Persian Dervishes. Darwesh or Dervish, as it is known in European languages, refers to members of Sufi Muslim ascetic religious Tariqahs - tariket. Dervishes are involved in the esoteric side of Islam - and dervish orders mostly represent the teachings of various Sufi Saints who have lived over the centuries. In Persian (Iran), the word Darvish, also refers to a mendicant ascetic. The word Dervish means 'seeker of the truth' and the teachings of each Dervish order represent some of the infinite number of ways of being brought to the reality Itself. It is said that the number of ways to reality exceeds the number of grains of sand on the beach. It may be noted that this infinite number of ways to truth can often start at a point beyond the bounds of religion.