Method of Remembering Allah
(Jalwah Gaahe Doost by Hadhrat Sheikh Khawja Muhammad Tahir Bakhshi)
Method of remembering Allah is: Human beings have the heart on the upper left side of the chest; personal name of God, “Allah” should be remembered in this heart. When we feel thirsty, we find ourselves focused towards quenching our thirst, however we do not repeat and say ‘water’, ‘water’ with our tongue, but our attention remains towards water! Just as a thirsty person has all its attentions towards water, our heart should also focus in the same way towards the name of Allah and repeat the name, “Allah”, “Allah”. While doing this one should remain silent, without any movement of the tongue, rather it should rest at the palate (upper part inside the mouth). This method should be adopted all the time. There is no condition of being in the state of ablution, neither the cleanliness of body nor dress is required; one does not need to be alone; does not matter if you are busy in daily chores all day long, 24 hours; busy in your business, traveling or resting, while in the markets or at home just make sure that this thing is in your heart that it (heart) is repeating the name “Allah”, “Allah”. Ignore other thoughts that might arise during this process. Because Allah Almighty Himself says in Quran in Surah An-Noor (The Light) [24:37]

“By men whom neither traffic nor merchandise can divert from the Remembrance of Allah, nor from regular Prayer, nor from the practice of regular Charity: Their (only) fear is for the Day when hearts and eyes will be transformed (in a world wholly new)”.

Allah’s slaves are the ones who do not get distracted from remembrance of Allah because of the worldly chores and business. Practicing the remembrance of Allah’s name this way in your heart for few a days makes heart alive and it starts doing this itself. Due to this practice heart gets purified and attention and fear towards Allah Almighty is remains in the heart; due to which it gets easier to act upon the orders of Allah Almighty that were taught to us by His last Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him) . Hadhrat Khawja Ahmad Saéed Naqshbandi quds saarahu
writes that the remembrance of personal name of Allah Almighty “Allah” should be done in following way:

• Disciple or the spiritual student should rest the tongue at palate and completely free the heart from all thoughts.
• Next consider the Spiritual guide or Sheikh, from whom he learnt this method of remembrance, in front of oneself.
• Repeat the name “Allah”, “Allah” with tongue of one’s heart i.e. keep attention towards the meaning of the word “Allah” in the heart.
• Next concentrate that I believe in my Lord, “Allah” Almighty, Who has all the best characteristics and is free of all lower characteristics.

Be regular in this practice of remembering Allah until the heart gets alive and gets used to this (starts doing this automatically!).

Hadhrat Imam Rabbani Reviver and Blessed (Mujaddad and Munawwar) quds saara hu says:

In the start of spiritual journey, student has no other way except remembering “Allah”. He should be attentive towards his heart that this piece of flesh is like a resting place for the real heart. Pass the blessed highest name of Allah through the same heart and while doing this do not intentionally move any other body part rather be fully attentive to your heart, not towards its shape; absorb and observe the meaning of blessed and highest name “Allah” by believing in its uniqueness and singularity. But still do not ponder over any of His attributes. (Letter number 190, Volume 1, Part 3).

Remembering Allah by Heart (Zikr-e-Qalbi)
(Repetitively saying ALLAH ALLAH in the heart, silently, without any movement of tongue) Remembering Allah (doing zikr) whether it is done in heart (silently) or verbally, individually or in groups, its merits and importance are well known. But from the Holy Quran and Hadith we find out that the merits of doing it silently in heart are many times more than doing it verbally. However if Allah Almighty specially bless someone and choose him as his lucky slave and bless him so that the person simultaneously practice verbal remembrance (dhikr) and his heart also practices in the same way; and he is promoted from verbal remembrance to heartily remembrance (zikr-e-qalbi); to such an extent that even if he is silent, tongue is quite, still his heart will not remain silent! This is called abundant remembrance, an ample rich remembrance (zikr-e-kaseer). Hadhrat Mulla Ali Qari Rahmatulla Alleyhey who holds international fame and is a researcher and hadith master (muhaddith), has quoted the following hadith to show the high status of remembrance: Abu’d-Darda’ reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said, “Shall I inform you of the best of your actions and the purest of your property and the highest of your degrees and what is better for you than spending gold and silver and better for you than encountering the enemy and striking their necks and their striking your necks?” They said, “Yes, indeed!” He said, “Remembrance of Allah Almighty.” Mu’adh ibn Jabal said, “There is nothing which saves from the punishment of Allah more than remembrance of Allah.” [Mishkawt ul Massabih Page 198, Ahmad, Ibn Abi’d-Dunya, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah] Commenting on this blessed hadith, the same great hadith master Hadhrat Mulla Ali Qari Rahmatulla Alleyhey says: “This remembrance (zikr) means remembrance in ones heart. This is the same remembrance which has greater virtues than sacrificing lives and wealth. Because this is a veiled and hidden action of heart which is harder to perform by the self (nafs / one’s lowly desire). This is the greater struggle (Jihad-e-Akbar)! (Mirqat al-Mafatih, Page 22 Volume 3)

Virtues to Remember Allah in Ones Heart are 70 Times
Great hadith master, Hadhrat Mulla Ali Qari quds sarrahu has quoted hadith in this compiled book of Prophet’s sayings “Ahadith-e-Mubarika” “Mirqat al-Mafatih commentary on Mishkat ul Masabeeh”, volume 1, page number 342, narrated by Hazrat Ayesha, mother of believers (May Allah be Pleased with her) :“Hazrat Ayesha, mother of believers (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said the zikr (remembering Allah) which cannot be known to the Kiram an-Katibin, is seventy times superior to other types of zikr that they can listen i.e. verbal remembrance. On the Day of Judgment, mankind will be called to reckoning by Him and the Kiram an-Katibin directed to produce the Register of Conduct of every person. Angels will present everything that they remembered or have written. These Angels will be commanded to re-examine the records to see if any of their deeds remained unrecorded. They would submit that everything what we know or remembered had been duly put down. On this Allah Almighty Shall then inform the person that I have one good deed that these angels do not recognize and I Will Give you reward for this and this good deed is the secret (hidden or veiled) remembrance (zikr-e-khaffi).”