20. Dzikr is not
The remembrance
Of God and Prophet by recitation,
But through listening.
Yea! Listening!
In the purring of kittens,
In the laughter of children.
In the crying of women.
Sometimes dzikr (recitation of the Divine Names of God and contemplation of His Attributes) is not just about verbal recitation, the enunciation of the beautiful names of God.
For some, it is the silent recitation in the heart. And when you do that you are not just reciting, but listening to your heart. A strange man shared with me that the silent recitation helps unlock our senses. For once we can listen to the divine reverberations within ourselves, it will help us hear them in other things to. In all things really… In the smile of your son, in the embrace of your father, in the happy company of old friends. And sometimes, even when you inadvertently hurt the feelings of someone very dear to you…
I hurt the heart of someone,
And did not the world crumble all around me?
Did not all of creation sigh and roared in woe?
For though I fear to admit this,
Oh Lord, in her I saw You!
So you see – Sufis lap up all this dzikr not for nothing. It is not for no good reason that they steal intimate moments with their Lord, alone or even in a crowd. You may notice one of them during your meal. He would be there physically, listening to the dinner chatter, but then you noticed that his fingers are twiddling thin air,… his hand remembering the contented counting of the tasbih (rosary beads), each breath remembering God, each smile and glint in his eyes KNOWING that God too is remembering him. He is in a happy, happy place.
But this transcendental exercise is not a selfish act, a willful desire to away yourself from humanity and its many sorrows and tribulations. At a certain level, it is intended to arm the Sufi with the facility to TRULY hear the cries of the weak and heart-broken, to see through the layers of the human personality, to find the blackness that is worming through the person’s being and help him expel the darkness. Or at least tame its effects on him. And no, I am not really talking about demons or Djinns, I am talking about the human ego, which has the ability (and inclination) to impersonate demons and Djinns - nay, sometimes even demons and Djinns would cower at the sight of the appalling human ego. For although mankind can rise above the station Angels, but lo, how far they can fall… only God knows!
So you see, there are many, many thing we have yet to learn about ourselves. Walk with me, sunshine, and help me learn, and perhaps we shall always be the endearing, caring and helpful friend that God always wanted us to be. And be of some use to our brothers and sisters in humanity.
Have an excellent Friday, pet.
Pax Taufiqa.
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