Fez, Morocco-The enchanting sounds of Tariqa Raissouniya resonate by way of the historic streets of Fez, as Morocco hosts its distinguished pageant devoted to celebrating Sufi tradition.
This yr, the pageant boasts a lineup of 14 various members from throughout the globe, highlighting each group and solo performances that showcase the profound non secular practices of Sufism.
Originating from Chefchaouen, a picturesque metropolis nestled in Morocco’s Rif mountains, Tariqa Raissouniya enriches the pageant with a profound non secular efficiency.
“Our participation involves poems, remembrances, supplications, and Sufi recitals of Sufi imams for our country,” shares Jamal Eddine Raissouni, a outstanding member of the group.
Their efficiency encapsulates the essence of Sufism, which integrates conventional Islamic observance with distinctive types of worship, together with ritual chanting.
The pageant’s worldwide aptitude is additional enhanced by artists from Mauritania, Senegal, Pakistan, and Tanzania.
In an intriguing twist, French cellist Aurélien Pascal captivates the viewers with compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach, an 18th-century German composer. Pascal finds a novel connection between Bach’s work and Sufi spirituality, stating, “In the context of a Sufi music festival, it is interesting to connect this spirituality to a spirituality experienced elsewhere.”
He believes Bach’s music, initially created for spiritual functions, harmoniously aligns with the Sufi custom, making its inclusion within the pageant each unique and profound.
Adding to the pageant’s immersive expertise, attendees interact in interactive workshops, such because the Sanskrit chanting session led by French yogi André Riehl.
Riehl extols the virtues of chanting, explaining, “Sanskrit chanting practiced in this way induces a meditative and silent state in thought.” These workshops present members with an opportunity to dive deeper into non secular practices that foster tranquility and self-awareness.
The Sufi Culture Festival, now in its sixteenth iteration, operates underneath the poignant slogan “Know Yourself By Yourself.” It goals to protect and highlight the cultural, spiritual, and historic significance of Sufism.
According to Abdelaziz Debbagh, president of the Abdul Wahid Ibn Ashir Foundation for Islamic and Sufi Studies and Social Works, the pageant is a vital counterbalance in as we speak’s material-centric world.
“This festival provides natural breathing for the soul, helping individuals find balance amidst the challenges of globalization and the rise of artificial intelligence,” Debbagh explains.
As the pageant continues to unfold, it not solely celebrates but additionally educates, providing profound insights into the resilient spirit of Sufism.
Attendees like Naziq Gibril discover the expertise deeply shifting, with Gibril noting, “At this festival, I feel an indescribable joy that cannot be expressed in words.”
The Sufi Culture Festival, which opened on April 20, will run till April 27, promising extra days of non secular enrichment and cultural change within the vibrant metropolis of Fez.
https://www.africanexponent.com/fez-echoes-with-the-sounds-of-tariqa-raissouniya-at-the-moroccan-sufi-culture-festival/
