Dhikr

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions | 1997 | 671 words | Copyright

Dhikr (Arab., ‘remembrance’). Basically a Quranic word, commanding ‘remembrance of God’, an act of devotion during and after the ṣalāt (prayer). However, the Sūfīs consider dhikr a spiritual food, and it is one of their main practices. Each Sūfī order has a dhikr of its own, constructed by its founder; the litanies and incantations are derived from the Qurʾān and taught by the murshid (Sūfī guide) to the initiate. It should be noted that the dhikr does not bring union with God: it is a device to purify the heart so that it may become a fit receptacle of the divine attributes.

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JOHN BOWKER. "Dhikr." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 12 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN BOWKER. "Dhikr." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (February 12, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Dhikr.html

JOHN BOWKER. "Dhikr." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved February 12, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Dhikr.html

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