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Best known in the west as the whirling dervishes, Tasawouf,
or Sufism, is the esoteric school of Islam founded
on the pursuit of spiritual truth as the highest goal of attainment.
The pupil works to achieve ma’arefat – understanding
reality as it is - which is the understanding of the Divine.
In search of the inner path, Sufes devote themselves to spiritual
purification and meditation. They incorporate old belief systems
brought to the North of Africa by the black slaves. The centre
of the religion is Nefta, a small town in the Chott
el-Jerid region of Tunisia, close to the Algerian border.
Fundamental to an understanding is knowledge of the heart,
unlike philosophers and scholars whose knowledge relies on
tradition, assumptions and words. Based on the teachings of
the Koran, Sufes believe no gulf should exist between the
creator and his creations and man should be free from limitations
of matter and material existence, believing purely in the
existence of the inner spirit.
Rituals
The Sufes whip themselves into a frenzy to become closer to
god. Sufes undergo a variety of sometimes startling rituals
to elevate their minds. The Fakir, the Sufe at the heart of
the ritual, dances himself into a state of semi-delirium which
Sufes describe as a way of understanding reality.
How they were named 'sufes'
History tells us that followers of the prophet Mohammad 15
centuries ago sought direct experience of the divine. They
met on a platform, or sufe, in the mosque where the Prophet
prayed in Medina. This sufe or platform became the first gathering
of some of the most influential moments in the history of
spiritual civilisation. After the Prophet died, his students
returned to their homelands eager to instruct and they became
the great missionaries of Islam.
Pillars of the Faith
The main principles of Sufism are the three practices of abandonment,
repentance and virtue, the qualities of patience, truthfulness
and purity, a devotion to love, remembrance and faithfulness
and finally the melancholy experiences of solitude, poverty
and destruction. |
