5 Obscure Facts about Dervishes, Mystical Islamic Dancers

What is a dervish?

In Islamic tradition, the term “dervish” refers to a member of a Sufi order who has taken vows of poverty and austerity. 

Sufism is the mystical dimension of Islam, focused on the inward search for God and seeking to experience divine love and knowledge through direct personal experience of the divine.

The word “dervish” is thought to come from the Persian word “dār” (دار) which means “poor” or “needy.”

A different possible explanation for the word “dervish” suggests it is derived from the Persian verb der-vekhtan, — to wait at a door — the reference being to wait at the door of enlightenment.

Dervishes are often ascetics who renounced worldly pursuits and dedicated themselves to the spiritual path. 

They engage in various practices, such as specific prayers, meditation, and repetitive chants known as dhikr. 

The purpose of these rituals is to achieve an altered state of consciousness, with the ultimate goal of union with God. They may also adhere to the teachings of a particular Sufi master.

The most visible and renowned group among dervishes is the Mevlevi order, founded by the followers of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, a 13th-century Persian poet, jurist, Islamic scholar, theologian, and Sufi mystic. 

Members of this order are also known as “whirling dervishes” because of their famous practice of spinning, which functions as a form of physically active meditation.

Dervishes have historically been traveling beggars who relied on charity, but they could also be settled in monastic Sufi communities known as tekkes or khanqahs. 

The concept and practices of a dervish can vary significantly across different Sufi orders and cultural contexts, but their lives are typically marked by simplicity, service to the community, and a commitment to religious practice and ideals.

Why do dervishes spin?

Dervishes are famous in the non-Muslim world for their spinning ritual; however, this is mostly performed by the Mevlevi order of dervishes.

The spinning ritual is part of a longer series of rituals collectively called the “Sema” (“listening”) and it is a form of active meditation or worship where the practitioner aims to forge a deeper connection with Allah.

The practice was established by followers of the Sufi poet Jalaluddin Rumi, who is said to have walked through the streets of Konya, Turkey, stretching out his arms and spinning in a state of spiritual ecstasy.

His poetry often uses the metaphor of a lover’s dance to describe the soul’s relationship with God.

The actual physical motion of spinning has several symbolic meanings.

Cosmic Motion: The spinning reflects the motion of the planets in the solar system and the atoms that make up the universe, signifying the dervish’s active participation in the cosmic order and unity with all of creation.

Repentance and Submission: The semazen’s (whirling dervish’s) attire consists of a tall hat (the sikke) symbolizing the tombstone of the ego; the wide, white skirt (the tennure) symbolizes the shroud of the ego; and the black cloak (the hırka) represents the dervish’s worldly life. 

A black belt called “elifi nemed” symbolically divides the body in half. The traits that are common to animals remain in the bottom portion of the belt, white the human properties such as heart, soul and intellect remain in the upper part of the belt. 

When the dervish removes the cloak during the Sema, it symbolizes spiritual rebirth. The whirling is done in a state of complete surrender and abandonment to God, akin to the spinning of other planets and entities in creation, all revolving in harmony with the Divine will.

Continual Remembrance of God (Dhikr): The Sema ceremony is a form of dhikr (meaning “remembrance”), where the practitioner constantly repeats a prayer so as to remember God’s name. In the case of whirling dervishes however, the dhikr isn’t a prayer, but the ritual spinning motion.

Thus, through repetitive spinning, dervishes aim to focus entirely on God and seek a state of spiritual perfection.

Union with the Divine: The spinning symbolizes the act of returning to one’s spiritual origin while being fully grounded. It suggests a complex spiritual state where the dervish remains in the world but also orbits the divine truth.

The Sema ritual is often accompanied by music and sometimes chanting or poetry, which help induce the trance-like state that the dervishes seek as a way of communing with the divine. 

The whirling is not simply a dance or an aesthetic performance; it is a form of worship and a deeply spiritual act for those who practice it.

What other dervishes are there?

The spinning dervishes of the Mevlevi order are the most famous type of dervishes; however, many other dervish orders and sub-orders exist, each with its own history, set of rules, and system of rituals, often traced back to the founder of the respective order.

For example, the “howling” dervishes of the Rufai sect, who engage in ecstatic ceremonies.

Within Islam, each order is autonomous and may pursue its own doctrine. Aside from full members of an order, there are a large number of regular dervish followers, notably in the Turkish Muslim world, who are required to recite specific prayers every day.

Most observers get the false idea that dervishes are crazed zealots or madmen due to the striking contrast between dervish teaching techniques and those of Eastern and Western theologian scholars. 

In fact, this was the 19th-century Western understanding of a dervish: a bizarre zealot, wild-eyed and mad, engaged in bizarre, mystical rituals.

However, in Central Asia, a dervish would be seen as a person of science, arts, literature, and philosophy, and possibly more: a person with senses and abilities beyond those of ordinary men, something like a saint or magician, with healing and telepathic skills, and capable of miracles.

What do dervishes believe in?

The philosophy and belief system of dervishes are rooted in Sufism, which is the esoteric or mystical dimension of Islam. 

Although Sufism is highly diverse and varies between different orders (tariqas), there are some common philosophical principles that many dervishes adhere to:

Tawhid (Oneness of God): The central concept in Sufism, as in Islam, is the belief in the oneness and uniqueness of Allah (God). 

Dervishes seek a deeper understanding and experience of this oneness, often through practices that transcend the outward forms of religion to find a direct connection with the divine presence.

Love and Devotion: Love is a primary theme in Sufism, and dervishes often seek to cultivate an intense, personal love for the divine. This is characterized by longing, intimacy, and often the metaphor of the lover and the beloved, which is used to describe the relationship between the dervish and God.

The Perfect Man (Insan-e Kamil): Sufi dervishes wish to reach the point of the “Perfect Man”, which means pure consciousness and a sort of metaphysical prototype of the ideal human. 

This “Perfect Man” is opposed by the material human of everyday life, that is constrained by material desires and senses.

Dervishes strive to reach this state of the “Perfect Man” through spiritual training and guidance under a Sufi master.

Spiritual Journey and Stages: The Sufi path is often described as a journey towards God, involving various stages and states of spiritual realization. 

These include repentance, abstinence, renunciation, poverty, patience, trust in God, contentment, gratitude, love, and ultimately the annihilation of the self in God (fana) and subsistence through God (baqa).

The Path of Service: Dervishes often emphasize service to humanity as a manifestation of divine love. This service is not just a moral duty but a way of recognizing and honoring the divine presence in all beings.

Inner Knowledge (Ma’rifah): Beyond the outer knowledge of the scriptures (Sharia), Sufism seeks a deeper, inner knowledge that can only be achieved through experience and transformation. 

This is achieved through various practices, including meditation, contemplation, and recitation of divine names (dhikr).

The Importance of the Sheikh: In the life of a dervish, the relationship with a spiritual guide or master is crucial. The Sheikh provides instruction, direction, and an exemplary model for the dervish to follow on the path to spiritual maturity.

Asceticism and Simplicity: Many dervishes adopt lifestyles of simplicity and asceticism, viewing the renunciation of material goods and worldly ambitions as a means to free the soul from distractions and attachments, thereby allowing a greater focus on the divine.

Universalism: While deeply Islamic, Sufism often has a universal outlook, emphasizing the unity of all beings and religions in their search for the divine. 

Rumi and other Sufi poets, for example, are noted for their inclusive language that transcends religious and ethnic divides.

Ecstasy and Mystical Experience: The pursuit of direct, personal experiences of the divine is a key element of Sufism. 

This may be sought through various means, including music, poetry, dance (as in the case of the whirling dervishes), and other forms of creative expression that can induce states of spiritual ecstasy.

Can women be dervishes?

Yes, women can be dervishes in many Sufi orders.

In the Sufi worldview, the soul has no gender, and the spiritual quest is equally incumbent upon men and women. 

Women have engaged in the same practices of prayer, fasting, meditation, and dhikr (remembrance of God) as men. 

They have also played important roles as educators, spiritual leaders, and poets within the Sufi tradition.

The participation of women as dervishes may vary depending on the cultural context and specific Sufi order. 

Some orders might have different roles or certain restrictions based on gender, but the fundamental belief in the spiritual capacity and potential of women is a shared tenet of Sufism. 

The Mevlevi Order, known for the “whirling dervishes,” historically included women in the Sema ritual, although they typically performed separately from men. 

In contemporary times, some branches of the Mevlevi and other orders have become more inclusive, allowing women to participate in rituals alongside men.

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References:

• Mythology of All Races by Louis Herbert Gray and John Arnott MacCulloch
• The encyclopedia of demons and demonology by Rosemary Guiley
• Dictionary of gods and goddesses, devils and demons by  Manfred Lurker
• Man, Myth & Magic The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Mythologyby Richard Cavendish
• The Original Sources Of The Qur’an: Its Origin In Pagan Legends and Mythology by W. St. Clair Tisdall
• The Oxford Companion to World Mythology by David Leeming