The Divine Word

By Sarah Touahri, "Sufi culture festival aims to spread tolerance and peace" - Magharebia, USA
Friday, April 25, 2008

Rabat, Morocco: Across the centuries, Sufism has helped bridge the divide between East and West. As Moroccans show a growing interest in Sufism and its principles of tolerance and peace, organisers gave the April 17th-24th festival of Sufi culture in Fez the name "East West."

"[Sufi culture] allows us to discover and make Islam accessible as a civilisation project; and thus to sign up to a form of value-driven Islam which encourages civil and constructive attitudes and behaviour," festival chairman Faouzi Skali told Magharebia.

Because of globalisation, Skali added, cultures, identities, religions and spiritual concepts are returning to centre stage in a violent fashion known as the "clash of civilisations".

"Our world is currently searching for true wisdom, a universal spiritual way, a sort of true balance which could hold back this globalisation built on the elimination of certain cultures and ways of thinking to benefit others," he concluded.

Mustafa Chérif, an Algerian researcher who specialises in dialogue between cultures and civilisations, addressed the same issue at the festival's opening, saying that Sufism is capable of finding solutions by bringing harmony and recognising difference and diversity.

He believes that the only real spirituality is that linking man: the spirit of the East and the reason of the West.

While the interest shown by Moroccans in Sufi culture is not new, it has intensified in recent years in order to face the global rise of extremism, sociologist Jamal Bahrioui explained.

"This kind of event is aimed at attracting the greatest possible number of Moroccans to sign up to this culture, which leads human beings to reconciliation among themselves and society, and thus to spreading the culture of tolerance and peace," Bahrioui said, adding, "The youths are the most involved in this."

Indeed, there has been a high turnout of young people in Fes this week for the festival. Some are already familiar with the concept of Sufism, while others seek to satisfy their curiosity.

Student Sellam Mohamedine came from Oujda to the spiritual capital to join in some of the festival's programme of activities. "I came to meet thinkers and intellectuals to debate the importance of Sufism. I think that if we are to thwart the ills of the current age, including stress and extremism, we ought to turn to this culture," he said.

Among the festival's most popular features are the concerts given by Sufi troupes and groups from the various brotherhoods. It is more than entertainment, however; music is at the heart of of Sufism. As Moroccan singer Oumnia Abou Amal explained, the apotheosis of the Sufi mystical process is spiritual song showing moral responsibility and a great sensitivity.

"Sufi music is an expression of sacred song," Moroccan musicologist Abdelfettah Benmoussa tells Magharebia. "[It] corresponds to the spiritual state of one to whom celestial music – primordial and absolute sound – becomes audible: the divine word."

The festival of Sufi culture brought together a swathe of artists, researchers and intellectuals from several foreign countries. The programme also included discussions on Sufism and Dhikr (invocation) evenings led by brotherhoods from various countries and cultures.

[Picture: Members of Morocco's Qadiriya Boutchichiya confraternity perform at the Sufi cultural festival in Fez. Photo by Getty Images].