What is the ruling and method of the remembrance (dhikr) called "Ar-Rabita," which involves visualizing the image of the shaykh before beginning the dhikr, and does it have a basis in Islamic law or a virtue as mentioned by Ibn Al-Qayyim?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
Remembrance () is an act of worship to Allah. For an act of worship to be accepted, it requires sincerity to Allah and conformity to the . Any innovated act of worship that has no basis in the is rejected. Inducing humility (khushu') by recalling the image of a shaykh is an innovated bid'ah (religious innovation), and there is no legal evidence for it. We fear that attributing this matter to Ibn al-Qayyim is a fabrication intended to promote this bid'ah, especially with the reference to a ten-volume book by him, even though he does not have a book of that size.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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- Original fatwa ID
- 137780
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- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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