A sincere brother emailed:
“I would like to know if I could begin practicing this dowazdah tasbih without becoming a murid immediately? Does one need permission [ijaza] to start this dhikr?

As per the teachings of Shaykh Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) the following response was send to him,

You do not have to be a murid to start the dowazdah tasbih.

However, you need to be sincere in the effort of your religious self-reformation (islah).

And it must be clear upfront that the dhikr recommended by the Sufis is a form of treatment strategy. This dhikr is the treatment of heedlessness (ghaflah) and other spiritual aliments. Eventually it is a prelude to the real remembrance of Allah, Most High.

The Shaykh usually recommendeds it to a seeker who has been actively trying to reform his morals & characteristics to be a better Muslim, is punctual with his regular daily tasbihat, Quranic & munajat e maqbool recitation and is informing him for atleast few months.

Whitout knowing a satisfactory answer to the following questions it is very difficult to recommend this to you. What are your daily activities? What is the extent of effort to bring deen in your life? And, finally what is your understanding of the spiritual path?

More over, sometimes these sufic dhikr result in some overwhelming thoughts and states for which a Shaykh is necessary. Otherwise, a person may go astray.

A sincere seeker asked,

“I would also like to know if I can do the five tasbeehats mentioned in the “Excessive Remembrance/Dhikr 1” without a Shaykh’s permission (ijaza)?”

As per the teaching of Mawlana Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) following answer was given,

‘Certainly you can do them.
As a general principle, specific permission is not needed for acts recommended by the holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace).

However, in selecting from the vast number of Prophetic dhikr recommendations, and especially their quantity advice from a Shaykh is very beneficial. The Shaykh who knows your physical & emotional health, motivation, time availability and involvement in other essential (wajib) activities will tell what suites your circumstances the best.’

Hadhrat Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) instructed the following to a murid regarding the sufic dhikr of our tariqa: the dowazdah tasbih.

“Sit crossed-legged (on the prayer-mat facing qibla).

With the big toe and adjacent finger of the right foot grasp this tendon (rag e keymas) on the back of left thigh if easily possible. If this can be done, well and good, if it is not possible do not worry. Proceed with the dhikr.

Start with recitation of لا الہ with the head bend towards the heart and moving in the direction of the right shoulder. Imagining simultaneously that I am removing all other-than-Allah relationships from my heart and throwing them behind myself, when the movement of the head reaches the right shoulder.

Then while saying الا اللہ gently and swiftly move the head towards the qalb (heart) in a stroke (dharb) like manner. Contemplate simultaneously that the love of Allah is entering my qalb.

Do this recitation 200 times. Occasionally add محمد رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم .

Then recite الا اللہ  400 times in a gentle audible voice with dharb as demonstrated. In the first 100 times concentrate on لا معبود الا اللہ (there is none worthy of worship except Allah). In the next 100 contemplate on لا مقصود الا اللہ (No one’s pleasure is desired except that of Allah). In the third 100 think on لا محبوب الا اللہ (there is none to be loved except Allah). And in the final 100 focus on لا موجود الا اللہ (in reality none exists except Allah).

Then recite  اللہ اللہ (first is with a paesh/dhamma and second with a jazam at the end) 600 times in a audible voice with stroking movements of the head as shown.

Finally, recite اللہ (with jazam) 100 times audibly and with dharb.

In these last two forms of dhikr try to focus on Allah’s being.

In total these are thirteen tasbihat (100s) but are commonly known as dowazdah tashib.

May Allah give us the nur and blessings in them. Ameen!”

Hadhrat demonstrated the recitation as described above by doing it himself. JazakAllah.

14th Zil-hajj 1411/27 June 1991, Old-Office, Darul Uloom Karachi.

An aspirant asked permission do join one of the senior murid in doing the dhikr at tahajjud.

Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) replied,

“There is nothing wrong if you join him in doing the dhikr. But no third person should join. Otherwise, this will become a customary practice ( to convene for collective dhikr).”

To another similar question Hadhrat Hakim al-Umma replied,

“There is nothing wrong in collective dhikr if done without considering it to be essential or making announcement (for inviting others). Except for Hafidh sahib (and you) there should not be any third person (joining this dhikr).”

Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 2, page 925

Hadhrat Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) instructed a spiritual aspirant,

“All praise to Allah, your condition is good. However, as yet the effects of Allah’s remembrance (dhikrullah) have not appeared in you.  These effects are contingent on talking less (talil e kalam), reduced intermingling with people (taqlil e ikhtelat ma’al inam)and decreased attention and involvement in engrossing relationships (qilat e iltifat ilal ta’aluqat).”

Tarbiyat us Salik, volume 1, page 463

Instructing an individual the dhikr of dowazdah tashib (the dhikr of the tariqah) Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) said,

‘There are various categories of audiblity (jahar) and movement of head with vocal strokes (dharb) in dhikr. They range from very loud with heavy stroke to just audible with light stroke.

For you the audibility should be like the ticking of a clock or a little bit more, like someone reading with a beautiful voice or singing to himself.

In very loud-heavy-stroke dhikr (jahar mufret & dharb e shadeed) harms outweigh the benefits.

The benefit of this audible dhikr with head movement and stroke (jahar & dharb) is to maintain concentration and develop interest.’

Thrusday, 14 Zil-hajj 1411, 27 June 1991, Old-office, Darul Uloom Karachi.

An aspirant wrote complaining that he did not feel any effect of the dhikrullah in his heart.

Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) replied,

“What do you think is desired effect of dhikrullah?

Increasing relationship with Allah (ta’luq ma’ Allah) is the main objective of doing dhikrullah.”

Tarbiyat us Salik, volume 1, page 155