RIFA'IYAH

fraternity of Muslim mystics (Sufis), known in the West as howling dervishes, found primarily in Egypt and Syria and in Turkey until outlawed in 1925. An offshoot of the Qadiriyah established in Basra, Iraq, by Ahmad ar-Rifa'i (d. 1187), the order preserved his stress on poverty, abstinence, and self-mortification. It also performed the ritual prayer (dhikr) essential to all Sufi orders in a distinct manner: members link arms to form a circle and throw the upper parts of their bodies back and forth until ecstasy is achieved. Then the mystics fall on a dangerous object, such as sword or snake, though such extremes, as well as thaumaturgical (magical) practices, probably appeared under Mongol influence during their 13th-century occupation of Iraq and have always been rejected by orthodox Islam. The Syrian branch of the order, the Sa'diyah (or Jibawiyah), was given its form by Sa'd ad-Din al-Jibawi in Damascus sometime in the 14th century. Among the Sa'diyah, ecstasy was induced by physical motionwhirling around on the right heeland the sheikh, or head of the order, rode on horseback over the prone bodies of the members.