Sufi Traditions & Holidays
Discover the sacred holidays and festive traditions that mark the Sufi spiritual calendar, each offering opportunities for deeper connection with the Divine and community celebration.
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Nisfu Shaʿbān – Night of Forgiveness
The Night of Forgiveness, midway through Shaʿbān, when destinies are written for the coming year.
February 2, 2026
Sacred Times in Sufi Tradition
Sufi holidays and sacred times are opportunities for spiritual renewal, community gathering, and deepening connection with the Divine. Each celebration carries profound spiritual significance and traditional practices that have been passed down through generations of mystics and seekers.
Month of Rajab
Dec 30 - Jan 28, 2026One of the four sacred months, known as 'the Month of Allah'.
Sufi Practices:
- Increased fasting and spiritual retreat
- Seeking forgiveness from Allah continually
- Extra prayers and dhikr
- Preparation for Ramadan through spiritual purification
Spiritual Significance:
A sacred time for repentance, forgiveness, and spiritual preparation
Haji Bektāsh Veli ʿUrs
Dec 31 - Dec 31, 2025Commemoration of the passing of Haji Bektāsh Veli, founder of the Bektāshi Order.
Sufi Practices:
- Candles lit in lodges
- Communal meals and gatherings
- Gender-mixed dhikr in Bektāshi centres
- Special prayers for the mystic's soul
Spiritual Significance:
Honouring the patron saint of the Bektāshi tradition and Turkish Sufism
Isra wal Miraj
Jan 16, 2026The Prophet's Night Journey and Ascension to the heavens.
Sufi Practices:
- Night-long prayers and contemplation
- Meditation on the Prophet's spiritual journey
- Extra remembrance of Allah
- Seeking spiritual elevation and divine proximity
Spiritual Significance:
Celebrating the Prophet's miraculous journey and spiritual ascension
Prophet Muḥammad's Wafāt
Jan 22, 2026Commemoration of the passing of the Prophet Muḥammad, peace be upon him.
Sufi Practices:
- Qaṣīda recitals in the Prophet's honour
- Recitation of Shamāʾil literature
- Quiet khatm for the Prophet's soul
- Contemplation on his legacy and character
Spiritual Significance:
Remembering the beloved Prophet and deepening love for his path
Nisfu Shaʿbān – Night of Forgiveness
Feb 2, 2026The Night of Forgiveness, midway through Shaʿbān, when destinies are written for the coming year.
Sufi Practices:
- Extra Salāt al-Tasbīḥ prayers
- Extended dhikr sessions
- Sweets shared for the coming year's blessings
- Seeking forgiveness and divine mercy
Spiritual Significance:
A night of cleansing and hope as the year unfolds
Ramadan
Feb 18 - Mar 19, 2026The sacred month of fasting, mercy, and divine revelation.
Sufi Practices:
- Daily fasting from dawn to sunset
- Extended nightly prayers (Tarawih)
- Increased dhikr and Quranic recitation
- Community gatherings and spiritual retreats
- Extra charity and service to others
Spiritual Significance:
The most sacred month when divine mercy and blessings abound
Laylat al-Qadr
Mar 15, 2026The Night of Power, better than a thousand months.
Sufi Practices:
- All-night worship and prayer
- Deep meditation and contemplation
- Seeking divine forgiveness and mercy
- Spiritual retreat and seclusion
Spiritual Significance:
The holiest night of the year when prayers are always accepted
'Eid al-Fitr
Mar 20, 2026The Feast of Breaking Fast, celebrating the end of Ramadan.
Sufi Practices:
- Community prayers and celebrations
- Giving charity (Zakat al-Fitr)
- Visiting family and sharing meals
- Continued spiritual reflection and gratitude
Spiritual Significance:
Celebrating spiritual renewal and community unity
Hajj & 'Eid al-Adha
May 25 - May 29, 2026The pilgrimage to Mecca and the Feast of Sacrifice.
Sufi Practices:
- Pilgrimage rituals for those able to attend
- Animal sacrifice and distribution of meat to the poor
- Community prayers and celebrations
- Acts of sacrifice and charity
Spiritual Significance:
Commemorating Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice for God
Islamic New Year & Ashura
Jun 16 - Jun 25, 2026The beginning of the Islamic calendar and Day of Ashura.
Sufi Practices:
- Fasting on Ashura (10th of Muharram)
- Remembering Prophet Moses' deliverance
- Spiritual reflection and repentance
- Community gatherings and remembrance
Spiritual Significance:
New beginnings and remembrance of divine deliverance
ʿUrs of Bābā Farīd
Jun 21, 2026Commemoration of the passing of Fariduddin Ganjshakar, the 'Sweetness of the Saints'.
Sufi Practices:
- Pilgrimage to Pak-pattan, Pakistan
- Singing of his Punjabi couplets
- Communal meals and distribution of sweets
- Dhikr in Chishti centres worldwide
Spiritual Significance:
Honouring the saint whose message of love transformed South Asian spirituality
Mawlid an-Nabi
Aug 25, 2026The Prophet's Birthday, celebrating the birth of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Sufi Practices:
- Deep connection with the Prophet's spirit through study of his biography
- Extra dhikr and remembrance of Allah
- Community gatherings and spiritual discussions
- Acts of charity and service to others
Spiritual Significance:
A time to connect deeply with the Prophet's teachings and emulate his character
ʿUrs of ʿAbd al-Qādir Jīlānī
Nov 18, 2026Commemoration of the passing of the Great Master, founder of the Qādiriyya Order.
Sufi Practices:
- Pilgrimage to Baghdad's Green Dome shrine
- Recitation of his sermons and poetry
- Dhikr in Qādiriyya centres worldwide
- Charity and feeding of the poor
Spiritual Significance:
Honouring the 'Ghawth al-Aʿẓam' who guided millions to divine proximity
ʿUrs of Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī – Seb-i Arūs
Nov 27 - Nov 27, 2026The 'Night of the Wedding' commemorating Rūmī's union with the Divine.
Sufi Practices:
- Whirling sema ceremonies
- Ney flute concerts
- Recitation of Masnavi poetry
- All-night dhikr and remembrance
Spiritual Significance:
Celebrating Rūmī's mystical wedding to the Divine Beloved
ʿUrs of Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī
Dec 8, 2026Commemoration of the passing of Imam al-Ghazālī, reviver of Islamic sciences and Sufism.
Sufi Practices:
- Readings from Iḥyāʾ ʿulūm al-dīn
- Night-long dhikr in Shāfiʿī and Sufi circles
- Study of his teachings on Islamic psychology
- Meditation on the balance of outer knowledge and inner realisation
Spiritual Significance:
Honouring the scholar who reconciled Islamic law and spiritual path for generations
Haji Bektāsh Veli ʿUrs (Annual)
Dec 9 - Dec 9, 2026The great annual gathering at Hacıbektaş, Turkey, for Haji Bektāsh Veli's urs.
Sufi Practices:
- Large gathering at Hacıbektaş, Turkey
- Repeat of New Year rites
- Communal meals and dhikr
- Honouring the lineage of Bektāshi masters
Spiritual Significance:
Annual pilgrimage to the spiritual home of the Bektāshi Order
Recurring Monthly & Seasonal Practices
Living traditions that punctuate the Sufi year
Rābiʿ al-Awwal 12 – Mawlid an-Nabī
While celebrated by all Muslims, Sufi centres transform this into all-night samaʿ with Qaṣīda al-Burda recitals, music, and communal feasting in honour of the Prophet.
Rajab 27 – Laylat al-Isrāʾ wal-Miʿrāj
Night-long prayers commemorating the Prophet's miraculous journey. Many orders hold special dhikr ceremonies seeking spiritual elevation.
Shaʿbān 15 – Nisfu Shaʿbān
The "Night of Forgiveness" when destinies are written. Sufis engage in extended worship, seeking divine mercy and forgiveness before Ramadan.
Ramadān – Khatm Khāna
Daily completion circles of Qurʾān followed by dhikr after tarāwīḥ prayers. Many orders hold iʿtikāf retreats in the last ten nights.
Dhū-l-Qaʿda / Dhū-l-Ḥijja – Mini-Retreats
The months surrounding Hajj season are marked by khalwa (spiritual seclusion) and iʿtikāf mini-retreats, preparing hearts for Eid and the new Islamic year.
Sufi Approach to Celebrations
Inner Celebration
Holidays are opportunities for inner spiritual renewal and deepening divine connection
Community Unity
Festivals bring communities together in shared worship, remembrance, and celebration
Spiritual Reflection
Each holiday invites deep contemplation of divine teachings and personal spiritual growth
Pilgrimage & Ziyāra Traditions
Honouring the Friends of God through sacred visits
While the five universal Islamic feasts (Ramadān, Eid al-Fiṭr, Day of ʿArafah, Eid al-Aḍḥā, and ʿĀshūrāʾ) are observed by all Muslims, Sufi communities enrich their calendar with ʿurs (commemoration days), mawlid celebrations, and ziyāra (pilgrimage) trips to the shrines of the Friends of God (awliyāʾ).
ʿAbd al-Qādir Jīlānī
The "Ghawth al-Aʿẓam" of Baghdad, founder of the Qādiriyya Order. Pilgrims gather at the Green Dome for dhikr and blessing.
11 Rabīʿ al-Thānī 1448
Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī – Seb-i Arūs
The "Night of the Wedding" marking Rūmī's union with the Divine. Konya hosts the famous whirling sema ceremony.
3 Jumādā II 1448
Bābā Farīd
The "Sweetness of the Saints" of Pak-pattan. Chishti centres worldwide celebrate with his Punjabi poetry and songs.
5 Muḥarram 1448