On 12 March 2016 the Royal Ottoman Society gathered in the historic Theater im Pfalzbau in Ludwigshafen for the fourth evening of its “Zikir-Dhikr Ottoman Sufi Night” series. Guided by Sheikh Bahauddin Adil, participants entered a space where the rhythmic chanting of the divine names (dhikr) met the timeless atmosphere of Ottoman spirituality.
Sheikh Bahauddin opened the evening with a gentle invocation, inviting everyone to turn inward. Familiar phrases – Allâhu Akbar, Al-Hamdulillâh, Lâ ilâhe illallâh – were recited in measured cadence, each one weaving a thread of unity among those present.
A dhikr night is defined not only by the repetition of sacred words but by the intention behind them. Sheikh Bahauddin reminded us that dhikr is an act of surrender: “When we remember Allah with sincerity, our hearts become mirrors reflecting His light.” The voices rose and fell like waves, and inner silence and audible devotion existed side by side.
Between the chants, the Sheikh spoke briefly about the Ottoman Sufi heritage: how dhikr was cultivated in the empire as a means of personal purification and communal bonding, and how historic figures turned to it in times of trial – a lesson that speaks directly to the challenges seekers face today.
The night closed with a collective supplication for peace, health and guidance, for those present and for the wider community.
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