Long before I arrived in Sudan, I had read about the Sufis. I had seen photographs of men dressed in flowing white robes, chanting prayers and moving in circles beneath the fading evening sky. But photographs could never capture the rhythm, the emotion, or the atmosphere. 

Every Friday, as the call to prayer fades, thousands gather to remember God through dhikr—the repeated recitation of His names. Voices rise together, drums set the tempo, and the gathering slowly transforms into an extraordinary expression of faith. For an outsider, it is unlike anything else in the Islamic world. For the Sufis, it is simply devotion. I had travelled to Sudan hoping to witness this remarkable tradition.  What I found was far more moving than I had imagined.

Hamid el-Nil Mosque

Where Faith Finds Its Rhythm

Every Friday afternoon, the open ground beside the Tomb of Sheikh Hamad al-Nil in Omdurman slowly begins to fill. Families arrive together. Elders greet old friends. Children weave through the gathering while worshippers prepare for the evening's prayers.

Then, almost without warning, the atmosphere changes.

Drums begin to beat. Voices rise together in rhythmic remembrance. The gathering becomes a living expression of faith, where prayer, music and movement come together in a tradition that has endured for centuries.

Mawlid

A Celebration of Devotion

Each year, during Mawlid, the celebration of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, the gatherings become even larger. Across Sudan, thousands of Sufis come together to honour the Prophet through prayer, recitation, storytelling and remembrance. Colourful flags flutter above the crowds while the sound of chanting carries across the evening air. It is both a religious celebration and a powerful expression of community.

The Dance of Dhikr

To many visitors, the dancing is the most unforgettable part of the gathering. The movement isn't a performance. It is prayer. With every turn, every step and every repetition of God's name, worshippers seek to draw closer to the Divine. Accompanied by the steady rhythm of drums, the dance becomes a deeply personal act of devotion, where the outside world quietly disappears.

"La ilaha illallah"

There is no God but Allah

As darkness settles over Omdurman, the chanting grows stronger. The words rise and fall like waves. One man begins to spin. Then another. Faces disappear beneath closed eyes as bodies move effortlessly to the rhythm.  the air hums with an electric pulse. The rhythmic chants of "La Illaha Illallah" (there is no God but Allah) ripple through the crowd, casting a spell over all who listen. Amid the gathering, a fervent devotee steps forward, their body spinning like a leaf caught in a mystical breeze. Eyes rolling back with each turn, they surrender to a trance, their movements a wordless prayer, a reflection of their spiritual journey in motion.

Time seems to pause as the dance reaches its peak. Each graceful turn speaks of a soul yearning to dissolve into the divine presence that surrounds them. Then, with a final surge of energy, the devotee sinks gently to the ground, their spirit quieted in fulfilment. At that moment, the boundary between body and spirit vanishes, leaving the air charged with sacred energy—a glimpse into the deep, transformative power of Sufi devotion.  As suddenly as it began, the movement slows. Silence returns.

The prayer is complete.

A Journey to Remember

Before travelling to Sudan, I thought I was going to photograph a ceremony. Instead, I found myself witnessing something far deeper.  The gatherings at Hamid el-Nil were not performances staged for visitors. They were living traditions, passed from one generation to the next, where music, prayer and remembrance became inseparable.

Long after the drums had fallen silent, it wasn't the photographs I remembered most.

It was the feeling of standing quietly among thousands of worshippers, watching faith expressed with such sincerity and joy.