The Levels of ZikrEilahi(Dhikr): Mufti Taqi usmani words
It is said by the Famous Sufi masters And Auliya ALLAH that there are three levels of Dhikr (remembrance of Allah).
The first is verbal Dhikr, which involves remembering Allah through the tongue, by constantly reciting His name.
The second is Dhikr of the heart, which means to remember Allah with the heart, where the heart is constantly engaged in His remembrance.
The third and highest degree is where the remembrance of Allah becomes so overwhelming upon one’s heart and mind that even words are no longer needed. However, this does not imply that one should stop doing verbal Dhikr. The person continues to recite Allah’s name, but they reach a state where the remembrance of Allah constantly resides within their heart and mind, without interruption.
These are the three degrees of Dhikr. A person progresses gradually and, one day, reaches this highest level. However, the first step is to engage in verbal Dhikr. A person should cultivate the habit of remembering Allah with their tongue. This is why, in a Hadith, a Sahabi once asked the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, “What is the best deed?”
The Prophet ﷺ replied,
ان یکون لسانک رطبا بذکر اللہ
(شعب الایمان)
(Translation: That is your tongue always stay moist with the Zikr of Allah).