Is it related to Islam? Thanks...
2007-01-05 15:30:58 · 4 answers · asked by silverleaf90210 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The word Dervish, especially in European languages, refers to members of Sufi Muslim ascetic religious fraternities, known for their extreme poverty and austerity, similar to mendicant friars.
The term comes from the Persian word Darwīsh (درویش), which usually refers to a mendicant ascetic. This latter word is also used to refer to an unflappable or ascetic temperament (as in the Urdu phrase darwaishana thabiyath for an ascetic temperament); that is, for an attitude that is indifferent to material possessions and the like.
As Sufi practitioners, dervishes were known as a source of wisdom, medicine, poetry, enlightenment, and witticisms. For example, Mollah Nasr-ad-Din (Mulla Nasrudin, Hoja Nasrudin) had become a legend in the Near East and the Indian subcontinent, not only among the Muslims
2007-01-05 15:33:34 · answer #1 · answered by Lynda M ♥ 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A dervish is a member of the Sufi sub-sect of Islam.
Often they are ascetics, meaning they avoid all comforts and live in ways that you might associate with Christian monks.
2007-01-05 15:34:38 · answer #2 · answered by kjcedits 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
devil, demon, -- opposite of angel in general. It is a word in and of itself outside of Islam, though possibly it is used in Islam as well I am not sure.
There is the term "a whirling dervish" -- means like a tazmanian devel
2007-01-05 15:34:04 · answer #3 · answered by Ginger P 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Doesn't anyone use dictionary.com?
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dervish
2007-01-05 15:34:06 · answer #4 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋