Sufi life style and understanding in Turkey in 21st century: The followers of Kenan Rifai and their artistic, cultural and political activities and attitudes

This thesis is a social anthropological research on a social group that the members of this social group are the followers of Kenan Rifai who lived between 1867-1950 and who were the leader of a sufi lodge that belongs to Rifai order which has significance in Sufism in the history of Islam. This social group is known as "Kenan Rifai ihvanı" (Kenan Rifai Brother hood) and the members call themselves shortly as "İhvan". The purpose of this thesis is to show how the members of "Kenan Rifai İhvanı" comprehend and live the conditions of present time and social, cultural, economic and political aspects of this age, and how they position themselves into these aspects. The interest on religion and Islam is getting bigger both in the world and in Turkey. This fact is the main power behind the purpose of this thesis. The concepts such as "religion", "mistisizm", "Sufism", "Islam", "spiritual life" are always in the agenda in social life and media. "Kenan Rifai İhvanı" is nourished from a tradition that has a history of more than 900 years. It has survived in a social structure that experienced transformation in last quarter of nineteenth century and in the first quarter of the last century. In the process of this transformation "Kenan Rifai İhvanı" has experienced the same aspects together with Turkish society. The details in the way "Kenan Rifai İhvanı" live are a kind of compact form of changes in Turkey. The relationship of "Kenan Rifai İhvanı" with the community in which it exists and survives; its relationship with the similar groups, and the relationships within inner dynamics of the group are the milestones of this thesis. This foundation of this thesis is based on the field work on "Kenan Rifai İhvanı". This text is formed through the information from not only from participant observations and in-depth interviews but also from many audio-visual materials and social media. "Kenan Rifai İhvanı" expresses itself through rituals and organizations that have been founded by its members. These rituals and organizations are the two main pillars of this thesis.