This article was automatically translated from the original Turkish version.
In 1978, during the Festival of Arts held in France, a ceremony of zikr performed by a group from Türkiye belonging to the Halvetî-Cerrahî order under the leadership of Muzaffer Ozak was a significant event in terms of representing traditional Islamic practices on an international stage in the modern era. This event was not merely the performance of a Sufi ritual but also served as an important example of introducing Islamic Sufism to the European public and conveying its aesthetic, cultural, and symbolic dimensions.
Such representations demonstrate that Sufism is not merely an individual form of spirituality but can also function as a vehicle for spiritual transmission. Collective rituals such as zikr can evoke profound spiritual resonance not only among Muslim communities but also among audiences beyond religious boundaries.
Festival of Arts France 1978 Kud Zikri (Flickr)
Muzaffer Ozak (1916–1985), the 19th successor of the Halvetî-Cerrahî order and head of its central dergâh in Istanbul Karagümrük, âsitâne, actively worked to introduce traditional zikr gatherings not only in Anatolia but also in the Western world. In the 1970s, increasing processes of cultural change and growing Western interest in Eastern mysticism created favorable conditions for the physical and ritualistic representation of Sufism. The Festival of Arts provided a clear platform for the representation of Islamic Sufism.
During this period, many universities and academic institutions in the West conducted theoretical research on Islamic Sufism but lacked direct exposure to its practice. The performance of the Halvetî-Cerrahî zikr carried the potential to transform theoretical knowledge into lived truth.
Muzaffer Ozak-Kudsi Ergüner (Far Right) During His Trip to France (Defter-i Uşak)
The zikr gathering was conducted in accordance with classical Ottoman tariqa traditions. Throughout the ceremony, recitations from the Qur’an, hymns, salawat, and cehrî (out loud) zikr specific to the Halvetî tradition were performed. Participants took part in the ceremony wearing traditional attire such as hırka, sarık, and other tariqa garments, ensuring an authentic representation of the ritual. The zikr was performed not merely as an individual state of ecstasy but as a collective ritual reflecting communal consciousness and shared spirituality.
The cehrî zikr here can be understood as a resonant vibration of Sufism’s outward expression. The fact that hundreds of people outside the hall also expressed a desire to participate demonstrated the universal appeal of the zikr. The unified chanting of “Allah” and “Hû” enabled hearts to converge at a single center.
Festival of Arts France 1978 Kıyam Zikri (Flickr)
This performance demonstrated to Western audiences that Islam possesses not only political and ideological representations but also an aesthetic and spiritual dimension. It also emphasized that such rituals encompass not merely the theological but also the cultural and emotional dimensions of Muslim identity.
Moreover, this zikr gathering illustrated that Islam’s spiritual heritage can be transmitted not only through knowledge but also through experience, sound, and bodily expression. The respectful participation of many non-Muslims in the zikr gatherings confirmed the effectiveness of this mode of transmission, revealing the essence of Sufism as “lived transmission.”
Following the event, several documentaries and visual materials published in the West—particularly in the United States and Europe—presented this zikr gathering as a paradigmatic Sufi practice, significantly enhancing the international recognition of Muzaffer Ozak. These activities also laid the groundwork for the later publication of English-language works on Sufism.
CHÂNT DES DERVICHES DE TURQUIE / Musique Soufi La Cérémonie du Zikr – Front cover of the record released in France after the festival (Flickr)
The zikr gathering performed in the style of the Halvetî-Cerrahî order at the 1978 Traditional Art Festival in Rennes, France, was not merely a performance before an audience but a historical event preserved as a permanent cultural record. Audio recordings made by the festival’s organizers, Cherif Khaznadar, and his cultural archive teams documented the event; these recordings were later released in vinyl format and distributed in France and other European countries.
Front cover of the record “Journey to the Lord of Power” published in the United States (Flickr)
Back cover of the record “Journey to the Lord of Power” published in the United States (Flickr)
In 1978, Muzaffer Ozak Efendi described his observations from the Traditional Art Festival in his book Aşk Yolu Vuslat Tariki as follows:
At the beginning of February 1978, I was invited to the 5th Traditional Art Festival. Accompanied by 22 of my students, I traveled to Germany to accept this invitation. We performed the Halvetî sacred ceremony as a public performance in the large opera house in Berlin. Since traditional awliya ceremonies are adorned with Turkish Tekke Music, we recited the poems of Yûnus Emre, Hacı Bayrâm Velî, Eşrefoğlu Rûmî, and other great Turkish Sufi masters set to music, and we were met with great interest and affection. The 1500-seat opera house was completely full, and many people remained outside because there were no seats left. Later, we learned from the organizers that the number of people unable to enter far exceeded those inside. Among this large crowd, which included people with or without knowledge of the tariqas, there were many individuals from various European nations. As was appropriate, the sacred ceremony began with “tevhîd.” It is noteworthy that the majority of those present joined us in chanting “tevhîd,” while those unfamiliar with it observed us in reverent silence, even holding their breath.
Aşk Yolu Vuslat Tariki Turkish Front Cover (Defter-i Uşak)
When we rose to begin the “devrân,” I observed with boundless joy and awe that the entire audience joined us in the zikr. This vast crowd seemed to have been thirsting for “tevhîd” and sought to quench this thirst by participating with us. As is well known, nearly all universities in Europe have departments teaching about Islamic-Turkish tariqas, and these academic institutions continuously conduct studies, research, and comparative analyses on Islamic-Turkish tariqas and other religious Sufi movements, providing the public with extensive and detailed knowledge. Consequently, Europeans possess considerable knowledge about Sufism and the tariqas. Yet, despite the depth of their scholarly and theoretical understanding, neither teachers nor students had witnessed practical applications. We, however, presented this theoretical knowledge in a practical form, allowing them to see with their own eyes what they had learned intellectually. This deeply impressed them and captivated their hearts. The hymns we recited seemed to enchant the entire audience, and the sacred ceremony, in which the dervishes entered states of ecstasy and absorption, transported them into similar spiritual states. During the zikr and tevhîd, in which 1500 people participated with love and fervor, the vast hall resonated with the cries of “ALLAH” and “HÛ.” We were confronted with a truly magnificent spectacle. When the zikr, devrân, and sacred ceremony ended, the immense crowd erupted in such enthusiastic applause that they clapped like madmen to express their admiration and reverence. The cries of “ALLAHUEKBER” silenced this storm of applause, as the audience was informed that the event was a religious ceremony and should not be applauded. Even as we bowed and withdrew with our dervishes, the crowd refused to leave the hall, believing we would return after a break. After repeated announcements that the ceremony was over, groups of people came to our hall one by one to congratulate us and express their appreciation. At that moment, it seemed to me that this vast crowd had been illuminated by the light of “tevhîd” and gathered within it. This overwhelming interest and affection clearly revealed that the Church had truly failed to satisfy the religious sentiments of the European people. The “tevhîd” presented to them through the sacred ceremony of the awliya had proclaimed and satisfied this sacred longing. Even mere proximity to it had drawn them closer to the Truth and Reality.
The Unveiling of Love Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak Al-Jerrahi (Defter-i Uşak)
After our journey to France, following a brief rest, we were taken to Paris, then to the city of Rennes, where the festival was held. It was said that Rennes was the historic capital of Christianity in France. At the City Hall where we were invited, the Mayor of Rennes personally welcomed us and extended his greetings, congratulating us and the other groups participating in the festival. After his brief speech, he hosted a banquet for the other international groups. We stayed in Rennes for three days and three nights. Just as in Germany, the public who came to observe our zikr gathering on the designated square in Rennes participated enthusiastically. We spent our days resting and our nights in zikrullah. Without any pretense or self-praise, I can honestly record that the people touched by the lights of “zikr” and “tevhîd” returned each time with greater love and fervor, joining us in the zikr. After the sacred ceremonies ended, those gathered around me asked questions about “tevhîd” and Sufism, seeking to resolve their doubts. Some, of course, also tried to test us discreetly. But the absolute and undeniable truth was that regardless of their sect or creed, the people had a profound desire and eagerness to say “ALLAH.” One night, I was asked: “You are a Muslim, yet you accept Christians into your gathering without distinction and allow them to participate in your zikr. Can you explain the reason and wisdom behind this?” I replied: “I am a poor servant, a Muslim, and a shaykh. I accept anyone who says ‘ALLAH’ into my gathering, and I say ‘ALLAH’ and allow others to say ‘ALLAH.’” My answer seemed to satisfy the questioner. Moreover, the mission of all prophets has been to make people say “LÂ ILÂHA İLLALLAH” without regard to race, color, or nationality. We, as the heirs of the prophets, by the grace of God, certainly have as our primary duty to guide all humanity toward “tevhîd.” I must clearly state that during my stay in Rennes and Paris, I observed and confirmed that the people were genuinely thirsty for “tevhîd” and zikr. I must also add that several newspapers and magazines in Rennes and Paris published articles and reports praising us. The Istanbul-based Dünya Gazetesi, citing its Paris correspondent and quoting French media sources under the headline “OUR DERVISHES ENCHANTED EUROPE,” published a photograph of our zikr gathering and reported: “The Turkish dervish group participating in the Traditional Art Festival in Rennes, France, attracted great attention, and their performances accompanied by Tekke Music won the admiration of both the French and other participating international groups. The French press also showed great interest in the performance. This year, 25 countries sent music and dance groups to the 5th Rennes Festival. The number of attendees exceeded 15,000, compared to approximately 12,000 last year.” Observers regarding the Turkish group’s performances said: “The dervishes are presenting the most magnificent displays of Turkish Religious Music.”
Dünya Gazetesi – 1978: News Clippings on the Zikr Gathering (Defter-i Uşak)
It was impossible not to be moved and awestruck. Especially their prostration in supplication to God, their striking the ground with their hands, and their whirling in ecstasy sent shivers through the spectators. Undoubtedly, these dervishes were one of the most admired groups at the festival... As we read the European newspapers and magazines that praised, loved, and showed interest in us, and listened to what was said about us, I see no need to conceal how profoundly specialized we are. For it was not our own talents that so brilliantly illuminated Europe, but the light of “tevhîd” and the zikrullah gatherings, and it is evident and obvious that the same radiant light that dazzled the 15,000 spectators from 25 countries was the same light. Yes, I repeat and insist: Europe and the Europeans are genuinely thirsty for “tevhîd.” Although they did not understand the meanings of the hymns we recited or the content of the verses, they were deeply moved by the unique rhythm and harmony of Turkish Tekke Music. Who knows what state they would have reached if they had understood the meanings of the hymns and kasides and grasped the eloquent expressions of Hazret-i Yûnus? The absolute and undeniable truth was that “tevhîd” truly enchanted them; the sacred rites of the awliya had intoxicated and captivated them all. They forgot their identities, personalities, cultures, and religious beliefs, became lost in themselves, joined us dervishes, participated in our devrân, and united with us in “tevhîd” through love and fervor.
