Baghdad
‘Indescribable light’: Hayy al-Hattin Sufi lodge hosts daily dhikr sessions for Ramadan
BAGHDAD — In the Hayy Al-Hattin area west of Baghdad, nightly Sufi gatherings at the Qadiriyya Kasnazaniyya lodge have evolved into daily sessions as Ramadan approaches, officials said.
The gatherings, known as Halaqat Al-Dhikr (circles of remembrance of Allah), combine religious lessons, devotional chants and the distinctive Sufi whirling rituals. Participants, or mureeds, engage in rhythmic movements accompanied by drumbeats or dafs, chanting praises for the Prophet Muhammad, his companions and his family.
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is observed by Muslims worldwide as a period of fasting from dawn until sunset. During the month, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and engaging in marital relations during daylight hours.
“We are now in the main lodge of the Qadiriyya Kasnazaniyya order. The lodge is the house of remembrance and worship, and when the seeker follows the path, the lodge becomes his second home,” said Reda Ali Haboub, supervisor of the Kasnazaniyya Cultural Council, in an interview with 964media.
The Qadiriyya Kasnazaniyya is a prominent Sufi order widely present in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq and Iran. As a branch of the Qadiriyya order, it traces its spiritual lineage to the esteemed Sufi figure Abdul Qadir al-Jilani.
Beyond religious practices, the lodge provides social services, including daily meals for those in need. “The doors of the lodge are open to everyone, as the poor are God’s dependents,” Haboub added, noting that attendance peaks at around nine hundred participants every Thursday.
Adel Alawi, a longtime devotee since 1979, emphasized the spiritual relief these gatherings bring. “Attending these sessions brings inner peace,” he said. “It’s a journey of divine guidance that transcends worldly concerns.”
Alawi continued, “A person comes burdened with worldly worries and problems, but after attending a dhikr session and participating with the lodge’s devotees, their soul rises in elevation, transcendence, and indescribable light, which I call spiritual flavors.”
