The Dhikr (remembrance) of Allah is the central practice of Islamic spirituality, corresponding in form and function to the japa or mantra repetition of Hindu traditions. The primary formula is the single Name 'Allah' or the shahada 'La ilaha illallah' (There is no god but God). The Quran commands: 'Remember Me, I will remember you' (Quran 2:152), establishing dhikr as a direct means of divine connection. In Sufi practice, dhikr is considered the 'polisher of the heart' (Hadith: 'For everything there is a polish, and the polish of the heart is the remembrance of Allah'). The phrase 'La ilaha illallah' is analyzed as a negation (la ilaha) and affirmation (illallah), purifying the soul from all false attachments. The Name 'Allah' itself is regarded as the Supreme Name (ism al-a'zam), containing all divine attributes. The practice is recommended at all times, but especially after obligatory prayers, in the early morning, and at night. The Quran states: 'Those who remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying on their sides' (Quran 3:191). The count is often prescribed as 33, 99, or 1000 repetitions, using a misbaha (prayer beads). The purpose includes purification of the heart (tazkiya), attainment of divine presence (hadra), and spiritual annihilation (fana). Cautions include the need for sincerity (ikhlas) and avoidance of ostentation; the practice should be performed with presence of heart (hudur) and understanding of the meaning. While not a mantra in the Vedic sense, dhikr shares the same principle of sound vibration as a vehicle for the divine. The Sufi orders (tariqas) have developed elaborate litanies (wird) combining Quranic verses and divine names, such as the Naqshbandi silent dhikr or the Chishti vocal dhikr. The ultimate goal is to reach a state where the dhikr becomes constant, as in the Quranic injunction: 'O you who have believed, remember Allah with much remembrance' (Quran 33:41).
Dhikr, the remembrance of Allah, the purification of the heart through divine invocation.