Venue Change For Sufi Nights in Fez

The Sufi Nights to be held in Fez on the evenings of October 28th and 29th will now be held at Dar Mernissi (see address below) rather than at Dar Tazi. The change has been brought about because of concerns for the weather

The Wazzaniyya Brotherhood

The objective of the Sufi evenings is to enable a rediscovery of Islamic civilisation through the richness and creativity of its spiritual, intellectual, artistic and social dimensions. It will also show how this civilisation can continue to be the breeding ground of universal values ​​and enrichment of its relationship with other cultures and religions.

During the conferences and round tables discussions will be devoted to the presentation, analysis and meditation on the theme that emphasises the essential importance for any society of maintaining and developing its individual and collective spiritual riches.

The Sufi evenings will be divided into two stages. From 20:30 on the 28th the round table concentrates on dialogue and exchange on the theme "Sufism & Poetry"

On the 29th the topic is "The 7 Cities of Love".

Each evening at 21:30 the talking will give way to experiencing the power of the Samaa delivered by different Moroccan Sufi Brotherhoods (Tariqas).

In parallel to these Sufi evenings, participants can enjoy a variety of cultural activities allowing them to discover the wonderful city ofFez and its wealth of traditional crafts as well as its artistic, architectural and spiritual heritage.

There will calligraphy workshops organised by Cherkaoui.

A fascinating and very different tour into the Medina will be offered by the charismatic Sufi, Frédéric Calmes. Frédéric is a well known musician and storyteller and his Medina tour promises to show visitors a totally different and in-depth view into what makes the Medina such a unique spiritual city.

The Sufi Evenings will be held at Dar Mernissi, 3 Rue Salaj, Batha

The Siqulliya Tariqa

The Sufi Brotherhoods will include: Tariqa Derkaouiya, Tariqa Siqilliyya and Tariqa Wazzaniyya

Tariqa Derkaouiya is Sufi Brotherhood founded by Sharif Idrisi Moulay Larbi Derkaoui. He was born in 1760 in the Moroccan tribe Beni Bou Zerroual Brih. He was the disciple of the great mystic Moulay Ali Ben Abderrahman El Amrani said Jamal El Fasi who had his zawiya (lodge) in Fes, at a place called Hummat Er-Remula. The doctrine of Moulay Larbi Derkaoui proceeds from tariqa Shadhiliyya jazouliya. He died in 1824 in his zawiya Bou Brih where he was buried.

The Siqulliya Tariqa are one of the most interesting Brotherhoods from a musical and historic perspective. Often their music crosses into the realm of polyphony. As a reviewer pointed out back in 2011, "...the singing seemed to have echoes of something else - a music from another place. There was no mistaking it; what we were hearing was a subtle polyphony - a texture consisting of two or more independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice The brother's voices rose and fell, others cut in underneath and the effect was what one might have expected from an early Christian liturgy".

The Wazzaniyya Brotherhood is one of the major Sufi groups in Morocco, and was established in 1678. They once played an important political role and still have a wide following across the country.

Speakers at the round table discussions include: Eric Geoffroy, Mohamed Ghani, Touria Ikbal, Fatima Lahdabi, Thanni Lharak, Souada Maoulainaine, Abdelah Ouazzani, Salamatou Sow and Faouzi Skali.

NOTE: For those unfamiliar with Fez,  Dar Mernissi is at 3 Rue Salaj, which is the street directly across the road from the steps coming down from the entrance to the Hotel Batha. 


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