Divine Remembrance - Chapter II: The Blessings (Barakat) of dhikr

Chapter II: The Blessings (Barakat) of dhikr

Tags: Barakat, Blessings of Dhikr, Dhikr, Hazrat Adam, Hazrat Nuh, Hazrat Ibrahim, Hazrat Musa, Hazrat `Isa, Hazrat Muhammad, Partial Vicegerency, Khilafat-i Juzwi

This chapter describes some comprehensive examples regarding the blessings (barakat) of Divine remembrance. In this connection, first of all, it is necessary to understand thoroughly the meaning of barkat (Arabic: barakah). Thus barkat means increase, abundance, affluence, prosperity, i.e., increase in grace (favour) and good fortune, whether it is external or internal, physical or spiritual.

The Fountainhead of Blessings (Barakat)

Dhikr is performed with the sacred and blessed name of the Lord of Honour. According to the teaching of the Qur'an, there are limitless hidden treasures of goodness and blessings, knowledge and wisdom, rectitude and guidance and infinite other favours in God's blessed name. Alluding to all such meanings of barkat it is said in the Qur'an “(O Prophet!) The name of your Lord, Who is Majestic and Gracious, is blessed.” (55:78) This means that the unending fountainhead and the limitless treasure of all those blessings and mercies which the entire universe and all existents are receiving, or which they are going to receive openly and secretly, or those which are special for the Prophets, Imams and mu'mins, is the pure name of God and its dhikr. Thus as a proof of this fact and in order to show the attributes and benefits of dhikr the attention of readers is drawn in what follows to some wisdom-filled Qur'anic verses.

Dhikr and Hazrat-i Adam (May peace be through him)

It was due to the blessings of the dhikr of God's blessed Name that Hazrat-i Adam (May peace be through him) was enriched with the science of names (`ilmu'l-asma') and the reality of things (haqiqat-i ashya') and he became the vicegerent of God on earth and the object of the prostration of angels. The names which were taught to him were, in reality, the names of God. This teaching was given in the form of the spiritual miracles of these great names and all these blessings and felicities were based on the sacred dhikr of the Supreme Name (ism-i a`zam), which was taught to Hazrat-i Adam (May peace be through him).

In addition, Hazrat-i Adam (May peace be through him) also learnt some words (kalimat) i.e., some great names after the descent (hubut) from Paradise (2:37-38), and duly completed their dhikr, and due to which his repentance was accepted. The acceptance of repentance means his previous spirituality and luminosity was restored completely and he discharged the magnificent duty of God's vicegerency on the planet earth.

Dhikr and Hazrat-i Nuh (May peace be through him)

If you study verse (11:48) carefully, you will certainly come to know that there was also a spiritual deluge in the background of Hazrat-i Nuh (May peace be through him)'s physical deluge. It is narrated in the story of the Qur'an: “It was said (unto him): O Nuh! Go down (now from the deluge of spirituality) with peace from Us and blessings upon you and upon those people who are with you.”

It is certainly a matter of principle that Hazrat-i Nuh (May peace be through him) had received these blessings as a result of the dhikr of the great names of God and not as a result of any kind of physical deluge, because without God's name and (its) dhikr there cannot be peace and blessings. It was essential for Hazrat-i Nuh (May peace be through him) to have God's peace and blessings from the time he had received prophethood.

Dhikr and Hazrat-i Ibrahim (May peace be through him)

The same Qur'anic proof is about Hazrat-i Ibrahim (May peace be through him) as well, that God had tried him with certain Perfect Words (kalimat-i tammat), by which are meant God's names. That is, Hazrat-i Ibrahim (May peace be through him) duly fulfilled the blessed dhikr of the great names of God, as a result of which he was appointed Imam for the people of the entire world and the fountainhead of all His blessings, personally, as well as in the position of the chain of his progeny. This is the clear purport of (2:124).

Dhikr and Hazrat-i Musa (May peace be through him)

It is mentioned in verse (27:8): When he came to it (fire) a voice was raised: “Blessed is whosoever is in the fire (i.e., light), and whosoever is around it. And hallowed is Allah, the Lord of the worlds.” This was the light of guidance which Hazrat-i Musa (May peace be through him) saw with his inner eye as a result of God's dhikr and in which there were the blessings of intellect and sagacity, knowledge and wisdom, rectitude and guidance. It was this light from which he had also obtained blessings and mercies.

Dhikr and Hazrat-i `Isa (May peace be through him)

In verse (19:31) God says about Hazrat-i `Isa (May peace be through him) that he said: “And He has made me blessed wheresoever I may be”. It is very necessary to understand here that this verse is filled with great wisdom, and the keys of numerous realities are hidden in it. In this verse the allusion of the “wheresoeverness (ayniyyat)” of the word “wheresoever (ayn)” is to both the physical as well as the spiritual states. That is, in “wheresoever I may be” Hazrat-i `Isa (May peace be through him) says that in the entire cycle of his prophethood he had been made the means of blessing for those people among whom he would live physically or spiritually.

One obvious wisdom of this Qur'anic verse is that to obtain the general and special guidance of the procedure which is ordained in order to obtain the blessing and goodness from the Supreme Name (ism-i a`zam) and the heavenly Book is impossible without the Guide of the time, i.e., the Imam of the time. The second wisdom is that the proximity and companionship of the religious Guide who has been appointed by God is of two kinds: Physical and spiritual. If we think that Hazrat-i `Isa (May peace be through him) was the source of blessing only for those people who were always living in his company physically, it will necessitate a spatial and temporal limit on Divine grace and blessings and consequently all those who are very faithful and obedient, but who physically live far away from their guide will be deprived of these blessings and mercies. The third wisdom in this verse is that the spirituality and luminosity of the Supreme Name, the heavenly Book and the Imam of the time are in reality one. This is the reason why the source of blessing is sometimes regarded as the name of God, sometimes as the revealed Book and sometimes as the true Guide (i.e., the Imam), and all these three words have the same meaning. This is because the principle of spirituality is that one reality has several names.

In short, Hazrat-i `Isa (May peace be through him) being blessed by God is a clear proof of the fact that he received this highest status as a result of God's dhikr, for without God's Supreme Name and His sacred dhikr no blessing and mercy can be attained.

Dhikr and Hazrat-i Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny)

Numerous Qur'anic verses establish the fact that the Prophet had a spiritual relation and a luminous connection with the blessed ism-i a`zam of his Lord. The Prophet used to remember the Supreme Name (ism-i a`zam) and its accompanying great names of God before and after receiving prophethood, and God had made him the treasurer of the spirituality, luminosity, knowledge and wisdom of all His great names.

It should be known that the Qur'an is also called dhikr because the word 'Qur'an' means 'to recite' (75:17-18) and dhikr means to remember God. The Prophet used to recite the Supreme Name and remember God, as a result of which the final Book of God was revealed to him. Thus, with respect to the Prophet reading God's name, the final Book of God is called the Qur'an, and with respect to reciting it, it is called the dhikr.

Another reason for calling the Qur'an dhikr is that for the ease and facility of believers, all its advices, guidance, spirit and living realities are contained in God's blessed name and (its) holy dhikr. As is said in surah Qamar: “And indeed We have made the Qur'an easy to remember; but is there any that remembers?” (54:22, 54:32, 54:40) To make the Qur'an easy to the extreme extent means that the Omnipotent God has made it a living soul and a perfect light and contained it (the Qur'an) in the spirituality of His miraculous name. This has been repeatedly mentioned in this surah, by which God intends to draw the attention of the intelligent and wise people towards the great wisdom that the holy Qur'an with its exoteric and esoteric meanings and with all its attributes is contained in the Supreme Name (ism-i a`zam). From this example mu'mins can estimate how innumerable are the mercies and blessings contained in the blessed name and sacred dhikr of God, the Great, the Exalted.

With reference to the Qur'an (65:10-11) it is also a Qur'anic fact that dhikr was one of the Prophet's names, as he in his time used to be God's living Supreme Name and miraculous remembrance and also because of the reason that his pure light and the sacred spirit of the Qur'an were the same reality.

The Prophet (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny)'s Prayer for Blessings

It is God's grace that He had made Hazrat-i `Isa (May peace be through him) in his time the source of blessings (mubarak) for the obedient people, similarly He made the Prophet (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny) the source and means of blessings and mercies in his time personally and in future through his successor, lest the world be devoid of God's mercy and blessings. Thus one Qur'anic example of the Prophet's prayer for blessing is “Who is he that may lend God a good loan, so that He may multiply it for him manifold?” (2:245). This clearly means that God wants to take some wealth as 'a good loan' (qarz-i hasanah), and in return for this material sacrifice He wants to shower upon them the blessings and mercies of this world and religion. However, it is obvious that God Himself does not take any material thing except through His Prophet, and in return for the payment of zakat too, the prayer for blessing is received only through the Prophet, as mentioned in the Qur'an (9:103): “[O Messenger] Take sadaqah of their wealth, wherewith you may purify them (from sins) and sanctify them and pray for them for goodness and blessings. Verily your prayer is a source of security for them”. It is clear from this that the source of every goodness and blessing, according to Divine command, is the blessed prayer of the Prophet, and that of his successor.

Further, it is said in verse (13:28): “Verily by the dhikr of Allah (the remembrance of God) do hearts find satisfaction.” Now the question arises about this wisdom-filled verse: If it was possible for the heart to find satisfaction only through God's remembrance without any condition, why did He say to the Prophet that there was satisfaction for them in his prayer? The single answer to this question is that God's remembrance which is considered the satisfaction for hearts is only that for which the Prophet or his successor has granted permission, guidance and blessings. Otherwise, real satisfaction is difficult, rather impossible.

Dhikr and the Pure Imams (May peace be through them)

As briefly mentioned in the first chapter, the People of dhikr (ahl-i dhikr) are only the Imams from the family of the Prophet and this appellation is one of their Qur'anic appellations.

Thus, the meaning and reality of the People of dhikr has many aspects, such as:

They are the People of the Prophet (ahl-i rasul) or the progeny of Prophet (al-i rasul) i.e., those people who are from the household of the Prophet and are as the gate of the city of the Prophet's knowledge and the door of the house of his wisdom and are duly aware of religious secrets.
They are the People of the Qur'an (ahl-i Qur'an), i.e., those whom God has called by the favourite name of “al-rasikhun fi'l-`ilm (those who are well-grounded in knowledge)” and granted them the knowledge of tanzil and ta'wil of the Qur'an through the holy Prophet and they are the treasurers of all the realities and recognitions of the physical and spiritual worlds.
They are the ones who advise and guide, i.e., those who guide and lead people as ulu'l-amr after God and the Prophet and their obedience is incumbent upon the people.
They are the possessors of God's remembrance, i.e., they remember God and are those who remind about God's dhikr, teachers of the great names, guides of all the procedures of dhikr, who are aware of all the secrets and symbols of dhikr, who know the stages of spirituality and stations of luminosity and are the light of guidance of the path of recognition (ma`rifat).

Each Imam from among the Imams, in his own time is the living and present Supreme Name of God and the treasurer and the protector of the hidden remembrance of the heart. This is because the Imam holds the vicegerency and representation of God and the Prophet. Therefore, it is he to whom alone are entrusted the endless treasures of the blessings and mercies of God and the Prophet.

Partial Vicegerency (khilafat-i juzwi)

It is necessary for a true mu'min to understand that with respect to the collective and individual state of humankind, God has two vicegerencies: one is the universal vicegerency, which is related to the entire universe such as the vicegerency of Hazrat-i Adam (May peace be through him). The other is partial vicegerency, which is related to a mu'min's own self. Universal vicegerents are the Prophets and Imams in their respective times. Partial vicegerent can be any true mu'min who remembers the pure Supreme Name (ism-i a`zam) of God in accordance with the luminous guidance of the true Guide of the time and has achieved due success in it. Such a successful and fortunate mu'min succeeds to the vicegerency and representation of God in the world of personal spirituality, and its external result is in the form of knowledge of the reality and recognition. This is among the blessings of Divine remembrance as God says: “Allah has promised to those among you who believe and do good works that He will surely make them (His) vicegerent in the earth as He made vicegerent those who were before them.” (24:55). In what is said in “those among you” is evident that this is addressed to all those who believe, but those whom God has promised to grant vicegerency are not all of the believers but only those who truly believe and do good works in the true sense. Such mu'mins will be given the vicegerency in the earth of spirituality as it was granted to the true mu'mins of the past communities. However, as it was not made public in the past, similarly it will not be openly known today, for this is a personal vicegerency.

An Example of Blessing (Barkat)

An example of the goodness and blessings of God's sacred dhikr is clean and lucid water which pours down from the sky, i.e., height, since water is regarded as the source of material blessings according to verse (50:9). Note how because of water the entire world becomes fertile and prosperous, beautiful and attractive gardens and parks come into being, and grain is stored from prosperous and flourishing fields for the sustenance of people. Observe how the city which was dead in the winter, comes into life because of water. This example of water is given in order to understand the blessings and favours resulting from God's dhikr, by which the spirit of faith becomes prosperous and there is real life for mu'mins.

The Blessings (Barakat) of the Heaven and the Earth

In verse (7:96) it is said: “And if the people of the towns had believed and had been righteous, surely we would have opened for them (the doors of) the blessings of heaven and earth”. It should be known that the meaning of this verse is related more to spiritual blessings than to material ones. In every case, the keys to blessings and favours are the Divine names and the necessary guidance can be achieved from the holder of the [Divine] command (uli'l-amr).

The Blessings (Barakat) of both Worlds

In the Qur'anic verse (7:54) it is said: “Indeed both the physical world and the spiritual world belong to Him. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of the worlds”. This holy verse alludes that the infinite blessings and mercies of the Lord of the worlds are spread in both the physical and spiritual worlds, the keys of which are, as mentioned above, in the remembrance of the blessed and holy name of God.

In this chapter, from the beginning to this juncture, the purpose of those important and special points which we have discussed in the light of the holy Qur'an, is to show that the dhikr of the blessed and holy name of God embraces all the blessings and mercies of this world and the world of religion and the external and internal worlds. Therefore, no religious person should remain heedless of God's dhikr. Those who engage in God's remembrance should be aware of all its benefits and hence practice accordingly, so that in the combination of knowledge and practice they may achieve success quickly.

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