These Adhkar [plural of: dhikr] that are prescribed by one's spiritual guide[Shaykh] may consist of a mixture of tahlil, tasbih, durud, recitation of portions of the Holy Qur'an, the invocation of some of the names of Allah [Al-Asma' al-Husna]and other recitations in accordance with one's spiritual condition and state.

Optional adhkar have been especially encouraged in the Holy Qur'an:

Besides the meritoriousness of dhikr in the expiation of one's sins, it is these exercises of dhikr, that are essential for the spiritual development of the individual that will ultimately lead one to the greatest goal- friendship with Allah:

For a novice, these exercises of wazaif are particularly beneficial for various reasons.

The impact of dhikr is on two levels- the mental and the spiritual:

• On the mental level the exercise of dhikr is an endeavor to steer the novice's mind away from worldly concerns whereby he may become a target of Shaytan's insinuations and temptation, and to focus the mind on the remembrance of Allah.
• The concentration of the mind on the " idea" being expressed in the formula is crucial for realization and the orientation of the personality to be cut off from everything but Allah. i.e. one should progress from statement to 'state', from the name to the 'Named' .
• The methodical and systematic organization of the various adhkar, helps avert the boredom which may arise from the repetition of the same act, as mere recitation with the tongue without the presence of the mind dilutes considerably the spiritual benefits of dhikr.
• On the spiritual level the ego is sufficiently chastened by this constancy of 'ibadah and this is instrumental in the transformation of the ego from Al-Nafs al-Ammarah to Al-Nafs al-Lawwama and beyond.

Initially these extra devotions may be burdensome but as they become established, they become more familiar and palatable. When familiarity and love for dhikr take root in the heart, then one attains the state of ikhlas-sincere love and devotion to Allah. This inner state of ikhlas is achieved through constant practice of the daily prescribed adhkar . Characteristic of this state of ikhlas is that a person's heart is solely set on Allah and the mind submerged in His thought.

In addition to the benefits derived from the invocation of the various adhkar in the form of the expiation of sins, there are other benefits as well:

In order to achieve the elevated status of spiritual development expressed in the Hadith al-Qudsi above, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu 'alaihi wasallam) has prescribed that we be 'Characterised by the characteristics of Allah[ Takhallaqu bi Akhlaqillah ] i.e. one endeavours to attain what is compatible with the attributes of Allah. eg: As- Sabur-the Patient. A person should endeavour to imbue the attributes of patience in his personality. The recitation of As-Sabur facilitates the attainment thereof.

How does the invocation of a name of Allah facilitate the creation of an attribute in one's personality?

The principles governing the creation and the workings of the universe have been explained in this verse of the Holy Qur'an:

Verily when He intends a thing His command is "Be" and it is! (36:82)

The will [irada] or idea of Allah - 'cause'- found expression in a word 'Kun' -an 'effect'; the word 'Kun' unleashed energy and forces which then manifested in a form - the universe- a 'result'.
It is this principle which governs the system of creation. Everything that is created has a birth, form, lifespan and death and the same principle operates in all levels of creation.

Example:

The body requires at least 13 vitamins for efficient functioning. In order to obtain vitamin A, one needs to consume foods such as carrots (cause). Inherent in this is this vitamin. This vitamin then enters the body (effect) and is the 'appointed entity' [muwakkal] that assists in sustaining essential body function. As long as there is a daily supply of this vitamin one doesn't suffer from night blindness (result). Failure to consume foods containing vitamin A result in a deficiency and subsequent illnesses.

Similarly, the names of Allah possess divine qualities (cause) and when repeated produce spiritual energy (effect) which are the appointed agents [muwakkal] that are charged with accomplishing the desired result. Conversely, if a person doesn't recite the name then none of this spiritual energy is produced which makes the attainment of the desired attribute in one's personality impossible.

This phenomenon has been spoken about by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu 'alaihi wasallam):

A man came to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu alaihi wasallam) and said, 'The world has turned away from me and my wealth has become small. The Holy Prophet (sallalahu 'alaihi wasallam) said, ' How far you are from the prayer of the angels and the praise of creatures on account of which they are supported by Allah. So he asked, 'What is that O Messenger of Allah?' he replied, ' SubhanAllahi wa bi hamdihi Subhan Allah al azim, Astaghfirullah', a hundred times from the beginning of dawn until you perform the morning prayer. Then the world will come back to you obediently and despisedly. Allah creates from each word an angel who praises Him with the formula, 'Subhanallah', until the day of Resurrection, and you receive this reward'. ii

As there are beneficial effects of the invocation of adhkar as mentioned in the Hadith quoted above, there are also detrimental effects of negligence of dhikr:

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu 'alaihi wasallam) has stated:

There are certain times that are cosmically oriented for special devotions:

Fixing a place for the wazaif is also recommended as it is narrated in ahadith, that those places wherein Allah is remembered shine like stars to the inhabitants to the heavens. iv
In another Hadith it is stated that every morning and evening different parts of the earth communicate with one another, each enquiring whether the remembrance of Allah took place on them. v Those that reply in the affirmative are given preference over the other, and when the person dies that portion of the earth testifies on the person's behalf and weeps at his demise.

Commentators state that from this verse it is inferred that as the heavens and earth don't weep at the death of an infidel, they do weep at the death of a believer. vi

As in the case of the body that requires a certain recommended daily allowance of vitamins, minerals etc., likewise for spiritual development, the invocation of certain adhkar with specific numerical proportions to achieve a desired result are prescribed:

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu 'alaihi wasallam) prescribed the recitation of various adhkar with specific numerical proportions to achieve a desired result, as has been mentioned in various ahadith.

For those who wish to achieve spiritual success, the awrad and wazaif are an indispensable virtue. It is imperative for every sincere seeker of Allah to perform these devotions with sincerity and constancy.