Khalwa (Sufism)

In Sufism, Khalwa (Arabic: خلوة, also khalwat; lit., "solitude"; pronounced in Iran, "khalvat"; spelling in Turkish, halvet) is a solitary retreat, traditionally for forty days, during which a disciple does extensive spiritual exercises under the direction of a shaykh. A Sufi murid will enter the khalwa spiritual retreat under the direction of a shaykh for a given period, sometimes for as long as 40 days, emerging only for salah (daily prayers) and, usually, to discuss dreams, visions and live with the shaykh. Once a major element of Sufi practice, khalwa has become less frequent in recent years. It is the act of total self-abandonment in desire for the Divine Presence. In complete seclusion, the Sufi continuously repeats the name of God as a highest form of dhikr, remembrance of God. Then, "Almighty God will spread before him the degrees of the kingdom as a test". The Khalwati order (Halveti) of Sufism derives its name from the term "khalwa".