The History of Dhikr or Remembrance of Allah in Islamic Culture

Dhikr, remembering Allah with various prescribed words is, in different forms of it, a widely-practised ritual by Muslims. As prevalent as practising Dhikr has been among Muslims, there have always been discussions over the virtue of different forms of Dhikr, identifying the heterodox forms of Dhikr, and possibly determining (or establishing) the border between Dhikr and other Islamic customs. Therefore, Many Muslim scholars have dedicated their works to the genre, and a large number of traditions attributed to the prophet, his companions and Muslim saints are collected dealing with the ritual. Finding a way for dating Muslim traditions is in general a matter of dispute among both Muslim and modern scholars. When it comes to the study of Dhikr, one needs also to deal with the problem of authority and authenticity. It seems that a survey of the history of the Islamic "idea" of Dhikr is a practical method for dating Dhikr and other Islamic traditions involving Dhikr. This study has provided a survey of the history of the Islamic "idea" of Dhikr, as a seemingly practical method for dating Dhikr and other Islamic traditions involving Dhikr.
To perform some kind of the Islamic rituals of dhikr - i. e. to remember Allah and express such an intrinsic mental concern applying various prescribed sacred words - is a prevalent custom among Muslims. The widespread liturgical literature available among every Muslim sect describes profoundly the different forms of the ritual, the heterodox dhikr performance that must be denied and not observed, and finally, the differences between various forms of a dhikr ritual and other Islamic costumes. Therefore, many Muslim scholars dedicated their works to the genre, as well as many others collected a large number of traditions attributed to the prophet, his companions and Muslim saints dealing with the ritual.