Embodied ‘Miracles’: Crossing the Boundaries of Pain (the Case of Tariqa Rifā ̔iyya in Kosovo)
Embodied ‘Miracles’: Crossing the Boundaries of Pain (the Case of Tariqa Rifā ̔iyya in Kosovo)

Summary/Abstract: The current study presents a Sufi group from the city of Prizren, which I met through my fieldwork in Kosovo. Starting with a definition of the common name of Rifā’iyya, this paper goes on to focus on the modern practices of Sufism in the Balkans, and in particular, the tariqa (path) Rifā’iyya in the Kosovo region. It describes the celebration ceremony of Ali’s birthday and/or the arrival of spring, the so-called darb al-shish ritual, in which members of the tariqa pierce their bodies with sharp objects. In addition, my paper examines the phenomenon of absence of pain or fear during extreme and painful religious practices, which carries with it the perceived status of karāmāt nafs (miracles of the Soul). My work seeks to make a comparison between the rituals (per se) and the existent academic literature in this field of research. The aim of this paper is to perceive the application of the so-called costly rituals or rituals of pain – unique rituals that the members of Rifā῾iyya practice on their bodies and in a communal context.The current study presents a Sufi group from the city of Prizren, which I met through my fieldwork in Kosovo. Starting with a definition of the common name of Rifā’iyya, this paper goes on to focus on the modern practices of Sufism in the Balkans, and in particular, the tariqa (path) Rifā’iyya in the Kosovo region. It describes the cele bration ceremony of Ali’s birthday and/or the arrival of spring, the so-called darb al-shish ritual, in which members of the tariqa pierce their bodies with sharp objects. In addition, my paper examines the phenomenon of absence of pain or fear during extreme and painful religious practices, which carries with it the perceived status of karāmāt nafs (miracles of the Soul). My work seeks to make a comparison between the ritu als (per se) and the existent academic literature in this field of research. The aim of this paper is to perceive the application of the so-called costly ritu als or ritu als of pain – unique ritu als that the members of Rifā῾iyya practice on their bodies and in a communal context.

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