Khalwati order of Dervishes
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This paper will be concerned with the Khalwati order of dervishes, also known as the Khalwatiyya. The Khalwati was an important tariga which had its origins in the region of Turkish Asia in the late 14th century, A.D. A tariga may be defined as a way or path in the tradition of the Sufis. As such, it relates to the mystical teachings of the Sufi branches of Islam. In addition, the term tariga refers to the organizational brotherhood which is formed by the membership of a mystical order. The Khalwati order was one of most widespread and influential of all Sufi tarigas. In the 16th century, it began spreading throughout the Ottoman Empire. By the 18th century, proponents of the Khalwatiyya could be found as far away as Egypt and Subsaharan Africa. Today, the size and influence of the order has declined dramatically. Nevertheless, the Khalwatiyya has shown great significance in terms of the historical development of the Middle East. The body of this paper will discuss the beginnings of the Khalwati order and its subsequent spread through the Ottoman Empire. The propagators and disciples who played a role in this expansion will also be discussed, and an effort will be made to explain the basic teachings and practices of the Khalwatiyya. Consideration will be made of the reactions that people had to the Khalwati order, as well as the influence those reactions had on the tariga's development. The paper will conclude by reviewing the significance and influ
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r the mind alone and unaided it is impossible to resolve into Oneness the duality of Creator and creation." Therefore, the Khalwati dervishes made use of such methods as fikr (meditation) and dhikr (repetition of the name of God) in order to enter into a higher state of consciousness. They also used singing and dancing in their rituals of worship. The Khalwatis often used traditional Sufi poems as texts for their songs. By hearing these songs and dancing to them, the Khalwati worshipper could reach a transcendental state of mind. The use of this practice caused the Khalwati and other Sufi orders to be highly controversial in the eyes of the orthodox religious leaders (ulama). Songs and dances were "both abhorrent to puritanical Islam." In a typical session of dervish worship, the participants would stand in a circle and perform dhikr, "with control of the breath, coordinated with body exercises, balancing, and inclinations." Through these repetitive movements, the worshipper sought to reach an ecstatic state of consciousness, and to thereby experience union with the divine.
As noted, the majority of Khalwatis were influenced by the writings of Ibn al-Arabi, who lived in Spain during the late 12th and early 13th centuries.
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Some common words found in the essay are:
God God, Ottoman Empire, Chelebi Khalifa, Khalwati Sufi, Egyptian Khalwatiyya, Selim II, II Ottoman, Sufi Khalwatiyya, God Related, Sufis Khalwatis, ottoman empire, chelebi khalifa, karim al-din, university press, middle east, spread khalwati, selim ii, de jong, late 15th century, beliefs practices, 15th century, concept al-insan al-kamil, late 14th century, capable uniting god, cambridge cambridge university,
Approximate Word count = 4285
Approximate Pages = 17 (250 words per page)
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