Derwish (Islam)

A member of an Islamic sect following a particular ritual, usually emphasizing the emotional part of religious life based on the repetition of [dhikr]

or religious formulae; and the achieving of a state of consciousness characterized by dreaminess and reinforced by dancing, drumming and so on, during which a highly complex sequence of movements may be performed without conscious thought and in a state of total absorption. There is an experience of spiritual elevation and unity.