UNC
Films on Sufism and Saints
available
from The
Ellen-Fairbanks
D. Bodman Collection of Middle Eastern and Islamic World Films (http://www.lib.unc.edu/house/mrc/bodman/
Aşkilar: Those Who Are In
Love.
1995
38min
V5204 [Turkey]
The tradition of the aşik, the Shi’a Alevi
wandering
minstrels who sing of love for humanity accompanying themselves on the
saz, is almost extinct now in Turkey. The filmmaker roams through
villages,
interviewing old men - and one woman - who reminisce about their
devotion
to their saz, never played for money but always for the love of God and
others. Insightful examination of Sufi practice. Turkish with English
subtitles.
Dir./Prod: David Grabias for Sinema Productions.
Al-Tannoura.
1995 27min V5212 [Egypt]
The religious ritual dance of the Sufi order
of the Mehlevi dervishes of Turkey diffused to Egypt in the 13th
century.
Today it is found transformed into a folk artistic performance seen at
public festivals as well as at international conferences. Dir./ Prod:
Hani
Fakhouri, Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan/Flint,
Flint,
MI.
Bayt-al-Deen
Revisited (AKA Durus
al-Qalb)
V2081. 33 min (U.S.)
Bayt-al-Deen is a prototype madrassah
[Qur’anic
school] near San Antonio, Texas, with much of the teaching in English
conducted
by Shaykh Fadhlalla. This film offers an overview of the 140-acre
institution,
farming, family life together with vignettes of a ’Id al Adha
conference,
salat [prayer], and one scene of a Sufi zikr [ritual of ecstasy].
Produced
by Abdullah Nouri and Charles White for the American Academy of
Qur’anic
Studies.
Beaming One
(Bahauddin Naqshband) V4816.
19
min [Uzbekistan]
Dedicated to the 675th
anniversary,
this eulogy of Khayrat Bakhauddin Nakshband born in 1318 recreates
moments
from his life in the spectacular setting of Bokhara, quoting his adage
that ’the soul should belong to Allah, the hands to work.’ One sequence
addresses his Quiet Zikr; there is reference to the expansion of his
brotherhood
to 20 million today, of which a million are in Turkey. Dir: Shukhrat
Makhmudov.
Prod: Ibragim Ahmodov. Ozma Productions for the Foreign Trade
Association,
City of Bokhara.
Celebrating The
Prophet In The Remembrance Of
God: Sufi Dhikr In Egypt. 65-V5692. 39 min
Study of an Islamic mystical exercise that
has
evolved into a major communal ritual with important spiritual, social
and
psychological functions. Sufi dhikr, the chanting of the names of God,
is a regular activity in the lives of many Muslims, particularly those
who live in urban areas and villages that are home to the shrine-tombs
of important saints. In Egypt, communal dhikr is performed to the
accompaniment
of music and song, and the film explains the interaction of music with
excerpts from performances by several Sufi singers. It also examines
the
influence of social setting on dhikr, and such issues as the
participation
of women and children and the function of dhikr as entertainment.
Directed by Prof. Valerie Hoffman.
For Those Who
Sail to Heaven. V2738. 48
min
[Egypt]
This splendid study of the moulid (festival)
of Abu’l Hajjaj which is held annually in Luxor not only offers
personal
involvement in the rites, but stresses the ecumenical participation
which
has evolved. The content is enriched by clips from the films made by
Henry
Barnes of the same festival in 1925. Dir./Prod: Elizabeth Wickett.
Habiba:
a Sufi saint from Uzbekistan. V7097. 31 min
[Uzbekistan]
Documentary about Habiba,
a Muslim healer (Tabib) who represents the feminine side of the
Naqshbandi lineage of Sufi teachers in
Uzbekistan. Her clients include Russian Christians as well as Uzbek
Muslims, and she employs a savvy New Age rhetoric that ranges from the
Qur'an and the Prophet Muhammad to the Sufi master Baha'uddin
Naqshband, the snakes, and the mother goddess. Narrator, Louise
Landes-Levi.
Director, Costanzo Allione. [Presented by] Where the Eagles Fly. New
York, NY :
Mystic Fire Video, Inc.
; New York, NY : Distributed by Fox Lorber Associates, Inc., c1997.
Inner Life: Traditional World of Islam
#6). J206. 16 mm 30
addresses certain aspects of Sufism - the
mystical
aspect of Islam - the quest for spiritual union with God. Worship at
saints’
shrines, retreats for ascetics, ritual chanting and whirling dervishes
all exemplify different paths towards one goal. Lacking is any example
of lay Sufism integrated into society, the personal rather than
communal
practices.
Master Musicians
of Jahjouka. VHS.1 min
[Morocco]
62
This visually striking documentary preserves
the rich musical heritage of Jahjouka, a remote Moroccan village south
of Meknes. The lame, barren and mentally ill came to seek cures by
listening
to the music which had association with the local saint’s tomb, music
believed
to have special baraka - blessing power. The film studies the impact on
the villagers and the music in the 1960’s when Westerners such as the
Rolling
Stones rock musician Brian Jones, counter- culture figure Timothy Leary
and author Paul Bowles arrived with followers. Prod/Dir.:
Mendizza/Schuyler
Saints and
Spirits. (16mm) 26 min [Morocco]
The relationship of the individual to the
super-
natural through mediating influences is an aspect of Islam often
ignored
in orthodox literature and films. Here three such personal dimensions
are
explored through the experiences of one woman in Marrakech, Morocco.
The
indigenous music and sensitive narration compensate for the technically
uneven footage. Detailed background for this film is essential for
student
understanding and appreciation; it is ably provided by the accompanying
guide. Prod/ Dir.: Davie and Fernea, Granada TV.
La Sama, Danse
Mystique des dervishes.
V3274.
20 min [Turkey]
This careful, beautifully photographed study
of the meaning of the whirling dervishes is valuable for the studies of
religion and dance forms as well as of Turkish culture. In addition it
is an aesthetic delight. Cine and Tele Production for the Ministry of
Tourism
and City of Konya. In French.
Topkapi Palace,
5, The Sacred Relics
.V4357. 23 min [Turkey]
This video details the collection of sacred
relics amassed by Yavuz Sultan in the early 16th century and also the
special
building in which these are housed. Viewers are given close examination
of the robe, letter, seal, swords and other possessions of the Prophet
Mohammed as well a pieces of the arm of St. John the Baptist.
Turning
(Whirling Dervishes). V2607. 48
min
[Turkey]
This beautifully presented memorial for the
700th anniversary of Jalul’uddin al Rumi’s death traces the evolution
of
the human concept and appreciation of Universal Nature from the
Anatolian
Neolithic city of Catal Huyuk through Ephesus to Konya. The ritualistic
dance Sema of the whirling dervishes, in which Man is the link between
God and Creation, is both displayed and explained. Dir./Prod: Dianna
Cilento
for Beshara Fouad
Whirling
Dervishes. VHS. 12 min [Turkey]
Brief
photographic essay of a performance of
the Mehlevi dervishes dancing the sama, the Sufi ritual seeking
spiritual
union with God. Dir.: Giraard Vericruysse. Prod: Marc Mopty
Other films on Sufism available
elsewhere (listed on WorldCat):
Dervishes of Kurdistan. Brian
Moser, 1987. New York, N.Y. : Filmakers Library. The Disappearing world
series. Describes the rituals and beliefs of the Qadiri Dervishes,
Kurds who live along the border between Iran and Iraq. Explores the
intertwining of religious and political power in the culture.
Heart of the Koran. Lex Hixon,
1989. VHS tape (29 min.) Wheaton, Ill. : Theosophical
Society. Discusses unity of all major world religions, the Islamic
world view, and daily practices in Islamic spiritual life.
An interview with Sheikh Muhammad
Nazim Al-Haqqani Al-Qubrusi Al-Naqshbandi, Grand Sheikh of the
Naqshbandi Sufi Tariqa. VHS tape (60 min.). Altadena, CA :
Islamic Information Service, 1999. The Shaikh talks about the role of
Sufism in Islam, the Sufi approach to Islam and key terms.
Beyond the Pyramids lie fairgrounds of
the faithful. Knowledge 2020, 1996. VHS tape (45 min.).
Venice, CA : Knowledge 2020. This remarkable film offers the viewer a
rare opportunity to experience a world few westerners have ever seen
(Egyptian Sufi festivals).
Hubb ‘inda al-Sufiyah (Love among the
Sufis). Abu al-Wafa Tiftazani, ‘Uthman Mahmud, 1980, 1984.
Arabic Motion picture film reel (26 min.) : sd., col. ; 16 mm.
al-Qahirah : Wikalat Ti lil-Sinima wa-al-Tilifiziyun. Documentary on
Sufi habits with emphasis on three Sufi groups in Egypt:
al-Dimirdashiyah, al-Shadhililiyah, and Rifa‘iyah.