dhikr | Meaning, Islam, & Practice - Encyclopedia Britannica

dhikr, (Arabic: “reminding oneself” or “mention”) also spelled zikr, ritual prayer or litany practiced by Muslim mystics (Sufis) for the purpose of ... dhikr TableofContents Introduction More MoreArticlesOnThisTopic Contributors ArticleHistory Home Philosophy&Religion ReligiousBeliefs dhikr Islam Alternatetitles:zikr Print Cite verifiedCite Whileeveryefforthasbeenmadetofollowcitationstylerules,theremaybesomediscrepancies. Pleaserefertotheappropriatestylemanualorothersourcesifyouhaveanyquestions. SelectCitationStyle MLA APA ChicagoManualofStyle CopyCitation Share Share Sharetosocialmedia Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/dhikr More GiveFeedback Feedback Corrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin). FeedbackType Selectatype(Required) FactualCorrection Spelling/GrammarCorrection LinkCorrection AdditionalInformation Other YourFeedback SubmitFeedback Thankyouforyourfeedback Oureditorswillreviewwhatyou’vesubmittedanddeterminewhethertorevisethearticle. JoinBritannica'sPublishingPartnerProgramandourcommunityofexpertstogainaglobalaudienceforyourwork! ExternalWebsites By TheEditorsofEncyclopaediaBritannica • EditHistory dhikr,(Arabic:“remindingoneself”or“mention”)alsospelledzikr,ritualprayerorlitanypracticedbyMuslimmystics(Sufis)forthepurposeofglorifyingGodandachievingspiritualperfection.BasedontheQurʾānicinjunctions“Remindthyself[udhkur]ofthyLordwhenthouforgettest”(18:24)and“Oyewhobelieve!Remember[udhkurū]Godwithmuchremembrance”(33:41),thedhikrisessentiallya“remembering”ofGodbythefrequentrepetitionofhisnames.OriginallyasimplerecitationoftheQurʾānandvariousreligiouswritingsamongasceticsandmystics,thedhikrgraduallybecameaformula(e.g.,lāilāhaillaʾllāh,“thereisnogodbutGod”;Allāhuakbar,“Godisgreatest”;al-ḥamdulīʾllāh,“praisebetoGod”;astaghfiruʾllāh,“IaskGod’sforgiveness”),repeatedaloudorsoftly,accompaniedbyprescribedpostureandbreathing.AstheSufibrotherhoods(tariqas)wereestablished,eachadoptedaparticulardhikr,toberecitedinsolitude(e.g.,followingeachofthefiveobligatorydailyprayers)orasacommunity.Thedhikr,likefikr(meditation),isamethodSufismayuseintheirstrivingtoachieveonenesswithGod.TheEditorsofEncyclopaediaBritannicaThisarticlewasmostrecentlyrevisedandupdatedbyAdamZeidan.