Abstract:

The basic role of sufi cloisters is organizing the relationship between the disciple and the sufi master; they are places where tariqa lineages and sufi order-specific behavior patterns are conveyed. Therefore, a settled order in the cloister is of great importance for a tariqa to carry its existence into the next centuries. Rifâiyya is a sufi order that structured its cloister during the lifetime of its founder, Seyyid Ahmed er-Rifâî. The building, known as Riwâq Umm Abîda, served as the central tariqa cloister for three centuries; it has been a place visited not only by dervishes but also by people from all walks of life, since it also houses the tomb of the luminary of the order. However, no study has been conducted on the history of Riwâq Umm Abîda, which is one of the important examples of the organization of a sufi cloister and the process of turning tariqa luminaries’ tombs into a pilgrimage site. In this article the history of Riwâq Umm Abîda, its visiting etiquette and the restorations it went through are explained based on sources related to Rifâiyya and Ottoman archive documents that have not been studied before. Thus, new information has been revealed about the tomb of Sayyid Ahmed er-Rifâî and Rifâiyya which is accepted as the first sufi order that has been institutionalized. Keywords: sufi cloister, tomb, Rifâiyya, Ahmed al-Rifâî, Umm Abîda, Abu’l-Huda

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