The Rifa?iyah; a fraternity of Muslim mystics (?ufis); once known in the West as 'Howling Dervishes'; were found primarily in Egypt and Syria and in Turkey until outlawed in 1925.

An offshoot of the Qadiriyah established in Basra; Iraq; by A?mad ar-Rifa?i (d. 1187); the order preserved his stress on poverty; abstinence; and self-mortification. It also performed the ritual prayer (dhikr) essential to all ?ufi orders in a distinct manner: members link arms to form a circle and throw the upper parts of their bodies back and forth until ecstasy is achieved. Then the mystics fall on a dangerous object; such as sword or snake; though such extremes; as well as thaumaturgical (magical) practices; probably appeared under Mongol influence during their 13th-century occupation of Iraq and have always been rejected by orthodox Islam.

The Syrian branch of the order; the Sa?diyah (or Jibawiyah); was given its form by Sa?d ad-Din al-Jibawi in Damascus sometime in the 14th century. Among the Sa?diyah; ecstasy was induced by physical motion鈥攚hirling around on the right heel鈥攁nd the sheikh; or head of the order; rode on horseback over the prone bodies of the members.