Notes on Muhammadanism/Chapter 50

by Thomas Patrick Hughes

L.—FAQI′RS, OR DARWESHES.

The Arabic word Faqír, signifies poor; but it is used in the sense of being in need of mercy, and poor in the sight of God, rather than in need of worldly assistance. Darwesh is derived from the Persian dar, "a door,"—those who beg from door to door. The terms are generally used for those who lead a religious life. Religious Faqírs are divided into two great classes, the ba Sharaʾ (with the law), or those who govern their conduct according to the principles of Islám; and the be Sharaʾ (without the law), or those who do not rule their lives according to the principles of any religious creed, although they call themselves Musulmáns. The former are called Sálik, or travellers on the pathway (taríqat) to heaven; and the latter are either A′zád (free), or Majzúb (abstracted). The Sálik embrace the various religious orders who perform the Zikrs described in our next note. The Majzúb are totally absorbed in religious reverie. The A′zád shave their beards, whiskers, moustachios, eyebrows and eyelashes, and lead lives of celibacy.

The A′zád and Majzúb Faqírs can scarcely be said to be Muhammadans, so that a description of their various sects do not fall within the limits of these notes. The Sálik Faqírs are also divided into very numerous orders; but their chief difference consists in their Silsilah, or chain of succession, from their great teachers the Khalífas ʾAli, and Abu Bakr, who are said to have been the founders of the religious order of Faqírs. European writers have distinguished the various orders by their dress and their religious performances; but we have not been able to find that these are the distinguishing features of difference amongst them.

The following are the chief orders which are met with in North India:—

1. The Naqshbandía are followers of Khwájah Pír Muhammad Naqshband, and are a very numerous sect; they usually perform the Zikr-i-Khafí, or the silent religious devotion described in the next chapter.

2. The Qádiría sprung from the celebrated Sayyid Abdul Qádir, surnamed Pír Dustagír, whose shrine is at Bagdad. They practise both the Zikr-i-Jalí, and the Zikr-i-Khafí. Most of the Sunní Maulavís on the north-west frontier of India are members of this order. In Egypt it is most popular amongst fishermen.

3. The Chishtía are followers of Banda Nawáz, surnamed the Gaysu daráz, or the long-ringletted. His shrine is at Calburgah.

The Shíʾahs generally become Faqírs of this order. They are partial to vocal music, for the founder of the order remarked, that singing was the food and support of the soul. They perform the Zikr-i-Jalí, described in the next article.

4. The Jalálía were founded by Sayyid Jalál-ud-dín, of Bokhára. They are met with in Central Asia. Religious mendicants are often of this order.

5. The Sarwardía are a popular order in Afghanistan, and comprise a number of learned men. They are the followers of Hasan Bisrí, of Basra, near Bagdad.

These are the most noted orders of ba Sharaʾ Faqírs. The be Sharaʾ Faqiírs are very numerous. The most popular order is that of the Mudáría, founded by Zinda Sháh Murdár, of Syria, whose shrine is at Mukanpur, in Oudh. From these have sprung the Malang Faqírs who crowd the bazaars of India. They wear their hair matted and tied in a knot. The Rafía order is also a numerous one in some parts of India. They practise the most severe discipline, and mortify themselves by beating their bodies.

D’Ohsson enumerates thirty-two of the principal religious orders, giving the name of the founder, and the place of his shrine.

No.	Name of the Order.	Founder.	Place of the Founder's Shrine.	Date, A.H.
1	Alwání	Shekh Alwán	Jeddah	149
2	Adhamí	Ibrahím ibn Adham	Damascus	161
3	Bastámí	Bayazíd Bastámúí	Jebel Bestámí	261
4	Saqatí	Sirrí Siqatí	Bagdad	295
5	Qádirí	Abdul-Qádir Jilání	Bagdad	561
6	Rufálí	Syyid Ahmad Rufálí	Bagdad	576
7	Sahrwardí	Shiháb-ud-dín	Bagdad	602
8	Kabrawí	Najm-ud-dín	Khwaresm	617
9	Sházilí	Abul Hasan	Mecca	656
10	Maulaví	Jalál-ud-dín Mulána	Conyah	672
11	Badawí	Abul Fitan Ahmad	Egypt	675
12	Naqshbandí	Pír Muhammad	Persia	719
13	Sʾadí	Sʾad-ud-dín	Damascus	736
14	Bakhtáshí	Hají Bakhtásh	Kír Sher	736
15	Khilwatí	ʾUmar Khilwatí	Caisarea	800
16	Zainí	Zain-ud-dín	Cufa	838
17	Baháí	Abdul Ghaní	Adrianople	870
18	Bairamí	Hají Bairam	Angora	876
19	Ashrafí	Ashraf Rumí	Chín Iznic	899
20	Bakrí	Abu Bakr Wafáí	Aleppo	902
22	Ghulshaní	Ibrahím Ghulshaní	Cairo	940
23	Yíjit Báshí	Shams-ud-dín	Magnesia	951
24	Umm Sunání	Shekh Umm Sunán	Constantinople	959
25	Jalwatí	Pír Uftadí	Bursah	988
26	ʾUsháqí	Hasan-ud-dín	Constantinople	1001
27	Shamsí	Shams-ud-dín	Madina	1010
28	Sinan Ummí	ʾAlim Sinan Ummí	Elmahlí	1079
29	Níyází	Muhammad Niyáz	Lemnos	1100
30	Masʾadí	Murád Shámí	Constantinople	1132
31	Nuruddíní	Nur-ud-dín	Constantinople	1146
32	Jamálí	Jamál-ud-dín	Constantinople	1164

We insert the above list on the authority of M. D'Ohsson; but we have not had an opportunity of testing the correctness of its information.

The order of Maulavís is the most popular religious order in Constantinople. They are called by Europeans the dancing, or whirling darveshes, and their religious performances constitute one of the public sights in Constantinople. They have service at their Takiya, or convent, every Wednesday, and at Kasim Pasha every Sunday, at 2 o'clock. There are about twenty performers, with high round felt caps and brown mantles. At a given signal they all fall flat on their faces, and rise and walk slowly round and round with their arms folded, bowing and turning slowly several times. They then cast off their mantles and appear in long bell-shaped petticoats and jackets, and then begin to spin, revolving, dancing, and turning with extraordinary velocity.

The founder of this religious order was a native of Balkh, in Central Asia. It is said the spiritual powers of this extraordinary man were developed at the early age of six years; for once on a Friday Jalád-ud-dín was at Balkh on the roof of a house with some children of his own age, when one of the boys asked him if it were possible for him to jump from one house to the other. He replied, "If you have faith, jump up towards heaven." He then sprang upwards, and was immediately lost to sight. The youths all cried out as he disappeared, but he soon returned from the celestial regions, greatly altered in complexion and changed in figure; for he had obtained a sight of the abodes of bliss!

It is impossible to become acquainted with all the rules and ceremonies of the numerous orders of Faqírs; for, like those of the Freemasons, they may not be divulged to the uninitiated.

The following is said to be the usual method of admitting a Muhammadan to the order of a ba Sharaʾ Faqír. Having first performed the legal ablutions, the Muríd (disciple) seats himself before the Murshid (spiritual guide). The Murshid then takes the Muríd's right hand, and requires of him a confession of sin according to the followmg form: "I ask forgiveness of the great God than Whom there is no other deity, the Eternal, the Everlasting, the Living One: I turn to Him for repentance, and beg His grace and forgiveness." This, or a similar form of repentance, is repeated several times. The Muríd then repeats after the Murshid:—"I beg for the favour of God and of the Prophet, and I take for my guide to God (here naming the Murshid) not to change or to separate. God is our witness. By the great God. There is no deity but God. Amín." The Murshid and the Muríd then recite the first chapter of the Qurán, and the Muríd concludes the ceremony by kissing the Murshid's hand.

After the initiatory rite, the Muríd undergoes a series of instructions, including the Zikrs, which he is required to repeat daily. The Muríd frequently visits his Murshid, and sometimes the Murshids proceed on a circuit of visitation to their disciples. The place where these "holy men" sit down to instruct the people is ever afterwards held sacred, a small flag is hoisted on a tree, and it is fenced in. Such places are called "Takiya," and are protected and kept free from pollution by some Faqír engaged for the purpose.

Those Faqírs who attain to a high degree of sanctity are called Walís, the highest rank of which is that of a Ghaus. Of such is the Akhund of Swát, on the north-west frontier of India. This celebrated religious leader at the age of eighteen became a member of the Qádiría order of Faqírs; and shortly after his incorporation, he settled down on a small island in the river Indus near Attock, where he lived the life of a recluse for twelve years. During this time, it is said, his only diet was the wild-grass seed and buffalo's milk. He soon acquired a reputation for sanctity, and has gradually become the great religious leader of Central Asia. He now resides at the village of Seydu in Swát, where he entertains as many as a thousand visitors daily; men from all parts of the Muslim world, who come to hear his wisdom and receive the benefit of his prayers. The Akhund has always been a great opponent of Wahhábí doctrines; and, although he is not well-read in Muslim divinity, his fatwás on religious ceremonies and secular observances are received and obeyed by all the Sunní Muhammadans of the north-west frontier of British India.^[1]

 

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1. An account of the Muhammadan darweshes has been written by Mr. J. P. Brown, Secretary of the United States Legation at Constantinople. Trübner & Co., London.