Dhikr Jalli fi al Masaajid

As salaamu ‘alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakaatuhu

In an effort to present evidence supporting the Ahl as Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah consideration as to sources being either Barelvi or Deobandi schools should not be an issue. If the evidences found are correct we may opt to present them. Any objections should be addressed to hunafaa@al-adaab.org.

AN ANALYSIS OF THE EVIDENCE SUPPORTING THE PERMISSIBILITY OF MAJALIS (GATHERINGS) OF DHIKR IN THE MASAJID
Written and submitted by Shaykh Ashraf Dockrat

The subject of this paper, which analyses the permissibility of loud DHIKR gatherings in Masajid, is a subject that has become a matter of substantial interest and discussion in the recent past. The visit of Mashaikh (Sufi Shaikhs) and their disciples to this country in the recent years, particularly the visit of Maulana Shaikh-al-Hadith Muhammad Zakariyya Saharanpuri (R), has given a great impetus to the establishment of Majalis-DHIKR in various Masajid throughout the country. These Sufi Shaikhs have placed great emphasis on the importance and need for the establishment of DHIKR gatherings in every Muslim locality and Masjid. The sources of the Qur’an and Sunnah, as well as the writings of the scholars of Islam, past and present, will be studied to understand their position on this issue. As many of the relevant texts of Qur’an, Ahadith and the practice of Sahabah (RA) and the Salaf-as-Saliheen (pious elders) as possible would be presented on this subject. Whilst it is conceded that some scholars have raised objections against the Majalis-DHIKR, this paper sets out to review the subject of loud DHIKR Majalis (gatherings) in the Masajid in the light of Shari’ah-based evidence.

الحمد لله وحده والصلوة والسلام علي من لا نبي بعده وعلي اله و ا صحابه اجمعين - اما بعد

All praises belong solely to Allah Ta’ala and salutations and peace be upon the final Messenger and upon all his family and companions. Amma-b’adu:

VERSES OF THE HOLY QUR’AN RELATING TO DHIKR

Many verses in the Qur’an exhort towards the DHIKR of Allah, and they are Mutlaq (unrestricted). They encompass all types and forms of DHIKR; whether individual or collective, loud or silent, in the Masjid or elsewhere. Some of these verses are quoted below:

Verse 1:
فاذكرونى اذكركم و اشكروا لى ولا تكفرون
“So remember Me (with DHIKR) and I will remember you and be grateful unto Me and do not be ungrateful.” 2:152

Verse 2:
الذين يذكرون الله قياما و قعودا وعلي جنوبهم ويتفكرون في خلق السموات و الأرض
“(The intelligent ones are) Those who remember Allah standing and sitting and reclining and they ponder in the creation of the skies and the earth.” 3:191

Verse 3:
الذين آمنوا وتطمئن قلوبهم بذكر الله الا بذكر الله تطمئن القلوب
“Those who believe (in Allah) and their hearts acquire tranquility with the remembrance of Allah. Hear well! It is only through the remembrance of Allah that hearts acquire tranquility.” 13:28

Verse 4:
رجال لا تلهيهم تجارة ولا بيع عن ذكر الله
“(People of perfect Iman are those) Men whom trade or business does not distract from the remembrance of Allah.” 24:37

Verse 5:
يا ايها الذين آمنوا اذكروا الله ذكرا كثيرا وسبحوه بكرة وأصيلا
“O Believers remember Allah in great abundance and glorify Him morning and evening.” 33:41/42

Verse 6:
و من يعش عن ذكر الرحمن نقيض له شيطانا فهو له قرين
“And as for him who (purposely) ignores the remembrance of Rahman, We assign a devil for him who is his (constant) companion.” 43:36

Verse 7:
الم يان للذين آمنوا ان تخشع قلوبهم لذكر الله
“Has the time not dawned for the people of faith that their hearts should submit to the remembrance of Allah?” 57:16

Verse 8:
يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تلهكم اموالكم ولا أولادكم عن ذكر الله و من يفعل ذلك فأولئك هم الخاسرون
“O Believers let not your wealth and your children distract you from the remembrance of Allah. Those who do so, they are certainly great losers.” 63:9

Verse 9:
استحوذ عليهم الشيطان فانسهم ذكر الله أولئك حزب الشيطان ألا ان حزب الشيطان هم الخسرون
“Shaitaan has overpowered them (the hypocrites) and hence made them forget the remembrance of Allah. They are the gang of Shaitaan and know well! The gang of Shaitaan are the (real) losers.” 58:19

Verse 10:
واذا قاموا الي الصلوة قاموا كسالي يراءون الناس ولا يذكرون الله ألا قليلا
“And when they (hypocrites) stand up to offer Salah, they stand up with lethargy. They put up a show before the people (of offering Salah) and do not remember Allah but very little.” 4:142
These and other verses regarding DHIKR have been enumerated by many scholars on their works on the virtues and meritoriousness of DHIKR, especially Shaikh Zakariyya (R) has accumulated many such verses in his work Fadhail-al-DHIKR. A study of this work will present many other verses on this subject.

DHIKR IN THE LIGHT OF PROPHETIC TRADITIONS (AHADITH)

After having enumerating certain verses of the Holy Qur’an, mention is now made of certain Ahadith relating to the subject of DHIKR some of which are of a general nature (whether loud/soft, masjid/home, etc.) and some are quite specific i.e. DHIKR in the Masjid or loud DHIKR, which will be alluded to under the explanation of the said Ahadith. Ten Ahadith have been selected for this section.

Hadith 1:
Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates from Rasulullah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) that there is a group of angels who patrol the earth and wherever they find any gathering of DHIKR they call out to each other and form a circle around this gathering that reaches to the sky. When this gathering disperses, they return to the sky where they are questioned by Allah Ta’ala, although He is All-knowing: Where have you come from? They reply: We come from a gathering of Your servants who are engaged in Tasbeeh, Takbeer and Tahmeed. Allah Ta’ala asks them: Have they seen Me? The angels reply: No. Allah Ta’ala asks: And what if they had seen Me? They reply: Then they would have engaged even more excessively in Your Ibadah and in Tasbeeh (glorifying of) You. Allah Ta’ala says: What are they asking for? They reply: They ask of You Jannah. Allah Ta’ala then asks: Have they seen Jannah? The angels reply: No. Allah Ta’ala asks: And what if they had seen Jannah? They reply: Then they would have been even more desirous, eager and keen for it. Allah Ta’ala says: What are they seeking refuge from? They reply: They ask refuge from the Fire (of Hell). Allah Ta’ala asks: Have they seen the Fire? The angels reply: No. Allah Ta’ala asks: And what if they had seen it? They reply: Then they would have tried harder to escape from it and they would have been more fearful of it. Allah Ta’ala says: I make you witness that I have pardoned them. One angel exclaims: A certain person was not from them. He came (coincidentally) for some work. Allah Ta’ala says: They are such a people that even those who sit with them (for other work) will not be deprived.
– Narrated by Bukhari, Muslim, Baihaqi

Shaikh Zakariyya’s (R) commentary on this Hadith:
This subject has also been narrated in numerous other traditions that the angels look for, listen to and sit with the ’gatherings‘ of DHIKR.

Hadith 2:
Mu’awiyah (RA) narrates that Rasulullah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) once came forth to meet a group of the Sahabah (RA). He said: What has caused you to congregate here? They replied: We have congregated here to remember Allah Ta’ala and to praise Him for guiding us to Islam and blessing us with it. He said: By Allah! Is this the only reason for your gathering? They replied: By Allah! This is the only reason for our gathering. He said: I had not made you swear an oath because I disbelieved you but Jibraeel came to me and informed me that Allah Ta’ala is boasting about you before the angels.
- Narrated by Muslim, Tirmizi, Nasai, Ibn-Abi-Shaibah, Ahmad

Shaikh Zakariyya’s (R) commentary:
Mulla Ali Qari (R) explains that Allah boasts about these people because despite having worldly engagements, natural desires, temptations and the shaitaan trying to mislead them, they do not neglect and turn away from My remembrance; then the DHIKR of the angels who are faced with none of these obstacles is no comparison to their DHIKR.