There are various orders of dervishes, almost all of which trace their origins from various Muslim saints and teachers, especially Imam Ali. Various orders and suborders have appeared and disappeared over the centuries.

Dervishes can be either resident in community or lay members, both of these groups being generally drawn from the lower classes. In the Middle Ages, dervish communities played a vital role in religious, social, and political life in the central Islāmic lands, but their monasteries now are often under government control, and their theological ...

The meaning of DERVISH is a member of a Muslim religious order noted for devotional exercises (such as bodily movements leading to a trance).

From their origins in the 13th century until the suppression of the Sufis by Atatürk, the whirling dervishes symbolized their beliefs through their ecstatic dances.

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.

Chanting (oli) and music (mele) are integral components that elevate hula to a spiritual realm. The chanting serves as a vocal invocation, weaving a sonic tapestry that enhances the spiritual atmosphere of the dance.

The whirling dance that is associated with dervishes is best known in the West by the performances of the Mevlevi order in Turkey. It is part of a ceremony known as the Sema . It is also done by other orders.

Dervishes. A subgroup within Sufism, the mystical movement in Islam distinguished by a form of ecstatic whirling dance. When first observed by Westerners they were described as the "whirling dervishes." The word dervish indicates a poor man, religious mendicant, or ecstatic. The dervishes follow a semiesoteric doctrine.

Although dervishes often assembled in small groups under a spiritual leader, their purpose was essentially one of a search for individual spiritual enlightenment by means of a contemplative and austere life.

Uncover the enchanting world of Egypt's Whirling Dervishes, a captivating Sufi tradition that intertwines spirituality and dance. Explore the origins, symbolism, and significance of their mesmerizing whirl, influenced by the timeless wisdom of Rumi.