Khalwa (Arabic, also khalwat; lit.,
"solitude"; pronounced in Iran
, "khalvat";
spelling in Turkish,
halvet): in Sufism, a solitary
retreat, traditionally for 40
days (see "chella"), during which a
disciple does extensive spiritual exercises under the direction of
a sufi master.
A Sufi
murid will enter khalwa under the
direction of a
shaykh for a given
period, sometimes for as long as 40 days, emerging only to
pray and, usually, to discuss dreams, visions and the
like with the shaykh. Once a major element of Sufi practice, khalwa
has become less frequent in recent years.
Other uses
- A
religious school is known as "a khalwa" in the Sudanese
dialect of
Arabic. This reflects the former dominance of Sufism in the
Sudan.
- The Khalwati order (Halveti) of
Sufism derives its name from the term "khalwa".
- The prayer-houses of the Druze are called
khalwaat and are used in place of mosques.
- The Sharia criminal offence of "close
proximity" whereby two unmarried non-relatives of the opposite sex
are apprehended after being found "in compromising positions" by
state religious police.[295408] [295409][295410]
See also
References
- Mevlevi Terms and Definitions
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