(The Source, place of return, watering hole)

Astaghfir Allāh al-'adhīm (100x)
I seek forgiveness in Allah Almighty 

Lāā ilāha illāhu al-Hayy al-Qayyūm wa 'atūbu ilayh (1x)
There is no god but He, the Living, the Everlasting, and to Him I return in repentance

Allāhumma salli 'alā sayyidinā muhammadin wa ālihi wa sahbihi wa sallim (100x)
Oh Allah! Send prayers and peace upon our Liege-Lord Muhammad and his family and his companions.

Muhammadin rasūlūllah (1x)
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah

Lāā ilāha illallāh (100x)
There is no god but God

Muhammadin rasūlūllah (1x)
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah 

Allāh (100 or 500x)

Al-Wird Practice

This practice is a form of remembrance that uses the three phrases; Astaghfir Allāh al-‘adhīm, Allāhumma salli 'alā sayyidinā muhammadin wa ālihi wa sahbihi wa sallim, Lāā ilāha illallāh and the Name Allah.

The first phrase, Astaghfir Allāh al-‘adhīm, is translated as “I seek forgiveness in Allah Almighty." This phrase is all about turning the eye of your heart back towards Allah, returning after being absent, finding our way back to the Love after getting distracted by “other than Allah." It is a form of repentance that is steeped in mercy and gentleness, it is not about you being bad or wrong, it’s just about becoming lost and then returning to a place of receptivity. It is about hitting the reset button and starting over, returning to our intention to live a holy and divinely inspired life, and facing in the direction of the Divine. This phase of the journey is considered the world of the “mulk,” this physical world. This is the station of Islam, to return and surrender to God.

The second phrase, Allāhumma salli 'alā sayyidinā muhammadin wa ālihi wa sahbihi wa sallim, is translated as, “Oh Allah! Send prayers and peace upon our Liege-Lord Muhammad and his family and his companions." Once we have become reoriented and turned towards Allah, this nextphrase is meant to help us open to connect with the Muhamadon Light. Through this phrase we enter into the stream of this Muhamadon Light and begin to travel through the worlds towards the Divine. This phase of the journey is considered the world of the “malakut,” the world of images. This is the station of Iman, where we are receptive to receive the mercy and peace of God.

The third phrase, Lāā ilāha illallāh, is translated as, “There is no god but God.” “Nothing worthy of worship other than Allah,” “There is nothing other than Allah,” and “Nothing exists outside of Allah” are all other valid translations. At this point, after traveling through the Muhammadon Light with the previous phrase, you are arriving at the threshold of the Presence of Allah. Now you are witnessing and confirming the truth that there is nothing other than Allah, yet there is still your own presence that is witnessing the Truth. This phase of the journey is considered the world of “jabarut,” the world of subtle energy. This is the station of ihsan, spiritual excellence, worshiping God as if you see Him.

The final stage of the journey that al-Wird is taking you on is about arrival at the world of “lahut” and “fana,” annihilation of your presence into the Essence of God. Here, there is no traveler that is witnessing, there is only Allah. Here, the Name begins to repeat itself from itself until the presence can bear no more and begins to return to “baqa,” to carry the Message of the Divine back through the worlds and into this world.

Our guide, Sidi, recommends that his students do this al-Wird practice twice a day, once early in the morning and again in the evening.