Sufi Spiritualist Younus Algohar explains the importance and necessity of Zikar Allah (invocation of God) as a fardh (obligation in Islam. He also discusses how exactly Salat is established per God’s instructions.

Summary:

- Do not ever compare Salat with Zikar Allah because both are obligations in the religion. You have to do both at the same time. Salat is a timely obligation and Zikar Allah in the heart is an eternal obligation.

'The Motto of Faith is the greatest Zikar (invocation).' - Prophetic Tradition

'Zikar Allah is the first of all obligations.’ - Prophetic Tradition

- Zikar Allah is the greatest invocation and it is first of the Five Pillars in Islam. Zikar is a vast field; therefore Zikar Allah is both an obligation (fardh) and additional worship (nafl) depending on how you do it. Zikar Allah is a type of obligation which can only be fulfilled when it is performed by your heart. If you do it with your tongue, it is additional worship. When Zikar Allah is done by the tongue only without the heart’s involvement, the obligatory aspect of Zikar Allah is not fulfilled and you cannot progress on to the next obligatory element in the religion.

- Initially, the Companions of Prophet Mohammad did not perform Salat. For the first few years, they engaged their bodies, tongues, hearts, souls and Lower Selves in Zikar Allah. Once their Lower Selves and hearts were purified through Zikar Allah, they became Mutakee (Pure Ones) and Salat was made obligatory upon them. Salat was only introduced after the Night of Ascension.

- Today’s Muslims does not know how to become a devout Muslim. If you jump straight to the performance of Salat without first fulfilling the obligation of Zikar Allah, your performance of Salat will not benefit you. According to the Koran, Salat is like a spiritual medicine. When it is accepted by God, it heals you of your inner sins and evil traits - like arrogance, deceit, jealousy and greed. If your Salat is duly accepted by God on a daily basis, you will see a change in your character in a month’s time.

'There is no Salat without the presence of the heart.' - Prophetic Tradition

- The reason your Salat is not changing your character or removing your inner vices is that you are performing it without the presence of the heart. Presence of the heart - which you would have had if you had brought ZIkar Allah in the heart - is the most crucial element in Salat. Without it, you will perform Salat and begin to have delusions of being better than everybody else. But with the presence of the heart, divine energy will keep your heart occupied with God's presence. It will be your heart that will transport your Salat to God.

'Establish your prayers for the advancement of my Zikar.' - Koran 20:14

- What does it mean to establish Salat? Your body performs ruku (bowing down), sujood (prostration) and qa'ad during Salat; your tongue engages itself with the recitation of the Holy Koran; the heart conforms to what you are saying with the tip of your tongue. This performance of Salat generates divine energy which is stored in the heart. When it is stored in the heart, this is the establishment of Salat. Then, Zikar Allah in the heart will bloom even more.