The Whirling Dervishes Sama Ceremony as a form of Zikr

The dancing [whirling] and howling dervishes at Constantinople and Cairo have become public sights, and are familiar to those Europeans who have visited those cities.

We are indebted to Mr. Brown's account of The Dervishes (Trubner and Co., Ludgate Hill) for the following graphic description of one of these public recitals of zikr.

The ceremony commences by the recital by the Shaikh of the seven first attributes of the Divinity, called by them the seven mysterious words. "He next chants various passages of the Koran, and at each pause, the Dervishes placed in a circle round the hall, respond in chorus by the word 'Allah!' (God) or 'Hoo!' (Huwa or Hu, He). In some of the societies, they sit on their heels, the elbows close to those of each other, and all making simultaneously light movements of the head and body. In others, the movement consists in balancing themselves slowly from the right to the left, and from the left to the right, or inclining the body methodically forwards and aft. There are other societies in which these motions commence seated, in measured cadences with a staid countenance, the eyes closed or fixed upon the ground, and are continued on foot." These singular exercises are consecrated under the name of Murakebeh (exaltation of the Divine glory) [muraqabah, 'meditation'], and also under that of the Tevheed (celebration of the Divine unity) [Tawhid], from which come the name Tevheed khaneh given to the whole of the halls devoted to these religious exercises.

In some of these institutions, such as the Kadirees [Qadiri's], the Rufa'ees [Rifai's], the Khalwettees, the Bairamees, the Gulshenees, and the 'Ushakees, the exercises are made each holding the other by the hand, putting forward always the right foot, and increasing at every step the strength of the movement of the body. This is called the Devr (Daur), which may be translated the 'dance or 'rotation.' The duration of these dances is arbitrary, - each one is free to leave when he pleases. Every one, however, makes it a point to remain as long as possible. The strongest and most robust of the number, and the most enthusiastic, strive to persevere longer than the others; they uncover their heads, take off their turbans, form a second circle within the other, entwine their arms within those of their brethren, lean their shoulders against each other, gradually raise the voice, and without ceasing, repeat "Ya Allah!' (O God) or 'Ya Hu' (O He), increasing each time the movement of the body, and not stopping until their entire strength is exhausted.