Dervish , Darvesh , or Darw?sh (from Persian : ????? , Darv?sh ) in Islam is a type of Sufi . [1] [2] [3]
It is someone living a Sufi Muslim ascetic way or " Tariqah ". They are poor , and live simply. In this respect, dervishes are most similar to mendicant friars in Christianity , [4] or Hindu / Buddhist / Jain sadhus . [5]
The whirling dance that is associated with dervishes is best known in the West by the performances of the Mevlevi order in Turkey . It is part of a ceremony known as the Sema . It is also done by other orders. The Sema is only one of many Sufi ceremonies performed to try to reach religious ecstasy ( majdhb , fana ).
The name Mevlevi comes from the Persian poet Rumi , who was a dervish himself. This practice, though not intended as entertainment, has become a tourist attraction in Turkey. [6] [7] [8]