SEMA TRADITION

From the 1st of May, 2017 to the 23rd of August , 2017,  Yalova Termal, Turkey

During one hundred and fourteen days and nights sema, the music and the dhikr (invocation) will never stop . . . .

Sema is a form of worship…

In Ahmet Eflaki’s book entitled: “Ariflerin Menkıbeleri – Menakıb-el-Arifin” (Legends of the Enlightened Ones) we find how often and how long Hz. Mevlâna Jalâleddîn Rumî performed the sema. According to this book, he celebrated  continuous sema  for three days and nights,  seven days and nights,  sixteen days and nights and sometimes forty days and nights.

Acting from this point of view a sema program has been planned covering 114 days, which will start on the 1st of May and continue till the 23rd of August.

The duration of this event was determined by taking into account the number of the surahs in the Holy Qoran which is 114.

In principle  we will try to carry out the sema unintermittently and perform the dhikr (invocation) and the music – likewise – nonstop. The semazens and the musicians will perform in shifts to implement this task.

We hope that everyone finds within not only the essence and meaning of sema but discovers its educational aspects too.

Until now thousands of people from 88 countries have collaborated in our event.

To take part in this event no prior training is required nor do you need know how to do the sema. The atmosphere of the Dergah will help you acquire the basic information needed to perform the sema.

There are no financial sponsors for this sema gathering. All expenses from electricity to food are met by the donations of the collaborators.

Likewise all tasks from the preparation of daily meals to the cleaning of the toilets are taken care of by volunteers.

In various countries and cultures, dress code, general behaviour and hygiene may be different. This activity takes its base from Islam and its inspiration from His Holiness Mevlâna. We expect the collaborators to adopt and show respect to these traditional and cultural values.

This is a spiritual activity and gathering. To keep our selves and the energy of this event pure, we have some principles in regards to harmful and legally banned (narcotic) substances:

We do not smoke in and around the Dergah. For smoking there are designated areas far from the Dergah specifically for this purpose.

We do not want the use of substances like alcoholic beverages in this environment which do not fit in with the aim of this activity. We will not allow anyone to enter the premises of the Dergah (in and around the Dergah) intoxicated with these substances.

Kindly note that, the use, possession and sale of narcotics are prohibited under the laws of the Turkish Republic. We will do everything we can including taking legal measures to prevent the circulation of these substances in case they are brought in and around the premises of the Dergah.