The Inner Journey of Fikr and Zikr
The Mind That Remembers, the Heart That Thinks
In a world overwhelmed by information, people think more and remember less.
Yet in the Sufi tradition, fikr (contemplation) and zikr (remembrance) are not rivals — they are siblings. Like two wings of a bird, both are needed to fly toward Truth.
Fikr is the light of the intellect. It asks, observes, and analyzes.
Zikr is the light of the heart. It feels, remembers, and longs.
When fikr stands alone without zikr, it risks becoming dry, arrogant, and cut off from the Source. But zikr without fikr can become empty — a ritual without spirit.
Sufis do not separate them. For the Sufi, fikr is zikr that seeks meaning, and zikr is fikr that has dissolved into love.
Zikr: Not Just Words, but a State of Being
In zikr, we repeat the Divine Name not only with the tongue but with the entirety of our being. The slow, rhythmic utterance of “Allah… Allah…” is not to fill time, but to empty the self — of ego, of distractions, of doubt.
When the heart becomes immersed in zikr, fikr no longer rebels. It quiets. It listens.
Fikr becomes still, and from that stillness, inspiration blooms.
Fikr: The Path of Illumination, When Guided by Divine Light
God does not forbid thinking. In fact, the Qur’an often asks:
“Do you not reflect?”
But in the Sufi view, thinking is not to dominate truth — it is to be humbled by it.
Fikr becomes a window through which we see the beauty of creation — and through that window, we glimpse the Creator.
So fikr does not walk alone. It walks holding the hand of zikr.
Zikr is Breath, Fikr is the Step
Imagine a traveler wandering through a dark night. Fikr is the step that moves him forward, seeking a way. But zikr is the breath that calms him, that keeps his spirit warm while the world grows cold.
Without fikr, he loses direction.
Without zikr, he loses light.
In Daily Practice
For artists, thinkers, and seekers of truth — zikr and fikr can appear in subtle ways:
Before writing, begin by invoking the Divine.
While creating, let the heart whisper His Name, even as the hands are busy.
When the mind becomes overburdened, pause… breathe… and remember: “I am not alone.”
And Finally…
Zikr nourishes the heart. Fikr sharpens the mind. When the two are balanced, the human being becomes truly alive — not merely existing, but awakened.
Zikr is presence. Fikr is awareness. And when they walk together, they lead us home.
Because in the silence of remembrance and the stillness of contemplation, the voice of the Divine begins to speak.
Dr.Kamal Sabran