Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan has given this Zikar in its essence as an essence.

It is the most important part of the message of spiritual liberty that he offered to the mureeds on the sufi path to realise truth and become the message themselves.

This "singing" zikar is traditionally performed in the Sufi Movement and in related Sufi Circles in somewhat different versions and with somewhat different forms of practice.

It is often kept secret and held rather private for members. It has been neglected and underestimated for a long time, due also to the relation with the many Islamic zikars that millions of faithful believers and sufis are doing for the same purpose for ages.

In this blessed Inayat Zikar the realisation of God can be obtained by love and the self can be spiritualised by devotion and opened for God’s Message. You may read all about the zikar to know its wonders. But by performing and going into it as a sacred exercise it will bring the benefit to all zakirs, uniting all sufis on the way to the Beloved.

The zikar is to be exercised with heart-friends who care in lovehood and is to be performed by the grace and in the holy presence of the Master, the Spirit of Guidance.

The Inayat Zikar as indicated here is practised together in Sufi Lovehood, preferably sitting cross-legged in a circle. A candle and some incense may be burned. The hands may rest preferably on the knees or held on the heart or held open and move along.

The five parts of the zikar with some notes on its practice are indicated in short:

La il-lah-ha,/ il Al-la-ah-Hu; to sing the line in one breath, inhale before the first beat.

Each line is in two measures of each eight beats. The first, second and fourth line have the same melody, the third line has an upwards going melody in the first part.

The head makes a continuous rotating movement together with the upper part of the body. It starts looking to the heart on "La", circling to the right on "il", then looking up to the right on "lah", looking up in the middle on "ha", then circling to the left upon "il", and circling down at the left on "Al-la-ah", and "Hu" with an emphasis directed to the heart. The rotation then continues from the heart again on "La". This rotation is a most natural and gentle one for revelation. Traditional the last line may also be directed more forceful to the heart as an arrow to its target on "il Al-la-ah-Hu", as in an exercise.

Il Al-la-ha/ Hu; in two measures of six beats, to sing in one breath.

The head keeps its continuous rotation; on the Hu there is a downfall of the head with an emphasis to the heart but the rotation moves on. The head circling up to the right on "il", looking up in the middle on "Al", circling to the left on "la-ha" and going down to the left on "hu" directed to the heart; during the "hu" the head is circling then to the right.

Traditional the head may start circling from the heart on "il" coming round on "Al-la-ha" in three slow beats and directed firmly to the heart on "Hu" and held for three beats.

Al-la-ha/ Hu- ; in one measures of ten beats, to sing in one breath, inhale after "Hu".

The head keeps its continuous joyous and dancing rotation with the Hu emphasised to the heart. With Al-lah-ha the head is then about up in the middle.

Traditional in six or four beats of half speed, the head goes fast round in two beats and directed firmly down to rest for four or for two beats on the "Hu" to the heart.

Hu; one measure of eight beats. In one breath, inhale just before the first beat "Hu".

The head keeps a smaller continuous rotation with the Hu at the first beat emphasised to the heart and then gently circling cosmically dreaming round the Universe on "Hu".

Traditional in four beats, but also performed in six slow beats; on "Hu" to the heart for about 5¼ beats and a quick violent circling of the head to the heart in about ¾ beat.

Silence within the Beloved is a most important part of the Zikar before ending.

The short meditation will prove to be effective as a workout for God-consciousness and will invigorate the inner peace of the devotee.

The exercise of the zikar may start after some devotional singing together to bring about good harmony and build up a strong spiritual atmosphere of expectation.

The Invocation nr.01 may be said and the Affirmation nr.04 may be first practised.

For start or end a commemoration may be said for awareness and inner guidance:

• mention the names of the Masters you are connected with- conclude with a Hu.

For Sufi Lovehood the names of some of the united masters may be commemorated:

The prayers Pir, Nabi and Rasoul may be chanted in between the zikars with a short silence. The prayer Khatum may be chanted after the last Silence for Meditation.

It is essential for zikar to hold to a steady tempo. Everyone can develop this "pulse" by beating time with the right hand on the thigh along with experienced drummers.

The rhythm of zikar 1 may be kept by clapping on the beat 1-3-5.6.7-9-11-13.14.15-;

of zikar 2 on the beat 1-3-5.6.7-9.10.11-; of zikar 3: 1-3-5.6.7-9.10; of zikar 4: 1-3-567-;

You can exercise the parts of clapping, rotating and singing apart and then exercise them all together. Do not exaggerate the number of repetitions, 101 times each part or fifteen minutes without counting is beneficial and harmless, nevertheless it is always preferable to exercise together in a protective sphere with good care and guidance.

When the zikar is exercised in a more traditional setting the devotee will always adapt to that custom and also for peculiar prayers and ceremonies of other devotions.

Hazrat Inayat Khan, Original texts 1923-1, p. 275.