Trembling, yet peaceful and calm

Of ‘La Ilaha illa Allah’ and ‘Allah, Allah’

In any legitimate Sufi Order (Tariqah) you go to, these two zikir are always pinnacle to that Tariqah. This is because the most preferred of zikir is ‘la ilaha illa Allah’.

Afdhaludz dzikri, fa’lam annahuu, Laa Ilaha illaAllah

When you say “Laa ilaha illaAllah” (there is no God except Allah”), you are invoking an absolute truth that encompasses everything, seriously everything. Even in the material sciences when you question deeper, laa ilaha illaAllah will always be an answer. That is why when the Prophet talked about the Balance (mizan), laa ilaha illaAllah is always heavier than anything else.

Then the zikir shortens to “illaAllah” or just simply “Allah, Allah”, to satiate the desire of the murids or salik (seeker). By then, the seeker would desire more of the sweetness of the ecstasy, that spiritual tasting (zouk), such that they are saying, ‘Get to the point! I want Allah!’

I could still vividly recall one of the most powerful and most moving sessions ever. The lights were dimmed, we were all standing and imploring Allah Almighty for His Divine Grace and Mercy by repeating His Name, ‘Allah,Allah’, in a manner so dependant on Him!

It was then that I opened my eyes and I could see the silhouette of Sidi and the other ikhwans behind him, standing with hands raised, imploring Allah Almighty so fervently. Somehow it occurred to me that this scene was very reminiscent, very reflective of the situation in the hereafter when we all stand before Him, awaiting judgment, and then Sidi will represent us, asking Allah for His Mercy and also the Syafaah of the Beloved Prophet s.a.w.

How is it possible not to have khusyuk when you are doing zikir in a congregation and in the presence of your Shaykh or Mursyid? Allah Himself says in the Holy Quran that the Hearts of Believers tremble upon the mentioning of Allah (Al-Anfal, 8:2). In another verse He says “Verily, with the remembrance of Allah do hearts find peace” (Al-Ra’d, 13:28).

Apparently, the two verses seem contradictory. Actually, these two feelings come together, making you feel something unique, something pleasant, something sweet, I just can’t describe it in words. Trembling, yet peaceful and calm. And as the zikir progresses, you just can’t take it any longer and you shout it out off your chest, “Allah!” Some find it too overwhelming and just faint. Moses (pbuh) himself fainted when the Light of God was manifested to him.

Standing, you look up into the sky and this is the moment when you truly appreciate and understand the Greatness of God. And as though following a nicely planned sequence of events, you just begin to cry, you just can’t control it. You are crying, weeping and sobbing, barely able to muster enough strength to even mention the Name ‘Allah’, with all these while sincere, powerful and emotional implorations of ‘Allah! Allah!’ still going strong all around you, it’s almost like hearing the zikir of nature itself, the zikir of the plants, the air, the water around you. You are literally engulfed by zikrullah, and at this instant you feel like you are ‘naked’, with no hijab (veil) between you and Him, nothing is hiding you from Him, nothing is blocking you from Him. He knows you inside out and outside in, you feel utterly helpless and virtually powerless in His Presence. You are like a piece of clay dough in the Hands of the Maker. This is when; again, you appreciate in totality, the meaning of ‘Thy Will be Done, O Lord!’ Only His Will counts, nothing else matters. Truly at this very instant you would have kicked everything else out of your heart and your mind, only God remains.

Such is the awareness of God that we ought to maintain, but Man is 99% of his time heedless. Therefore we should be thankful to our qualified guides, or murabbi, or mursyid, or shaykh, as not anyone can lead such a zikir. If scholars of this world have professors to get them to their Ph.Ds, what then, do you think is the case with subtle issues pertaining to the development of the human heart and the ruh? Surely there must be a guide! He who has no guide has Satan as his guide. May Allah guide us to see one of his saints, just like how Allah guided Sayyidina Musa to see Sayyidina Khidr.