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Khalwa
Khalwa (Arabic, also khalwat; lit., "solitude"; pronounced in Iran, "khalvat"; spelling in Turkish, ''halvet'') has several meanings in Sufism, Islamic jurisprudence, and the Druze religion, which in some way derive from the concept of being alone or withdrawing from the world. Sufism In Sufism, a solitary retreat, traditionally for forty days (see " chella"), during which a disciple does extensive spiritual exercises under the direction of a Sufi master. A Sufi murid will enter the khalwa spiritual retreat 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 live with the shaykh. Once a major element of Sufi practice, khalwa has become less frequent in recent years. It is the act of total self-abandonment in desire for the Divine Presence. In complete seclusion, the Sufi continuously repeats the name of God as a highest form of dhikr, remembrance of God. Then, "Almighty God ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Khalwati Order
The Khalwati order (also known as Khalwatiyya, Khalwatiya, or Halveti, as it is known in Turkey) is an Islamic Sufi brotherhood (''tariqa''). Along with the Naqshbandi, Qadiri, and Shadhili orders, it is among the most famous Sufi orders. The order takes its name from the Arabic word ''khalwa'', meaning “method of withdrawal or isolation from the world for mystical purposes.” The order was founded by Umar al-Khalwati in the city of Herat in medieval Khorasan (now located in western Afghanistan). However, it was Umar's disciple, Yahya Shirvani, who founded the “Khalwati Way.” Yahya Shirvani wrote Wird al-Sattar, a devotional text read by the members of nearly all the branches of Khalwatiyya. The Khalwati order is known for its strict ritual training of its ''dervishes'' and its emphasis of individualism. Particularly, the order promoted individual asceticism (''zuhd'') and retreat (''khalwa''), differentiating themselves from other orders at the time. The order is asso ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Druze
The Druze (; ar, دَرْزِيٌّ, ' or ', , ') are an Arabic-speaking esoteric ethnoreligious group from Western Asia who adhere to the Druze faith, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, syncretic, and ethnic religion based on the teachings of Hamza ibn Ali ibn Ahmad and ancient Greek philosophers like Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras, and Zeno of Citium. Adherents of the Druze religion call themselves " the Monotheists" or "the Unitarians" (''al-Muwaḥḥidūn''). The Epistles of Wisdom is the foundational and central text of the Druze faith. The Druze faith incorporates elements of Isma'ilism, Christianity, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Pythagoreanism, and other philosophies and beliefs, creating a distinct and secretive theology based on an esoteric interpretation of scripture, which emphasizes the role of the mind and truthfulness. Druze believe in theophany and reincarnation. Druze believe that at the end of the cycle of rebirth, which i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Khalwat Al-Bayada
Khalwat is the name of the prayer-houses of the Druze. The primary sanctuary of the Druze is at Khalwat al-Bayada. The Druze school of theology in Lebanon The ''Khalwat al-Bayada, Khalwet el Biyad, Khalwat al-Biyyada'' or ''White houses of communion'' is the central sanctuary, and theological school of the Druze, located in Lebanon. Located near Hasbaya, the khalwat is the location where Ad-Darazi is supposed to have settled and taught from during the first Druze call. It features a large, stone, circular bench next to an ancient oak tree known as ''Areopagus of the Elders'' that is secluded amongst nature and trees. The Kalwaat provides around forty hermitages for Al-ʻuqqāl (the initiated) at various times of the year. In 1838, copies of the Epistles of Wisdom were taken from the site by invading Egyptians. Visitors are politely requested to seek permission from the resident sheikh before entering the site and female visitors are requested to cover their heads as a court ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sufism
Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ritualism, asceticism and esotericism. It has been variously defined as "Islamic mysticism",Martin Lings, ''What is Sufism?'' (Lahore: Suhail Academy, 2005; first imp. 1983, second imp. 1999), p.15 "the mystical expression of Islamic faith", "the inward dimension of Islam", "the phenomenon of mysticism within Islam", the "main manifestation and the most important and central crystallization" of mystical practice in Islam, and "the interiorization and intensification of Islamic faith and practice". Practitioners of Sufism are referred to as "Sufis" (from , ), and historically typically belonged to "orders" known as (pl. ) – congregations formed around a grand who would be the last in a chain of successive teachers linking back to Muh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Retreat (spiritual)
The meaning of a spiritual retreat can be different for different religious communities. Spiritual retreats are an integral part of many Hindu, Jewish, Buddhist, Christian and Sufi communities. In Hinduism and Buddhism, meditative retreats are seen by some as an intimate way of deepening powers of concentration and insight. Retreats are also popular in Christian churches, and were established in today's form by St. Ignatius of Loyola (14911556), in his Spiritual Exercises. Ignatius was later to be made patron saint of spiritual retreats by Pope Pius XI in 1922. Many Protestants, Catholics and Orthodox Christians partake in and organize spiritual retreats each year. Meditative retreats are an important practice in Sufism, the mystical path of Islam. The Sufi teacher Ibn Arabi's book ''Journey to the Lord of Power (Risālat al-Anwār)'' is a guide to the inner journey that was published over 700 years ago. Buddhism A retreat can either be a time of solitude or a community ex ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chilla-nashini
Chilla ( fa, چله, ar, أربعين, both literally "forty"), also known as Chilla-nashini, is a spiritual practice of penance and solitude in Sufism known mostly in Indian and Persian traditions. In this ritual a mendicant or ascetic Asceticism (; from the el, ἄσκησις, áskesis, exercise', 'training) is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from sensual pleasures, often for the purpose of pursuing spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their p ... attempts to remain seated in a circle practicing meditation techniques without food for 40 days and nights in imitation of the Arba'een. The word ''chilla'' is derived from the Persian word ''chehel'' "forty". Chilla is commonly performed in a solitary cell called a ''chilla-khana''. The main purpose of chilla is to attain laser like focus and get rid of unnecessary thoughts in your mind. Incidents of Chilla The most famous case of chilla is found in the biographies of the 14th century Sufi po ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yichud
In Jewish religious law (''halakha''), the laws of ''yichud'' ( he, איסור ייחוד ''issur yichud'', ''prohibition of seclusion'') prohibit seclusion in a private area of a man and a woman who are not married to each other. Such seclusion is prohibited out of fear that sexual intercourse or other, lesser acts may occur. A person who is present in order to prevent ''yichud'' is called a shomer. The laws of ''yichud'' are typically followed in strict Orthodox Judaism. Adherents of Conservative and Reform Judaism do not generally abide by the laws of ''yichud''. The term ''"yichud"'' also refers to a ritual during an Ashkenazi Jewish wedding in which the newly married couple spends a period secluded in a room by themselves. In earlier historical periods, as early as the talmudic era, the couple would have sexual intercourse at this time, but that practice is no longer current. Source of the prohibition Deuteronomy 13:7 says: If your very own brother, or your son or da ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Star Online
''The Star'' () is an English-language newspaper in Malaysia. Based in Petaling Jaya, it was established in 1971 as a regional newspaper in Penang. It is the largest paid English newspaper in terms of circulation in Malaysia, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations. It has a daily circulation of about 250,000 (as of January 2017), far eclipsing the circulation of its next-largest paid English-language competitor, the '' New Straits Times'' (which has a circulation of approximately 65,000). ''The Star'' is a member of the Asia News Network. It is owned by the publicly listed Star Media Group. History The daily newspaper was first published on 9 September 1971 as a regional newspaper based in Penang. ''The STAR'' went into national circulation on 3 January 1976 when it set up its new office in Kuala Lumpur. In 1978, the newspaper headquarters was relocated to Kuala Lumpur. ''The Star'' continues to expand its wings over the years. In 1981, it moved its headquarters from ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Islamic Practices
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or ''Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the main and final Islamic prophet.Peters, F. E. 2009. "Allāh." In , edited by J. L. Esposito. Oxford: Oxford University Press. . (See alsoquick reference) " e Muslims' understanding of Allāh is based...on the Qurʿān's public witness. Allāh is Unique, the Creator, Sovereign, and Judge of mankind. It is Allāh who directs the universe through his direct action on nature and who has guided human history through his prophets, Abraham, with whom he made his covenant, Moses/Moosa, Jesus/Eesa, and Muḥammad, through all of whom he founded his chosen communities, the 'Peoples of the Book.'" It is the world's second-largest religion behind Christianity, with its followers ranging between 1-1.8 billion globally, or around a quarter of the world's popu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ayyam Al-Beed
The White Days or Ayyām al-Bīḍ ( ar, ایّام البیض) are specific days of each Islamic month; they are holy days according to the Islamic prophet, Muhammad. These days are the 13th, 14th and 15th of every month in the Islamic calendar. Shia Muslims believe that ''the white days'' of the lunar months of Rajab, Sha'ban and Ramadan are very virtuous. They are called ''the white days'' because of the colour of the full moon on these days. The moon becomes very white and can be seen by the naked eye. About the idiom In the idiom ''Ayyam al-Beed'' ('' ar, ایّام البیض''), ''Ayyam'' ('' ar, ایّام'') is the Arabic plural of "'", meaning "''days''" and ''al-Beed'' is the Arabic plural of "'", meaning "''white''" and "''bright''". "The white days" is its equivalent to English. Etymology There are two views on the etymology of this idiom: # One is that due to the fact that the nights in these three days are bright and white due to the fullness of the moon, th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rowman & Littlefield
Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group is an independent publishing house founded in 1949. Under several imprints, the company offers scholarly books for the academic market, as well as trade books. The company also owns the book distributing company National Book Network based in Lanham, Maryland. History The current company took shape when University Press of America acquired Rowman & Littlefield in 1988 and took the Rowman & Littlefield name for the parent company. Since 2013, there has also been an affiliated company based in London called Rowman & Littlefield International. It is editorially independent and publishes only academic books in Philosophy, Politics & International Relations and Cultural Studies. The company sponsors the Rowman & Littlefield Award in Innovative Teaching, the only national teaching award in political science given in the United States. It is awarded annually by the American Political Science Association for people whose innovations have advanced p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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