a green rose.When a novitiate enters the order, the Qadri Shaykh attaches
to his felt cap a rose with eighteen sections, with Solomon’s Seal in the
centre.This cap is called
Taj
(crown), and is greatly prized in mystic circles.
In Egypt the Qadris wear white turbans and carry white banners.
T
HE MOST
IMPORTANT
of the spiritual practices of the Qadri order is
dhikr
,
or the recitation of the name of God. The actual performance of
dhikr
is
classified into four types according to the degrees of intensity and emphasis.
There are
dhikr
described as ‘
dhikr
with one stroke’,
‘dhikr
with two strokes’,
‘dhikr
with three strokes’, and
‘dhikr
with four strokes’, the term ‘stroke’
being used in the metaphorical rather than the literal sense.
‘Dhikr
with
one stroke’ means firmly repeating the name of
Allah
with a long drawn-
out breath, as if from high above, with all the force of heart and throat, and
then returning to normal breathing.A long time must be spent on repeating
this continuously.
‘Dhikr
with two strokes’ means sitting, as for prayer, and
invoking the Name of Allah, first from the right side of the breast and then
from the heart. This is done forcefully and repeatedly without gaps. This is
considered to facilitate concentration of the heart and to ward off worry
and distraction.
‘Dhikr
with three strokes’ is performed sitting cross-legged
and repeating the Name of Allah first at the right side, then at the left, and
the third time from the heart. The third stroke has to be much more
intense and also more protracted.
‘Dhikr
with four strokes’ is also performed
sitting cross-legged and is done by saying aloud the name of
Allah
first on
the right side, then on the left, the third time toward the heart, and the
fourth time in front of the breast.The last stroke is expected to be stronger
and carried on for a longer period.
After
dhikr
the Qadris recommend
pas-i-anfas,
which means controlling
one’s breathing so as to cause the name of
Allah
to circulate in the body in
Th e Qa d r i Or d e r 130
