Sufism

The cultural highlight of my last week was going to see sufi dancers with my friend Ayman. For those of you who are unfamiliar with sufism, it is a mystical tradition within Islam, and it plays a very important role in the Sudan. Sufism is practiced by many men here and some have even credited it’s prevalence with deterring the spread of radical Islamic movements in the Sudan.

Sufis believe in a mystic path to God that is completely separate from the daily rituals of Islam. Sufis go on retreat to the desert for weeks or months at a time to fast and pray. They believe that by shedding all earthly connections and desires including one’s individual self, one can fill his heart with love for God and purify the heart and soul. At the heart of sufism is a love for everyone and everything.

The sufis are divided into tariqa, or brotherhoods, that are led by a sheikh. Every Friday, several of these tariqa gather to dance and chant and anyone – family, friends, neighbors, even strangers like me - is welcome to come watch and participate.

Ayman took me to two sufi gatherings in Umdurman – one for the poor and one for the rich. Though the dance and songs were entirely the same, the look and feel of the two groups was completely different. At the first gathering for the poor, Sufis could dress in all white or in the traditional green; at the second gathering amongst the rich, every dancer had to be dressed in green. At the first gathering, dust and dirt filled the air and dancers were singing and shouting loudly in order to be heard; at the second gathering they brought in portable fans and mist machines to keep everyone cool and passed a microphone for singing. Both gatherings, however, were completely fascinating.