The origin of Sufism lies in the life and practices of the Prophet of Islam and the Qu’an. Sufism embraces a well-founded and thorough interpretation of Islam, which focuses on love, tolerance, worship of God, community development, and personal development through self-discipline and responsibility. A Sufi’s way of life is to love and be of service to people, deserting the ego and all illusion so that one can reach maturity and perfection, and finally reach Allah, the True, the Real.

Through the Whirling Dervishes program we hop to bring to you a hint of one of the remarkable ways of achieving this: the way of Rumi, the great Muslim mystic and poet. The Order of the Whirling Dervishes is one branch of the vast Sufi tradition of Islam. The universal values of love and service shared by all Sufis are very much relevant to the social and political realities of today, and this ritual, which is only performed by the Order of the Whirling Dervishes, has come to symbolize these values in the hearts and minds of millions throughout the world.