Ḥaḍra in Ṣūfism - Encyclopaedia of Islam, THREE
[Article]
Waugh, Earle H.
Leiden
Brill
(1,050 words)
Ḥaḍra in Ṣūfism is generally translated as Presence-that is, it is capitalised to indicate the divine locus of the Ṣūfī's mystical goal. The word also refers to the culminating moment in the sacred conclave of the Ṣūfī order (Ar. ṭarīqa , lit., way), in which the devotees go through a transcending experience. Meanings associated with the word therefore range from the theological implications of the mystical encounter to the socially cohesive experience of attending to spiritual realities with other like-minded seekers. It was given its doctrinal and mystical