Are you looking for a sacred retreat focused around Rumi's teachings to rejuvenate your heart & soul?
Join us & meet fellow seekers from around the world in the historic setting of Andalusia, from April 26-30th, 2024!
What do you receive by coming on the Rumi Retreat?
Study the path of Love (Mazhab-e Eshq) that informs Mawlana Rumi's teachings. See the deep grounding of Rumi's teachings in the Qur'an, the being of the Prophet, and the Sufi sages of the Path of Love.
In the serene setting of Andalusia, rejuvenate your heart and soul. Take into your heart the wisdom and beauty of Rumi's masterpiece (the Masnavi) with someone who has spent 35 years studying Rumi's teachings.
We will go through some of the key moments of Rumi's life, and share some of the teachings that are particularly relevant for our lives today.
Insha'allah there will be music and dhikr as well. Bring your heart, bring your whole self, and meet Rumi-loving friends from around the world!
About Alqueria de Rosales
Alqueria de Rosales is a beautiful, serene, intentional community in the heart of Andalusia. It is designed to re-represent the spirit of Andalusia.
Have a look at this page for some of the beautiful landscape at and around Alqueria de Rosales.
The landscape is no mere "setting" here. The Rumi Retreat serves as a reminder that nature is a Divine manifestation, and a key component of connecting together the words of God (inexhaustible) with the mysteries of the human spirit (infinite).
To recall the words of the Sufi sage Pir Zia, the reason we feel such a sense of serenity in nature is because we ourselves are nature, and nature delights in nature.
Traveling to the Rumi Retreat
at Alqueria de Rosales
If you have any questions regarding transport please don’t hesitate to contact Alqueria de Rosales ([email protected]). They have over twenty years experience in coordinating travel to Alqueria de Rosales and always do their very best to help find a suitable solution for our guests.
Flights
The closest airports to Alqueria de Rosales are Alicante, Murcia and Granada, all approximately two hours drive away. Malaga airport is approximately a three hours drive. Taxi fares from these airports start at around €215. There are also options by bus for travel from various airports, including Madrid, to Alqueria de Rosales or nearby, and we are happy to advise on these details.
If a number of people are flying to one of these airports, the center may also be able to arrange a minibus or coach pick up to reduce per capita transport costs.
Once we have everyone's travel information, we will be happy to put those arriving at approximately the same time in touch to help you share rides.
Driving
If you are planning to drive to Alqueria de Rosales please bear in mind the following.
Alqueria de Rosales is about 4.5 hours by car from Madrid, 2 hours approximately by car from Granada, Alicante or Murcia. It is 5 km away from the small village of Puebla de Don Fadrique.
On arriving in Puebla de Don Fadrique take the direction to Collados de la Sagra, Carretera de La Losa road. After 3 km you will find a single lane road to the right with a big stone entrance. This leads to Alqueria de Rosales. When you reach the first property on the left continue through the gate into Rosales and you will see the venue and the mosque.
If you are using Google Maps search for ‘Alquería de Rosales / Asociación Cultural Azzagra’.
In the sacred landscape of Andalusia, come and experience the teachings of Mawlana Rumi, who was called "The offspring of the Soul of the Prophet Muhammad" already in his own lifetime.
In "The Rumi Retreat" we will take you to the heart of Rumi poetry, by studying Rumi's Masnavi.
We will have separate sessions for highlights of Rumi's life.
And insha'allah smaller circles for fellowship, discussion, and dhikr.
Highlights of Rumi's life
We are blessed to know more about details of Rumi's life than that of almost any premodern Muslim figure after the Prophet.
On "The Rumi Retreat" we will share with you many of the key episodes of Mawlana Rumi's life, teachings that will stay with you and keep you company long after the Retreat.
Why join this retreat with us?
Over the last twenty years, more than 1,400 friends from twenty countries have joined us in these journeys to Turkey, Morocco, and Umrah. These gentle explorations of sacred cultures and teachings are designed to rejuvenate your heart and soul, engage the intellect, and refresh the spirit. Our Illuminated Tours, Courses, and retreats designed to be a gentle and deep immersion, far beyond touristic headlines and cliches. Our goal is nothing less than learning about the heart of this rich, ancient, and thriving sacred culture, and in the process, your own heart.
Our Retreat Leaders:
Omid Safi
Omid is a Teacher in the Sufi tradition of Radical Love &
Founder of Illuminated Courses & Tours.
Omid’s passion for teaching has been recognized through the ten times that he has been nominated for professor of the year awards. He is a professor at Duke University specializing in Islamic spirituality and contemporary thought. A leading Muslim public intellectual, Omid is committed to the intersection of spirituality and social justice.
Omid has published extensively on the foundational sources of Islam and Sufism. His Memories of Muhammad is a biography of the Prophet Muhammad. His most recent book is Radical Love: Teachings from the Islamic Mystical Tradition (published by Yale).
Omid often appears as an expert on Islam in the New York Times, Newsweek, Washington Post, PBS, NPR, NBC, BBC, CNN and other outlets. He has a podcast (“Sufi Heart”) at Be Here Now. His Illuminated Tours have taken more than a 1,400 friends from over twenty countries to Turkey and Morocco since 2002, and he is now offering Illuminated Courses for online offerings on spiritual traditions open to seekers of all backgrounds.
On Illuminated Tours, you will receive the same passion for sharing of knowledge and enthusiasm in creating a community.
Sa'diyya Shaikh
Sa'diyya Shaikh is Professor in the Study of Religions at the University of Cape Town. She specialises in the study of Islam, gender ethics, and feminist theory, with a special interest in Sufism.
Her study of Islam began with an abiding interest in existential questions as well as a commitment to social justice – much of her work is animated by an interest and curiosity about the relationship between the realms of spiritual and the political.
She has published on interpretations of the Qur’an, hadith and Sufi texts; Islamic feminism; religions and gender-based violence; Sufism and Islamic Law; contemporary Muslim women’s embodied ethics; and marriage, sexuality and reproductive choices amongst South African Muslim women. She is author of Sufi Narratives of Intimacy: Ibn ʿArabī, Gender, and Sexuality(2012) and co-author and editor of The Women’s Khutbah Book: Contemporary Sermons on Spirituality and Justice from around the World (2022)
In her current work on ethics and Sufism, as well as in her own spiritual life, Sa'diyya draws on the inspiration, transmission and teachings of a number of contemporary Sufi teachers including Shaykh Muhammad Rahim Bawa Muhiyadin (rahmatullah alayhi), Shaykha Cemal Nur Sargut, and Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri.
What will we study together?
We will begin our retreat with an overview of the Mazhab-e Eshq (Path of Radical Love), a zenith of Islamic spirituality that situates love as the supreme self-disclosure of God, and the primary path of illumination.
We will then study the first volume of Rumi's Masnavi in an English translation (Jawid Mojaddedi translation), followed by key episodes of Rumi's life from traditional sources like Manaqeb al-'arefin.
We will weave into every day some of the most beautiful love poems of Mawlana Rumi, all freshly translated from original sources. No dubious "versions" that de-Islamize Rumi here. You can rest assured that you are tapping into the real, authentic, verified sources of Rumi's life, poetry, and teachings insha'allah.
Let us explore these sacred teachings together, rejuvenate your soul & make lifelong friends.
Our sacred retreat - A Word about the "adab" (refinement) of spiritual companionship
Some of you are veterans of traveling in a group context, for others this is a new experience. Our programs are by intention intimate, designed to foster a sense of community and collective seeking. Most of our travelers have never traveled in a group before, and you may not have either. But together we can undertake this journey, and insha'Allah make life-long friendships.
It is admittedly an unusual experience, where for a few days you will spend many hours in the company of new friends. Many people, I dare say most, find it extraordinary how friendships can form and deepen in such a short amount of time, and you may well come away with friends for a life-time. Others may become mindful of how they need a few hours each day for private reflection and solitude. There is no one right way, and we will honor each others' needs.
It is the qualities of our journey (openness to shared exploration, spiritual seeking, and refinement of community) that have attracted our participants. Those common qualities often serve to form meaningful friendships.
We ask all of us to treat our group as a community, and to look out for the welfare of all. These simple acts of kindness go a long way towards making a happier experience for everyone.
One of the "best practices" of retreats like this is to keep in mind that each of us, all of us, are on our journey to Allah. We each walk our own path, and our starting points may look different. We are not here to police each other's journey, or to offer uninvited "advice" or guidance. Our task is to walk our own path, and accompany one another on our journey.
No one is the "guide", the "guru", the "healer." We come as a caravan of friends, insha'allah bathed in the light of God, the Chosen One (blessed Prophet SAWS), and the illuminated sages of this path like Mawlana Rumi.
Cost & Registration
We are honored you read all the way until here. If this journey sounds like a good fit for you,
we would love to have you email us using the link below to answer any lingering questions and help your get registered.
Cost of the Retreat April 26th - 30th, 2024
$ 950
The registration fee is non-refundable.
This Fee includes your accommodation at the basic dormitory style at Rosales from the evening of April 26th to the late morning of April 30th. Included are also three meals a day. Also included are all the teachings, workshops, musical offerings, and dhikr sessions.
There are a few private rooms, primarily intended for couples and families, at Alqueria de Rosales. *All of these have been currently assigned.* A few of these, but not all, have bathrooms. These will carry 300-400 dollar surcharges per person. If you are interested in being put on the waitlist for the private rooms, email us. These rooms cannot be guaranteed, and are absolutely not available as single rooms.
We are committed to making a donation from every registration to humanitarian relief efforts in Palestine.
Any Questions?
If you have any questions, send us an email at [email protected]
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Testimonials from past Participants
Over the last twenty years, about a thousand friends from twenty countries have joined us in these journeys to Turkey and Morocco. Here are just a couple of feedbacks from past participants:
Gol Joya J.
"Dr. Omid Safi's Educational Program and Tour was immensely rewarding for me. I had the opportunity to see and do things which would not have been possible otherwise: visits with Sufi scholars, trips to little known mosques and shrines; and learned things I would not have found in a guidebook: insights into historical sites and monuments. Dr. Safi's poetic and mystical commentary brought a whole new meaning to seemingly lifeless objects in museums. In addition to all this, I met a wonderful group of people of all ages, from whom I learned, but also had a really fun trip."
Michael A.
"Luckily, after my initial day of acclimation, Illuminated Tours welcomed me and diverse travelers with open arms. From get-to-know-you orientations, to readings of and about Sufism, to shared family-style Moroccan meals inspired by faith and freshly picked food, our group became like a family over 10 days. Our visits to the shrines of Marrakech and Fes were purposely slow and prayerful, as our guides elaborated the history and religious context for each shrine. We were privileged to share in prayers with several local Islamic communities. And our riads served as serene places for reflection, refreshment, and respite with new friends. Omid and Courtney (...) are patient, kind, generous, inspired, experienced, and knowledgeable -- perfect for such an excursion. (..) Courtney Erwin is a longtime resident of Morocco with degrees and 20 years of experience in international law, Islamic studies, human rights, and interfaith relations. I counted on her for many practical details of my journey, as well as her love of Moroccan culture in all its idiosyncrasies. Thanks to them, I am not only determined to explore Istanbul with Illuminated Tours in the future, but also to explore Morocco again and reinforce the spiritual and cultural lessons of my first trip."
Prof. Tehseen T.
"Prof. Safi considers it a privilege to share his immense knowledge of the aesthetic and historic aspects of the many, many places you experience and people you get to know in these weeks. He has a gift for teaching through stories full of rich anecdotes and much humor. Along with this careful guidance he makes sure that everyone has the space to be their own guide. I learnt so much, from everyone. The entire trip is impeccably organized with the utmost care given to detail."
Jeff G.
“This tour was merely the beginning of a lifelong journey of understanding and reflection, I can’t think of a better guide on the path than Omid and Illuminated Tours.”
