AKRE, Kurdistan Region - Around two thousand followers of the Qaderi Sufi Order from across Iraq arrived in Duhok province’s Akre town on Tuesday to celebrate Eid by practicing Dhikr and devotional acts in front of their leader, chanting the name of God and performing their rituals to the sound of daff in the three day event.

The dervishes belonging to the Wuliani Qaderi Sufi Order would chant the name of God and sway to the sound of the daff while the Munajat (a religious prayer) was said in front of their leader, Sheikh Wurya Sheikh Saeed Barzanji.

It is a Sufi tradition to gather at designated mosques, called Takiya, on occasions such as Eid, and the birthday of Prophet Mohammed, and perform Dhikr.

Sufism has a long history in the Kurdistan Region. There are four main tariqas: Qaderi, Naqshbandi, Chishti, and Suhrawardi.

The Qaderi tariqa got its name from its founder, Abdul Qader Gilani.

The tomb of Gilani in Baghdad is the site of pilgrimage from dozens of countries across the world, where the order has followers.

The Qaderi Order has congregational sites in 92 countries, including China and the US, with the majority of its followers coming from India and Iran.

Religious rituals often include loud prayers, entering a spiritual trance, and at times, the dervishes stab themselves with knives and swords without leaving any trace of injury behind, a sight that is filled with questions for many people.