Nur Ashki Jerrahi Sufi Order
Encyclopedia
The Nur Ashki Jerrahi Sufi Order is a modern dervish
order (tariqah
) of Sufism
. It is a branch of the Halveti-Jerrahi
Tariqah of Istanbul
, Turkey
, and was founded in the early 1980s by American Sufis Nur al-Anwar al-Jerrahi (born Lex Hixon
) and Fariha al-Jerrahi (born Philippa De Menil) after they received direct transmission from their teacher, Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak
(Ashki) al-Jerrahi, the Grand Sheikh of the Halveti-Jerrahi Order at that time. Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak al-Jerrahi was the 19th successor to Hazreti Pir Muhammad Nureddin al-Jerrahi, the founding pir
of the Halveti-Jerrahi Order.
.
After its establishment, the order quickly found followers in the United States and Mexico. As the order grew, they demonstrated tolerance of seekers of God from any religion and they organized meetings with members of other religious communities.
When Nur al-Jerrahi died in 1995, Sheikha Fariha Fatima al-Jerrahi, of New York, succeeded him as leader of the order.
In New York City, members of the order run a bookstore called Sufi Books, where they carry a large selection of books on Sufism and religious mysticism
from Pir Press, the publishing house also run by the order.
Masjid al-Farah is located at 245 West Broadway, New York, NY 10013 in the Tribeca
district. Feisal Abdul Rauf
served as Imam of Masjid al-Farah from 1983 to 2009. He is one of the people behind the Cordoba Institute, and the proposed Park51 community center in Lower Manhattan
.
Dervish
A Dervish or Darvesh is someone treading a Sufi Muslim ascetic path or "Tariqah", known for their extreme poverty and austerity, similar to mendicant friars in Christianity or Hindu/Buddhist/Jain sadhus.-Etymology:The Persian word darvīsh is of ancient origin and descends from a Proto-Iranian...
order (tariqah
Tariqah
A tariqa is an Islamic religious order. In Sufism one starts with Islamic law, the exoteric or mundane practice of Islam and then is initiated onto the mystical path of a tariqa. Through spiritual practices and guidance of a tariqa the aspirant seeks ḥaqīqah - ultimate truth.-Meaning:A tariqa is a...
) of Sufism
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
. It is a branch of the Halveti-Jerrahi
Jerrahi
The Jerrahi are a Sufi tariqah derived from the Halveti order. Their founder was Muhammad Nureddin al-Jerrahi, who died in Istanbul and is buried at the site of his tekke in Karagumruk - Istanbul...
Tariqah of Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, and was founded in the early 1980s by American Sufis Nur al-Anwar al-Jerrahi (born Lex Hixon
Lex Hixon
Lex Hixon was an accomplished author, poet, and spiritual teacher. He practiced and held membership in several of the world's major great religious traditions, and documented his spiritual explorations in nine books and many articles and teachings given to various groups...
) and Fariha al-Jerrahi (born Philippa De Menil) after they received direct transmission from their teacher, Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak
Muzaffer Ozak
Muzaffer Ozak was one of the head sheikhs of the Halveti-Jerrahi order of Dervishes, a traditional muslim Sufi order from Istanbul...
(Ashki) al-Jerrahi, the Grand Sheikh of the Halveti-Jerrahi Order at that time. Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak al-Jerrahi was the 19th successor to Hazreti Pir Muhammad Nureddin al-Jerrahi, the founding pir
Pir (Sufism)
Pir or Peer is a title for a Sufi master equally used in the nath tradition. They are also referred to as a Hazrat or Shaikh, which is Arabic for Old Man. The title is often translated into English as "saint" and could be interpreted as "Elder". In Sufism a Pir's role is to guide and instruct his...
of the Halveti-Jerrahi Order.
General
The Nur Ashki Jerrahi Sufi Order is based at the Dergah al-Farah in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
After its establishment, the order quickly found followers in the United States and Mexico. As the order grew, they demonstrated tolerance of seekers of God from any religion and they organized meetings with members of other religious communities.
When Nur al-Jerrahi died in 1995, Sheikha Fariha Fatima al-Jerrahi, of New York, succeeded him as leader of the order.
In New York City, members of the order run a bookstore called Sufi Books, where they carry a large selection of books on Sufism and religious mysticism
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
from Pir Press, the publishing house also run by the order.
Masjid al-Farah is located at 245 West Broadway, New York, NY 10013 in the Tribeca
TriBeCa
Tribeca is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York in the United States. Its name is an acronym based on the words "Triangle below Canal Street", and is properly bounded by Canal Street, West Street, Broadway, and Vesey Street...
district. Feisal Abdul Rauf
Feisal Abdul Rauf
Feisal Abdul Rauf is an American Sufi imam, author, and activist whose stated goal is to improve relations between the Muslim world and the West...
served as Imam of Masjid al-Farah from 1983 to 2009. He is one of the people behind the Cordoba Institute, and the proposed Park51 community center in Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan is the southernmost part of the island of Manhattan, the main island and center of business and government of the City of New York...
.
Locations
The Nur Ashki Jerrahi Order has Dervish communities in the following locations:- New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
- Mexico CityMexico CityMexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
- Albuquerque, NM
- Atlanta, GA
- Boulder, CO
- Chicago, ILChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
- Crestone, CO
- Honolulu, HI
- Kansas City, MO
- Lansing, MI
- Las Vegas, NV
- Minneapolis, MN
- Nashville, TN
- Oakland, CA
- Orange County, CA
- Portland, OR
- Washington, DC
- Liverpool, England
- Illawarra, Australia
- Cuernavaca, Morelos
- Oaxaca, OaxacaOaxaca, OaxacaThe city and municipality of Oaxaca de Juárez, or simply Oaxaca, is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of the same name . It is located in the Centro District in the Central Valleys region of the state, in the foothills of the Sierra Madre at the base of the Cerro del Fortín...
- SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
External links
- www.nurashkijerrahi.org The official website of the Nur Ashki Jerrahi Sufi Order.
- www.pirpress.com The official website of Pir Press.
- www.sufibooks.com The official website of the Sufi Books: World Mystical Traditions Bookstore, in New York City.