Chapter IX: Zikr and Invocations
(4) Keep your voice between expression and silence. Hazrat Abu Musa Ash'ari said : When we came near Medina with the Prophet, he recited Takbir and the people also recited Takbir Loudly. The Prophet said : O people, He whom you call is not deaf and not absent. He whom you call is between you and your necks. Hazrat Ayesha said : God says : Don't raise your voice high in prayer, nor keep it concealed. God praised His Prophet Zakariyah when he called his Lord by silent voice.
(5) Don't use ornamental words in invocation. He who invokes should be humble. The Prophet said : Soon a people appear who will exaggerate in invocation God says : He does not love the transgressors. This is in reference to those who use ornamental words in invocation. Pray for what is good. The Prophet said : Give up ornamental words in invocation. It is said that the learned and Abdals used not more than seven words in their invocation.
(6) Invoke with fear and hope and with humility and modesty. Humility and modesty are dear to God. God says : They hasten in good deeds and invoke Me with hope and fear. The P'ophet said : If God loves a man. He tries him till he sees in him humility and modesty.
(7) Believe that your invocation will be accepted and hope therein for truth. The Prophet said : When a man invokes, let him not say : O God, give me if Thou wiseth. Be firm in invocation as there is nobody to reject it. The Prophet said : When one of you
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invokes, make your hope great as there is nothing great to God.
The Prophet said : Invoke God and entertain a firm belief that your invocation will be accepted and know that God does not accept the invocation of a headless man. Sufiyan Saori said : Let nobody prevent you to make invocation with what you know as God accepted the invocation of the worst being of the creation, the devil. When he prayed : O God, give me respite up to the Resurrection day. God said : Your prayer is accepted.
(8) Invoke firmly three times. Hazrat Ibn Masud said:
Whenever' the Prophet invoked, he invoked thrice. Don't be hasty to see your invocation accepted as the Prophet said: The ' invocation of any of you is accepted if not sought hastily. Don't say, 1 invoked' but it has not been accepted. When you invoke, invoke too much, as you are invoking to the Merciful. A certain wise man said: I have been invoking God for the last twenty years but He is not accepting my invocation, yet I hope, my invocation will be accepted. The Prophet said: When any of you prays to his Lord and gets sign of its acceptance, let him say: All praise is due to God under all circumstances.