The whole universe is in motion, the galaxies beyond our reach to the

smallest of atoms beyond our touch are in motion, whirling and dancing to
the praises of the creator of the heavens and earth, Allah. This is the
foundation of every Muslims thought, this is the foundation of Mavlana
Rumis teaching.
Mavlana Rumi was born in Persia, Tajikistan today, in the 13th century. He
was born into a scholarly family, his father, also a well-known figure, was
the appointed scholar where he lived. He was under the tutelage of his
father till he too became a profound scholar of his times, but his meetings
with the oceans of his time bloomed this man into becoming one of the
greatest ascetics Islam has seen.
One of the pearls this man has left us is the whirling dance or Sema. The
Sema like many other Sufi practices are means by to achieve closeness
and proximity with Allah. By flowing with the music, letting go of the world
and diving into the depths of the soul, the Sema brings to life the reality
of our existence in this world.
The Sema begins with the salutations to the Final Prophet , Muhammad
(saw), as a reminder that the proximity with Allah cannot be attained
without him being sent into this world and by him delivering his message.
He, Muhammad(May Allah Peace and blessings be upon him!) is the
mercy to all of the worlds and only his spring quenches till eternity.
The Sema than flows into a drum beat which signifies the coming of
existence, The BE which Allah has mentioned numerous times in his
glorious book, The Quran. To the Sufis, this BE is a foundational point, it
symbolizes the manifestation of Allahs love to his creation, in a hadith
Qudsi it is mentioned, Allah says, I was a hidden treasure, and I wished
to be known, so I created a creation , then made Myself known to them,
and they recognized Me."
This recognition began when Allah, Glorious is He! Blew his Ruh(spirit) into
men. Men, without the soul, is just an empty vessel made of clay. It is like
a cage without the singing bird, a fruit without its core, a hive without its
bees. When Allah blew his Ruh into men, it was at that point that men
were made the vicegerents of this world. To be in this world as slaves of
Allah who live by his Glorious attributes. This is signified by the next part
of the Sema, the blowing of the reed flute.
The reed flute or Ney is a hollow flute made up of 7 holes. The Sufis says
when it is played it symbolizes the empty vessel being brought to life with
the divine breath. The sound it gives is the cries of wanting to return to

where is has come, it becomes the singing bird in the cage struggling to
be free to return home. The soul desires to be home with the creator of
the heavens and earth. Allah! Gloried and Exalted be He!

Mavlana Rumi says it beautifully in one of his poems;

Hearken to the reed flute, how it complains, lamenting its banishment
from its home: Ever since they tore me from my osier bed, my plaintive
notes have moved men and women to tears. I burst my breast, striving to
give vent to sighs, and to express the pangs of my yearning for my
home
It than continues with the greetings of the semazen (the one who is
performing the Sema) with one another and then the actual whirling itself.
Many things have been said about the whirling itself, but it is best heard
from the Mavlana himself, he writes in his Mathnavi;
Do you know what the whirling is? It is hearing the voices of the spirits
saying "Yes" to God's question "Am I not your Lord?" It is deliverance from
ego and reunion with the Lord.
Do you know what the whirling is? It is seeing the Friend's states, hearing
the secrets of God from across the curtains of the unseen.
Do you know what the whirling is? It is escaping one's existence,
continuously tasting the everlasting existence in the absolute nonexistence.
This is the sole purpose of every creature in this world, to dance and whirl
in worship of the one true God, Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. Like
many other true Sufi practices, the whirling is to raise the creature into
the perfect Slave.
May Allah give us everlasting faith and the opportunity along with the
capacity to seize such an event in our lives!

Mubarak Shah