Şeb-i Arûs: Türkiye Commemorates Rumi for the 750th Time

The last residence of Mevlânâ Celâleddîn Rûmî, the Turkish province of Konya is hosting the 750th of the Şeb-i Arûs ceremonies.

Sema Ayin-i Şerifi

This year, the commemoration ceremonies starts on December 7 and will be in progress until December 17, featuring several activities that have become part of the tradition, the most usual being the Semah ceremony, the famous ritual of the whirling dervishes (semazens).

Mevlânâ Celâleddîn Rumî

The semazen starts the ritual with his arms standing across his chest and then takes off his waistcoat, a symbolic move that connotes purification. A round floor is the usual setting for the ceremony and it represents the universe. The semazen then slowly opens both arms to his sides to embrace the universe. The ritual is then continued with the right hand extending upward and the left, downward. This means receiving from God, letting the blessings flow through the heart to be finally distributed among all companions on earth. The same move has been also interpreted as a symbol for a human’s life on earth – meaning we come from the heavens and end up turning to the soil.

Mevlâna Museum

The Sufist poet lived most of his life in the Central Anatolian city of Konya. Known today for his six-volume poem Mesnevi, a cornerstone of Islamic literature where most of his teachings are compiled, he believed that to die was to be released from the cage we call a body, and thus finding the utmost happiness, which differs from the temporary happiness one could feel on earth. It is for this reason that Şeb-i Arus is not necessarily a week of mourning but of celebration.

The Tomb of Shams Tabrizi

A foundational event for the city, Şeb-i Arûs is usually celebrated in Konya. The city’s famous landmark Mevlânâ Museum is where the 13th-century mystic and his companions are buried, and it stands on the lands Rumî once frequented. For visitors to the Şeb-i Arûs ceremony it composes a sight not to be missed.

Dergâhs

The Sema Ayin-i Şerifi and several other events are performed every evening between Dec. 7 and Dec. 17 2021 at this cultural centre. Located only a kilometre from Mevlânâ Museum, the centre hosts congresses, fairs, and exhibitions throughout the year, though it is spared for the annual commemoration events between these dates.

UNESCO Influence

One lodge that is more commonly known is Galata Mevlevihanesi (Mevlevi Lodge of Galata), located in İstanbul’s Galata quarter.