Sufis in Tunis

By Mona Aoun - Magharebia - Tunis, Tunisia
Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Ramadan in Tunis is marked by festivals focusing on Sufi and other religious music.

In the ancient city, processions called kharja are organised by a group of different Sufi denominations who walk out of a holy man's mosque and make a slow tour through the city, chanting religious praises and azkar.

Ramadan festivals that feature artistic shows also dedicate a certain space to Sufi music. The Ministry of Culture supports the genre, and urges festival planners to include it in their activities.

"The Spiritual Music Festival is a cultural demonstration in essence and is directed towards a certain class who is fond of this type of music," said festival director Lotfi Mraihi, who expressed his satisfaction with the support the festival receives, and the value it adds to the musical scene in Tunisia.

Sufi music attracts all kinds of Tunisians, regardless of whether they are young and unfamiliar with the style or the artists inspired by it.

"I take advantage of the month of Ramadan to get to know a significant aspect of our civilisation and culture. Each time I discover new things," said student Na'imah Hassan.

In Tunis, three festivals specialise in Sufi music and are devoted to three themes: religious recitation, instrumental music and spiritual music.

Asked about the significance of such music in spreading Islamic thought that is contrary to radical Islam, Mraihi said, "This music, whether Sufi, religious or spiritual, can represent a cheerful Islam that encompasses listening and tolerance but not one of strict worship."

"In Tunis, this type of music is found in several festivals, but the only one that includes a dedicated programme is the Spiritual Music Festival," he said.

Hatem Ferchichi, a prominent chanter in Tunis, considers Ramadan a legacy month and spiritual in essence. As such, he claims, more attention should be given to Sufi music and approaches (Tariqa), particularly the 'Salamist' approach. "Salamism, well-known in Tunisia, is a Sufi approach that is deeply founded in our Arab-Islamic roots," he said.

Salamism was founded by Libya's Abd Salam Asmar. Chanters of the tradition recite songs and poems from the "Ship of Oceans" [Safinat al-Buhur] volume, which contains all the teachings and stories of Sufi Abd Salam Asmar.

There are a number of Sufi schools in Tunisia, such as Kadrism, Salamism and Jilanism- each is related to the region where it originated.

"Sufi schools are more related to locality than to Sufi thought. So, practices differ between the countryside and cities," said Mraihi.

Tunisian musician Fathi Zaghda says in his study, entitled "Recitation in the Islamic Approach: a Musical Reading", that Sufi approaches represent a significant part of the Tunisian musical heritage.

He called the body of Sufi work "earnest work" as opposed to "comical work", which denotes worldly, secular music or singing.

Sufi chanting in Tunis witnessed a remarkable boom in the fifteenth century, a time when Sufi movements gained support.

According to experts, the Shazli approach is considered the primary reference for Sufis in Tunis. It is attributed to Abi el Hassan Chedli, who played a major role in establishing the Sufi tradition in Tunisia.