Wikipedia's first sentence called it “sufi order most commonly found in the arab middle east but also in turkey and the balkans”. Today it says “prominent sufi order”.
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The opening as it read in 2005
The Rifa'i are a Sufi order most commonly found in the Arab Middle East but also in Turkey and the Balkans .1They have sometimes been (slightly derogitorily)called the 'howling dervishes' due to what some see as their 'excessive' practices during their zikr . Much of this may be due to cultural missunderstanding from 19th century Western travellers to the Middle East who may have indeed veiwed their practices as 'strange and/or excessive' they have been known to pierce their bodies using skewers and place hot irons in their mouths without injury, practices that although may have caught the imagination of Western travellers such as E.W. Lane in the last century have also incurred the wrath of both strict theologans such as ibn Taymiyyah and modern reformists alike, this is slightly unfortunate as much of this controvorsy has little to do with the founding Sheikh himself Ahmed ar-Rifa'i . It is said he was an extremely pious man of a humble nature who prefered to be amongst the poor and weak of society. Born in 1118 in Basra in southern Iraq he was a descendent of the Prophet Muhammad and related to Sheikh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani . It is also said that the story of his followers being able to pierce their bodies without injury relates to a time when Sheikh Ahmed ar-Rifa'i went to perform the pilgrimage to Mecca , on arriving at Medina (where the Prophet Muhammad is buried) and wishing to visit the resting place of the Prophet the guard would not permit him entry due to the fact that he was not wearing the clothes of a ' Seyyid ' (descendent of the Prophet )at this he is reported to have said: "As-Salam alaka ya jeddi" (Peace be upon you O my ancestor). At which the Prophet replied: "Alakum salam Ya walidi" (Upon you be peace O my son) and his hand came out from the tomb which Ahmed ar-Rifa'i kissed. On seeing this the people around him fell into ecstasy and began stabbing themselves with knives and swords. When this moment had passed and on seeing the injured people lying around him Sheikh Ahmed ar-Rifa'i went amongst them and healed them, since then the Rifa'i Tariqa has always had this gift to heal. Sheikh Ahmed ar-Rifa'i also authored a number of works on Sufism which have survived to this day. He passed away in 1181 in Wast in Iraq .2
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 17450192.
The opening as it stood in 2010 11 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
The Rifa'i (also Rufa'i , Rifa'iyya , Rifa'iya ) ( Arabic , الرفاعية)is the name of an eminent Sufi order founded by Ahmad al-Rifa'i and developed in the Lower Iraq marshlands between Wasit and Basra.The Rifa'iyya had its greatest following until 15th century C.E. when it was overtaken by the Kadiriyya order.Presently, the order is said to maintain influence particularly in Cairo, Egypt.One of the order's most reputable and distinctive features throughout its history has been the unusual practices of its adherents, which include walking on hot coals and consuming live snakes.The Rifa'i order is most commonly found in the Arab Middle East but also in Turkey , the Balkans and South Asia .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 367508562.
The opening as it stood in 2015 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear
The Rifa'i order / tariqa (also Rufa'i , Rifa'iyya , Rifa'iya ) ( Arabic , الرفاعية) is an eminent Sufi order founded by Ahmed ar-Rifa'i and developed in the Lower Iraq marshlands between Wasit and Basra.The Rifa'iyya had its greatest following until the 15th century C.E. when it was overtaken by the Qadiri order.Presently the order is said to maintain particular influence in Cairo, Egypt.Dhikr of Rifa'iyya Brotherhood . The Rifa'i order is most commonly found in the Arab Middle East but also in Turkey , the Balkans and South Asia .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 654593532.
The opening as it stood in 2020
Rifa`i (also Rufa`i , Rifa`iyya , Rifa`iya , Arabic , الرفاعية) is an eminent Sufi order ( tariqa ) founded by Ahmed ar-Rifa'i and developed in the Lower Iraq marshlands between Wasit and Basra . The Rifa'iyya had its greatest following until the 15th century C.E. when it was overtaken by the Qadiri order. The order is said to wield particular influence in Cairo, Egypt. Dhikr of Rifa'iyya Brotherhood . The Rifa'i order is most commonly found in the Arab Middle East but also in Turkey , the Balkans and South Asia .
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 945454336.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023 1 passage from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Sufi mystic order in Sunni Islam "Rifai" redirects here.Rifaʽi (also Rufaʽi , Rifaʽiyya , Rifaʽiya , ) is an eminent Sufi order ( tariqa ) within Sunni Islam founded by Ahmed ar-Rifaʽi and developed in the Lower Iraq marshlands between Wasit and Basra . The Rifa'iyya had its greatest following until the 15th century C.E. when it was overtaken by the Qadiri order. The order is said to wield particular influence in Cairo, Egypt. Dhikr of Rifaʽiyya Brotherhood . The Rifaʽi order is most commonly found in the Arab Middle East but also in Turkey, the Balkans and South Asia.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1171958188.
The opening as it stood in 2025
Sufi mystic order in Sunni Islam "Rifai" redirects here. The Rifa'i order ( Arabic : الطريقة الرفاعية , romanized : al-Ṭarīqa al-Rifāʽiyya ) is a prominent Sufi order ( tariqa ) within Sunni Islam founded by Ahmad al-Rifa'i and developed in the lower Iraq marshlands between Wasit and Basra . The Rifa'iyya had its greatest following until the 15th century C.E. when it was overtaken by the Qadiri order. The order is said to wield particular influence in Cairo, Egypt. Dhikr of Rifaʽiyya Brotherhood . The Rifa'i order is most commonly found in the Arab Middle East but also in Turkey, the Balkans and South Asia.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1282902092. This is our newest snapshot; the live article may have moved again since.
Today
Wikipedia's first sentence called it “sufi order most commonly found in the arab middle east but also in turkey and the balkans”. Today it says “prominent sufi order”. Read the current article and compare.
2005
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2025
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What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined since 2005, and today's defining sentence is their current revision.
Then
sufi order most commonly found in the arab middle east but also in turkey and the balkans
Now
prominent sufi order
Struck red text is no longer in the article; dotted amber text was rewritten. Every revision id links to Wikipedia's copy; the text shown is our own saved copy. Data: /data. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA; quoted for the record; not affiliated with Wikipedia.
