74 ISHQ ZIKAR OF LOVE
THE PRACTICE OF THE ISHQ ZIKAR
The Ishq Zikar of Love is one of the zikars of Sufi Lovehood that express the love and longing for the All-Beloved in the eternal cradle of time.
This Zikar may open the curtains of forgotten memories and the veils of coming promises by the sound and rhythm of calling the name of the Beloved.
You will be able to hear with new ears of your heart these recollections and expectations that start ringing in the singing of the sacred repetitions.
Some of the Wazifah’s used for the Ishq Zikar are:
Allah, Allah, All-Beloved, La ilaha il Allah Hu;
Ishq Allah, Ma’bud Allah, La ilaha il Allah Hu;
Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah, La ilaha il Allah Hu;
La ilaha il Allah Hu, La ilaha il Allah Hu;
There is no God than God Only, La ilaha il Allah Hu;
God is Love, God Beloved, La ilaha il Allah Hu;
Ishq Allah, Ma’bud Allah, Ishq Allah, Ma’bud Allah;
Allah, Allah, Al-Beloved, Allah, Allah, Al-Beloved;
Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah;
Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah, La ilaha il Allah Hu;
La ilaha il Allah Hu, La ilaha il Allah Hu;
The Most Beautiful Names of Allah may be also mentioned in the Zikar.
The Ishq Zikar may be performed sitting or standing or dancing.
On beat 1 the head bent forwards to the left, on 2 backwards in the middle, on 3 forwards to the right and on 4 backwards in the middle. The hands are on the tights or held open and move from left to the middle near the heart, and from right to middle near the heart. As a variation the head may bent from the left on beat one, to the right on beat 2 and so on. The hands move also along at that same rhythm.
When in the progress of the zikar for both lines the statement will be declared:
La i-/ la-ha/ il Al-/ lah Hu;
then in the first line there may be the fast bending of the head to the left on "La" to the right on "la", to the left on "il" and to the right on "lah".
In the second line there may be the movement of the head from left bending down on "La" swinging to the right and coming up in the middle on "la", falling down in the middle to the breast on "il" and again being up in the middle on "lah-Hu".
The hands are swinging freely and empathic along from left to right.
See also the notes for the practices of the Zikar the Redeemer nr. 59 of Lovehood.
In a certain stadium of the zikars the words may be whispered staccato on the power of the breath to intensify the feeling and be exalted in the love for the All-Beloved.
The Ishq Zikar of Love may be practised in alternation or in combination with other zikars that are performed in Sufi Lovehood.
Sufi Lovehood All-Beloved, C-1998 SUFI-LAB alim vosteen.