Guidelines for repairing recitations (Jabr)

1. If one loses count of the number of recitations, is it possible to repair it?

The answer is yes. In this case, one should rely on certainty that is to say go back to the number of which one is sure. On completion of the zikr, one should formulate the intention to repair (niyat jabr) the recitation and then recite  “astaghfirullah” a hundred times. 

Seyyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) said, or words to that effect: “Whoever is unsure of the number, whether too many or too few, he should rely on certainty then he should add one hundred “astaghfirullah” with the intention of repairing. Certainly reparation will be accomplished this way. ” 

 

2. If a person omits a pillar of the litany by mistake: for exemple by beginning with the prayer upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he should go back to the pillar of istighfar (asking forgiveness) and then do the pillar of the prayer upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Upon completion of the whole litany, he should place the intention to repair and recite one hundred times the istighfar. However, if this omission is voluntary and not by mistake then the litany is null and void. 

If a person, by mistake, adds to a pillar, then he should place the intention to repair (niyat jabr) and do one hundred istighar. However, if this addition is intentional then the litany is invalid. 

If a person notices that the rosary with which he performs his litanies is missing one or more beads, the rule is as follows: if he knows exactly when the beads were lost, then there is an obligation to make up for the incomplete litanies, on the other hand if he does not know exactly when the beads were broken then, according to some, he should recite “astaghfirullah” six hundred times, followed by three Djawaharatu-l-Kamal. This will repair any insufficiency or excess. Hajj Al Hassan Al Ba’qili wrote in “Al Iraa” that if a person notices that beads are missing from his rosary and does not know since when, should just make up for the lazim of the last day. He also said that if a person notices one or more additional beads on his rosary without knowing since when, then he should recite one hundred “astaghfirullah” with the intention of repairing all the litanies for that period of time. (al-Irā’a de ājj al-asan al-Ba‘qīlī)

 

3. If a person is in doubt or in error concerning his jabr (reparation), he does not need to start it again. He can precede the hundred “astaghfirullah” by one Surate Fatiha and one Salatul Fatihi, however this is not an obligation. 

 

4. If a person is not in a state of Presence (Hudur) whilst accomplishing an obligatory or meritorious act, he can repair this by reciting three Djawharatu-l-Kamal with the intention to repair (niyat jabr). As Seyidina Ahmed Tidjani (may ALLAH sanctify his precious secret) said, Presence is the soul of all deeds and this is why the three Djawharatu-l-Kamal must be read with as much Presence as possible. This method of repairing the Presence by the recitation of Djawharatu-l-Kamal is specific to the Tidjaniya path. Thus, the adoration of he who repairs his lack of Presence using this method is counted as adoration with Presence. He is rewarded for his adoration in the same way as the Knower who is absorbed in Divine Presence. 

At the time for Salat, a person continues his zikr until the Imam stands up for the Salat. At this moment, he marks the bead which he has reached, and then, immediately following the end of Salat, he picks up where he left off (as is the case for the Tawaf at the time for Salat). He should pay attention not to speak during this time.