The Universe, Sound, and the Hidden Dhikr

I have been thinking about sound. Not just the sounds we hear, but the frequencies that exist beyond our perception—the ones that hum beneath the surface of existence, the ones that hold everything together.

If Allah created the heavens and the earth with precision, then surely, He also created the vibrations that move through them.

It is said that everything in creation glorifies Allah, even if we do not understand how.

“The seven heavens and the earth and whatever is in them exalt Him. And there is not a thing except that it exalts Allah by His praise, but you do not understand their [way of] exalting.” (Surah Al-Isra 17:44)

I wonder—could it be that this unseen dhikr is woven into the very fabric of the universe? That the planets, the stars, the waves of the ocean, even the beating of our own hearts, all resonate with the remembrance of their Creator?

That when we feel peace in the presence of certain sounds, it is not mere coincidence, but rather, a moment of realignment with what was always there?

I was a sound therapist. I have witnessed firsthand how vibrations can settle the restless energy inside a person, how a single note from a singing bowl could feel like it was unraveling tension they didn’t even know they were holding.

I never hesitated in my belief that sound had the power to heal—until I came to Islam. Only then did I begin to doubt, wondering if this was something outside of my faith. I put my sound therapy practice to one side, believing it was going against the will of Allah.

But now, I wonder—was that truly the case?

Science tells us that sound is not just something we hear—it is something we feel. Everything in existence vibrates at a frequency, from the smallest atom to the vast expanse of the cosmos. NASA has recorded the “songs” of planets, electromagnetic frequencies emitted by celestial bodies that echo through space. The Earth itself has a natural frequency known as the Schumann Resonance, measuring around 7.83 Hz, which some researchers believe has a calming effect on the human body.

In the study of cymatics, we see that sound has the power to shape matter—when specific frequencies pass through a medium like water or sand, they create intricate geometric patterns, almost as if sound is revealing the hidden design of the universe itself. These same frequencies, in varying forms, are used in sound therapy today, as Tibetan bowls, tuning forks, and even the human voice produce vibrations that bring the body into harmony.

If these frequencies exist throughout creation, if they are found in the pulse of the universe, then surely they are not separate from Allah’s design. Allah created everything. If He fashioned the universe with sound, if He commanded creation with a word

“Kun, fa-yakūn” (Be, and it is) [Surah Yasin 36:82]

then surely, these vibrations are part of us. Part of the divine order He set in motion.

Even the recitation of the Quran carries a frequency. Science has shown its rhythms can regulate the heart, calm the mind, and bring stillness to the soul. This is not separate from what I once felt in sound therapy—it is the highest form of it. Perhaps all the healing I was searching for existed in what was already given.

Now, I see sound differently. I do not see it as something mystical or beyond my faith, but as a thread in the vast, intricate tapestry Allah has woven. A whisper of the unseen dhikr that everything in creation sings.

And perhaps, when we hear a sound that soothes us, when a vibration feels like it is pulling us into stillness, it is not just a sound. It is a reminder. A moment where we unknowingly join in the cosmic dhikr that has been happening since the beginning of time…..

Our personal connection to god