Every fortnight in Brighton there is a dhikr held with the blessings of the Naqshbandi Sufis. Attending Dhikr or Zhikr, Remembrance gives a huge boost to one’s spiritual knowledge and powers.

A very important characteristic of Dhikr is that the experience is different every time. As I sit in the circle, my mind is taken to new levels of awareness and healing.

The dhikr starts with various prayers and verses from the Koran or the Sufi Order. The leader of the will be inspired within, so the order of the prayers will vary. At some point, the chanting of the Divine Names of Allah will begin. The number of repetitions vary. With the chanting, the music and drumming starts. Even newcomers can join in the chanting. At the dhikr I attend there will be some whirling. The leader may be inspired to deliver a sermon at various points.

If you do not live close to a dhikr meeting, I have found a useful source where you can see what happens at a dhikr, and see the differing styles between the various Sufi Orders. It is fascinating to see chaotic nature of these meetings, which is totally at odds with church services, where everybody sits still and quiet in their pews.