Sufi Whirling in New York City
Written By saifuddin on Oct. 11, 2007.
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On a cool evening during the Holy Month of Ramadan, the Osmanli Naks’i-bendi-Hakkani Sufi Association spent the night in prayer and worship to their Lord. Some of this worship included music and whirling captured in this video. Shaykh Abdul-Kerim holds these events weekly on Friday at 353 W 39th St, Rm #304 in Manhattan (NYC).

Andrew
Written Oct. 11, 2007 / Report /
Very interesting insight indeed. What is the significance of spinning beyond dancing? Is it to induce a degree of transformation of some kind? And presumably there's some sort of technique involved in spinning for sustained periods without lapsing into uncontrollable dizziness right?
saifuddin
Written Oct. 11, 2007 / Report /
BismillaharRahmanirRahim
as-salaamu 'alaikum Andrew, you wrote:
One of the points is that it is liken unto the circumambulation of the Holy House, the Kaba in Mecca, in the same direction. This ritual signifies the Creation of Man, the Sustaining of Life and the End, the Return to his Creator among other things.
Yes and no, yes in that it assists to reach higher station of faith but this is not the end which one desires. After reaching a higher station, the point is to become a vessel which can transmit the light obtained at that higher station to others. This is why one hand is reaching toward heaven and the other position outward toward humanity.
Thats right but not only is there technique but the support of the Shaykh... this is most important as you can see.
Andrew
Written Oct. 11, 2007 / Report /
wa alaikum assalam Saifuddin. Thanks for clarifying those points. I'd love to see Kaba for myself, I have friends in Mecca, who knows maybe one day I'll make it there.