(; ; ) is a form of Islamic worship in which phrases or prayers are repeatedly recited for the purpose of remembering God. It plays a central role in Sufism, and each Sufi order typically adopts a specific dhikr, accompanied by specific posture, breathing, and movement. In Sufism, dhikr refers to both the act of this remembrance as well as the prayers used in these acts of remembrance. Dhikr usually includes the names of God or supplication from the Quran or hadith. It may be counted with either one's fingers or prayer beads, and may be performed alone or with a collective group. A person who recites dhikr is called a dhākir (; ; ).
The Quran frequently refers to itself and other scriptures and prophetic messages as "reminders" (dhikrah, tadhkīrah), which is understood as a call to "remember" (dhikr) an innate knowledge of God humans already possess. The Quran uses the term dhikr to denote the reminder from God conveyed through the prophets and messengers, as well as the human response to that reminder, signifying a reciprocal interaction between the divine and human. Muslims believe the prophets deliver God's message as a reminder to humans, who, in turn, should remember and acknowledge it.
Importance Several verses in the Quran emphasize the importance of remembering the will of God by saying phrases such as "God willing" "God knows best," and "If it is your will.' This is the basis for dhikr. Surah al-Kahf (18), Ayah 24 states a person who forgets to say, "God willing", should immediately remember God by saying, "Maybe my Lord will guide me to [something] more akin to rectitude than this." Other verses include Surah al-Ahzab (33), Ayah 41, "O you who have faith! Remember Allah with frequent remembrance", and Surah ar-Ra'd (13), Ayah 28, "those who have faith, and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah. Look! The hearts find rest in Allah's remembrance!"
Sufi dhikr most commonly involves the repetition of the Names of Allah. This practice is central to Sufi spiritual exercises and is intended to foster a deeper connection with the Divine. The Names of Allah, also known as Asma'ul Husna, represent various attributes of God, such as "Ar-Rahman" (The Most Merciful) and "Al-Karim" (The Generous). By invoking these names, practitioners aim to internalize the qualities they represent, cultivate a state of spiritual purity, and draw closer to God. The repetitive nature of dhikr helps to quiet the mind, focus the heart, and create a sense of inner peace and presence. To Sufis, dhikr is seen as a way to gain spiritual enlightenment and achieve annihilation of self (fana) to seek permanence in God. All Muslim sects endorse individual rosaries as a method dhikr and meditation, the goal of which is to obtain a feeling of peace, separation from worldly values (dunya), and, in general, strengthen Iman (faith). The main purpose of dhikr is to fill the heart with spiritual meaning and not simply chant the invocations with an empty heart and absent mind. When performed with awareness, the heart then becomes receptive to the activity of the tongue and is aware of God's presence.
Common types
Arabic Qurʾanic spelling Transliteration IPA Phraseبِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ bismi -llāhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīm /bis.mi‿l.laː.hi‿r.raħ.maː.ni ‿r.ra.ħiː.mi/ In the name of God, the All-Merciful, the Especially-Merciful.أَعُوذُ بِٱللَّٰهِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَانِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ ʾaʿūḏu bi-llāhi mina š-šayṭāni r-rajīm /ʔa.ʕuː.ðu bil.laː.hi mi.na‿ʃ.ʃaj.tˤaː.ni‿r.ra.d͡ʒiː.mi/ I seek refuge in God from the exiled Satan.أَعُوذُ بِٱللَّٰهِ ٱلسَّمِيعِ ٱلْعَلِيمِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَانِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ ʾaʿūḏu bi-llāhi s-samīʿi l-ʿalīmi mina š-šayṭāni r-rajīm /ʔa.ʕuː.ðu bil.laː.hi‿s.sa.miː.ʕi‿l.ʕa.liː.mi mi.na‿ʃ.ʃaj.tˤaː.ni‿r.ra.d͡ʒiː.mi/ I seek refuge in God, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing, from the exiled Satan.سُبْحَانَ ٱللَّٰهِ subḥāna -llāh /sub.ħaː.na‿ɫ.ɫaː.hi/ Glorified is God.ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّٰهِ ʾalḥamdu lillāh /ʔal.ħam.du lil.laː.hi/ Praise is due to God.لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ lā ʾilāha ʾillā -llāh /laː ʔi.laː.ha ʔil.la‿ɫ.ɫaː.hu/ There is no deity but God.ٱللَّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ ʾallāhu ʾakbar /ʔaɫ.ɫaː.hu ʔak.ba.ru/ God is greater [than everything].أَسْتَغْفِرُ ٱللَّٰهَ ʾastaḡfiru -llāh /ʔas.taɣ.fi.ru‿ɫ.ɫaː.ha/ I seek the forgiveness of God.أَسْتَغْفِرُ ٱللَّٰهَ رَبِّي وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ ʾastaḡfiru -llāha rabbī wa-ʾatūbu ʾilayh /ʔas.taɣ.fi.ru‿ɫ.ɫaː.ha rab.biː wa.ʔa.tuː.bu ʔi.laj.hi/ I seek the forgiveness of God, my Lord, and repent to Him.سُبْحَانَكَ ٱللَّٰهُمَّ subḥānaka -llāhumm /sub.ħaː.na.ka‿ɫ.ɫaː.hum.ma/ Glorified are you, O God.سُبْحَانَ ٱللَّٰهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ subḥāna -llāhi wa-bi-ḥamdih /sub.ħaː.na‿ɫ.ɫaː.hi wa.bi.ħam.di.hiː/ Glorified is God and with His praise.سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ ٱلْعَظِيمِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ subḥāna rabbiya l-ʿaẓīmi wa-bi-ḥamdih /sub.ħaː.na rab.bi.ja‿l.ʕa.ðˤiː.mi wa.bi.ħam.di.hiː/ Glorified is my God, the Great, and with His praise.سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ وَبِحَمْدِهِ subḥāna rabbiya l-ʾaʿlā wa-bi-ḥamdih /sub.ħaː.na rab.bi.ja‿l.ʔaʕ.laː wa.bi.ħam.di.hiː/ Glorified is my God, the Most High, and with His praise.لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّٰهِ ٱلْعَلِيِّ ٱلْعَظِيمِ lā ḥawla wa-lā quwwata ʾillā bi-llāhi l-ʿalīyi l-ʿaẓīm /laː ħaw.la wa.laː quw.wa.ta ʔil.laː bil.laː.hi‿l.ʕa.liː.ji‿l.ʕa.ðˤiː.mi/ There is no power no strength except from God, the Exalted, the Great.لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّالِمِينَ lā ʾilāha ʾillā ʾanta subḥānaka ʾinnī kuntu mina ẓ-ẓālimīn /laː ʔi.laː.ha ʔil.laː ʔan.ta sub.ħaː.na.ka ʔin.niː kun.tu mi.na‿ðˤ.ðˤaː.li.miː.na/ There is no god except You, glorified are you! I have indeed been among the wrongdoers.حَسْبُنَا ٱللَّٰهُ وَنِعْمَ ٱلْوَكِيلُ ḥasbunā -llāhu wa-niʿma l-wakīl /ħas.bu.na‿ɫ.ɫaː.hu wa.niʕ.ma‿l.wa.kiː.lu/ God is sufficient for us, and He is an excellent Trustee.إِنَّا لِلَّٰهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ ʾinnā lillāhi wa-ʾinnā ʾilayhi rājiʿūn /ʔin.naː lil.laː.hi wa.ʔin.naː ʔi.laj.hi raː.d͡ʒi.ʕuː.na/ Verily we belong to God, and verily to Him do we return.مَا شَاءَ ٱللَّٰهُ كَانَ وَمَا لَمْ يَشَأْ لَمْ يَكُنْ mā šāʾa -llāhu kāna wa-mā lam yašaʾ lam yakun /maː ʃaː.ʔa‿ɫ.ɫaː.hu kaː.na wa.maː lam ja.ʃaʔ lam ja.kun/ What God wills will be, and what God does not will, will not be.إِنْ شَاءَ ٱللَّٰهُ ʾin šāʾa -llāh /ʔin ʃaː.ʔa‿ɫ.ɫaː.hu/ If God wills.مَا شَاءَ ٱللَّٰهُ mā šāʾa -llāh /maː ʃaː.ʔa‿ɫ.ɫaː.hu/ What God wills.بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّٰهِ bi-ʾiḏni -llāh /bi.ʔið.ni‿l.laː.hi/ With the permission of God.جَزَاكَ ٱللَّٰهُ خَيْرًا jazāka -llāhu khayrā /d͡ʒa.zaː.ka‿ɫ.ɫaː.hu xaj.ran/ God reward you [with] goodness.بَارَكَ ٱللَّٰهُ فِيكَ bāraka -llāhu fīk /baː.ra.ka‿ɫ.ɫaː.hu fiː.ka/ God bless you.فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّٰهِ fī sabīli -llāh /fiː sa.biː.li‿l.laː.hi/ On the path of God.لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ ٱللَّٰهِ lā ʾilāha ʾillā -llāhu muḥammadun rasūlu -llāh /laː ʔi.laː.ha ʔil.la‿ɫ.ɫaː.hu mu.ħam.ma.dun ra.suː.lu‿ɫ.ɫaː.hi/ There is no deity but God, Muhammad is the messenger of God.لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ ٱللَّٰهِ عَلِيٌّ وَلِيُّ ٱللَّٰهِ lā ʾilāha ʾillā -llāhu muḥammadun rasūlu -llāhi ʿalīyun walīyu -llāh /laː ʔi.laː.ha ʔil.la‿ɫ.ɫaː.hu mu.ħam.ma.dun ra.suː.lu‿ɫ.ɫaː.hi ʕa.liː.jun wa.liː.ju‿ɫ.ɫaː.hi/ There is no deity but God, Muhammad is the messenger of God, Ali is the vicegerent of God. أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ ٱللَّٰهِ ʾašhadu ʾan lā ʾilāha ʾillā -llāhu wa-ʾašhadu ʾanna muḥammadan rasūlu -llāh /ʔaʃ.ha.du ʔan laː ʔi.laː.ha ʔil.la‿ɫ.ɫaː.hu wa.ʔaʃ.ha.du ʔan.na mu.ħam.ma.dan ra.suː.lu‿ɫ.ɫaː.hi/ I bear witness that there is no deity but God, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God.أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ ٱللَّٰهِ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ عَلِيًّا وَلِيُّ ٱللَّٰهِ ʾašhadu ʾan lā ʾilāha ʾillā -llāhu wa-ʾašhadu ʾanna muḥammadan rasūlu -llāhi wa-ʾašhadu ʾanna ʿalīyan walīyu -llāh /ʔaʃ.ha.du ʔan laː ʔi.laː.ha ʔil.la‿ɫ.ɫaː.hu wa.ʔaʃ.ha.du ʔan.na mu.ħam.ma.dan ra.suː.lu‿ɫ.ɫaː.hi wa.ʔaʃ.ha.du ʔan.na ʕa.liː.jan wa.liː.ju‿ɫ.ɫaː.hi/ I bear witness that there is no deity but God, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God, and I bear witness that Ali is the vicegerent of God. ٱللَّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ʾallāhumma ṣalli ʿalā muḥammadin wa-ʾāli muḥammad /ʔaɫ.ɫaː.hum.ma sˤal.li ʕa.laː mu.ħam.ma.din wa.ʔaː.li mu.ħam.ma.din/ O God, bless Muhammad and the Progeny of Muhammad.ٱللَّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَجِّلْ فَرَجَهُمْ وَٱلْعَنْ أَعْدَاءَهُمْ ʾallāhumma ṣalli ʿalā muḥammadin wa-ʾāli muḥammadin wa-ʿajjil farajahum wa-lʿan ʾaʿdāʾahum /ʔaɫ.ɫaː.hum.ma sˤal.li ʕa.laː mu.ħam.ma.din wa.ʔaː.li mu.ħam.ma.din wa.ʕad͡ʒ.d͡ʒil fa.ra.d͡ʒa.hum wal.ʕan ʔaʕ.daː.ʔa.hum/ O God, bless Muhammad and the Progeny of Muhammad, and hasten their alleviation and curse their enemies. ٱللَّٰهُمَّ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِيِّكَ ٱلْفَرَجَ وَٱلْعَافِيَةَ وَٱلنَّصْرَ ʾallāhumma ʿajjil li-walīyika l-faraja wa-l-ʿāfiyata wa-n-naṣr /ʔaɫ.ɫaː.hum.ma ʕad͡ʒ.d͡ʒil li.wa.liː.ji.ka‿l.fa.ra.d͡ʒa wal.ʕaː.fi.ja.ta wan.nasˤ.ra/ O God, hasten the alleviation of your vicegerent (i.e. Imam Mahdi), and grant him vitality and victory.
Phrases and expressions There are numerous conventional phrases and expressions invoking God.
Name Phrase Citation (Quran or Sunnah)Takbirallāhu ʾakbar9:72, 29:45, 40:10God is greater [than all things]Tasbihsubḥāna llāh23:91, 28:68, 37:159, 52:43, 59:23Glory to GodTahmidal-ḥamdu li-llāh1:2, 6:1, 6:45, 7:43, 10:10, 14:39, 16:75, 17:111, 18:1, 23:28, 27:15, 27:59, 27:93, 29:63, 31:25, 34:1, 35:1, 35:34, 37:182, 39:29, 39:74, 39:75, 40:65Praise be to GodTahlil lā ʾilāha ʾillā llāh37:38, 47:19There is no deity but GodShahadataynmuḥammadun rasūlu llāh48:29Muhammad is the messenger of God Tasmiyahbi-smi llāhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīm1:1 The phrase is encoded at Unicode code point U+FDFD ﷽In the name of God, the Beneficent, the MercifulInshallahʾin shāʾa llāh2:70, 12:99, 18:69, 28:27, 48:27If God willsMashallahmā shāʾa llāh6:128, 7:188, 10:49, 18:39, 87:7What God willsAlayhi as-Salamsalāmu -llāhi ʿalayh The phrase is encoded as a ligature at Unicode code point FDFA ﷺBlessing of God be upon himSalawatṣallā llāhu ʿalayhi wa-ʾālihī wa-sallam God bless him and give him salvationRahimahullahraḥimahu llāh / raḥimaka llāh God have mercy upon him / God have mercy upon youIstighfarʾastaġfiru llāh12:98, 19:47I seek forgiveness from GodHawqalahʾlā ḥawla wa-lā quwwata ʾillā bi-llāhRiyad as-Salihin 16:36There is no might nor power except in GodIstirjaʾinnā li-llāhi wa-ʾinnā ʾilayhi rājiʿūn 2:156, 2:46, 2:156Indeed, (we belong) to God and indeed to Him we shall returnJazakallahjazāka llāhu ḫayranRiyad as-Salihin 17:32, Tirmidhi 27:141, Bukhari 7:3May God reward you wellKarram-Allah-u Wajhahu May God exalt his faceTa'awwudhʾaʿūḏu bi-llāhi mina š-šayṭāni r-rajīmRiyad as-Salihin 1:46I seek refuge with God from the pelted SatanFi sabilillahfī sabīli llāh2:154, 2:190, 2:195, 2:218, 2:244, 2:246, etc.in the cause (way) of GodYarhamuka-llahyarḥamuka llāhBukhari 78:248, Riyad as-Salihin 6:35May God have mercy on youHonorifics often said or written alongside AllahSubhanahu wa-Ta'alasubḥānahu wa-taʿālāOften abbreviated "SWT" or "swt".6:100, 10:18, 16:1, 17:43, 30:40, 39:67Praised and exaltedTabaraka wa-Ta'alatabāraka wa-taʿālāBlessed and exaltedJalla Jalalahjalla jalālahThe phrase is encoded as a ligature at Unicode code point U+FDFB ﷻMay His glory be glorifiedAzza wa Jallʿazza wa-jallPrestigious and Majestic
Recitation of Quran Reciting the Quran sincerely is also considered a kind of Dhikr. For example: Reciting Surah al-Ikhlas (112) is equal to one-third of the Quran. Reciting Surah al-Ikhlas (112) 10 times gives a palace in Heaven, and 20 times grants two palaces. Reciting Surah al-Kafirun (109) is equal to one-fourth of the Quran. Reciting Surah an-Nasr (110) is equal to one-fourth of the Quran. Reciting Surah az-Zalzalah (99) is equal to half of the Quran.