Q: I came from North Africa to work here in the KSA. I ask Your Eminence to enlighten me. I am a Sufi; one of my shaykhs has ordered me to glorify Allah after Subh and Maghrib prayers. The group of this shaykh form circles of Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) that begin after Isha’ prayer. In such circles they do the following: they start saying Allah’s greatest Name, i.e. Allah, prolonging and accenting it along with some other utterances of Dhikr. Afterwards, we stand up on the rooftop and chant the word “Allah” till its letters fade away to merely become “Ah Ah”. I, like some friends of mine, became charmed with it. People used to call us the Kittah party. Kindly, guide me, is Dhikr in such a manner correct that I may go on doing it or I had better abandon it? People claim that there is no mention of this Kittah in the Qur’an or Sunnah.

A: It is impermissible to follow the way of the Shaykh you mentioned above or to glorify Allah in such a manner, for this is one of the Bid‘ahs (innovations) introduced into the religion. Rather, you are to say utterances of Dhikr authentically reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him) after performing the Five Obligatory Daily Prayers and during other times as mentioned in the books of Hadith. Allah, may He be Exalted, says (what means): Indeed in the Messenger of Allâh (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes for (the Meeting with) Allâh and the Last Day (Part No. 2; Page No. 297) Such prescribed Dhikr can be found in the book “‘Umdatul-Hadith” by Shaykh `Abdul-Ghany ibn `Abdul-Wahid Al-Maqdisy, “Muntaqa Al-Akhbar” by Ibn Taymiyyah and “Bulugh Al-Maram” by Al-Hafizh ibn Hajar (may Allah be merciful to them all).May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.