Islamic and Sufi Contemplative Practices: Dhikr and Muraqaba

A note before we start

This page describes practices that are devotional for Muslims. It is written from published scholarly and clinical sources, not from within a tradition, and this site claims no religious authority. Where research is mentioned, it measures stress or mood, which is a narrower question than the meaning these practices hold. Nothing here replaces medical care or mental-health treatment. In the United States, call 911 in an emergency or 988 for a mental-health crisis.

What dhikr is

Dhikr can be translated as "remembrance", "recollection", "mentioning" or "invocation" of God or God's most beautiful names. One scholarly chapter calls it the central meditative technique of Islamic spirituality in general and of Sufi initiatic practice in particular. [1] Dhikr usually includes the names of God or supplications from the Quran or hadith. It may be counted on the fingers or with prayer beads and may be done alone or in a group. [2]

Within Sufism, a mystical tradition of Islam, there are two main ways of doing dhikr: silent and vocal. [2] Different Sufi orders (tariqas) have their own forms, and this page does not describe the instructions of any one order. Those are usually taught by a teacher within the community, and learning them from an outside page would not be appropriate.

What muraqaba is

Muraqaba is described in the clinical literature as a mindfulness-type contemplative exercise within the Sufi tradition. [3] A paper on its use in Islamic psychotherapy describes Sufism as the mystical or spiritual tradition of Islam and gives an overview of the Sufi literature on muraqaba. [4] A pilot program for Muslim mothers drew on the thought of Imam al-Ghazali and combined muraqaba, dhikr, trust in God (tawakkul) and mindful prayer (salah). [3]

Traditional aims versus health claims

Sufi manuals discuss dhikr in terms of "spiritual stations" on an inner ascent toward ultimate Reality. [1] That is a religious aim, not a health outcome. This site does not suggest that dhikr or muraqaba treat any condition.

How modern clinical programs have used them

• A 2026 scoping review of 53 studies found that Islamic mindfulness work emphasizes dhikr, salah, Quran recitation and muraqaba as core components, often added to existing programs such as MBSR or CBT. [5] The authors reported that adding Islamic values improved cultural relevance and engagement, and that standardized, manualized approaches are still missing. [5] A scoping review maps what exists; it does not test whether a program works.
• One author proposes that muraqaba may have value for symptomatic anxiety, depression and pain, but says it may not suit every mental-health problem and that Muslim clinicians should be properly trained in classical Sufi traditions before using the techniques. [4]
• A protocol (a plan, with no results yet) describes a trial comparing app-based Christian and Islamic heart meditation with MBSR and a waitlist. [6]

What research shows

1. Dhikr plus salawat (praise of the Prophet) in hemodialysis patients

   Promising but limited

   A randomized trial in Surabaya, Indonesia with 54 participants reported lower anxiety and better sleep quality with the practice; single center, short, small [7]

2. Listening to, reciting or memorizing the Quran

   Promising but limited (included studies varied in design)

   A systematic review of 20 articles reported favorable effects on depression, anxiety and sleep, and concluded it may be useful for health [8]

3. Muraqaba as a treatment

   Proper evidence not found (searched PubMed for muraqaba)

   We found a conceptual and review literature and clinical proposals, but no controlled trial of muraqaba alone

Two cautions apply. These practices cannot be blinded, and people who are devout may expect benefit, which can shape self-reported results. Also, some narrative reviews describe the evidence in stronger terms than the trials allow. One review calls dhikr and Quran recitation notable for "strikingly uniform positive results" and calls for more rigorous studies. [9] We treat that as an encouraging but unfinished picture.

Learning and teachers

NCCIH suggests asking about an instructor's training and experience. [10] We found no source describing a regulator or standard credential for teaching dhikr or muraqaba. For Sufi practice, teachers belong to communities and lineages that decide who may teach. To check a teacher, ask which community they belong to and who authorized them. A mosque imam or chaplain may be able to advise on suitable religious guidance.

Related pages

Meditation and prayer, prayer, faith healing and health, hijama (wet cupping) in Islamic practice, chanting, mantra and drumming, meditation in cultural context.