Reviving the Path: the Remaking of Mevlevī Sufism in the Ottoman Realm, 1580s–1630s

Abstract This article analyzes a pivotal historical moment for the Mevlevī order during the long sixteenth century, highlighting the impact of “Ottoman Sunnitization” on its evolution amidst Ottoman empire-building and the rise of puritanical movements in Istanbul. It questions how the Mevlevī order became mainstream within the wider process of Ottoman Sunnitization. It posits that the Mevlevī order, initially comprising largely itinerant dervishes and operating through a network of small rural dervish convents, underwent substantial transformation within the extensive politico-religious landscape, partly in response to the escalating anti-Sufi sentiment in Istanbul from the latter half of the sixteenth century. This transformation involved redefining the order as a formal institution with codified ādāb , establishing extensive networks of urban lodges, and standardizing rituals and practices, marking a shift from the order’s initial fluidity and diversity to a more structured and conformist embodiment.