The sublime Thursday’s

In the early 13^th century, Hazrat Amir Khusrau the legendary poet, composer, inventor, linguist, historian and scholar, wrote Qissa-ye Chahār Darvēsh (The Tale of Four Dervishes), known as Bāgh-o Bahār (Garden and Spring) for his Pir, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya.

In this delightful composition, Hazrat Khusrau wrote of a princess who got beautiful palaces constructed. When her father, the King, expressed surprise about who had got these palaces made, the princess wrote a letter to him, inviting him to visit her beautiful palace on Thursday. Referring to herself as the King’s slave, she wrote:

“This slave hopes that tomorrow, being Thursday, is a propitious day, and to me, it is more welcome than the day of Nau Roz, your majesty’s person resembles the sun; by condescending to come here, be pleased to bestow, with your light, value and dignity…”

What the princess said about Thursday in Hazrat Khusrau’s work bears careful consideration: Thursday is a propitious day, and to me, it is more welcome than the day of Nau Roz…

More than 700 years ago, Hazrat Khusrau wrote of the significance of Thursday in the Sufi tradition. Expressing his devotion and gratitude towards this revered day, he called it even more auspicious than Nau Roz (Nowruz), meaning “new day” in Persian – a 3,000-year-old celebration marking the first day of spring and the Persian New Year.

Such is the weightiness of Thursday for the seekers. The day is deeply rooted in Islamic teachings and practices. Thursday evening, known as Shab-e-Jumaa, is regarded as the bright and blessed night when the mercy of the Almighty flows abundantly. A hadith on Thursday illustrates the magnificence of this day, stating, “There is no day or night which is paralleled to the night of Thursday and the day of Friday”.

It is believed by the Sufis that the gates of paradise are opened on Thursdays, and prayers made during this time with a sincere and humble heart are believed to be accepted by the Almighty. In Islamic tradition and Sufism, Thursday night is considered sacred for spiritual growth, self-reflection, and connection with the Divine. It has Prophetic significance, is a night of forgiveness, a time for spiritual preparation, the time when angels descend to earth, and a time for Sufi gatherings, devotional practices, and communal prayers.

Hazrat Sharfuddin Ahmed Yahya Maneri, popularly known as Makhdoom-ul-Mulk Bihari and Makhdoom-e-Jahan (1263–1381), a 13th-century Sufi mystic and saint in medieval Bihar, spoke of the exaltedness of Thursday. The passage attributed to Hazrat Sharfuddin Maneri mentions the holy day in this way:

Sheikh Muizzuddin said: It is said that on Thursday evenings the doors of Paradise are flung open. Is this true or not? The Venerable Master replied: It is attested to by sayings and traditions, and it could be true that this is so. What cause for astonishment is there if one day is blessed?

Again, he asked: What is the effect of the doors of Paradise being opened? He replied: When the doors of Paradise are flung open, the result is that the mercy of the Lord descends upon His servants. As a result of this, there is an increase in their acts of devotion and perfections.

There are references to Yaum ul-Mazid in this context. Yaum ul-Mazid is an Arabic phrase that translates to The Day of Increase or The Day of More. Thursday evening, in the Muslim reckoning, was really Friday, which began at sunset, Thursday.

It is said that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) often undertook journeys or battles on Thursdays, emphasizing its auspiciousness for endeavours. A hadith recounts that Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) fulfilled his needs when he visited the Egyptian king on a Thursday. In this way, the holy day is associated with fulfilling one’s necessities.

The reverence for Thursdays transcends borders. At centuries old dargahs and Sufi shrines in the Indian sub-continent, Thursday evenings exemplify the syncretic nature of South Asian spirituality, welcoming people from varied backgrounds. These gatherings made the dargahs and shrines most loved centres for spiritual growth, community bonding and cultural exchanges across faiths and traditions.

At the dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya in Delhi, Thursday evenings are marked by the rhythmic singing, claps and percussion sounds of the qawwali echoing in the courtyard, attracting large gatherings of those who seek spiritual upliftment, succour, guidance and peace. The tradition goes back to the devotional evenings of spiritual ecstasy when qawwals trained by Hazrat Amir Khusrau sang devotional verses in the praise of the Almighty in these same courtyards.

At the dargah of Hazrat Waris Ali Shah (1817–1905) at Dewa Sharif near Lucknow, special Thursday gatherings include qawwali sessions and chadar-poshi. The Pir had followers from many faiths, and his dargah is a cherished site where spirituality blends with communal harmony.

Glorious and awe-inspiring Sufi rituals are associated with Thursday evenings. The reverence transcends borders, uniting seekers worldwide through shared rituals and practices that emphasize forgiveness, remembrance of the Almighty and community gatherings.

The collective ritual of hadra is a popular Thursday evening ritual among some Sufi silsilas in North Africa, Turkey, and the Balkans. The hadra transforms these Thursday evening gatherings into profound experiences of spiritual ecstasy by combining rhythmic dhikr, poetic chanting, music, movement, and Quranic recitation—all aimed at achieving divine proximity and collective transcendence. The ritual is practices by the Khalwati, Shadhili, Qadiri, and Rifa’I Sufi orders. It is also popular in some non-Arab Muslim countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia.

Hadra may be held at homes or in mosques too. Etymologically, the term hadra in Arabic means Divine Presence, and the human experience of it is known as Hudur.

During the hadra, rhythmic recitation of names and chanting of religious poetry are frequently performed together to attain spiritual ecstasy. Conservative Sufi orders do not use any instruments or may allow the daf (frame drum). Other Sufi orders use a range of instrumentation to perform hadra.

Central to the hadra is the rhythmic and constant repetition of divine names such as Allah, Hayy (The Ever-Living), or Hu (“He”), accompanied by physical movements like bending forward while exhaling and standing straight while inhaling. This synchronized rhythm creates a deeply meditative state among individuals, drawing participants into an immersive spiritual experience. The climax often features collective cries of “Allah! Allah!” or “Hu Hu,” intensifying the emotional and spiritual energy of the seekers.