Tunisia’s moderniser elites had long confined sufists and their ubiquitous shrines on the margins of society as they saw them as something of a hinderance than help to the country’s enthusiastic march towards social and economic development after winning independence from France 60 years ago.
Now, most Tunisians are living in what is recognizably the modern world as a result of progress that spread mostly westernised lifestyle, though sometimes shallow, to every corner of the small nation, with almost everything rising up including higher incomes and liberalisation of women and mores, manners and ways of life.
Five years after they gained freedoms of speech and organisation after the ouster of former president Zine El Abdine Ben Ali who upheld the state’s disdain towards traditional religious practices and beliefs, many Tunisians are casting doubt and questions about their society’s self-image, identity and future spiritual stability.
Used to constant progress, now with troubles stemming from a shaky transition towards a stable democracy , many were seeing everything is slowing down, declining or tumbling altogether because of economic stagnation, extremist Salafism advance and threat from Jihadists like the Islamic State and Ansar al Sharia.
Three Jihadist attacks at two landmark tourist sites and against a bus carrying presidential elite security force last year had ruined the country’ tourism industry and shattered the self-confidence of Tunisia—portrayed abroad as bellwether of liberalism and moderate Islam.
Average citizens and quarters of the political and intellectual elites are now eyeing the centuries-old Sufism for individual and collective healing from what it is widely as a polycrisis—a series of complex overlapping, interconnected economic, political and spiritual problems.
A recent survey by Sigma Consultancy pollers showed that 43.1 percent of Tunisians visit a shrine at least once in a year, with 11 century-old Sidi Mehrez’s in the old Tunis city as the most visited saint in Tunisia receiving 21.7 percent of the total worshippers.
Almost every village, town or city had been built near or around a saint shrine. The thrines or Zaouiya outnumber the 2.500 mosques in Tunisia.
« Tunisia’s society and urban structures are linked to the history of Sufism.Cities, towns and villages had been built around saint tombs or festivals like Sid Bouzid, Sidi Mansour, Sidi Bouali and the likes, »said Sami Brahem, a university teacher and political scientist at the government-run Ceres think-tank.
After five decades of state tight grip over religious and cultural life, the state has yet to reshape the country’s collective approach towards relgion, leaving a vacuum that fuel anxiety about the country’s identity as Islamist extremists attempt to build support within the society.
The potential role of Sufism grabbed the attention of the nation when hardline Salafists attacked the re-emerging Sufists in 2012, burning or damaging more than 40 shrines including Sidi Bousaid overlooking the bay of Tunis and located amid luxury villas and palaces of the most influential political , business and cultural elites and near the presidential palace.
« This is (spate of attacks) is only the beginning . They (the Salafists) will follow by destroying the archaeological sites of Carthage, Eljem and Douga . Then, they will oblige the men to grow beards and women to bear the Niqab. They have a whole strategy to change the country, » argued Mazen Cherif, a leader of the Tunisian Sufi Union.
These attacks and the wave of anger and anxiety they stirred had intellectuals and scholars arguing that was eyes-opener about rallying support from the government ,civic society and cultural circles to bolster the nascent revival of Sufism to counter Salafists.
« Salafism has had its day as it was an Islam of crisis and distress. Today, it is time for an Islam renewal with its brilliant civilisation and rich culture. Sufist Islam is the only kind of Islam to play this role of peaceful and humanitarian and humanistic Islam », said writer Ferhat Othman.
« The future is for Sufist Tunisia and with it the happiness of Islam, » he added.
With Islamist Nahda, which is main party in acoalition government with three other secular groups and with the most seats in parliament, is preparing to turn itself into leaning Islamist party in its next congress to shed its fundamentalist mantra, the need for Sufis would be more acute, argue scholars.
« The spiritual and religious vacuumm would widen with Nadha change and lack of a comprehensive Islamic policy from the state , only Sufism can fill the gap and satisfy the huge spiritual demands of the population, » said Ceres think tank’s expert Braham.
Other experts are not convinced by any contribution of Sufists in a modern society like Tunisia.
« Tunisia is a rational society now.Sufists do not fit in that society.Their strength is built on mysteries and illusions.They do not have savant leaders to adapt to our modern time, » said Ceres’s researcher Mohamed Toumi.
Meanwhile , ordinary Tunisians still visit Sufi shrines in their numbers to seek individual solace and some salavation from wordly problems amid widespread anxiety about the future as unemployment rises and spate of bad news from home and Arab environment reeling from tumblinh oil prices and soaring violence.
Whether in their daily talk or everyday habits, Tunisians swear by the saints and ask their blessings when encountering hurdles.
They see the traditions as a form of faith in Sufis they deem as a bridge to reach a kind of balance between spiritual safety, peace and helps.
Scholars say the importance of these shrines lies in spiritual and religious dimensions but also in their social role.
A shrine is a home of a Sufi and Sufis are only considered as such when they prove their commitment to the faith by proving their generosity and providing comfort and peace to people.
In addition to spirituality, a Sufi shrines provide food and shelter for the people in need. Nothing can be done without food in these places.
The Sufis have this saying, ‘If it wasn’t for bread, there will be no prayer or faith.’ These Sufi shrines still feed the poor today. Saints are believed to protect people from misery through worshipper donations, sometimes hefty offers by rich people.
For now, there are nascent Sufi organisations numbering some 30,000 followers mostly in the southern regions of Nafta and Redyief.
« Because Sufis are generally not interested in politics and are totally involved in their rituals, they can teach people who follow them some kind of political passivity,” added Toumi.