The Jerrahi (Turkish: Cerrahiyye, Cerrahilik) are a Sufi tariqah (order) derived from the Halveti order. Their founder is Hazreti Pîr Muhammad Nureddin al-Jerrahi (1678-1720), who lived in Istanbul and is buried at the site of his tekke in Karagümrük, Istanbul. Nureddin was a direct descendant of Muhammad both from his mother and father. During the late Ottoman period, the Order was widespread throughout the Balkans, particularly Macedonia and southern Greece (Morea). The Jerrahi Order of Dervishes is a cultural, educational, and social relief organization with members from diverse professional, ethnic and national backgrounds.

Türbe of the sufi Nur al-Din al-Jarrāhī in Istanbul

The head dergah "convention" of the Halveti-Jerrahi Order is in Karagümrük, Fatih, Istanbul. There are some substations in Turkey and it has branches in some European countries, Australia, South Africa, South America and North America, including Los Angeles, New York City, Mexico, San Francisco, Toronto and Chicago. Branches of the Halveti-Jerrahi Order conduct gatherings where the dervishes perform Sufi remembrance ceremonies, practice sufi music, serve dinner, pray together and listen to the discourses of their Sufi guides. The main branch of the Jerrahi Order of America is in Chestnut Ridge, Rockland County, New York with a congregation of mixed immigrant and local convert backgrounds.[1][2]

History edit

This Sufi Order was brought to Western countries by Muzaffer Ozak, who was the 19th Grand Sheikh of the Order from 1966 until his death in 1985. Sefer Dal was Grand Sheikh of the Order from 1985 until his own death in 1999. Omer Tugrul Inancer has been Grand Sheikh of the Order since 1999. According to Gift of the Givers founder Imtiaz Sooliman, it was Sefer Dal, 20th Grand Sheikh of the Order, who advised him to establish the organization during a visit to Dal's Istanbul mosque.[3]

During the Bosnian War, the Order's American branch worked with the Fellowship of Reconciliation to bring 160 Bosnian refugees to the US.[4] Inancer, the current Grand Sheikh of the Order, was a speaker at the World Sufi Forum organized by the All India Ulema and Mashaikh Board in 2016.[5]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Anne Noyes Saini and Ramaa Reddy Raghavan, At Houses Of Worship, Women Serve Food For A Higher Purpose. NPR, 17 August 2014. Accessed 1 November 2018.
  2. ^ Jane Lerner and Richard Liebson, Local Muslims, Jews horrified by terror in Paris. The Journal News, 9 January 2015. Accessed 1 November 2018.
  3. ^ Ryan Lenora Brown, A charity that gives food – and frees hostages. Christian Science Monitor, 19 November 2016. Accessed 1 November 2018.
  4. ^ Stacy Teicher Khadaroo, Stuck in Syria, Iraqi students get a crack at college in the U.S. The Christian Science Monitor, 14 August 2008. Accessed 1 November 2018.
  5. ^ Priyanka Mogul, World Sufi Forum 2016: What you need to know about Muslim event inaugurated by Narendra Modi. International Business Times, 17 March 2016. Accessed 1 November 2018.

External links edit