ABSTRACT
After the novice (muríd) had completed his training under the guidance of a Sufi master, he obtained from the latter a license (ijáza) to instruct his own disciples in accordance with the master’s training technique. The muríd’s new status as an independent master in his own right was symbolized by the ritual bestowal-either
public or private-of a Sufi robe (khírqa) upon the graduate. The robe thus served as the Sufi equivalent of a present-day college diploma. In addition to the khírqa,1 a typical Sufi outfit also included a prayer rug, a rosary, a staff, a special headgear, and, in some cases, also a beggar’s bowl. With time, each Sufi community has adopted distinctive dress codes and colors that set it apart from other Sufi groupings.2
