَدُونَ الْجَهْرِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ ...
“Remember your Lord in yourself humbly and fearfully, without loudness of voice…” (Sūrah A'rāf: 205)
The second method is to ponder over the being of Allah together with the bounties He has favoured mankind with. This form of dhikr is like searching for a person by looking at the signs he has left behind. In the terminology of the Sharī’ah, such dhikr is referred to as ‘fikr’. This form of dhikr is beneficial for the increase of one’s īmān. The Qur’ān and the hadīth are filled with the merits of this dhikr.
The third form of dhikr is to engage the tongue together with the heart in remembering Allah. This is the most complete form of dhikr. There are two forms of this dhikr:
Firstly, the person engaging in dhikr only makes himself heard without raising his voice. In Sharī’ah, this is called dhikr khafī. It is derived from the verse,
ادْعُواْ رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعًا وَخُفْيَةً
“Remember your Lord in yourself humbly and fearfully." (Sūrah A'rāf, verse 55)
The second form is to engage in audible dhikr whereby the next person can hear you. In Sharī’ah, it is called dhikr jahrī. In certain specific cases, it is more meritorious than the inaudible dhikr. It is not unconditionally more virtuous. This virtue is due to a divine wisdom as in the case of the adhān and the recitation of the Qur'ān during the audible salāhs, the audible dhikr is to awaken those who are asleep.
The virtue of dhikr khafī is that the one engaging in such dhikr is saved from the maladies of ostentation and doing actions for fame. Both these defects prevent the acceptance of good deeds.
The virtue of dhikr khafī over dhikr jahrī has been established from the Qur’ān and hadīth.
In fact, the hadīth, “You are neither calling out to a deaf being or one that is absent” seems to indicate a prohibition of dhikr jahrī. The audible dhikr done in a specific manner as well as meditation has come in vogue in the latter era of the pious ones. They have not been extracted from the Qur’ān or hadīth but the saints have derived these forms from divine inspiration and from the source of divine abundance (mabda' faid) and instituted them. Sharī’ah is silent on the matter, that is, it neither approves of the practice nor rejects it.
There are other types of benefits as well in this form of dhikr and there is no need to reject it. Yes, this much is clear that whatever is established from the Qur’ān and hadīth is more meritorious than what is established from other sources, even if the latter is permissible and beneficial.
When Nabī e instructed Hadrat Álī t to recite the kalimah tayyibah as narrated by Shaddād Ibn Ous t, it meant a moderate loud voice not exceeding any limits as mentioned at the beginning of this very hadīth that Nabī firstly instructed Hadrat Álī t to close the door. Thereafter he told him to engage in audible dhikr. This indicates that on the whole, concealment was intended.
The issue is not with regard to the permissibility or non-permissibility of jahr but with regard to its being more virtuous or not.
To claim that audible dhikr is unconditionally better than inaudible dhikr is to reject the explicit Qur’ānic verses and Shar’ī proofs. Accordingly, this view is incorrect.
Similarly, to unconditionally claim that dhikr khafī is more virtuous, is tantamount to rejecting the texts of Sharī’ah. In a like manner, to reject all forms of dhikr jahrī is going against Islamic texts. The audible dhikr is not permissible in some instances, e.g. to recite audibly in the sirrī salāhs (those that have to be performed inaudibly). To claim that dhikr khafī is sunnah while regarding dhikr khafī to refer to the murāqabah (meditation) as espoused by the Sūfīs or to regard as Sharī’ah-compliant that dhikr jahrī which the Sūfīs have initiated in which the dhikr is excessively loud, is futile, let alone claiming it to be more virtuous.
One should not pay attention to the haughtiness and the discussion raised by some youth on both sides as it is not acceptable.
It is abominable to exceed the limits in any direction. Moderation is the better option. The best speech is the one that is brief and concise.
May peace be upon the one who follows the correct guidance and adopts the path of Nabī e.
(Translated by Moulānā Ebrāhīm Muhammad from “Kashkol” of Muftī Muhammad Shafī Sāheb Rahimahullāh)
Al-Inaam (http://www.alinaam.org.za)
A Balanced View of Dhikre Jahri and Dhikre Khafi by the eminent saint, Hadrat Moulānā Mirzā Mazhar Jāne Jānā (Rahimahullāh)
This was a letter written by Moulānā Mirzā Mazhar Jāne Jānā (Rahimahullāh) in Persian. Hereunder follows the English translation of the letter.
After praising Allāh and sending salutations to Nabī e, it should be remembered that a group of Hanafī jurists have exceeded the limits in rejecting dhikre jahrī (audible dhikr) and issuing the verdict that it is harām. Some scholars of hadīth (muhaddithūn) have proven the permissibility of audible dhikr and have endeavoured to prove that audible dhikr is more virtuous than inaudible dhikr. Both these groups have treaded the path of excess and immoderation. They have not been just in this discussion which requires some clarification and a conclusive decision.
This clarification will be discussed hereunder. It should be borne in mind that dhikr means to remember. This is of three types:
Firstly, to engage in dhikr with the tongue only without engaging the heart. It is clear that this type of dhikr is not taken into consideration and is actually a part of the neglect of dhikr.
The second type of dhikr is dhikr of the heart without any movement of the tongue. In the terminology of the Sūfīs, it is termed “dhikr khafī” - silent dhikr. The basis of all the meditation (murāqabah) of the Sūfīs is this type of dhikr (khafī ). It is practised by all the different groups of the Sūfīs.
This dhikr is of two types:
Firstly, to remember only the being of Allāh and not to ponder over any of His attributes.
Secondly, to ponder over one of Allāh's attributes at the time of engaging in dhikr, together with pondering over His being.
Both these forms are deduced from the verse,
وَاذْكُر رَّبَّكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعاً وَخِيفَةً وَدُونَ الْجَهْرِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ ...
“Remember your Lord in yourself humbly and fearfully, without loudness of voice…” (Sūrah A'rāf: 205)
The second method is to ponder over the being of Allah together with the bounties He has favoured mankind with. This form of dhikr is like searching for a person by looking at the signs he has left behind. In the terminology of the Sharī’ah, such dhikr is referred to as ‘fikr’. This form of dhikr is beneficial for the increase of one’s īmān. The Qur’ān and the hadīth are filled with the merits of this dhikr.
The third form of dhikr is to engage the tongue together with the heart in remembering Allah. This is the most complete form of dhikr. There are two forms of this dhikr:
Firstly, the person engaging in dhikr only makes himself heard without raising his voice. In Sharī’ah, this is called dhikr khafī. It is derived from the verse,
ادْعُواْ رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعًا وَخُفْيَةً
“Remember your Lord in yourself humbly and fearfully." (Sūrah A'rāf, verse 55)
The second form is to engage in audible dhikr whereby the next person can hear you. In Sharī’ah, it is called dhikr jahrī. In certain specific cases, it is more meritorious than the inaudible dhikr. It is not unconditionally more virtuous. This virtue is due to a divine wisdom as in the case of the adhān and the recitation of the Qur'ān during the audible salāhs, the audible dhikr is to awaken those who are asleep.
The virtue of dhikr khafī is that the one engaging in such dhikr is saved from the maladies of ostentation and doing actions for fame. Both these defects prevent the acceptance of good deeds.
The virtue of dhikr khafī over dhikr jahrī has been established from the Qur’ān and hadīth.
In fact, the hadīth, “You are neither calling out to a deaf being or one that is absent” seems to indicate a prohibition of dhikr jahrī. The audible dhikr done in a specific manner as well as meditation has come in vogue in the latter era of the pious ones. They have not been extracted from the Qur’ān or hadīth but the saints have derived these forms from divine inspiration and from the source of divine abundance (mabda' faid) and instituted them. Sharī’ah is silent on the matter, that is, it neither approves of the practice nor rejects it.
There are other types of benefits as well in this form of dhikr and there is no need to reject it. Yes, this much is clear that whatever is established from the Qur’ān and hadīth is more meritorious than what is established from other sources, even if the latter is permissible and beneficial.
When Nabī e instructed Hadrat Álī t to recite the kalimah tayyibah as narrated by Shaddād Ibn Ous t, it meant a moderate loud voice not exceeding any limits as mentioned at the beginning of this very hadīth that Nabī firstly instructed Hadrat Álī t to close the door. Thereafter he told him to engage in audible dhikr. This indicates that on the whole, concealment was intended.
The issue is not with regard to the permissibility or non-permissibility of jahr but with regard to its being more virtuous or not.
To claim that audible dhikr is unconditionally better than inaudible dhikr is to reject the explicit Qur’ānic verses and Shar’ī proofs. Accordingly, this view is incorrect.
Similarly, to unconditionally claim that dhikr khafī is more virtuous, is tantamount to rejecting the texts of Sharī’ah. In a like manner, to reject all forms of dhikr jahrī is going against Islamic texts. The audible dhikr is not permissible in some instances, e.g. to recite audibly in the sirrī salāhs (those that have to be performed inaudibly). To claim that dhikr khafī is sunnah while regarding dhikr khafī to refer to the murāqabah (meditation) as espoused by the Sūfīs or to regard as Sharī’ah-compliant that dhikr jahrī which the Sūfīs have initiated in which the dhikr is excessively loud, is futile, let alone claiming it to be more virtuous.
One should not pay attention to the haughtiness and the discussion raised by some youth on both sides as it is not acceptable.
It is abominable to exceed the limits in any direction. Moderation is the better option. The best speech is the one that is brief and concise.
May peace be upon the one who follows the correct guidance and adopts the path of Nabī e.
(Translated by Moulānā Ebrāhīm Muhammad from “Kashkol” of Muftī Muhammad Shafī Sāheb Rahimahullāh)
Al-Inaam (http://www.alinaam.org.za)