The Most Beautiful Names of God: Divine Remembrance and The Sufi Tradition

sufi, sikr, Juliet Gentile-Koren, Women's History, Sarah Lawrence College

In recent decades there has been increased access to the public rituals of Sufism; whether Mevlevi sema ceremonies or public dhikrs, or even western style Sufi music ‘concerts,’ bringing greater attention to this communal ritual event. This attention has increased awareness of dhikr ceremonies, both within and outside the Islamic world, at the same time clarifying and perhaps obscuring the mission and purpose of Sufism. In some instances, public dhikr ceremonies have been misunderstood to be forms of artistic expression, sparking some critics within the Islamic community to condemn the practice. However, most of the time when guided by a true sheikh and experienced by a sincere seeker, or even observed by a newcomer, these ritual events are understood to be powerful and galvanizing ritual events based upon centuries of spiritual technology. Technologies which subtly communicate through non-verbal signs the essence of the Sufi message: the oneness of Divine Reality and our personal connectedness within this oneness. Thus, in Qu’ran one is reminded that through the practice of remembrance of God, or dhikr, we are in fact remembered: "O son of Adam, the one who wishes to perceive Me, seeks Me; the one who seeks Me, finds Me; the one who finds Me, serves Me. Only the one who serves Me, truly remembers Me and praises Me. Then I remember him too and I become his Beloved."

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