Text Sarra Alayyan | Photography Robbie Lawrence | Styling Omaima Salem | Creative Direction Ali Pirzadeh | Choreography BENJAMIN JONSSON

Sufi traditions take diverse, powerful forms across geographies. In Turkey and Syria, the Mevlevi order performs the sema ceremony, dervishes whirling in hypnotic circles as a form of moving meditation. In Egypt and Sudan, the zār ritual, often practised by women, pairs drumming and dancing with invocation to exorcise spirits and restore psychic balance. And in Morocco, the Gnawa fuse rhythmic drumming with chants to induce healing trances, not unlike the qawwali musicians who build ecstatic states through dhamaal sessions at shrines across South Asia.

In contrast, it’s a silent affair in Bosnia, where Sufis gather for zikr, their rhythmic breathing taking the place of sound in meditative remembrance of God. Labour, meanwhile, is sanctified in Senegal and The Gambia, where the Mouride brotherhood equates discipline and hard work to acts of worship. What unites these traditions is their pursuit of fana (the dissolution of the ego) and baqa (a state of abiding in divine presence).

Charles wears skirt TOGA PULLA, sweatpants LACOSTE
Papo wears trousers and shoes NATASHA ZINKO
Sanjay wears trousers HERMÈS, scarf wrapped around waist KAZNA ASKER, shoes ROMBAUT
Cookie wears trousers DIOR
Zakaria wears skirt and trousers THOM BROWNE, socks STYLIST’S OWN, shoes MANOLO BLAHNIK
Miles wears skirt THOM BROWNE
Bradley wears trousers CRAIG GREEN

Originally published in Dazed MENA Issue 02| Order Here

Though the forms differ, the aspiration is shared: to polish the heart’s mirror until it reflects only what’s sacred. As spiritually devoid generations attempt to extend the lives they are half-living behind a screen by way of fitness apps, mushroom coffee, water-based cooking, and silent retreats, Sufism offers a route to wellness that extends well beyond the flesh. In celebration of Islam’s most mystical branch, this project, inspired by Ali Pirzadeh’s personal story, explores devotional paths as conveyed through the art of movement, particularly the act of trance-inducing rotations.

“Dance and movement have always been a refuge for me, a way to step away from daily routines and feel connected to something greater,” explains Pirzadeh. “After my father passed away, I found out he had been part of a Sufi community. That discovery opened a door for me and sparked a personal journey into Sufism that I’m still on today.”

“This concept and shoot are a tribute to my father’s memory, to the spiritual path that has become part of me, and to my Persian heritage,” he shares. “Inspired by Rumi, Shams of Tabriz, and the whirling dervish tradition, I’ve come to see movement not just as expression, but as prayer—a way to connect, to be present, to remember. It’s a celebration of the unseen threads that connect past and present, body and spirit, this world and the Divine.”

Originally published in Dazed MENA Issue 02| Order Here

Creative direction & hair ALI PIRZADEH at STREETERS using BJÖRN AXÉN, casting CHOUAÏB ARIF, make-up artist CRYSTABEL EFEMENA RILEY, choreographer BENJAMIN JONSSON, producer FIONA PERCIVAL, production company ALL HANDS PRODUCTIONS, photo assistants PAUL HEWITT, JESS ELLIS, ANDY MOORES, ALEX BIBBY, choreography assistant MATT ANTONUCCI, styling assistants SAM THAPA, NAHLA BENCHOHRA, LUZ SAEZ, MIKEE BEE MCCALLUM, JUDE WAITE, hair assistants JOSE DOMENE, KRISZTIÁN SZALAY, VILLANE WALCOTT, make-up assistants AYOPO ABIRI, FERNANDA PAZ, RUJEKO KAKONO, cast EMMA, CALI, FEDERICA, SAMMY, ADANNA, MILES, NILE, COOKIE, CHARLES, SANJAY, BRADLEY, ZAKARIA, PAPO, BOO, ARLETTE, LAURA