Watteville, Madier, Schoenfeld, Sundra

Late 19th century to at least 1967

Mureed from Brussels, Belgium. Her upbringing was outside the church. In 1913 she came into contact with theosophy through her sister. After WWI she left for Switzerland so that her sons could receive treatment there. They stayed in Gstaad and later in Villier. One day her sister writes to her: ‘You should try to purchase some Sufi books’. She is initially unable to do this. She registers at the Jacques Delcroze’s Institute for Rhythmics. She then goes on to teach rhythm at the Geneva Conservatory. In 1923 she saw a small poster announcing six lectures by the Indian mystic Inayat Khan. She decides to go there. After the first lecture she buys the book: ‘The Mysticism of Sound’ and signs up for an interview with Inayat Khan. This will take place the next day at Talewar Dussaq’s house on the Quai des Eaux-Vives. After a number of follow-up conversations with Murshid, she is initiated into the Sufi Order, together with a number of other ladies. The following year, 1924, she goes to the Summer School in Suresnes for a month, where she meets Murshid’s wife, Begum, and the four children for the first time. She will continue to attend the Summer Schools until 1960. Her last correspondence (with Musharaff Khan) dates from 1967.

Bolly, Shafi

Mureed and center leader from Liège, Belgium.