Importance of Taking Zikr from a Shaykh of Tasawwuf

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Asswalathu wa Salamu alaika Ayyuha Nabiyyu wa Rahmathu Allahi wa Barakathu hu Assalamu alaina wa Ala'a Ibadillahi Swaliheen.

Zikr Without A Shaykh is Not Accepted?, Zikr that is recited without Ijazah (permission) from a Shaykh of Tarbiyath (Master of Spiritual guidance) will not give much benefit in one's life!

For the Question:

"Why I can't do Zikr myself without a Shaykh and an Ijazah (Permission)?

The Answer is given in the Book: Khala'idul Jawahir:182

"من يذكر الله تعالي بلا شيخ لا الله حصل له ولا نبيه ولا شيخه "

"Whoever do Zikr without a Shaykh,as well as  he has no Shaykh,he will not get Allah and he will not get Allah's Beloved Rasool (alaihiswalathu wa salam)"Khala'idul Jawahir:182

The great venerable Shafi'e Fiqh Scholar from Malabar region of South India, "Shaykh Zainuddin Maqdum-1 (radiyallahu Anhu) who was a worldwide renowned scholar in Shafi Madhab is saying about the importance of having a Shaykh and Ijazah(permission) and the Adab  (Discipline) of doing Zikr and Dua, in His Book "Adkiya"

ثم اشتغل بالورد لا تتكلمن             مستقبلا ومراقبا ومهلّلا

بطريقة معهودة لمشائخ            لتري به نارا ونورا حاصلا 

فيضئ وجه القلب بالنور الجلي   ويصيرمذموم الطبائع زائلا

هداية الاذكياء

"Then you turn towards Qibla and sit in the Meditation (Muraqaba) and recite "Tahleel" and hard work with the Zik (Wird-The Regular Zikr), you got from the Shaykhs of the well known tarikat, Do not talk,Then you will find the light(Noor) and warmthness (relief) in you and your heart will shine through the removal of dirty charecters and habits in you" (Adkiya).

Shaykh Zainuddin Maqdoom (radiyallahu anhu) teaching that your zikr Must be according to the Ways of the Shaykhs of the Tasawwuf.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zainuddin_Makhdoom

Imam Swawi (Radiyallahu Anhu) says:

من هنا انّ الذاكر لا ينتفع بالذكر ولا ينور باطنه الا اذاكان الشيخ عارفا اذنه في ذالك و الذاكر مشتاقا -حاشية الصاوي"

"If anyone want to benefit from the Zikr he is doing and to purify the heart with light (Noor), then he must take the permission (ijazah) of a spiritual knower of Allah (Shaykh Arif billah) and should do Zikr with most sincere way".SWAVI-1:224

"Those who do not have a Shaykh, their Shaykh is Satan"-Saying of Sulthanul Awliya Shaykh Abdul Qadir Al Jilani (Qaddasallahu Sirrahul Azeez)

So that, the Question "Is that not enough to Do Zikr without a Shaykh?" is not right!

Allah says in Quran:

Quran 25:43 Have you seen the one whose god is his own ego? Will you be his advocate?

Quran 45:23 Have you noted the one whose god is his ego? Consequently, God sends him astray, despite his knowledge, seals his hearing and his mind, and places a veil on his eyes. Who then can guide him, after such a decision by God? Would you not take heed?

Those who do not have a Shaykh, their Shaikh is Satan- Shaykh Muhyiddin Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani (Q.S)

4:59 "Obey those who are in authority among you" (don't question them and do not break from them) refer it to Allah and His Messenger, that is most good for you. Says Quran

ZIKR ALLAH IN QURAN:

"Remember Allah abundantly, in order that you become successful" 
Quran (Surah 8: Verse 45)

"Only in the remembrance of Allah (swt) will your heart find peace" 
Quran (Surah 13: Verse 28)

Those men and women who engage much in Allah's praise. for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a Great Reward"
Quran (Surah 33: Verse 35)

"When any group of men remember Allah, angels surround them and mercy covers them, tranquility descends upon them, and Allah mentions them to those who are with Him." (Muslim)

They are the most wise who remember Allah, standing sitting and lying down" 
Quran (Surah 4: Verse 190

"Their skins and their hearts soften to the remembrance of Allah" 
Quran (Surah 39: Verse 23)

The rememebrence of Allah (swt) is the greatest (deed)"
Quran (Surah 29: Verse 45)

Every association must have an Imam, if Qualified Imam is necessary for Jamath prayer, then Zikr also requires qualified and authorized Imams to lead the assemblies of Zikr, he can be physically present or not present. The importance is for leadership, not for presence.

Sahih Muslim
Book 4, Hadith Number 1211:

Ibn ‘Abbas reported: Dhikr (mentioning the name of Allah) in a loud voice after obligatory prayers was (a common practice) during the lifetime of the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) ; and when I heard that I came to knew that they (the people) had finished the prayer.

THE SITUATION OF THOSE WHO TURN AWAY FROM ZIKR ASSEMBLIES:

Believers, do not let either your possessions or your children divert you from the Remembrance of Allah. Those who do that shall be the losers". 
Quran (Surah 63: Verse 9)

"Whosoever turns away from My remembrance, his life will be made tight and narrow on the Day of Resurrection We shall raise him blind"
Quran (Surah 20: Verse 124)

"Whosoever turns away from the Remembrance of Allah, He will hurl him into a stern punishment". 
Quran (Surah 72: Verse 17)

"Satan has mastered them and caused them to forget the Remembrance of Allah. Those are satan's party; and satan's party shall assuredly be the losers" 
Quran (Surah 58: Verse 19)

"Woe to those whose hearts have hardened against the Remembrance of Allah! Those are in clear error".
Quran (Surah 39: Verse 22

Those who are admitted into paradise will not remorse over anything of this world, except over the times in which the zikr of Allah was not utilised" (Bukhari)

Whosoever blinds himself from the Remembrance of the Merciful, We shall assign for him a evil satan who will be his (ever misleading) companion" 
Quran (Surah 43: Verse 36)

Sahih Muslim
Book 35, Number 6505:

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying Allah has groups  of angels, who have no other work (to attend to but) to follow the assemblies of Dhikr and when they find such assemblies in which there is Dhikr (of Allah) they sit in them and some of them surround the others with their wings till the space between them and the sky of the world is fully covered, and when they disperse (after the assembly of Dhikr is adjourned) they go upward to the heaven and Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, asks them although He is best informed about them: Where have you come from?

They say: We come from Thine servants upon the earth who had been glorifying Thee (reciting Subhan Allah), uttering Thine Greatness (saying Allah o-Akbar) and uttering Thine Oneness (La ilaha ill Allah) and praising Thee (uttering al-Hamdu Lillah) and begging of Thee.

Be would say: What do they beg of Me?

They would say: They beg of Thee the Paradise of Thine.

He (God) would say: Have they seen My Paradise?

They said: No, our Lord.

He would say: (What it would be then) if they were to see Mine Paradise?

They (the angels) said: They seek Thine protection. He (the Lord) would say: Against what do they seek protection of Mine?

They (the angels) would say: Our Lord, from the Hell-Fire.

He (the Lord) would say: Have they seen My Fire?

They would say: No.

He (the Lord) would say: What it would be if they were to see My Fire?

They would say: They beg of Thee forgiveness.

He would say: I grant pardon to them, and confer upon them what they ask for and grant them protection against which they seek protection.

They (the angels) would again say: Our Lord, there is one amongst them such and such simple servant who happened to pass by (that assembly) and sat there along with them (who had been participating in that assembly).

He (the Lord) would say: I also grant him pardon, for they are a people the seat-fellows of whom are in no way unfortunate.

On the authority of Tameem ibn Aus ad-Daree (may Allah be pleased with him):

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “The deen (religion) is naseehah (advice, sincerity).” We said “To whom?” He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said “To Allah, His Book, His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk.” Related by Muslim.

عَنْ أَبِي رُقَيَّةَ تَمِيمِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ الدَّارِيِّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه و سلم قَالَ: "الدِّينُ النَّصِيحَةُ. قُلْنَا: لِمَنْ؟ قَالَ لِلَّهِ، وَلِكِتَابِهِ، وَلِرَسُولِهِ، وَلِأَئِمَّةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَعَامَّتِهِمْ" . 

رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ [رقم: 55].