dervish

Mevlevi whirling dervishes in Turkey, performing their worship ceremony of a ritual whirling dance representing union with God. The Islamic order of Whirling Dervishes was founded by, the mystic Persian philosopher Jal-al-Din Rumi, in Anatolia in the 13th century. Dervish monasteries were set up by his followers, the Mevlevis, throughout Turkey, Syria, and Egypt.

The long white robes of the Islamic order of Mevlevi whirling dervishes represent shrouds and their tall conical red hats tombstones, symbolizing the leaving of the earthly life as they are reborn in mystical union with God. The fast whirling ritual dance is performed to an orchestra of small drums, gourd viol, reed flute, and male voice choir.

In Iran and Turkey, a religious mendicant; throughout the rest of Islam a member of an Islamic religious brotherhood, not necessarily mendicant in character. The Arabic equivalent is fakir. There are various orders of dervishes, each with its rule and special ritual. The ‘whirling dervishes’ claim close communion with the deity through ecstatic dancing, reaching spiritual awareness with a trancelike state created by continual whirling. The spinning symbolizes the Earth's orbit of the Sun. ‘Howling dervishes’ gash themselves with knives to demonstrate the miraculous feats possible to those who trust in Allah.