The Shaykh Al-Albani’s remarks on some of the etiquettes of dhikr according to the methodology of the Salaf.

The Shaykh : It is not befitting for anyone to assume that when the word "dhikr" appears in some of the sacred texts, whether they are from the Qur'an or the Sunnah, that the intended meaning of "dhikr" in these texts is the innovated, non-prescribed dhikr which is the hallmark of the Sufis and the people of the tariqas who sit, they claim, to remember Allah, but they do not remember Allah as Allah Mighty and Majestic commanded them and as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) explained to them. Rather, the intended meaning of "dhikr" is one of two things: either circles of knowledge or circles of prescribed dhikr. Prescribed dhikr is not, first, collective with a single voice, and second, it is not individual with loud recitation. As for the first point, namely that it should not be collective with a single voice, this is because it is among the newly invented matters. Perhaps you all know his (peace and blessings be upon him) saying in the hadith of al-'Arba' ibn Sari'ah and in the hadith of Jabir ibn 'Abd Allah al-Ansari and there are many hadiths in this meaning.
As for the other point, which is that even if the dhikr is individual and it is prescribed, it should not be done with loud recitation because of the disturbance and harm it causes to those around him who are remembering Allah, reciting the Book of Allah, or remembering Allah Mighty and Majestic with the invocations brought by the Messenger of Allah, or with tasbih and the like. This is based on what came in the hadith of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) in *Sunan Abu Dawud* and others, that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: So, the first thing intended by dhikr are the gatherings of knowledge, for Allah is remembered therein without doubt. And what kind of gathering is it in which Allah Mighty and Majestic is not remembered and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is not sent blessings upon? Such a gathering is a loss for its people on the Day of Resurrection. What does "loss" mean? It means a loss. So, in the gatherings of dhikr and circles of dhikr, the intention is not the Sufi tariqa dhikrs, which Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) described in his poem where he says:
"When people know in our religion *** that singing is a sunnah to follow
And that a man should eat like a donkey *** and dance in a group until he falls
And they said we were intoxicated with love of the Divine *** but what intoxicated the people was only the slices of bread
Likewise " What did he say?

The questioner : Likewise, donkeys dance from their urine and fullness.

The Shaykh : There are no donkeys. Animals.

The questioner : " Likewise, animals dance from .. "

The Shaykh : " ... they dance from their urine and fullness *** Oh for the intellects and oh for the wisdom, is there no one among you to condemn the innovations?
Our mosques are disgraced by the listening to music *** And honored by the sale of such things."
And another said:
"O generation of innovation, O worst of generations *** You have brought forth something impossible
Did my God say to you in the Qur'an: Eat *** like animals and dance with me? "
Far be it from Him. So, this is not of dhikr in any way. Dhikr is only of two types: the first is remembering Allah and His Messenger and benefiting from what came in their speech.
And the second is that Muslims gather to remember Allah with the dhikrs mentioned in the Sunnah, first, and in the manner mentioned therein, second. And whatever is other than that, as it was said, this is what? "The truth is not hidden, so leave me alone from the intentions of the tariqa." So, the intention is to remind, as I mentioned in this gathering, that you remember with me that if you gather in a spacious, wide place, let its spaciousness not mislead you, and remember the narrowness of the place to remind you of this Sunnah, if Allah wills.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh : Okay, after that, what did we agree on? May Allah guide you, May Allah guide you.

The questioner : We had previously asked about the connection between 'aqidah and methodology, and that any deviation in methodology necessitates a deviation in 'aqidah. If you could clarify this issue with some elaboration and examples, it would be a great good, if Allah wills.

The Shaykh : But this gathering can bear it. Perhaps they have this, or perhaps it is between me and you. For example, perhaps they have other questions. If there are none, then let it be.