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Article
Peer-Review Record

From the Periphery to the Center: Sufi Dynamics and Islamic Localization in Sudan

Religions 2025, 16(8), 960; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16080960
by Gökhan Bozbaş 1,* and Fatiha Bozbaş 2
Reviewer 1: Anonymous
Reviewer 2:
Religions 2025, 16(8), 960; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16080960
Submission received: 1 March 2025 / Revised: 15 June 2025 / Accepted: 19 June 2025 / Published: 24 July 2025

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The article is well-written and well-argued and I recommend publication. It could be improved by a more extensive use of some recent ethnographic work on Sufism in West Africa, such as for example Oludamini Ogunnaike's recent study of the Tijaniyya. The author should be easily able to integrate some of his research into his own article. They might also consider integrating the ethnographic work of Valerie Hoffman on Sufism in Egypt. Otherwise, the essay is ready to be published, with minor edits.  

P. 5: “…and helps harness social conflict”? Should this be 'avoid' instead of 'harness'?

Pp. 12-13: “Compared to Turkey, Tunisia, Egypt, and Jordan, Sudanese Islam exhibits a more rhythmic, participatory, and locally grounded character. In Turkey, zikir practices generally take place in private settings and often at an individual level, whereas in Sudan they are performed in public spaces and draw large crowds. In Egypt, zikir tends to focus more on individual spirituality, whereas in Sudan the integration of elements such as rhythm, 594 music, and dance emphasizes the communal aspect of the experience (Eltahir, 2003, p. 21; 595 Osman, 1990, p. 14).“ This does not seem to accurately represent Egyptian Sufism. The Imam Hussein mosque in Cairo, the centre of the old city, is a bustling centre of public Sufism. 
P. 15: "the badawīnotion of". Correct spacing
P. 17: “goodness is singular”. Rephrase or reword. Unclear as it stands. 

Author Response

 

Response to Reviewer X Comments

 

1. Summary

 

 

We are grateful to both reviewers for their constructive feedback. In the revised manuscript we

• replaced ambiguous wording (“harness social conflict” → “mitigate social conflict”);
• integrated recent ethnographic scholarship on West‑African Sufism (Ogunnaike 2020) and Egyptian Sufism (Hoffman 1995);
• added a 135‑word field‑note vignette to enliven the Findings section;
• clarified that “center–periphery” is used descriptively, not normatively; and
• updated the Introduction and Conclusion to acknowledge the April 2023 Sudan conflict.

All edits appear in Track Changes in the resubmitted files.

 

2. Questions for General Evaluation

Reviewer’s Evaluation

Response and Revisions

Introduction

Can be improved

Additional West‑African references inserted (pp. 4 & 12).

Cited references relevant?

Yes  

New citations added; all references cross‑checked.

Research design appropriate?

Yes

Three‑year ethnography unchanged

Methods described?

Yes

Minor clarifications on sampling (p. 8).

Results clearly presented?

Can be improved

Findings now open with 135‑word vignette (p. 15)

Conclusions supported?

Yes

No conceptual claims altered

 

 

 

3. Point-by-point response to Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Comments 1: “...and helps harness social conflict.”

Response 1: Implemented. We thank Reviewer 1 for drawing attention to the potentially instrumental tone of ‘harness’. We have replaced “harness” with “mitigate” in both occurrences to indicate conflict‑reduction rather than exploitation [p. 5, Paragraph 2, line 201] and “….intended is being mitigated as a collective ….” [p. 6, Paragraph 3, line 279] 

Comments 2: [Reviewer1, pp.12–13): Egyptian Sufism is also public (ImamHussein Mosque).]

Response 2: We appreciate this clarification. The comparative paragraph now acknowledges Egypt’s vibrant public zikr culture and adds Hoffman 1995 as support. Location: p. [ 13], Paragraph  [ 4], lines [ 632]–[ 634].
Inserted sentence: “In Egypt—particularly around Cairo’s Imām Ḥusayn Mosque—public Sufi zikr circles are widespread and highly participatory, echoing the Sudanese model in scale and visibility (Hoffman 1995).”

 

Comments 3: (Reviewer 1, p. 15): spacing error in “badawīnotion”.

Response 3: Thank you for catching this typographical oversight. It now reads “badawī notion” p. [ 15], Paragraph  [ 5], lines [747].

 

 

Comment 4 (Reviewer 1, p. 17): “goodness is singular” is unclear.

Response 4: We agree that the phrase required clarification. It has been re‑worded to “goodness is indivisible,” conveying the intended meaning p. [ 18], Paragraph  [ 4], lines [885].


Comment 5 (Reviewer 1): Integrate recent ethnography (Ogunnaike; Hoffman).

Response 5: We are grateful for this literature suggestion. Four targeted insertions have been made:
  • Tijāni ‘ocean of oases’ – p. [ 3], Paragraph  [ 1], lines [94] - [97]. (Theoretical Framework)
  • Fayḍa corridor Dakar→Port Sudan – p. [ 11], Paragraph  [ 1], lines [494] - [496]. (Sufism in Sudan)
  • Dhikr triad + bodily fourth layer – p. [ 10], Paragraph  [ 2], lines [461] - [463]. (Social Practices)
  • Shukr & hospitality – p. [ 11], Paragraph  [ 3], lines [511] - [514]. (Discussion)
All four sentences cite Ogunnaike 2020; the Egypt paragraph cites Hoffman 1995. Reference list updated accordingly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

In that there is no discussion of Sudan's current and disastrous war, the article does seem outdated. But with all the references to Sudan being on the "Islamic periphery" it also has something of an orientalist tone, like Trimingham. Examples include page 15, "Sudan far from mainstream centers of Islamic world..." Also, the author tells us several times that this is the product of years of "participant observation," but such studies often provide far more vivid data about what's happening on the ground, than this one does. But I have not recommended that the article be rejected because a) it is well written, and b) it provides a bit of a calm perspective, a positive perspective of Islam in Sudan, despite the decades of Islamic turmoil due to the Bashir government etc etc etc.

Author Response

 

Response to Reviewer X Comments

 

1. Summary

 

 

We are grateful to both reviewers for their constructive feedback. In the revised manuscript we

• replaced ambiguous wording (“harness social conflict” → “mitigate social conflict”);
• integrated recent ethnographic scholarship on West‑African Sufism (Ogunnaike 2020) and Egyptian Sufism (Hoffman 1995);
• added a 135‑word field‑note vignette to enliven the Findings section;
• clarified that “center–periphery” is used descriptively, not normatively; and
• updated the Introduction and Conclusion to acknowledge the April 2023 Sudan conflict.

All edits appear in Track Changes in the resubmitted files.

 

2. Questions for General Evaluation

Reviewer’s Evaluation

Response and Revisions

Introduction

Can be improved

Additional West‑African references inserted (pp. 4 & 12).

Cited references relevant?

Yes  

New citations added; all references cross‑checked.

Research design appropriate?

Yes

Three‑year ethnography unchanged

Methods described?

Yes

Minor clarifications on sampling (p. 8).

Results clearly presented?

Can be improved

Findings now open with 135‑word vignette (p. 15)

Conclusions supported?

Yes

No conceptual claims altered

 

 

 

3. Point-by-point response to Comments and Suggestions for Authors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comment 1 (Reviewer 2): The manuscript omits Sudan’s current war.

Response 1: We thank Reviewer 2 for reminding us of this crucial context. A brief note has been added to the final paragraph of the Introduction and the first paragraph of the Conclusion, specifying that the fieldwork concluded prior to the April 2023 conflict and explaining the relevance of the findings to a wartime reality (p. [ 2], Paragraph  [ 4], lines [72] - [74].

 

Comment 2 (Reviewer 2): “Periphery” may sound orientalist.

Response 2: We appreciate this sensitivity. The first occurrence now reads “…the ‘center‑periphery’ theory (used here descriptively rather than normatively).” (p. [ 1], Paragraph  [ 4], lines [34] - [35].

Subsequent instances are either put in scare quotes or replaced with “so‑called periphery” (p. [ 19], Paragraph  [ 1], lines [910].

 

 

Comment 3 (Reviewer 2): Results need more vivid ethnographic detail.

Response 3: Thank you for this suggestion. We inserted a 135‑word italicised field‑note vignette immediately above the “Findings” heading to convey the atmosphere of a typical Friday dhikr at Ḥāmid al‑Nīl Square (p. [ 9], Paragraph  [ 2], lines [401 - 418].

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

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