Zekr

Zekr

Zekr (dhikr) harmonizes the human instrument to the tune of God’s remembrance. If done correctly, zekr frees the seeker from daily distractions, thoughts, fears and worries by uniting every aspect of their being in the remembrance of God.

The seeker’s goal is to connect to their heart, allowing the natural rhythm and flow of zekr to free oneself from worldly attachments, but to also create the link between the brain and the heart, to create a harmony between the two.

In zekr and sama the heart is the centre and everything revolves around it. Total concentration must reside in the heart, to experience the reality within and connect to the true self, the “I”. This practice activates the energy centres in the body, beginning the process of purification of the heart.

During zekr, the seeker must be so concentrated and focused on the heart that the movement is dictated by the beat of the heart. The seeker repeats the word “Allah” with utmost focus and concentration so that eventually everything dissolves except God.

There are more than 66 forms of zekr practiced in Sufism. One of the motions of zekr, is the infinity movement. The most commonly practised form of zekr is to sit cross-legged, moving the head, followed by the body, from left to right, creating a semi-circular motion on each side, the rhythm and motion dictated by the heart in the form of the infinity sign. One moves from left to right making the figure eight (∞) to represent the symbol of infinity while singing a specific phrase or verse.