A Note on the Psychology of Dhikr. The Halveti-Jerrahi Order of Dervishes in Istanbul

Authors

• Antoon Geels

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30674/scripta.67206

Keywords:

Psychology and religion, Prayer, Turkey, Chants, Dervishes, Sufism, Islam -- Ritual

Abstract

Ritual prayer (salat), performed five times a day, belongs to the fundamental obligations of all Muslims. In addition to this fact, there is another type of prayer, associated with mystical orders in all Islamic countries. Repetitive prayer (dhikr) in mystical Islam (Sufism) belongs to the most central activities of the orders. Despite the geographic spread of the Sufi orders (turuq), accounts of the dhikr in the literature are rare. Psychological commentaries are even more scarce. The aim of this paper is to describe this ritual as it exists today within the Halveti-Jerrahi order of dervishes in Istanbul, Turkey, and to present a preliminary psychological analysis of the ritual.