The Nature of Sema and Its Effect on the Heart
In Islamic spirituality, music and sema (whirling) are a powerful means of activating emotions hidden deep within the heart. Imam Ghazali (may Allah sanctify his secret) states that listening to sema brings forth a state already present in the person’s heart. For someone who has love for Allah and longing (shawk) for union with Him, music is like a wind that fans the flames of this divine love; they hear every sound as coming from Allah and perceive His power within that sound. Thus, sema serves as a sieve to purify the heart and, through that purity, to be receptive to Divine inspiration. However, for someone whose heart is filled with worldly desires and egoistic cravings, music merely functions as a dark smoke that stimulates those bad desires.
The Difference Between Divine Love and Metaphorical Love
Beauty naturally affects the human soul. The Most High Allah is absolutely beautiful in His essence, attributes, and actions, and He loves beauty. The love felt by those who possess gnosis (irfan) is not for forms or transient bodies, but for this unique and unparalleled Divine Beauty (Jamal). His beauty cannot be compared to any form or possibility within the realm of existence. Therefore, giving the name “love” to excessive affection for anyone other than Allah is in truth merely a metaphor. Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi (QS) emphasizes that sema is performed by dervishes with the purpose of falling into ecstasy, increasing longing for Allah, and uprooting love of the world from their hearts.
The Etiquette of Sema and Ecstasy
There are very subtle rules of etiquette to be observed in sema gatherings. Listening with peace of heart (sukoon) and controlling one’s ego while avoiding ostentation are essential. Loudly weeping or feigning a state of ecstasy solely for the purpose of showing off to those present is hypocrisy (riya). True ecstasy is the overflowing of the heart through the lifting of spiritual veils and the unveiling of secrets. If a person is moved by sincere joy and divine delight (surur) while listening to sema, this is permissible; but everything must be in accordance with the etiquette of servitude and sincerity. Sema gatherings are a spiritual training method established by great shaykhs and heirs of the prophets to revive hearts.