Within the Sufi tradition, recitation of the Hizb al‑Nasr brings divine assistance in achieving victory and securing protection in conflict; its potency is attributed to the sacred invocations and the authoritative transmission by saintly shaykhs (it was reputedly used by Imam al‑Shadhili and his students in wartime).
Hizb al‑Naṣr is a hizb (litany) — a fixed sequence of invocations and divine names — associated primarily with Imam Abu al‑Hasan al‑Shadhili (d. 655/1258) and also preserved in other Sufi corpora such as the Fuyudat al‑rabbaniyya attributed to Abd al‑Qadir al‑Jilani and collections containing a version attributed to Haddad. Archive descriptions and compilations present it as the “Litany of Victory,” used historically and ritually to seek triumph and protection in situations of conflict, and more generally to secure safety. Sources record a martial association (for example, Shadhili’s reputed use in 1250 against the Crusaders) but also indicate the hizb functions as a devotional supplication within the Sufi repertoire for victory/protection beyond strictly military contexts. Textual redactions of the Hizb al‑Nasr exist in different lineages; some published collections and archival items present full wordings under variant attributions (Shadhili, Jilani, Haddad). The available descriptive sources emphasize the litany’s spiritual authority — efficacy is located in the sanctity of the words, the inclusion of divine names, and transmission through recognized Sufi masters. The archival summaries do not provide a standardized ritual protocol (counts, exact communal procedures, or physical implements vary by lineage), and different communities may recite it individually or communally under the guidance of a shaykh.
- 01Identify the textual redaction to be used (e.g., the Shadhili recensional text, the Jilani version from Fuyudat al‑rabbaniyya, or the Haddad redaction) and obtain that established text from a recognized Sufi collection (sources note multiple redactions exist; specific wording varies by lineage).
- 02If performed communally, assemble the reciters (historically this may be the shaykh and his murīdīn; sources indicate both communal and individual recitation practices exist) and place the recension where it can be read aloud as a continuous litany — the ritual is a sequence of invocations to be recited in the order given in the chosen text.
- 03Recite the chosen Hizb al‑Nasr in its entirety according to the wording of the selected redaction. (The sources identify the ritual as a fixed litany; they do not supply a standardized set of repetition counts, timings, or accompanying physical gestures across lineages.)
- 04Continue recitation as prescribed by the community’s customary practice for that redaction (some communities or shaykhs may instruct repeated cycles or particular moments for recitation; the archival descriptions indicate usage in contexts of conflict and ongoing invocation for protection).
- 05Conclude according to the customary closing formula of the chosen redaction or local Sufi practice (the archival summaries emphasize transmission and guarding of the text; precise closing forms depend on the lineage's version).
- ⚠No explicit contraindications are listed in the provided sources; communities emphasize responsible transmission and guarding of the text (the archival material advises preserving and teaching litanies within lineages).
- ⚠Because the archival descriptions stress authoritative transmission, performing a redaction without an accepted textual source or outside of customary transmission may be discouraged by traditional custodians (this is implied in source material but not explicitly stated).
Community Record
- [1]Hizbul Bahr & Hizbul Nasr (Archive description). Archive item: 'About Hizbul Nasr: The Litany of Victory ... The Hizbal‑Naṣr ... was composed approximately 800 years ago by the great Shaykh Abū al‑Ḥasan al‑Shādhilī ... often referred to as the “sword of Shadhili,” due to its potency and his use of this prayer when he and his students fought the Crusaders in 1250.'other
- [2]Another Recital of Victory (Hizb al‑nasr) by Jilani (Archive item). Archive title: 'Another Recital of Victory (Hizb al‑nasr) by Jilani' (Fuyudat al‑rabbaniyya item listing).other
- [3]Selected Supplications: Hizb al‑Nasr of Haddad and Hizb al‑Nasr of Shadhili (Archive description). Archive item listing multiple redactions: 'Selected Supplications (Hizb al‑Nasr of Haddad and Hizb al‑Nasr of Shadhili) ... part of Litanies of the path.'other