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Al-Ahram Weekly 17 - 23 August 2000 Issue No. 495 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 17 - 23 August 2000 Issue No. 495
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters
The blessed path
By Marc MunroStepping out of the taxi, just before the pedestrian overpass, we could all feel the strong murmur passing from ear to ear within the crowd. There was anticipation in the air. Every Wednesday and Saturday as 9.00pm approaches, neophytes looking for the door to the mystical path invade the heart of ancient Cairo. With cameras swung to one side, the perplexed look for guidance. Unfortunately, small sketchy travel book maps are useless in a neighbourhood filled with the architectural genius of generations. All about, towering walls and minarets speak of power and empire. The modern market of tourist trinkets and keepsakes is but a tawdry veneer on a past as deep as the sea.
Over the high din of the heavy traffic congesting Al-Azhar Street is a small voice. "Where you go? Sufi dance? You want Sufi dance?" inquires a young boy beside a collection of pens, tissues and incense laid out in neat rows on the chaotic sidewalk. Through the hustle and bustle of the crowd, he points the way. Ahead is the legacy of Sultan Al-Ghuri, the last of the great Mameluke rulers. The two grand buildings of his funerary complex frame the entrance to Al-Mu'izz Street. On the right is the minaret of his law school where young students once studied the commands of God. It is no longer in use now. The legal-minded followers of Islam have mostly moved up the street to Al-Azhar. Life, however, continues in his mausoleum much as Sultan Al-Ghuri had wished. In the deed to the building, the sultan dictated that Sufis be allowed to meet in the theatre specifically constructed for their rituals. For almost 500 years, mystics have congregated here. This is what we have come to see.
The Tannura whirling dervishes are the current beneficiaries of the Ghuriya endowment and we are all the richer because of it. The mission of this group is to bring outsiders into the most intimate corner of Islamic religious expression. Sufism is the path of pure love. It is a mystical counter-culture to the sober piety of the divine command. Their knowledge lies beyond the written word. Through a journey of the soul, the true Sufi can escape the mere physical appearance of existence and experience the divine mystery itself. The goal is to taste the beauty of infinite bliss. It is a difficult path to follow and only a blessed few will ever find the secret door of transcendence. Enraptured by the power of creation, the enlightened mystic is freed from all physical bonds. Their being becomes consumed by love. Thereafter, they become saints and are compelled to present miracles so that other spiritual travellers may follow.
Spectacular acrobatics are an expression of inner peace
photo: Mika Takahashi
In the past, it is said that great mystics have flown on carpets, rode tigers as steeds and tamed venomous snakes as pets. Such outrageous displays of supernatural virtuosity were often condemned as dire threats to public morality by the less flamboyant leaders of Islam. Yet, the way of the mystical path could not be barred. Sufis must perform and their allure is irresistible. Today, as in the past, the doors of the Ghuriya are open to all those who wish to enter. What lies beyond is a joyous celebration of life in music and dance. Reeds and flutes set down an infectious melody driven by a percussive rhythm that can reach even the most distant heart. All attention, however, is on the dance. Twisting and turning, the multicoloured dress of the dervish creates the illusion of a human kaleidoscope. Dervishes are acrobats of the soul. The emotional effect of the performance is beyond the power of words to capture. It must be experienced.
(Every Wednesday and Saturday at 9.00pm in the Al-Ghuriya Mausoleum at the corner of Al-Mu'izz Street and Al-Azhar Street. You would be well advised to be there by 7.30pm)
