Sufi Movement
The Sufi movement is a mystical branch of Islam focused on spiritual connection, love, and devotion to God. Rooted in poetry, music, and dance, it emphasizes inner purification and divine unity. Whirling dervishes, chants, and meditation symbolize surrender to the divine. Sufism promotes peace, tolerance, and enlightenment, transcending religious boundaries to inspire seekers worldwide...
Sufism has emphasized rigorous spiritual practices for over a millennium to achieve inner purification and divine connection. By the 9th century, ascetic Sufis in Baghdad, including Junayd al-Baghdadi (d. 910), formalized disciplines like fasting, extended meditation, nightly vigils, and dhikr (repetitive chanting of God's names).
In 1273, the Mevlevi Order, founded in Konya, Anatolia, by followers of Jalal al-Din Rumi (1207–1273), introduced sema, the whirling dervishes' physically demanding ritual symbolizing spiritual ascent. From Persia to India, masters like Al-Ghazali (d. 1111) and Nizamuddin Auliya (d. 1325) shaped Sufi teachings, reinforcing the master-disciple tradition that emphasized self-denial, humility, and unwavering devotion to attain enlightenment and unity with the divine.