The Quranic Foundation of Dhikr
The Quran commands dhikr in multiple registers:
- “O you who believe! Remember Allah with much remembrance.” (33:41) — kathiran (much): quantity matters
- “Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest (tatma’inn).” (13:28) — the psychological/spiritual function
- “Remember Me and I will remember you.” (2:152) — the mutuality: divine dhikr of the person follows human dhikr of Allah
- “And remember your Lord much, and exalt [Him with praise] in the evening and the morning.” (3:41) — the time-binding: dawn and dusk as cardinal points
The Quran repeatedly distinguishes between those who remember Allah constantly (dhakiru Allah kathiran) and those who only remember Him occasionally or in crisis — and makes the former the definition of the true believer.
Types of Dhikr
Dhikr al-lisan (verbal): the recitation of subhanallah, alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar, la ilaha illallah, the asma al-husna (ninety-nine divine names), salawat al-nabiy, and Quranic verses.
Dhikr al-qalb (of the heart): the interior repetition and presence with the divine name — practiced in Sufi traditions as the basis for deeper spiritual states (ahwal).
Dhikr al-jawarih (of the limbs): acting in conformity with divine will in every action — each halal action is a form of dhikr; the body “remembers” Allah through its lawful use.
Wird and Structured Practice
A wird is a daily scheduled recitation — typically consisting of:
- Specific Quranic passages (azhab — portions of Quran)
- Divine name repetitions (tahlil, tasbih, takbir)
- Salawat
- Specific du’a formulas tied to morning (sabah) and evening (masa’) times
In Sufi orders (turuq), the wird is an initiation-transmitted practice — the shaykh assigns a specific wird to the disciple matched to their spiritual station and need. In the Ismaili-Tayyibi tradition, wird al-fayd (the litany of divine emanation/overflow) is recited as a structured liturgical practice connecting the practitioner to the chain of walayah from the Prophet through the Imams.
See also: Adhkar, Sulook, Maqamat Al Sulook, Tazkiyah, Muhasaba, Surah Al Fatiha, Understanding Namaz, Sabr Wa Shukr