Religious musical practices of Shazaliyya dervishes who migrated from Syria to Elazığ

Religious music has an important function in strengthening the spiritual effect of worship practices in mosques and lodges (tekke). Within the sufi tradition, music has been used together with practices such as dhikr and tasbihat and has been performed regularly in tekkes. The Shazeliyye Order, founded in North Africa by Ebu'l-Hasan eş-Şâzelî and later spreading to different parts of the Islamic world, is one of the sufi orders that attaches importance to music. This study examines the religious music practices of the Shazeliyye lodge operating in Elazığ within the tradition of the Shazeliyye Order. The subject of the research is the dhikr and musical activities carried out in the lodge established by members of the Shazeliyye Order who migrated from Syria to Türkiye following the Syrian civil war and settled in Elazığ. Within the scope of the study conducted to contribute the musical repertoire performed in the lodge to the literature, the musical forms used by dervishes during dhikr and other sufi rituals were identified. The lodge, led by Sheikh Shehir Ismail Seyyid Ramadan Efendi, organizes dhikr gatherings on certain days of the week. During these gatherings, practices such as the Great Prayer of Forgiveness, salat-ı meşîşiyye, esmâ-i husnâ, kelime-i tevhid, salawat, and the dhikr of the divine name are performed. In addition, various hymns are recited during the dhikr, while some poetic texts are performed in the form of improvised (irtijali) qasidas. The study consists of three chapters. The first chapter discusses sufism, religious music, and the relationship between sufism and music. The second chapter examines the establishment of the Shazeliyye Order, the life of Ebu'l-Hasan eş-Şâzelî, the branches of the order related to the subject of the study, and the formation process of the lodge in Elazığ. The third chapter evaluates the dhikr methods, hymns, and musical performances practiced in the lodge. The study employs qualitative research methods, particularly participant observation and interviews, and the collected musical works were transcribed into notation. As in many other sufi orders, the findings demonstrate that music occupies an important place within the Shazeliyye tradition.