Dust Under Your Feet

30 June 1985

Q : What are the general intructions for those who want to take Baiyat?
  1. One should say your obligatory salat 5 times daily and regularly.
  2. One should fast during the month of Ramzan. This is Farz (obligatory). But if one can fast on the 13th, 14th, 15th of every lunar (Islamic) month as nawafil, it would greatly help and accelerate one’s spiritual progress. Says Allah, “ One who fasts for my sake, I Myself is the reward”. It is said by the Sufi Shaikhs that fasting is half the journey. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) used to fast for several days on end without breaking fast in the evening or take sahri (morning meals). But when his companions started copying him, he forbade them saying “None of you is like me”. However, he recommended Saoum-I- Daudi to his companions. Hazrat Daud ( a.s) used to fast on alternate days, and most of the Sufi Shaikhs have followed this.
  3. One should try to read the Holy Quran in Arabic even though you do not understand the meaning. But one can easily learn the Arabic language and grammar to understand the meanings of the Holy Book in due course. To begin with recital in Arabic is enough. It is full of blessings. The Holy Prophet (SL) has said that when you recite Quran in Arabic, for each letter you get ten points in piety.
  4. One can, if they wish, do the following spiritual exercises to achieve the state of nearness to the Divine Beloved:
( a ) Zikr ‘Ism Zat’ i.e. one should recite the Great Name of ALLAH, ALLAH from one to three thousand times daily, giving a stroke of “Allah” at your heart with the force of your voice and not with hand. This can be done at any time convenient to oneself. This should be done in privacy. One should do it with love and zeal.

( b ) Zikr 'Nafi Asbat' – it is done in the following manner: say “LA ILAHA ILALLAH” 200 times, “ILALLAH” 400 times, “ ALLAHO ALLAH” 600 times like this: while saying LA ILAHA one should lower one’s head and then turn your head to the right shoulder thinking that you are sweeping everything except Allah out of your heart and throwing it behind your back. When you say  “ IL ALLAH” give a stroke of “ ILLALLAH”  at your heart with the force of voice jerking your head towards the heart. This was about LA ILAHA IL ALLAH.  Do it for 200 times. Then say ILLALLAH  ILALLAH 400 times striking your heart with the force of your voices everytime. It should be loud enough so that you can hear it in the room and none else can hear it outside. But although the voice is low, the force, love and enthusiasm in reciting should be great. After that say ALLAH ALLAH  in this way that while you say Allaho, strike at your right chest not with head but with the force of voice, and when you say Allah you should strike your heart in the left chest turning your head right and left every time you say ALLAHO ALLAH. This “Allaho Allah” should be done 600 times taking Allaho Allah as one unit. For this Zikr you should get three TASBIH ( beeds, rosary ) and join them together in one string ( thread ). This is a convenient number. This Zikr is also known as “ 12 TASBIH”

( c ) Zikr 'Pas Anfas'. This is a breathing exercise and is done like this: when one take the breath in ( inhale ) one should say “ Allah” in your mind ( not with the tongue ); when you take the breath out ( exhale ) you should say “ Hoo” again in your mind not with the tongue. This can be done even without wuzu and at all leisure times, sitting, sleeping, walking, traveling in a bus, but not while you are driving yourself.

One more important thing is that, all the above zikr, spiritual exercises, etc , however, are to be done under the orders and strict supervision of the qualified Sheikh without which they may prove to be harmful!


One  should try to eat halal food, speak the truth, be honest and obedient slave of Allah Almighty. Trust in Allah and do good deeds. Service to mankind is the best worship. Always think of Allah and always ask for His forgiveness. Have full trust (confidence) in Him and firmly believe that He will never leave you alone or fail you, but will always help you and give you “rizk” (livelihood ). It is said by the Prophet (SL) that “Allah treats everyone according the belief he has about HIM”.