Letters to the Editor

Junaid Farooq, Kashmir, via email

My name is Junaid and I am a student. I want to know whether is it permitted to do the zikr of Allah with a loud voice. In Kashmir at many places Zikr and durood are read on loud-speakers.

YMD

Dhikr (or Zikr) is Allah’s remembrance. This is a religious ritual; and religious rituals must have ritual sanction.

There are no directives in the Qur’an and Sunnah about how exactly to do dhikr. This is because there can be numerous situations and places, in which dhikr can be performed. Therefore, the Prophet’s practice plays the key role. How did he perform his dhikr? We have a variety of reports concerning how he did his dhikr.

His dhikr constituted in the recitation of the Qur’an, which Allah had instructed him to continuously do. Apart from the Qur’an, he did dhikr regularly after the five-daily Prayers. He recommended that his followers do the same. Accordingly, we find reports that say that the Companions remained in their positions after the termination of five daily Prayers, doing dhikr were used. This was done in slightly raised voice, but not jointly, that is, not in chorus and, not the same words of dhikr. Everybody had his own litany, his own words, although it cannot be ruled out that some would have said nothing, just sat silent.

Then there were joint sessions of dhikr in halaqas (circles) not specifically designed for dhikr at appointed hours, but which took shape impromptu. That is, they were not arranged. But rather, the halaqa grew from two or three engaged in conversation, and then more joining, and finally, turning into a dhikr-halaqa because at that time nobody lectured in the mosque for a halaqa to grow into a lecture session. Such impromptu halaqas much pleased the Prophet.

Those on the Platform (As-hab al-Suffah) also engaged themselves in dhikr, recitation of the Qur’an, and learning their religion. Sometimes the Prophet joined them as one of the participants, especially when it was a knowledge-halaqa. Yet, he never organized a halaqah himself, did not appoint an hour for it, did not appoint someone to take charge, and did not recommend anybody to form a dhikr-halaqah in such and such a manner. Nor do we know of any halaqah where dhikr-words were prescribed, and the dhikr took place in a loud voice. Indeed, loud voice does not only disturb others, it disturbs a man’s inner self. It creates an external effect, like music, but not internal. It gives the joy of participation in a collective act, similar to joining a singing party, a Chorus in a Church, or the shouting of a football match spectators, which all help create an atmosphere, but do not touch the soul.

Doing dhikr over the loudspeaker is perhaps the worst way of doing it. Dhikr should be attempted by individuals, involving their inner self and souls, with as great a concentration as possible. A group’s recitation relayed over a loudspeaker has obviously those on the street, or the residents of the surrounding area as the target. It is not dhikr. It is conveyance of a group’s collective action. It is to announce that some people are engaged in dhikr. It is an imitation of the Choruses of the Church, or similar practices of other religions. It is not Islamic.

Also there is a custom of some khatam-e-sharief. Is it permitted in Islam? Please answer in the light of Qur’an and Hadith.

YMD

We do not know what exactly the so-called Khatm-e-Shareef is, and what is done on the occasion. Can you pl. send us some details?

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