Hujwiri's Critique of Dance (Raqs) in Kashf al-Mahjub

In this chapter Hujwiri argues that dance (raqs) has no foundation (asl) in either the religious law (shariat) or the mystical path (tariqat). By the agreement of the wise, dance is idle amusement (lahw) when performed in earnest and mere frivolity (laghw) when performed in jest; no recognized master (mashayikh) has praised it or exaggerated its worth, and whatever the people of embellishment (ahl-e hashw) attribute to it is void.

Hujwiri then explains how the confusion arose: because the ecstatic movements (harakat-e wajdi) of the genuine people of induced ecstasy (ahl-e tawajud) outwardly resemble dancing, a group of frivolous people imitated them, grew excessive, and fashioned a whole doctrine (mazhab) out of it. He notes that some among the common people came to believe Sufism was nothing but this and adopted it, while others rejected its very basis. Foot-play (pay-bazi), he insists, is ugly by bo...