Sufi Mystical Tradition

Sufi mysticism — broadly distributed across Sunni and to a lesser extent Shia communities — adds a layer of devotional observance to the Islamic calendar centered on the urs (death anniversary) commemorations of Sufi saints. The major Sufi orders — Qadiriyya, Naqshbandiyya, Chishtiyya, Shadhiliyya, Tijaniyya, Mevleviyya, Bektashiyya, and dozens of regional branches — host year-round ziarat pilgrimages to the tombs (dargahs and turbas) of their founding masters. The most widely attended Sufi gatherings include the Urs Mela at the Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Dargah in Ajmer, India (sixth Rajab), the gyarvi sharif of Sheikh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani on eleventh Rabi al-Thani, the Moulid of Sayyid Ahmad al-Badawi at Tanta, Egypt, and the Mawlid celebrations of the Tijaniyya at Tivaouane and Touba in Senegal which draw hundreds of thousands of attendees. Sufi observance of the Mawlid al-Nabi is particularly elaborate, featuring all-night dhikr circles with the recitation of qasidas in praise of the Prophet ﷺ, including the Burda of Imam al-Busiri and the Mawlid al-Barzanji. Sufi traditions also intensify observance of Laylat al-Qadr, the Isra and Mi'raj, and Laylat al-Bara'ah, often combining canonical worship with the practice of dhikr.