Term for Identification: Dervish

Question

Examlex · Accepted Answer

The Answer is A dervish is a term used to describe a member of a Sufi Muslim ascetic religious order who has taken vows of poverty and austerity. Dervishes are known for their extreme devotion to the pursuit of mystical union with the divine, often expressed through rituals and practices that include prolonged prayer, meditation, chanting, and dancing. The whirling dance performed by the Mevlevi Order, also known as the Whirling Dervishes, is one of the most well-known dervish practices, aimed at reaching a state of spiritual ecstasy.

Dervishes often live in monastic communities, known as tekkes or khanaqahs, where they follow a strict daily schedule of spiritual exercises under the guidance of a sheikh or spiritual leader. The term "dervish" is sometimes used more broadly to refer to any individual who is perceived as being devoted to a spiritual path in a manner that is outside the norm or who exhibits non-materialistic and ascetic tendencies.

Term for Identification: Dervish

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