Sufi Rituals and Practices

Abstract

Abstract Spiritual practices constitute an integral way of religious expression among Sufi communities across the world. Many of these practices are centuries old, yet they form the most recognizable aspect of Sufism even today. This book is an in-depth study on the history of Sufi rituals in South Asia. It explores the practices of sama (listening to poetry and music) and zikr (remembrance of God) through the careers of the earliest Sufi orders in the region—Chishti and Suhrawardi. The period covered in this book coincides with the early history of Sufi orders in South Asia, which also marks the beginning of a complex phase of institutionalization of the Islamic spiritual tradition. Important facets of this development were the consolidation of the Sufi orders, formalization of the master-disciple relationship, establishment of Sufi lodges, observance of specific rituals and practices, and eventually the codification of spiritual teachings imparted by Sufi masters. Sufi Rituals and Practices allows the reader an insight into issues that are important for the historical understanding of Sufi spiritual exercises—the meaning, structure, and performance of sama, the long debate on its legality as a religious practice, the opinion of Chishti masters on questions around the permissibility of sama, the practice of zikr as a core Sufi exercise, the practice of sama and zikr across orders, and the importance of etiquette in Sufi traditions. Scholars, students, specialists, and general readers will benefit from the translation of treatises on Sufi practices made available for the first time to the English-reading audience.