Türkiye’s Konya Honors Mevlana Rumi

(MENAFN) Türkiye’s central Konya province once again emerged as a center of cultural and spiritual activity, drawing visitors from across the globe to observe the 752nd anniversary of the passing of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi—the esteemed Islamic scholar, poet, and Sufi mystic.

The commemorations opened with the hypnotic whirl of dervishes, establishing the ambiance for an 11-day series of events themed “Time for Serenity.”

The inaugural ceremony, widely referred to as “Seb-i Arus,” meaning “the night of union” in reference to Rumi’s reunion with the Divine, combined poetry, prayer, and moments of contemplative silence, welcoming guests and dignitaries to the Mevlana Culture Center on Dec. 7, 2025.

Central to the observance was the Sema, the sacred whirling ritual representing spiritual elevation and Mevlana’s concept of vuslat, or union with the Divine.

Rooted in the Mevlevi tradition established after Rumi’s death in 1273, the ceremony follows a meticulously organized sequence: beginning with the Nat-i Serif in honor of Prophet Muhammad, followed by the entrance of the semazens with arms crossed. They then remove their waistcoats—a symbolic act of surrendering the ego—before commencing the whirling. The ritual concludes with exchanges of peace and a recitation from the Holy Quran.

In 2008, UNESCO acknowledged the Sema as a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Cultural Heritage of Humanity.”

Addressing attendees at the Mevlana Culture Center, Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry Fine Arts Director General Omer Faruk Belviranli remarked that generations of spiritually inclined scholars and “friends of the heart” have cultivated an Islamic tradition in these lands that "continues to illuminate the present day.”

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