O my Lord! Your dhikr (remembrance) is the oil of the lamp of my heart. May this lamp ever remain lit. Yā-Hayyu, yā-Qayyūm! Āmīn! Your dhikr is the most precious capital of my life. May by virtue of Your grace and mercy this servant of Yours be granted Your dhikr. Āmīn! May You grant the accepted time table and the highest standard of dhikr! Āmīn! May all the doors of dhikr ever remain ajar. Āmīn! May no door ever remain closed! Āmīn! May this grace be eternal! Āmīn! May by Your grace and blessing no moment of this servant of Yours be ever free from Your recollection! May Your dhikr remain continuously and eternally alive day and night! Āmīn!

May Your dhikr, O the King of kings, the Lord of the Worlds, help forget every other speech! May absorption in Your dhikr render me independent of everything besides You, and completely too!

Yā-Hayyu, yā-Qayyūm! Yā-Dhul Jalāl-i-Wal-Ikrām! Yā-Nūr As-Samawāt Wal-Ard! Ama’ wastajib! Allāhū Akbar Al-Akbar! Āmin! Āmīn! (O the Living, O the Lasting O the Majestic, O the Honoured! O the light of the Heavens and the Earth! Listen to my supplication! Allāh the Great, Most Great of all! Amen! Amen!)

Hadrat Abu Anees Muhammad Barkat Ali Ludhianvi (RA)
01 Sha’bān Al-Mu’azzam 1404 AH01 Sha’bān Al-Mu’azzam 1404 AH

Dhikr-i-Illahi is Hadrat Abu Anees Muhammad Barkat Ali’s (RA) much coveted book as he spent the whole of his life, day and night, occupied in the remembrance of Allāh the Almighty. He advised his friends and visitors to follow suit, as it were, in fulfilment of the Prophetic saying that ‘a true Muslim offers others only what he loves for himself’. Herein he (ra) has put down his candid selection of the Commandments from the Holy Qur’ān and sayings of the Holy Prophet of Islam and their Urdu translation.

The book incorporates a juridical interpretation of Dhikrullah by Abu Al-Fad’l Abd-ur-Rahmān Jalāl-ud-Dīn As-Suyūti alias Ibn Al-Kut’b (RA, 849 -911 AH) who at the small age of eight learn the Holy Qur’ān by heart and grew up to surpass his contemporaries in the fields of teaching and preaching, writing and compiling, reformation and innovation. He was at once a critic, narrator, jurist, write, poet, historian and above all great sufi master. He wrote some five hundred books. His decree (fatwā) on Vociferous Dhikr makes a compulsive reading and an authentic document for those who have a calling for it.

We have included towards the end of this book, for example, a text of a brief but popular with people and popular with Islam course for a congregational recollection of Allāh the Almighty as prescribed by Hadrat Abu Anees Muhammad Barkat Ali (RA), in one of his monologues. But for constraints of space, we have not been able to include his own thoughts regarding Virtues of Dhikr-i-Illahi which he published vide Serial No. 256 as a bill poster on Eid Al-Fitr 1398 AH. Nor have we been able to print herein his Majālis-i-Dhikr-i-Illahi fi Jism Al-Wujūd Al-Barkat which is a comprehensive compendium of Hadrat Abu Anees Muhammad Barkat Ali’s (RA) daily litanies. However, these collections will be incorporated in the list of our forthcoming publications, in shā Allāh.

The Dār-ul-Ehsān Publications has the pleasure of supplementing the book, Dhikr-i-Ilahi first published on 10 Sha’ban Al-Mu’azzam 1404 AH in Pakistan, with English translation which has been accomplished by Sajeda Maryam Poswal (Bristol) and Dr Tahir Abbas (London) to whom we are most grateful. We thank the translators and the publishers for reproducing their Qur’ānic texts in English. We have however attempted the English translation of the Ahādīth ourselves. Finally, but most importantly, we acknowledge Professor Muhammad Zaman for reviewing the translation, Haji Ahmad Sajjad for designing and art work and Haji Imdad Ali Ahmad Poswal’s invaluable help in computer setting the text which we commend to our readers to practice.

Al-Hamdū-lil-Hayy-il-QayyUm!

Dr Muhammad Iqbal
Amīr
Dar-ul-Ehsān Publications
Al-Barkat House
Huddersfield HD5 8EL
United Kingdom

Eid Al-Fitr 1421 AH (27 December 2000 CE)

Allāh the Almighty Said:

1.
Then do ye remember Me; I will remember You. Be grateful to Me, and reject not Faith.
-(Al-Baqarah 2:152)

2.
And keep yourself content with those who call on their Lord morning and evening, seeking His Face; and let not thine eyes pass beyond them, seeking the pomp and glitter of this Life: nor obey any whose heart We have permitted to neglect the remembrance of Us, one who follows his own desires, and his affair has become all excess.
-(Al-Kahaf: 18:28)

3.
So when ye have accomplished your rites, celebrate the praises of Allāh, as ye used to celebrate the praises of your fathers, yea, with far more heart and soul.
-(Al-Baqarah 2:200)

4.
O ye who believe! Remember Allāh, with much remembrance; and glorify Him morning and evening.
-(Al-Azhab 33:40-41)

5.
Then celebrate the praises of thy Lord again and again, and glorify Him In the evening and in the morning.
-(Āl-I-‘Imrān 3:41)

6.
When ye have performed the prayers, remember Allāh, standing, sitting down, or lying down on your sides;
-(Al-Nisā’ 4:103)

7.
O ye who believe! When ye meet a force, be firm, and call Allāh in remembrance much (and often); That ye may prosper:
-(Al-Anfāl 8:45)

8.
And remembrance of Allāh is the greatest (thing in life) without doubt.
-(Al-‘Ankabūt 24:45)

9.
By men whom nether trade nor sale can divert from the Remembrance of Allāh,
-(Al-Nūr 24:37)

10.
But He guideth to Himself those who turn to Him in penitence,-Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allāh: for without doubt in the remembrance of Allāh do hearts find satisfaction.
-(Al-Ra’d 13:27-28)

11.
Men who remember Allāh standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heavens and the earth, (with the saying): “Our Lord not for naught Hast thou created (all) this! Glory to Thee! Give us Salvation from the Chastisement of the fire …..”
-(Āl-i-‘Imrān 3:191)

12.
They forsake their beds of sleep, the while they call on their Lord, in fear and hope: And they spend (in charity) out of the sustenance which We have bestowed on them. Now no person knows what delights of the eye are kept hidden (in reserve) for them – as a reward for their (good) deeds.
-(Al-Sajdah 32: 16-17)

13.
The most beautiful names belong to Allāh: So call on Him by them;
-(Al-A’rāf 7:180)

14.
Say: “Call upon Allāh, or Call upon Rahmān: By whatever name ye call upon Him, (it is well): For to Him belong the most Bbeautiful Names.
-(Bani Isrā’īl 17:110)

15
And give thou the good news to those who humble themselves,- to those whose hearts, when Allāh is mentioned, are filled with fear, ….
-(Al-Hajj 22:34-35)

16.
For men and women who engage much in Allāh’s remembrance for them has Allāh prepared forgiveness and great reward.
-(Al-Ahzāb 33:35)

17. (check 3 line ….. tremble threat….)
Allāh has revealed (from time to time) the most beautiful Message in the form of a Book, consistent with itself, (yet) repeating (its teaching in various aspects): the skins of those who fear their Lord tremble threat; then their skins and their hearts do soften to the remembrance of Allāh. Such is the guidance of Allāh; He guides therewith whom He pleases.
-(Az-Zumar 39:23)

18.
Call ye, then upon Allāh with sincere devotion to Him, even though the unbelievers may detest it.
-(Al-Mu’min 40:14)

19.
If anyone withdraws himself from remembrance of the most gracious, we appoint for him a satan, ton be an intimate companion to him.
-(Al-Zukhraf 43:36)
20.
Satan has got the better of them: So he has made them forgot the remembrance of Allāh. They are the party of satan. Truly, it is the party of satan that will lose.
-(Al-Mujādilah 58:19)

21.
O ye who believe! Let not your riches or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allāh. If any act thus, surely they are the losers.
-(Al-Munāfiqūn 63:9)

1.
Abu Huraira (RZ) has narrated the Holy Prophet of Allah the Almighty (S.A.W) saying:

“Allah the Almighty has some Angels looking for those who celebrate the praises of Allah the Almighty on the roads and paths. When they find people celebrating the praises of Allah the Almighty, they call each other, saying, ‘Come and see what you were looking for.’”

He added:

“The Angles then, encircle them with their wings raised to the sky of the world.”

He continued:

“(When those people have celebrated the praises of Allah the Almighty, the Angels go back and) their Lord asks them though He knows better than them,

‘What do My servants say?’

The Angels reply,

‘They say ‘Subhān Allah (Glory be to Allah), Allāhu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) and Alhamdu-lillāh (Allah be praised)’.

Allah the Almighty then says,

‘Have they seen Me?’

And the Angels reply,

‘No! By Allah the Almighty, they have not seen You.’

Allah the Almighty asks,

‘How would it be if they had seen Me?’

The Angels reply,

‘Had they seen You, they would worship You more devoutly and celebrate Your glory more deeply and declare Your excellence and praises more often.’

Allah the Almighty then says (to the Angels),

‘What do they ask from Me?’

The Angels reply,

‘They ask You for Paradise.’

Allah the Almighty says,

‘Have they seen it?’

The Angels reply,

‘No, by Allah the Almighty, O Lord! They have not seen it’.

Then Allah the Almighty asks,

‘How would it have been had they seen it?’

The Angels reply,

‘Had they seen it they would have a greater desire for it and would seek it with greater zeal, desiring it all the more.’

Allah the Almighty then asks,

‘From what do they seek refuge?’

The Angels reply,

‘They seek refuge from the Fire.’

Again Allah the Almighty asks,

‘Have they seen it?’

The Angels reply,

‘No, by Allah the Almighty, O Lord! They have not seen it.’

Allah the Almighty says,

‘How would it have been had they seen it?’

The Angels reply,

‘Had they seen it they would have fled from it with extreme fright and would have been terrified of it.’

Then Allah the Almighty says,

‘I make you witness that I have forgiven them.’”

The Holy Prophet added:

“One of the Angels will say,

‘There was so-and-so among them, but he had just come over as a matter of fact.’

But Allah the Almighty will say,

‘These are the people whose companions will not be reduced to misery.’”

-(SahIh Al-BukhAri, vol.2, p.948)

2.
Hadrat Al-Makhāriq (RZ) has narrated the Holy Prophet saying:

“On the Night of Ascension I passed by a person who was covered by the Light of the Throne. I asked, ‘Who is this? Is this an Angel?’ ‘No!’ I was told. Then I asked whether he was a Prophet? I was told no again. Then I asked who the person was. I was told that he was a person who lived in the world with his tongue always engaged in the remembrance of Allāh the Almighty, with a heart that was attached to the mosque and that he had never called his parents names.”

It has been narrated by Ibn Abi Al-Dunya.
-(Al-Targhīb wa Al-Tarhīb, vol.2, p.395)

3.
Abu Dardā’ (RZ) has narrated the Holy Prophet saying:

“ 'On the Day of Judgment Allah the Almighty will resurrect some people with shinning light on their faces. They will be sitting on pulpits made of pearls and the other people will envy them. They will neither be Prophets nor martyrs.’

(Hearing this) a Bedouin bent down to his knees saying,

‘O the Holy Prophet of Allah the Almighty ! Please describe these people so that we may be able to recognise them.’

The Holy Prophet said,

‘They are the people who, regardless of their connection to different tribes and countries, love each other for the sake of Allah the Almighty and gather together to remember Him.’”

It has been narrated by Al-Tabarāni with a sound chain of transmission.
-(Majma‘ Al-Zawā’id wa Manba‘ Al-Fawā’id, vol. 10, p. 77)

4.
Hadrat ‘Amr bin ‘Abasah (RZ) said that he heard the Holy Prophet saying:

“On the right side of Al-Rahmān – and both His hands are right – there will be people who would be neither Prophets nor martyrs. The brightness of their faces will overwhelm the sight of the onlookers. The Prophets and martyrs will envy them because of their status and nearness to Allah the Almighty”.

Some people asked the Holy Prophet who they were. He replied,

“They are the people from different tribes who gather together to remember Allah the Almighty and select the best of the speeches like the selector of the best dates.”

It has been narrated by Al-Tabarāni and all its transmitters are reliable.
-(Majma‘ Al-Zawā’id wa Manba‘ Al-Fawā’id, vol. 10, p. 77)

5.
Hadrat Ibn ‘Abbās (RZ) has narrated that the Holy Prophet passed by ‘Abdullah bin Rawāha who was remembering Allah the Almighty with his people. The Holy Prophet said:

“You are the people with whom Allah the Almighty has asked me to sit regularly”.

Then he recited this Verse from the Holy Qur’ān:

‘Keep yourself content with those who call upon their Lord, morning and evening’ (to the end of the Verse) ‘and his affair has become all excess’.

Then he said:

“For every person who sits here with you an Angel will join your company. If the people say ‘Subhān Allah’, these Angels will say ‘Subhān Allah’ too. If the people say ‘Alhamdu Lillāh’, they will say ‘Alhamdu Lillāh’ and if they say ‘Allāhu Akbar’, they will also say ‘Allāhu Akbar’. Then they will ascend to their Lord Who knows best. They will say:

‘O our Lord! Your servants said ‘Subhān Allah’ and we said ‘Subhān Allah’, they said ‘Alhamdu Lillāh’, so we said ‘Alhamdu Lillāh’. Then they said ‘Allāhu Akbar’ and we said ‘Allāhu Akbar’ too.

Allah the Almighty will tell them:

‘O My Angels! I make you bear witness that I have forgiven them.’

The Angels will say:

‘There was so-and-so a sinner amongst them.’

Allah the Almighty will say:

‘They are the people whose companions will not be reduced to misery.’”

It has been narrated by Al-Tabarāni in Al-Saghīr.
-(Al-Targhīb wa Al-Tarhīb, vol.2, p 404)



Please note: The rest of the book is available in image format.