Sufi Text

S U F I T E X T S

SUFI TEXTS

SUFI TEXTS

Editors Vahit Göktaş, Ali Tenik

Sufism is the effort to live Islam at the level of “ihsan”. It is the art of becoming a slave of Allah. It is a system targeting to raise raise perfect men. Sufism invites man to know himself. himself. Man is a being comprising body and soul. Similar to foods not being ignored for the body for a healthy life, food for the soul should also not be ignored. Sufism relates to man man both for his spiritual world and material aspect.

ISBN 978-605-4696-02-4

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E d i t o r s : V a h i t G ö k t a ş

, A l i T e n i k

Editors Vahit Göktaş, Ali Tenik

SUFI TEXTS EDITORS VAHIT GÖKTAŞ, ALI TENIK

ilâhiyât

SUFI TEXTS Editors: Vahit Göktaş , Ali Tenik

SUFI TEXTS

ISBN978-605-46961. Baskı: Sertifika No: 13858 Mizanpaj: Tavoos Sayfa Düzeni: Tavoos Kapak: TN İleti şim Baskı: Ankamat Mat.

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EDITORS

VAHIT GÖKTA Ş, ALI TENIK

CONTENTS

SUFi TEXTS TEXTS ............................................................................................... 7 1. LIFE AND MYSTICAL VIEWS OF ABU BAKR MUHAMMED IBN ABU ISHAK IBN YA’QUB AL-BUKHARI AL-BUKHARI AL-KALABADHI (DIED (DIED 380/990) ..... 9

Vahit GOKTAS HIS WORKS .......... .................... ..................... ...................... ..................... ..................... ..................... ..................... .................. ....... 14 1. Ta’arruf arruf ............ .......................... ............................ ........................... ........................... ............................ ............................ ................ 14 2. Bahr al-Fawa al-Fawaid id ......... .................... ...................... ..................... ..................... ...................... ..................... ................... ......... 20 Mystical Views of Kalabadhi ........... ..................... ..................... ...................... ..................... ................... ......... 21 2. EVENTS DONE AND WORKS WRITTEN ON MEVLANA IN “2007 MEVLANA YEAR” YEAR” .................................................................................... 49

Vahit GÖKTAŞ Works Published on Mevlana in 2007 Due to the Mevlana Year . 55 3. CATEGORIES OF SERVITUDE AND THE SENSE OF NOT FEELING OFFENDED IN THE THOUGHT OF AKSHEMSEDDIN AKSHEMSEDDIN ........................... 67

Vahit GÖKTAŞ - Muhammed Ali YILDIZ Introduction Introduc tion .......... .................... ..................... ...................... ..................... ..................... ..................... ..................... .................. ....... 68 The Servitude Thought and Categories of Servitude in Akshemseddin .................................................................................. 71 Man Who is Not Offended .......... ..................... ..................... ..................... ...................... ..................... .............. 77 BIBLIOGRAPHY BIBLIOGRAP HY ........... ..................... ..................... ..................... ..................... ...................... ..................... ................... ......... 79

LIFE AND SUFI PERSONALITY PERSONALITY OF IHSAN TAMGUNEY TAMGUNEY ....................... 83

Vahit GÖKTAŞ Introduction Introduc tion .......... ..................... ...................... ..................... ..................... ...................... ..................... ..................... ................ ..... 84 Life .......... ..................... ...................... ..................... ..................... ...................... ..................... ..................... ..................... ..................... ........... 85 Mystical Personality Personality of Ihsan Efendi ........... ...................... ..................... ..................... ................ ..... 92 References Referenc es ........... ...................... ..................... ..................... ..................... ..................... ...................... ..................... ................... ......... 95 ESAD EFENDI (1847/1931) AND THE SYMBOLIC LANGUAGE IN HIS DIVAN ....................................................................................................... 97

Vahit GÖKTAŞ Esad Erbili .......... ..................... ..................... ..................... ..................... ..................... ...................... ..................... ................... ......... 98 Divan .......... ..................... ..................... ..................... ..................... ..................... ...................... ..................... ..................... ................ ..... 103 The Symbolic Language in Divan ........... ..................... ..................... ..................... ................... ......... 106 Wine, Drink, Drink house, house, Wine Maker .......... ..................... ..................... ................... ......... 108 Cupbearerr (mugh): ........... Cupbeare ..................... ..................... ...................... ..................... ..................... ...................... ............. 109 Metaphors Metapho rs About Some Organs of Human Body ......................... ......................... 115 Waist Wa ist ........... ...................... ..................... ..................... ..................... ..................... ...................... ..................... ..................... ................ ..... 121 Conclusion Conclus ion ........... ..................... ..................... ...................... ..................... ..................... ..................... ..................... ................ ..... 126

SUFI TEXTS

Sharia and tariqa are the paths for those who a tain; Haqiqa and marifa are within those (Yunus Emre)

OPINIONS OF MUHAMMED ES’AD ERBILI (1847/1931) ON DHIKR .. 129

Vahit GÖKTAŞ - Ali TENİK IMPORTANCE AND EFFECTS OF REMEMBRANCE (DHIKR) IN SOCIO PSYCHOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGICA L TERMS ..................................................................... 143

ALİ TENİK - Vahit GÖKTAŞ

Sufism is the effort to live Islam at the level of “ihsan”. “ihsan”. It is the art of becoming a slave of Allah. It is a system targeting to raise perfect men. Sufism invites man to know himself. himself. Man is a being comprising body and soul. Similar to foods not being ignored for the body for a healthy life, food for the soul should also not be ignored. Sufism relates to man both both for his spiritual world and material aspect. The interest in Sufism has been increasing in the West day by day. The search for meaning in the inner inner world of the individual mediates people to encounter Sufism. Sufism. In this regard, Sufism contributes in man’s e ffort to known himself. Spirituality is like an endless endless ocean. Man is a travel-

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ler on this path. The travel continues every moment, every second. There are destinations destinations on this path. There are paspassages. Man reaches to God (al-Haq) (al-Haq) at the end of the path. There are obstacles on the path, like the nafs, devil and the corporal world, which prevent man from reaching his destination. Man could overcome overcome these obstacles obstacles through the training methods of of Sufism. Therefore, the spiritual training is a need in this regard. The humble work that you now have in your hands is a result of some articles we have wri ten in relation to Sufism and published in various various journals. Since the articles are related to different subjects, there is no coherence of topics. Some of the articles were published in various journals in Turkish. Some articles here are coauthored, coauthored, which is indicated at he beginning of the article. I would like to extend my thanks to Mr. Ali Tenik and Mr. Muhammed Ali Yildiz, who permited the publishing of the articles as a separate book. It is of no doubt that the greatest effort for the translation of these texts into English belongs to Ahmet Tunç Demirtaş and Salih Tahir. Tahir. I praise Allah that such such efforts of our brothers, who demonstrated the e fforts to translate the texts into English without any charge, be accepted by Him as an ongoing charity. And I take this opportunity to than my master Prof. Dr. Ethem Cebecioğlu, whose supports I felt in every field of my Works, with the hope that these humble articles will have a modest contribution in the field of Sufism.

1. LIFE AND MYSTICAL VIEWS OF AL-KALABADHI

1. LIFE AND MYSTICAL VIEWS OF ABU BAKR MUHAMMED IBN ABU ISHAK IBN YA’QUB ALBUKHARI AL-KALABADHI (DIED 380/990)1

Vahit GOKTAS

Introduction Montgomery Wat defines the period until 950 AD as the period of formation of Islamic thought. 2 The Sufi school of thought should be regarded as a religious study and discipline which was born during this period and emerged within its natural course. Continuing to exist even today, classical Islamic studies should be regarded as our civil, cultural, and religious heritage, in other words, as our wealth. Islamic school of thought and the consequently emerging classical Islamic sciences were born and did develop in such Islamic centers of civilization as Kufah, Baghdad, Alexandria and 1

Vahit Göktaş

2

This article puplished on pages pages 105-128 105-128 of Osh University Faculty Faculty of Divinty Journal, Bishkek, 2008. Wat , Montgomery W., The Formative Period of Islamic Thought, transl. Ethem Ruhi Figlali, Ankara 1981 1981..

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Basra which hosted the formation of religious, cultural and political characters of the said era. 3 Being an early Sufi who lived in the 4 th century AH in present-day Uzbekistan, Kalabadhi has authored important treatises in the area of tasawwuf. The fact that Kalabadhi was called “a Sufi, a sheikh, a sage, an imam, a muhaddith, a hafiz, a faqih, a scholar of usul, and an eminent man among the devoted and the virtuous” shows us the kind of polymath that he was. Kalabadhi lived in the period in which tasawwuf was born. The fact that he is a contemporary of such great Sufis of the time as Murta’is (b.328/939), Busanji (died 348/959), Ruzbari (died 369/979), Nasrabazi (died 367/977), Ibn Khafif (died 372/982) and Shibli (died 334/945) is significant in that he witnessed the development and progress of tasawwuf. In this regard, the information provided by Kalabadhi on the nature, birth and development of Sunnite tasawwuf, and the views and lives of Sufis is of great documentary value. 4 It is for this reason that he authored the book titled “Al-Ta'arruf li-Madhhab Ahl al-Sufi” (Book of Enquiry as to the Religion of the Sufis) for the purpose of understanding and explaining tasawwuf and Sufis in a period when those of them who were born in early 4th century were at the target of strong criticism in an environment of controversy that started with Junayd al-Baghdadi 3 4

Filiz, Sahin, “Our Classics, Classics, al-Riaya li Huquqillah” Huquqillah” ‘Tasavvuf’ Scholarly Academic Research Journal , Ankara 1999, year year 1, issue 2, page 148. 148. Mu’jam am al-Muallifin , I-XV Kehhale, O. Riza, Mu’j I-XV.. Dimashk, 196 1961, 1, v. VIII, p.222; Katip Celebi, Kashf al-Zunun , Istanbul. 1941, v.1, v.1, p.53; p.53; Bagdadli, Hadiyyat al-Arifin , v. II, p.54; Katani, 196; Sezgin, M. Fuat, Geschichte des Arabischen des Arabischen Schrif tms , , Leiden 1967 1967,, v. I, p.668; Uludag, Suleyman, Early Period of Tasawwuf , Istanbul 1992, p.12.


(died 297/909) and climaxed with Mansur al-Hallaj (died 309/921). Kalabadhi worked in the areas of fiqh, hadith, theology and tasawwuf, which is strongly re flected onto his works. The tradition of using verse for explaining religious and scholarly maters dates back to early periods of tasawwuf. Kalabadhi often resorted to verse to emphasize his point. Mostly belonging to his predecessors, these poems include his own work as well. This shows that Kalabadhi’s repertoire of poetry is rich. Therefore, one would readily see that he is a man of leters as much as of other disciplines. 5 It is not a surprise to us that Kalabadhi is such a polymath, since this was the case with most Sufis of the period. The Sufi has to strictly observe Qur’an and hadith. A person who is ascribed the title of scholar is a person who has excelled in many areas of study, and puts into practice all that he has studied. So a scholar would be a person who does not only know, but also act in line with his knowledge. Having lived in a period of advanced studies in Bukhara, which was one of the prominent center of learning, our author travelled to distant lands to seek knowledge as a result of which he became accomplished not only in religious but also scientific studies . Especially, it is known that he took interest in mathematics, and that he was very knowledgeable about numbers and made use of Muhammed b. Musa’s book titled “Kitab al-Jabr.”6 5

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Fikret Karapinar , Verification and Licensing of the First Eighty Leaves of Maan al-Ahbar of Abu Bakr Muhammed Ibn Abu Ishak Ishak Ibrahim Ibn Ya’q Ya’qub ub Ibn Yusuf Ibn Kasir Ibn Hatim Ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Kalabadhi (died 380/990) , , Seljuk University Institute of Social Sciences, Unpublished Masters Thesis, Konya 1999, 1999, p.65. Muhammed al-Kalabadhi and Maan al-Ahbar, al-Ahbar, UnBilal Saklan, Abu Bakr Muhammed

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Muslim scholars were very vigilant about foreign elements that atempted to penetrate into Islam, which they voiced in their works. The batle against external in fluences was fought more ef fectively in the field of of tasawwuf. Sufis fought internal mustaswik a fah and other external perils alike. The main objective of kalam is to defend Islam against internal and external a tacks aimed at it. Although he was a Sufi, Kalabadhi included in his work many ma ters about creed. Due to his meticulous approach to the coexistence of shariah and tasawwuf, Kala badhi mentioned ma ters of kalam in his works. It is noteworthy that the tasawwuf that Kalabadhi presents in his works does not include mawzu and Israelite hadiths. In this context, the mystical understanding of the author is in line with Qur’an and the verbal tradition (hadith). It is therefore that he was at times appraised by the Salafites.7 Being a Hanefite faqih, Kalabadhi’s mystical understanding is rational like that of Muhasibi, Abu Talib al-Makki (died 386/996), Kushayri (died 465/1073), Al-Sarradj (died 378/988), Hujviri (died 470/1077) and Ghazali, who a tach an equal level of importance to reason and interest, word and meaning, and the visible and the invisible. 8 Having been instructed by eminent scholars of his time, and excelled in all areas, Kalabadhi is a scholar who was capable of addressing and clarifying many problems of creed and kalam as he has an arsenal of knowledge that is capable

published Work, Konya 1991, p.9. First part of Al-Kalabadhi’s Al-Kalabadhi’s work in which he systemized his mystimystical understanding; in that part of his work Ta’arruf which is related to creeds (akaid), he abstains from resorting to ration and logic. 8 Saklan, Ma’a Ma’ani., ni., p.14; Uludag, Early Period of Tasawwuf., p.14. 7


of addressing the needs of his time. Writing an introduction for Mustemli’s commentary of Ta’arruf , Muhammed Rusen quotes the following from Fawaid al-Bahriya: “Muhammed b. Ishak Abu Bakr al-Bukhari al-Kalabadhi tafaqqaha ‘ala al-Sheikh Muhammed b. al-Fadl wa wa kane imaman usuliyyan wa wa lahu Kitab al-Ta’arruf jama’a fihi aqwala ashabina fi al-Tawhid.”9 Ismail Hakki Izmirli (1869/1946) explains Kalabadhi’s a titude on kalam and salaf as follows: “In the context of creation and takwin in his Ta’arruf , Kalabadhi agrees with salaf salaf imams, rejecting Ash’aris, and therefore the Qullabiyah. And since he presents this view as the opinion of the Sufis, self-knowing Sufis reject the Ash’ariyah, and therefore the Qullabiyah.”10 Yusuf al-Hamadani (died 535/1140), who played an important role in the shaping of the Naqshbandiyya order, also evaluated Kalabadhi and expressed his value. 11 The one work in which Kalabadhi’s in fluence is most apparent is Fasl al-Hitab by Muhammed Parsa (died 822/1419), one of the eminent figures of the Naqshbandi chain. We believe believe that the fact that they lived in the same geographical area had something to do with this. 12 So Kalabadhi has been gival-Ta'arruf li-Madhhab Ahl alMuhammed Bukhari Mustemli , , Sharh al-Ta'arruf Sufi , , v. I-IV, edited by Muhammed Rusen (Intisarat al-Asatir) Tehran 1363, v. I, p.4. This could be translated as follows: Being educated by Sheikh Muhammed b. al-Fadl in the area of fiqh, Muhammed Muham med b. Ishak Ebu Bakr al-Bukhari al-Kalabadhi was an imam and scholar of usul. He authored a book titled Ta’arruf in which he lists sayings on tawhid. 10 Izmirli Ismail Hakki, New Scholarly Kalam , Ankara 1981, p.281. p.281. 11 Ma’ Ma’ani’l-ahbar, ani’l-ahbar, Topkapi Palace Palace M. Ahmed Library Copy No. 538, see Ma’ani ni , , p.79. Saklan, Ma’a p.79. 12 Hace Muhammed Parsa, Fasl al-Hitab: An Introduction to Tawhid , transl. Ali Husrevoglu, Erkam Publications, Istanbul 1988, p.5, 99, 9

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en his rightful place in history as a Sufi and scholar who not only influenced the religious and mystical life of his time, but also paved the way for a genuine understanding of tasawwuf among Sufis to come, and even made important contributions in laying the foundation and ensuring the survival to day of a sound tradition of tasawwuf in terms of creeds, deeds and moral values. The founding fathers of systems are also the first makers of concepts. With Kala badhi, Sufi concepts have setled. Vagueness of some concepts, which was common in Sufi texts that preceded him, and especially in those of Muhasibi, is not a problem one would find in Kalabadhi. HIS WORKS 1. Ta’arruf

Al-Ta'arruf a'arruf li-MadhKalabadhi’s most famous work is “ Al-T hab Ahl al-Sufi. This work is regarded as one of the most important classics of tasawwuf, which is voiced by the saying, , which could be translated as: “If it was not for Ta’arruf, tasawwuf would not have been known.” Ta’arruf has served as a reference book for Sufis that followed. The first person to study Ta’arruf in our century and introduce it to the whole world is the British orientalist A. John Arberry. Arberry. He verified the said work for the first time, and the book 496; Parsa’s (died 822/1419) following words about the author are especially significant: “Being a sheikh, a sage, an imam and a leading devotee among great sheikhs, Abu Bakr Ishak al-Kalabadhi is t he author of Ma’an al-ahbar, which is known among the knowledgeab knowledgeable le as Bahr al-Fawaid, who spent most of his life in devotion (zuhd ), striving (mujahada) and austerity (riyada), authored the book Ta’arruf , and is an eminent man among authorized sheikhs and virtuous men.” Parsa, Faslu’l-hitab , , p.5, 99, 99, 496.


was published by Hanci Publications in 1934 in Egypt. After that, Arberry translated the book to English, which was published in London with the title of The Doctrine of Sufis with a short introduction. Following Arberry, it was reviewed for a second time by Abd al-Halim Mahmud and Ta Taha ha Abd al-Baki who are famous for their studies in tasawwuf, and was published in 1960 in Cairo. Later, a version reviewed by Ahmed Shams al-Din was published in 1993 in Beirut. Numerous publications of this work followed. Ta’arruf is one of the most importance reference materials of tasawwuf. Dwelling on almost all ma ters related to tasawwuf, providing basic information about tasawwuf history and doctrine, and providing accounts of Sufis’ creeds and experiences, this work was authored by Kalabadhi in the later part of his life. This book aims at correcting wrong beliefs about tasawwuf and Sufis. It is included in a group of Sufi treatises like Qut al-qulub , al-Luma and Kashf al-Mahjub writen in this period. Ta’arruf also in fluenced Sufi successors like Kushayri (died 465/1073), Ghazali (died 505/1111) and Hace Muhammed Parsa (died 822/1419). This work is also important in that it presents the essence and a realistic description of the Islamic mysticism approved of by the Sunnites. Ta’arruf provides a concise and clear account of the Sunnite creed, showing that tasawwuf is the path of love which is the very essence of Islam. Kalabadhi also pointed out that tasawwuf was su ffering from a certain extent of degeneration. He quotes in his work from eminent Sufis in order to show what true tasawwuf is. Here is what has been said of Ta’arruf : “Ta’arruf is an

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unprecedented work writen about tasawwuf.”13 “If it was not for Ta’arruf , we would not know what tasawwuf is.”14 In the introduction he wrote for Mustemli’s commentary of Ta’arruf , Muhammed Rusen Rusen says: “Abu “Abu Bakr Kalabadhi’s Kalabadhi’s Al-Ta'arruf Al-T a'arruf li-Madhhab Ahl al-Sufi became so famous from the day it was first published that some said, “ Lavla alTa’arruf arruf lama arifah al-tasawwuf” 15 and others said, “Lavla alTa’arruf labatal al-Tasawwuf .” .”16 about this book.17 As Arberry also puts, Ta’arruf is is a primary reference for the early period 18 tasawwuf.” Katip Celebi (died 1067/1657) expressed the importance of this book by saying that “ Ta’arruf is is a short but prominent work which is atached a lot of importance by sheikhs.”19 Ragip Pasha (died 1763) says, “ Ta’arruf is is a unique and useful work which points at the nature of Sufis and the truth about initiation (suluq).” And Nicholson says that, “Ta’arruf is one of the first fundamental reference works of the history of tasawwuf.”20 Arberry says: “This work of Aliyyu’l-Kari (died 1041/1 1041/1606) 606) refers to Al-Kalabadhi in explaining the possibility of seeing Allah. Aliyyu'l-Kari, Fikh-i Ekber Serhi , , transl. Yunus Vehbi Yavuz, Istanbul 1981, p.319. 14 Read “Law la al-T al-Ta’arruf a’arruf la ma arafna al-tasawwuf ,” this sentence was uttered first by Suhreverdi, the author of Avarif, and became common in the works that th at followed. Parsa, Faslu’l-hitab, p.99. Uludag, Early Period of Tasawwuf, p.43. 15 This could be translated tra nslated as follows: “If it was not for Ta’ Ta’arruf, arruf, tasawta sawwuf would not have been known.” 16 This could be translated as follows: “If it was was not for Ta’arruf, Ta’arruf, tasawwuf would have been incomplete. incomplete.”” 17 Mustemli, Sharh al-Ta’arruf, v. I, p.5; Katip Celebi, Kashf al-Zunun, v. I, p.419; Parsa, Fasl al-Hitab, p.99. 18 Arber Arberry, ry, A. J., “Al-Kala Al-Kalabadhi”, badhi”, IA, Istanbul Istanbu l 1977, 1977, v. VI, p.538. 19 Katip Celebi, Kesfu’z-zunun ,, v.1, 1, p.53. 20 Nicholson, Reynold Reynold A., The Sufis of Islam , Schocken Books, New York 1975, preface, p.5. 13


Kalabadhi is a primary reference for the history of early Sufism. Ta’arruf covers covers the creeds and spiritual experiences of Sufis as well as almost all ma ters related to tasawwuf.”21 Arberry also emphasizes that the book is short but more authentic than its similar predecessors. 22 Helmut Riter’s saying that “Ta’arruf is is the main book of orthodox Islamic tasawwuf, that is to say the tasawwuf of the Sunnites.” 23 is also noteworthy in that it reveals the power of Kalabadhi’s intellectual background. Ta’arruf both both served as a reference book for those who want to learn about the views of Sufis in ma ters of creed, and to some extent paved the way for authors in later periods owing to the fact that it is the first systematic work in this area. Observing that “Ta’arruf has has played a very important role in the achievements of Sufism in the official approval of Sunnite Islam. Therefore even Ghazali (died 505/1111), who said the final word in his Ihya about the reconciliation between tasawwuf and kalam, followed the path that was opened by Kalabadhi,”24 Arberry points at the importance of this book in the history of Sufi thought. Jabiri also confirms this point by saying “ Ta’arruf is is a cleverly-prepared fiqh fatwa targeting at the inclusion of tasawwuf t asawwuf in the permited (halal) or even the desirable (mustahab) circle by a most fanatic Sunnite.”25 21

Arberry, The Doctrine of Sufis , Cambridge 1935, p.66; Arberry, A. J., “Al-Kalabadhi”, IA, Istanbul 1977, v. VI, p.538. 22 Same page. 23 Helmut Riter, Orientalia , Istanbul 1933, v. v. I, p.79. p.79. 24 Arberry, mentioned work , p.14 p.14 (Introduction). 25 Cabiri, Muhammed Muhammed Âbid, The Formation of Arabic Reason , transl. Ibrahim Akbaba, A kbaba, Istanbul 1997 1997,, p.396.

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Ta’arruf is one of the primary reference works of history of tasawwuf among those wri ten by al-Sarradj (died 378/988), Abu Talib Talib al-Makki (died 386/996), al-Sulemi (died 412/1021) and al-Kushayri (died 465/1073). 26 All researchers, be it old or new, have made use of this source. It continues to day to be an irreplaceable reference work for many studies at national and international level, and the views it contains are also a subject of academic studies by others. In this regard, it has, due to the information it presents, attracted and impressed readers since the period in which it was writen. The first thing that Ta’arruf does does is to show who is a Sufi, and who are the true Sufis. Subsequently, it looks deep into all subjects of Islamic creed and the rules of tasawwuf, saying the final word as if to say “These are the creeds of the Sufis, and this is what tasawwuf truly is.” t he most imporTa’arruf presents the Sufi perspective in the tant discussions of the time like tawhid, or the atributes of Allah. The book discusses such ma ters on the basis of Qur’anic Qur’ anic verses, hadiths and accounts of the companions of the Prophet, providing examples of consensus of earlier Sufis.27 In the first part of his work, Kalabadhi provides a good summary of the Muslim creeds. The fact that he says “We believe in Allah’s words and surrender to His will in those maters whose nature or quality we do not know, and we also believe in the words and will of Allah’s Rasul (pbuh),” shows that he avoids kalamic interpretations, which indicates his closeness to Salafite creeds and practices.28 26 27 28

Arber ry, A. J., “Al-Kala Arberry, Al-Kalabadhi”, badhi”, IA, Istanbul Istanbu l 1977, 1977, v. VI, p.538. Tasawwuf , p.10. Uludag , Early Period of Tasawwuf p.10. Same work , p.15. p.15.


Ta’arruf is is the oldest reference work in the history of tasawwuf, which provides information on main Sufi subjects. One has to admit that there are many Sufi works that are dated earlier than Ta’aruf . Some works by Haris al-Muhasibi (died 243/857), Junayd al-Baghdadi (died 297/909), Mansur al-Hallaj (died 309/921), Ibn Khafif (died 372/982), and Niffari (died 354/965) have survived, and some of them have even been translated into Turkish. But since none of the foregoing works discuss all topics of tasawwuf in one volume and in a very orderly fashion, it would not be wrong to describe Ta’arruf as as the first systematic work in this area.” 29 With this work, Kalabadhi put tasawwuf back on track, preventing any deviations from its original course, in which sense he laid the foundation for Kushayri (died 465/1073) and Ghazali (died 505/1111). Wri ten as a reaction to non-shariah tasawwuf, Ta’arruf also provided answers to those who reject tasawwuf all together. In this regard, the book starts by appraising true Sufis and criticizing the false ones, aiming at bringing tasawwuf to the line of shariah. It is without any doubt that every age has witnessed several works that present the school of thought associated with that age. If the book is on the period of birth of a school of thought, this makes it even more important. And Ta’arruf is is an important book in that it present the Sufi understanding of a certain period, which makes up the birth and development of the Sufi school of thought. In short, Ta’arruf , with the topics it addresses and the scholarly and formalistic style with which it addresses those topics, the reasonable 29

Uludag, Early Period of Tasawwuf, p.19.

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and moderate explanations it provides, and the authentic interpretations that it makes, is an exclusive classic and an indispensable reference book among other works of tasawwuf. Today, Kalabadhi and Ta’arruf are are among the most fundamental sources in tasawwuf studies. Many commentaries to and manuscript copies of Ta’arruf were writen, which is an important evidence that t hat this book atracted a great deal of interest in the centuries to follow. Especially in its earlier days, Ta'arruf was was much welcomed and read, a lot of commentaries being wri ten to it. 2. Bahr al-Fawaid

It is another work by Kalabadhi which is at least as important as Ta’arruf . This book is cited with various titles in different sources, which are Bahr al-Fawaid al-Musamma bi Ma’an Ma’ an al-Ahbar al-Ahbar , Ma‘an al-Asar al-Asar , Ma‘an al-Ahbar al-Ahbar , Miftahu Ma’ Ma’an an al-Ahbar , Ma’ Ma’an an al-Ahadis al-Mustafawiyye , , Ma’ Ma’an an al-Ahbar 30 al-Mujtabawiyyah. Fuat Sezgin records that this book was writen in 375 AH. 31 There are numerous manuscript copies of this work at libraries in our country and in other countries.32 The copy in Alexandria Municipal Library in Egypt (writen in 1011/1602) and the copy in Dar al-Qutub al-Misriyya (1348/1929) was used for the first time by Muhammed Hasan Ismail and Ahmad Farid al-Mazidi to verify 79 out 30 Fuat Sezgin, Tarihu Turas al-Arabi , , p.175. p.175. 31 Same work, p.175. 32 For detailed information on manuscript

copies of the work, see Vahit Goktas, Al-Kalabadhi (380/990) and His Mystical Views, Ankara University Institute of Social Sciences, Unpublished Doctoral Thesis, Ankara 2007, p.68.


of 223 hadiths. This study was published by Dar al-Qutub al-Ilmiyya in 1999 in Beirut under the title t itle Bahr al-Fawaid al Mashur bi-Ma’an bi-Ma’an al-Ahbar. The other study conducted about the work is more comprehensive. Involving the verification of 100 out of 223 hadiths on 17 copies, the study was conducted in 1999 by Fikret Karapinar, which was presented as a Masters Thesis “Verification erification and Licensat Seljuk University under the title “V ing of the First Firs t Eighty Leaves of Ma’an al-Ahbar of Abu Bakr Muhammed Ibn Abu Ishak Ibrahim Ibn Ya’qub Ibn Yusuf Ibn Kasir Ibn Hatim Ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Kalabadhi (died 380/990).” Another study about the work is “Abu Bakr Muhammed al-Kalabadhi and Ma’ Ma’an an al-Ahbar” conducted by Bilal Saklan in 1991. In this study, Saklan provides information about Kalabadhi’s life and scholarly identity, as well as studying the contents of his work from the point of view of the study of hadith, and of source and reference. Being unpublished, said work was presented as a dissertation for the position of Associate Professor. Mystical Views of Kalabadhi

One should first say that Kalabadhi’s main reference in almost all ma ters is ayats and hadiths. The ayats he touches upon in his works are in general related to mystical and moral issues like belief, worship, the return to Allah, orientation, obedience, love, the greatness of Allah, love for and submission to the Prophet (pbuh), knowledge, puting knowledge into practice, al-amru bi al-ma’ruf wa al-nahyu ani

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al-munkar , mujahada , refinement of the ego, etc. His understanding of tasawwuf is not in fluenced by philosophy.33 Kalabadhi’s works contain important information about the intellectual and practical fundaments of tasawwuf. Kala badhii als badh alsoo prov provides ides nota notable ble expl explanat anations ions in basi basicc kala kalamic mic matters like the existence and oneness of Allah, destiny, the appointed hour of death (ajal) and death, even organizing these under separate headings in a way to present systematical materials that would lay the ground for centuries to come. 34 In addition to ma ters of creed, Kalabadhi also discusses concepts like repentance (tawba) , , remembrance (dhikr) , , prayer (du’a) , , ego (nafs) , , soul soul (ruh) , , reason reason (uqul) , , heart (qalb) , , love (muhabbah) , , self-supervision (muraqaba) , , observation (mushahada) , , dream, miracle (karamat) , , deception (istidraj) , , annihilation (fana) , , subsistence in Allah (baka) , , poverty values (akhlaq) , , (faqr) , , death (mawt) , , worship (ibadah) , , moral values gnosis (marifah) and knowledge (ilm) , , which are related to the states and stations in tasawwuf. In this way, he presents his views on the intellectual and practical domain of tasawwuf. Such views are also important in that they re flect the emergence period of tasawwuf. From the Sufi interpreta-

33 Philosophical

34

in fluences are almost absent from Early Period of Tasawwuf. By those years, the philosophical t hought had not fully penetrated into the Islamic culture. Therefore one could not talk about the philosophizing of Early Period of Tasawwuf. Erginli, Zafer, The Concept of Nafs in Early Sufis – The Example of Haris Muhasibi , Unpublished Doctoral Thesis, Bursa 2001, pp. 22,43. For ecstasy, see Ethem Cebecioglu, “An “An Introduction to t o the Understanding of Ecstatic Ejaculations: A Methodical Essay” ‘ Tasavvuf’ Scholarly Academic Research Journal , July-Decembe July-Decemberr 2006, issue 17 17;; pp.7-27.


tion point of view, Kalabadhi is one of the first persons to use and advocate these concepts. In the course of discussing mystical subjects in his works, Kalabadhi present his views under separate headings at some places and through the commentaries of ayats and hadiths at others. Reviewing the Sufi literature up to the point, Kalabadhi made observations about his time, held meetings with contemporary Sufis, and tried to show, in the light of the information, documents and findings thus acquired, that there should be and there is no separation or distinction between Sunnite tasawwuf and Sunnite creed (aqaid). Thus, Kalabadhi placed special emphasis on aqaid and kalam in his works, standing out among other Sufi classics in that he approached these ma ters in a way that unites the mutasharri and the mutasawwuf . Centuries ago, he provided a very good example in a ma ter that is important today as was important yesterday, paving the way for the integration and unison between Islamic disciplines. 35 Like other early Sufis, Kalabadhi presented the rebuilding of man as a solution for the chaotic outlook of social life, for which he emphasized the importance of self-realized and mature men. Sufi terms are milestones in the process of man’s maturation. In the Sufi period starting from the 10th century, the use of early Sufi concepts about the education, knowledge and gnosis aspect of tasawwuf became common with Kalabadhi, which is when states and stations were first mentioned. 35

Yetik, Erhan, “Klasiklerimiz/V "Ta’arruf li-Mezhebi Ehli't-Tasavvuf" (Abu Bakr Muhammed b. Ishak Al-Kalabadhi- d.385/995”) , , ‘Tasavvuf’ Scholarly Academic Research Journal , issue 6 (May 2001), 2001), pp.255-264. pp.255-264.

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Talking about ahwal and maqamat , , Kalabadhi analyzes the human soul, making an a tempt at defining its states of default, and the methods to protect one’s self from these. In Kalabadhi’s tasawwuf, mujahada and riyadah hold an important place. While Sufi terms were explained only as words before him, Kalabadhi studied these in two groups, which are stations (maqamat) and states (ahwal) . States and stations were difficult to distinguish because of the closeness and similarity between them, and therefore the terms were defined by Sufis as states at some times and as stations at others. While it was not possible to divide these terms into two generally acceptable groups of states and stations, the characteristics of station (maqam) and state (hal) were defined. Accordingly, station (maqam) is a meaning between one and Allah, it is earned through efforts, and therefore it is permanent. Each station has a starting and ending point. One has to master one station before he can move on to the next. According to some, passed stations are abandoned. Early Sufis stated that only a mature Sufi can hold several stations. On the other hand, state (hal) are meanings that reach man’s heart as a blessing from Allah. They are temporary, and not permanent. No one knows when or with what qualities they will come. According to some, the meanings which are states in the beginning can evolve into a station in one. State is the starting phase of station; a state will evolve into a station in time. And according to others, states are the outcome of stations, and stations are the outcome of actions, therefore he who acts in the most genuine manner holds the highest of all stations, and he


who holds the highest station is the one whose state is the greatest and highest of all. In his works, Kalabadhi discussed terms under the light of religious principles as much as possible, and avoided to include any meanings other than that. In his Ta’aruf , Kalabadhi names and explains seventeen terms as stations (maqamat) , , which are repentance (tawba) , , asceticism (zuhd) , , patience (sabr) , , poverty (faqr) , , humility (tawadu) , fear (khawf) , , piety (taqwa) , , sincerity (ikhlas) , , thankfulness (shukr) , , reliance (tawakkul) , , contentment (ridaa) , , certainty (yaqin) , , remembrance (dhikr) , intimacy (uns) , , nearness (qurb) , , contact (itisal) , , and love (muhabbah). The terms contained in Ta’arruf are isolation (tajrid) and individuality (tafrid) , , ecstasy (wajd) , , victory (ghalaba) , , intoxication (saqr) and sobriety (sahw) , , witnessing (shuhud) and concealment (ghaybah) , , being gathered (jam) and separated (farq) , , epiphany epiphany (tajalli) and veiling (istitar) , , annihilation (fana) and subsistence in Allah (baqa) , , gnosis (marifah) , , unity (tawhid) , , gnostic (arif) , , willing one (murid) and willed one (murad) , , striving (mujahada) and interaction (muamalat) , , abstinence (wara) , pleasantry (latifah) , , discernment (firasah) , , impulses (khawatir) , , dreams (ruya) , , Allah’s jealousy (gayratullah) , , tolerance (tahammul) , , death hearing (sama). Other than these terms, Kalaba(mawt) , , and hearing dhi also expressed views on creeds, morals and politics. Being the act of stripping off one’s visible and invisible stains and filth to reunite with the existence, repentance (tawba) is the first but a very important step in one’s process of ataining the consciousness of spiritual maturation (taqamul) and self-realization. At this step, the traveler (saliq) has turned his face away from all other than Allah and has

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made his mind for travelling along the stations of reunion (wasl). Allah waits for His subject to reunite with Him, re joicing in his repentance. repentance. Kalabadhi mentions three types of repentance. He says that “common people (awam) repent from sins, saints (awliya) repent from unawareness (ghafala) , , and prophets (nabi) repent from seeing themselves to be incapable of ataining what others have.” 36 In other words, nabis repent from the inability to a tain the higher stations of those sent before them.37 According to Kalabadhi; the achievement of a person with is to regret none that is lost. In this station, one is not upset about what he may have lost, and he does not seek it either. Wara is the state of abstaining from not only suspicious, but also allowable things. Because the station of wara is not one of praying and asking, it is a state of contentment (ridaa) and surrender (taslim). Wara calls for asceticism (zuhd). Zuhd is to abstain from following the desires of the carnal self, to keep a distance from all kinds of shahwah; and finally to keep a distance even from permited things (halal) , , abandoning all that causes one to drift away from Allah. It is considered a major sin to have pride in one’s zuhd. Because the things that one may abstain from are already unworthy things that do not belong to him. Therefore there is nothing to be proud about zuhd. One of the stages of spiri-

36

Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf, p.92; using a very similar discourse, Al-Sarradj suggests that repentance of common men (tawba al-awam) is from sins, while repentance of chosen men (tawba al-hawass) is from unawareness (ghafala). Luma’, p.43. 37 Al-Kalabadhi, The Path of the Sufis , transl. t ransl. Tacetin Okuyucu, Konya 1981, p.151.


tual maturity, according to Kalabadhi, is patience (sabr).38 Seeing patience and the state of poverty through reliance on Allah (tawakkul) and contentment (ridaa) with what He ordains (qada) as the ornament of prophets, sign of virtuous subjects, and jewelry of true believers,39 Kalabadhi also interprets it as keeping one’s nafs away from those things that are forbidden by Allah, imprisoning the carnal self in order to do Allah’s bidding. 40 Our Sufi talks about patience for patience, in which case the purpose of patience would be patience itself, itself, and not something else.41 Sahl Ibn Abdullah al-Tusteri (died 273/886) said “Sabr is waiting for Allah to open an exit.” Therefore Sahl sees patience as the most virtuous and highest service. 42 Kalabadhi interprets the saying, “Patience is to be patient about patient,” as waiting for an exit to be opened while engaging in the practice of sa br.43 Sahl Ibn Abdullah al-Tusteri interprets the verse, “Ask “Ask 44 for help through prayer (salat) and patience (sabr)” as follows: “Ask “Ask Allah for help, and have patience about Allah’s order.”45 Kalabadhi sees patience as a purifying element. According to him, one who is patient about troubles will be

38 While

al-Makki mentions patience as the second station, Al-Sarradj places it in the fifth. See Al-Sarradj, Luma’, p.46; Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf, p.94; al-Makki, v. I, p.298. 39 Al-Kalabadhi, Bahr al-Fawaid , lf. 163a. 40 Al-Kalabadhi, Bahr al-Fawaid , lf. 165b. 41 Recai, Hulasa, Hulasa, p.284. 42 Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf, p.94. 43 Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf, p.94. 44 Baqara, 2/45 45 Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf, p.94.

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purified from the filth of sin. 46 But patience must be shown at the first instant of facing the trouble. For Kalabadhi, it is a characteristic quality of servitude to show that one needs Allah. 47 He says that servitude is built on two things: knowing Allah, which is marifatullah , and needing Allah, which is iftiqar. Marifatullah is considering Allah to be free of any incomplete a tributes (tanzih) , , while needing Allah is to see one’s own self being used by Allah, observing his words and actions with Allah. Kalabadhi states that fear (khawf) and hope (radja) are two feelings that should always be at the foundation of worship. Khawf has steps too; a sorrowed state of fear first occurs due to a loss, and later on it evolves into vigilance (tayaqquz) , , and the final stage of khawf is fearing only for Allah without the fear of one’s end. And in radja, this reaches the level of hoping only to atain Allah. At this level, Allah will keep safe from all fears those whose khawf and and radja is toward and for Allah. Piety (taqwa) is one’s being aware of his weakness in front of Allah, and being honest with one’s self. The more honest and honorable one is, the stronger his conscience is. Therefore, the most pious (mutaqi) of persons are those with the strongest conscience. Consequently, taqwa is to abandon suspicious things in the first place, and then to also abandon permi ted things that cause one to drift away from Allah. Any pious person should regard his piety as incomplete, and ask Allah for forgiveness. And finally, one

46 47

Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf, p.94. Al-Kalabadhi, Bahr al-Fawaid , p.209.


should not live in taqwa , but should be annihilated in taqwa. That is to say, the creator should be included in the work, and the work in the creator. Kalabadhi defines sincere action ( ikhlas al-amal) as one’s abandoning everything for Allah, and turning to Him in and for all commi ted deeds, and seeing each action as a reason for repentance (tawba).48 Since worship (ibada) is, in the real sense, a secret between one and Allah, the ego (nafs) , , the devil (shaitan) and even angels (malaqut) should not intervene. In this context, ikhlas is the state whereby nothing comes between one and Allah. A person who is in this state will drift away from the wants and desires of the carnal self, aiming only at Allah and His contentment. He does not see the good deed that he does, at which point ikhlas constitutes the heart and soul of every deed. Kalabadhi explains the di fference between “praise” (hamd) and “thankfulness” (shukr) as follows: shukr is to understand that the blessing (nimat) comes from the Blessor, and to serve Allah in everything that he orders and bans. Hamd means to praise (sana) Allah, and to see the incompleteness of one’s own thankfulness. Defining the ultimate point of shukr as the point where one, after much endeavor, sees his incapa bility in duly duly thanking, thanking, Kalabadhi Kalabadhi divides divides shukr into into thankthankfulness toward Allah and toward people. He suggests that being thankful thankful to people is easier, easier, and that any person person who loses this type of gratitude is likely to lose more in thankfulness toward Allah, which is far more difficult. 49

48 49

Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf, p.99. Same work , p.167p.167-169 169..

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Reliance (tawakkul) is the absence of reaction against the deeds of Allah. It is a state of full surrender in the absence of regrets for the past. The essence of reliance is contentment and closeness to Allah. The hadith, “Tie your camel first, then put your trust in Allah,” which is commonly misconceived, is interpreted by Kalabadhi as “being silent against the verdict of destiny.” Kalabadhi explains in his work that contentment (ridaa) is mutual. Technically speaking, ridaa belongs to the created, while ridwan belongs to Allah. Combined, ridaa and ridwan would yield to satisfaction (itminan) , , stillness (sukun) and peace (huzur). The following dialogue between Sufyan-i Sarwi and Rabia al-Adawiyya (died 185/801) emphasizes the mutual nature of ridaa: Hearing Sufyan-i Sarwi (died 161/778) pray “O Allah, I ask for your contentment,” Rabia al-Adawiyya (died 185/801) replied “Are you not ashamed to ask for the contentment of a Person with whom you are not content yourself?” 50 According to Kalabadhi, the purpose of creating man is servitude (ubudiyyah) to Allah. The purpose of ibadah is to a tain yaqin, which is the truth about faith (iman).51 Allah will place His remembrance in the heart of the one who masters his false desires (shahwah) and liberates himself from the darkness of the carnal self, whose hearts are now satisfied (mutmain).52 If one keeps busy with the remem brance of Allah, He will make it easier to remember, the light of Islam will expand his chest, His remembrance will 50 51 52

Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf , p.102. p.102. Same work, p.81. Al-Kalabadhi, Bahr al-Fawaid , lf. 145 b. b.


bring comfort and peace to his heart to such extent that he forgets about the world and the self. He drifts away from his self and abandons the world. Allah keeps that person away from keeping busy with others than t han Him. Allah says: I befriend and accompany those who remember Me. He removes the veil between one and Him. The subject almost sees Allah. 53 Through dhikr and mujahada, no false desires shall reside in one’s heart, the fear at the beginning of the journey is replaced by hope, which produces intimacy intimacy (uns) 54 in the heart. One could get closer to Allah in a state whereby he is annihilated (fana) from others and gathered (jam) with Him. Fana and jam are two states that belong to the created. One cannot get closer to Allah by virtue of his own a tributes (sifat). The only way of geting closer to Allah is through His favor and blessing. According to Kalabadhi, when one gives up all hope of geting closer to and reaching Allah while he is himself, Allah treats that person with his blessing, diverting him away from the state of despair (ya’s).55 Contact (itisal) , , is the a tainment of the state of neglect (dhuhul). In other words, the reverence of the one in contact (itisal) for Allah prevents him from revering others. 56 Itisal is a state whereby one sees none but the Creator, and holds in his heart no image but that that of the Creator. For him,

53 54 55

Al-Kalabadhi, mentioned work, p.105. Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf, p.106. Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf, 107; Kuseyri says that any person who thinks of himself to be close to Allah is indeed very far therefrom. See Kuseyri, Risale p.82 56 Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf, p.78.

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action means separation while stillness denotes reunion. 57 Itisal is a quality that belongs to men of self-possession (tamkin) and sobriety (sahw). Just like the intoxicated being banned from prayer (salat) , , one who is under the t he influence 58 of inatention (ghafala) is veiled from reunion. While some contemporary Sufis preferred the word ishk instead of muhabbah , which originates from the Qur’ Qur’an, an, Kalabadhi preferred to use the word muhabbah , avoiding the use of ishk except for a few places. He dealt with and commented on many hadiths on muhabbah in his Bahr alFawaid, where he freely explained his mystical views on love, commenting on hadiths using the pleasures associated with good morals, love and the heart of man. Although he comfortably expressed the advanced stages of love, he took special care not to use the word ishk very often. Kalabadhi draws a distinction between bashfulness (haya) before Allah and before creatures. Haya before Allah is to abstain from commiting sins against Him, and to hold no one but Him in one’s heart. Therefore, bashfulness in this sense means cleansing false desires (shahwah) and negative emotions from one’s heart. In this context, Kalabadhi asks, “How can one not be embarrassed before Allah when he sees others than Allah in his heart?”59 This is the state of muraqaba , which is the highest level of bashfulness.60 Haya is directly related to muraqaba and ikhsan. In muraqaba, the traveler (saliq) abstracts himself from everything, and 57 58 59 60

Same work, p.108. Same work, p.78. Same work., lf. 249a. Muhasibi, Risaletu’l-mustersidin , p.181. p.181.


by reseting his lower self, he is liberated from false egos, self-realizing through the unfolding of all potentials. 61 And bashfulness before the creatures is the manifestation of Allah’s names and a tributes in one, which results in sound moral values. Judging by the importance Kalabadhi ataches to the liberation from the captivity of the ego that, it is not surprising that he focused mostly on annihilation (fana) and subsistence in Allah (baqa) in his book Ta’arruf in in which he dealt with the rudiments of tasawwuf. This is in fact the fundamental concept upon which tasawwuf is built. The concept of fana refers to a state where man loses himself in the being of the Creator, thus ataining the possibility to live within and through Him. Elimination of self-consciousness yields to a state of unity of the pure and absolute truth that precedes the object-subject duality. Kalabadhi lists ecstasy as one of the truths about creed, yaqwhich results from states of devotion ( zuhd), certainty ( yaqin), asceticism (wara) and sincerity ( ikhlas). Being a precursor of the coming states, ecstasy ceases to exist at the moment of observation (mushahada). Ecstasy has a comforting e ffect on those who like it, yet a person who is in the presence of the Truth (haqiqah) loses ecstasy as he is in peace. In other words, ecstasy is inversely proportional to peace. 62 In Kalabadhi, being gathered (jam) is the state of annihilation (fana) , , and being separated separated (farq) is the state of subsis-

61 Maslow,

Abraham, The Psychology of Being Human , transl. Okhan Gunduz, Istanbul Istan bul 2001, p.104. 62 Mustemli, Sharh , v. IV, IV, p.1455. p.1455.

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tence in Allah (baqa).63 In other words, one reaches the state of jam when he knows that he exists for the Truth (haqiqah) , , which is the state of pre-existence (adam) and annihilation (fana). With this state comes the power and knowledge of Allah. The knowledge here is the knowledge in the fixed spirits (ayan-i sabite) , , and nothing else. There is no difference between one’s absence or existence. One neither obtains any benefits nor protects himself against harms. Their qualities are as they were defined in the beginning of time. For the traveler (saliq) , , jam is absence (ghayba) , , and farq is presence (huzur). Because while one is entranced and sees himself under divine control in ghayba , he sees his actions states in farq. 64 In his explanation of Allah's jealousy (gayratullah) , , Kalabadhi also says that Allah does not like his subjects to be commiting deeds that would cause them to drift away. Furthermore, we also understand from relevant hadiths that Allah dislikes to have partners ascribed to him. According to Kalabadhi, it is not uncommon among persons who have a tained certain spiritual stations to experience states of altered perception like “hearing voices,” “visions,” or “receiving a warning or joyful tidings in dream.” Kalabadhi discusses Sufis in the context of heart purification (tasfiyya) and ego refinement (tazkiyya) . What Sufis actually seek to achieve is neither miracles (karamat) nor 63

Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf , p.119. p.119. Sulemi ataches to the state of ‘cem’ the same meaning as that of the state of ‘fena’. Sulemi, Tis’atu’l-Kutub, p.131. 64 Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf , p.119 p.119..


reputation. On the contrary, all e fforts and labor is for the purpose of purifying the heart and refining the ego, which eventually leads to approval by Janab-i Haqq. 65 Kalabadhi’s tasawwuf is built on an atitude whereby the individual keeps busy with his own state and serves others, avoiding to keep busy with other people’s defects. Sufis who talk of their states are regarded as beginners. Speech is the deed of those Sufis who have not made any progress in tasawwuf. Speech is seen as a desire of ego. 66 Early period classics place meticulous and rigorous focus on maters related to creeds. This meticulousness and rigor is felt more strongly in Kalabadhi. Before going into Sufi terms and the other topics of tasawwuf, he tried to present the Sufi point of view and understanding on creeds. The fact that Ta’arruf provides provides detailed views and the views of other Sufis on ma ters of creed, and also that Bahr al-Fawaid takes every opportunity to touch upon maters of creed when commenting on hadiths shows Kalabadhi’s sensitivity about itiqad in line with the structure of the period. Providing information on ma ters of creed, he defends the ahl al-sunnah creed, criticizing the members of the Murjia, Qadariyya and Rafiziyya. 67 With his particularity in tawhid, he paved the way for the Sufis to follow. Having said that, 65 66

Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf, p.24. Al-Kalabadhi, Bahr al-Fawaid , p.42; Sufis typically complain about speech in that it is a scourge of the tongue like self-centeredness, conceit or arrogance. They also complain that speech cannot directly replace the spiritual experience. But they do not absolutely oppose speech. For detailed information, see Cakmaklioglu, Mustafa, Language-Gnosis Relation in Ibn al-Arabi , Insan In san Publications, P ublications, Istanbul Istanbu l 2007. 67 Al-Kalabadhi, Bahr al-Fawaid , p.140. p.140.

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Kalabadhi chooses to stay out of the speculative aspects of kalam. In his works, he prefers to provide a foundation for Sufi views on creeds rather than the theoretical side of kalam (nazariyyah). This involves a reaction to certain degenerated non-shariah Sufi movements like Ibahiyya, Hululiyya and Itihadiyya which were common in his time, and also a reaction to those who reject tasawwuf. Kalabadhi, like Hakeem Tirmizi (died 216/831), sets a direct relation between reason and gnosis. He suggests that gnosis cannot exist in one without reason. 68 In one place, Tirmizi says that reason is a property owned by gnosis. He explains that the source of reason is the brain, and it is located in the chest area (sadr), and its field of activity is the whole body. Therefore, in Kalabadhi, reason is a concept that is mentioned along with knowledge and gnosis. As an opposite, one could suggest that reason does not exist where there is no knowledge and gnosis. Ego (nafs) and false desire (shahwah) are the enemies of knowledge (ilm) and reason (uqul). Kalabadhi divides knowledge into classes: 1. Knowledge through education (ilm al-dirasah): Also called knowledge through kindling (ilm al-iqtibas) , , this is the knowle knowledge dge of rules (ahqam) which is acquired once one has matured in the knowledge of unity (tawhid). 2. Knowledge through inheritance (ilm al-warasah): This is the knowledge of the scourges and tricks of the ego (nafs) , , the scourges scourges of doing (amal) , , and 68

About Job’s Job’s following prayer: “I was was struck by trouble, (I take shelter in you), You You are most merciful mercifu l among the merciful,” mercifu l,” which is cited in Enbiya: 83, Al-Kalabadhi says that Job is pleading in this manner for the fear of losing his mind. Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf , p.141. p.141.


the deceitfulness of the world.69 Gnosis (marifah) , , knowledge knowledge (ilm) and reason (uqul) are three inseparable concepts in Kalabadhi. Gnosis calls for knowledge, and knowledge in turn calls for reason. That is to say reason is knowing through knowledge, knowledge is knowing through gnosis, and gnosis is knowing through the Truth (haqiqah).70 Sufis interpret unveiling (kashf) as the unfolding of potential knowledge and the awakening of the inner consciousness dormant in the heart (qalb) of man. To point out the difference between looking and unveiling, Abu Hussein al-Nuri (died 295/907); “The unveiling of those seen by the eye is through looking, while the unveiling of the heart is through a state of contact (itisal).”71 According to Kalabadhi, disclosure (mukashafa) is the discovery of the soul.72 Kalabadhi states that the knowledge of unity (tawhid) , , jurisprudence (fiqh) , , wisdom (hiqmah) and gnosis (mari fah) are followed by the knowledge of impulses (khawatir) , , observation (mushahada) and disclosure (mukashafa). The knowledge of mukashafa is also termed as the “knowledge of signs” or the “knowledge of marifah.” Since it is impossible to express with words the observation of the heart and the unveiling of the soul, this knowledge is called the “knowledge of signs.” Such particulars are discerned by the 69 70

Al-Kalabadhi, Bahr al-Fawaid , p.100. p.100. Same page. In Al-Kalabadhi, gnosis (marifah) reveals itself not in the Gnostic sense, but in the form of conscious devotion (zuhd ). Therefore marifah is associated asso ciated with knowledge and wisdom, and not with existence, and this knowledge is the one that helps one reach selfknowledge.

71 Al-Sarradj, Luma’, p.339. 72 Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf , p.87. p.87.

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states of reunion (wasl) and ecstasy (wajd). This knowledge is opened to none other than those who experience mystical states (hal) and atain these stations (maqam). That is to say, since wajd is a state, it could be comprehended solely by experiencing, and not by reading.73 Kalabadhi says that all Sufis agree upon the saying “The soul is a meaning that gives life to the body.”74 Sufis have searched for a divine quality in the soul. It is the soul that makes man eligible for becoming Allah’s caliph on earth. 75 Thanks to the divine aspect of the soul, like the body eats the food that is meant for it, the food of the soul is the remembrance of Allah. 76 Seeing nafs as something entrusted to all organs, Kalabadhi states that he who keeps his nafs away from shahwah is a man of taqwa, and that Allah will feed any man who is a man of taqwa. 77 According to Kala badhi, soul is a tribe while nafs is a singular thing. Soul is a chilly breeze, and nafs is a warm breeze. The soul is cold when it is blown into the body. It warms up once nafs is introduced into it.78 Judging from the fact that Kalabadhi does not include any animal metaphor for nafs, one has to reason that his views are not shaped under the in fluence of philosophical arguments. One does not see in early Sufis and in Kalabadhi any view on the ripening and maturation 73

Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf, p.87. The person who reaches the state of ecstasy is a person that got closer to the Truth. Through his light and power, Allah takes upon himself the responsibility of a person experiencing such state. al-Makki, Kutu’l-kulub., v. II, p.90. 74 Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf, p.68. 75 see Hicr, 15/29. 76 Al-Kalabadhi, Bahr al-Fawaid , p.185. p.185. 77 Al-Kalabadhi, Bahr al-Fawaid , p.160. p.160. 78 Al-Kalabadhi, Bahr al-Fawaid , lf. 188a.


of the nafs. He perceives nafs as a negative, and the soul as a positive element.79 Discussing dreams in three parts in another place, Kala badhi says: One is joyful tidings (mujda) from Allah, another is a daunting of evil (shaitan) , , and another is the speech of the ego (nafs).”80 One could say that the dream of the believer (mu’min) is mujdah while dreams of others whose hearts are darkened with the habit of ascribing partners to or denying Allah, and greater sins are warnings. 81 Kala badhi’s explanation of dreams is in line with the general understanding. He also provides real life examples of true (sadiq) dreams.82 According to the general understanding, there is a very close relationship between sadiq dreams and revelation (wahy) . 83 In Sufi thought, being the eye for universal perception/ grasping, qalb is identical with ayn al-yaqin. Ayn al-yaqin is also the spring of eternal life, which is explained with the metaphor of moon. Everything that exists in this universe is a product of grasping through ayn al-yaqin, which is the spring of heart. 84 Kalabadhi explains that fuad and qalb are essentially the same things, but fuad is used for the inside, 79 80 81

Jung, Insan Ruhuna Yonelis , p.157 p.157.. Al-Kalabadhi, Bahr al-Fawaid , 318. 318. Carl Gustav Gustav Jung, Psychology and Religion, transl. Cengiz Sisman, Insan Publications, Istanbul Ista nbul 1997, 1997, p.34. Jung defines dream s also as revelation. 82 Al-Kalabadhi provides some real-life examples examples on the truthfulness of dreams. see Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf, pp. pp.214-21 214-2155 83 See Bukhari, Tabir, 26. For detailed information, see Abdulga ffar Aslan, revelation in Qur’an , (Unpublished Doctoral Thesis) Konya, 1997,, pp.90-92 1997 pp.90 -92 84 Martin Lings, Yakin , p.59.

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and sadr for the surrounding of the heart. 85 Heart is named in this way owing to the fact that it has two aspects, and that it can transform from one to another. What the eye grasps is called ( ) “vision,” what qalb grasps as “ilm,” and what fuad grasps as “yaqin.” In other words, ilm is associated with qalb , and yaqin with fuad.86 Seeing ahl al-ilm , arbab al-qalb and ashab al-mukashafa87 at the same level, Kalabadhi means sincere men when he uses the term ahl al-yaqin. 88 According to Kalabadhi, hiqmah is a knowledge that is essential for one’s own salvation. For any person who performs his duty properly, it becomes easier, since he a tains the manners of Allah, to improve his morals, to get away from worldly desires, and to abandon the world. Kalabadhi suggests that it is possible for a person of this station to supervise any impulses (muraqaba al-khawatir) , , and to purify his secret and soul (tathir al-sarair). This is the “knowledge of gnosis (marifah).” Only those who acquire the knowledge of Fiqh, Tawhid and Hiqmah can learn the knowledge of marifah.89 In Kalabadhi, discernment (firasah) is not knowing the unseen (ghayb) , , but hiting the target (isabah). Firasah is a light that forms in the heart as a result of refinement of the ego (tazkiyya) and purification of the heart (tasfiyya) , , which 85

Al-Kalabadhi, Bahr al-Fawaid , p.72; Muhasibi draws a distinct ion between qalb (heart) and sadr , , suggesting suggesti ng that t hat sadr encompasses qalb. In Muhasibi, sadr is in general the totality of the inner world where feelings and intentions of one take place. See Muhasibi, Risaletu’lmustersidin , p.36. 86 Al-Kalabadhi, Bahr al-Fawaid , p.149. p.149... 87 Al-Kalabadhi, Bahr al-Fawaid , p.149. p.149. 88 Same work, lf. 217b. 89 Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf, p.87.


is a blessing from Allah. In Kalabadhi, the argument about abstaining from the firasah of the sincere believer (mu’min) refers to the avoidance of the peril of conceit (riya) . Firasah can only appear after one is liberated, as a result of di fferent states (ahwal) and stations (maqamat) , , from the reign of the nafs , and purify his inner world. 90 According to Kalabadhi, ru’yatullah is seeing Allah in the hereafter. No creature of the world, including Prophet Muhammed (pbuh), has seen or will see Allah. Mentioning rational and transferred evidence on ru’yatullah , Kalabadhi explains that ru’yatullah will be possible for gnostics and those who ask for more than the blessings in heaven, and that this will be a permanent state. Ru’yatullah is permissi ble (jaiz) by reason, and obligatory (wajib) by transfer. Defining those who were sent a prophet and were the addressee of the invitation as a “nation” (ummah) , , Kalabadhi divides them into groups. Some of them were sent a prophet and invited, and yet did not take the invitation. Such are the People of the Book (ahl al-kitab) and polytheists (mushrikun) , , who will not go into heaven. Some were invited and took the invitation, but failed to do good deeds because of laziness or for any other reason whatsoever. Since they accept the oneness of Allah and Muhammed (pbuh) as a prophet, they are deemed as believers although they have no good deeds, and called “ummah al-da’wah wa al-ijaba.” They are not “ummah al-itiba.” And those who take the invitation and act as ordered are called “ummah al-da’wah wa al-ijaba

90

Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf, p.151.

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wa al-itiba.”91 Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) is a human like other people, but he is of a special quality since he received the revelation (wahy). This quality does not cover infallibility (ismat) in the sense of protection from sins, legitimacy (tashri) in the sense that revealed orders apply to the whole humanity, and other qualities like guaranteeing of the hereafter. On top of that, familiarity with Ahl al-Bayt is one’s salvation from the flames of hell. Loving them is one’s clearance across the Bridge of Hell (as-Sirat). Befriending for them is liberation from torment (azab). The opposite of friendship (walaya) is enmity. Walaya is treating one in a friendly manner, is alliance. Holding Muhammed (pbuh) special and befriending his ahl al-Bayt is to help and befriend Rasulullah (pbuh). One needs to represent Allah as well. Representing Allah is liberation from Hell (Jahannam). Azab takes place in the grave (qabir) , , on the Judgment Day (qiyamah) , and in Jahannam. Whoever is safe from azab, he is safe in all aspects.92 Kalabadhi defends that Rasulullah’s intercession (shafaat) is reality,93 and that some sins may be forgiven through shafaat. 94 According to Kalabadhi, there are two types of sainthood:95 91 92 93

Al-Kalabadhi, Bahr al-Fawaid , lf. 232b Same work, p.302. Al-Kalabadhi mentions the following verses verses as proof that intercession is real: rea l: Duha, 93/5; Isra, 17/79; 17/79; Enbiya, 21/28; Suara, 26/100. 94 Al-Kalabadhi, Bahr al-Fawaid , p.113. p.113. 95 In making this classification, Al-Kalabadhi Al-Kalabadhi is in fluenced by Hakeem Tirmizi. While Al-Kalabadhi’s views on sainthood are not as broad as those of Hakeem Tirmizi, the fact that he provides complete information shows that he has a strong mastery master y over the knowledge of the time. Cift, Salih, Hakeem Tirmizi and His Understanding of Tasawwuf , , pp.223pp.223-283 283..


1. This is the type of sainthood that puts one out of a state of enmity with Allah and Islam, in which sense every believing individual is a saint. This is also called walaya alamma (common sainthood). This kind of sainthood does not require that the state of saintliness is realized in the person of certain Muslims, and that this is apparent. On just says that all believers are saints in general, and: “For sure, the believer is the saint (friend) of of Allah.”96 2. This is sainthood in the sense of appointing ( ikhtisas), selecting (istifa) and befriending. This is called walaya al-hassa (sainthood of the chosen). The station of sainthood in this sense requires that one is familiar with and understands the truth about sainthood. A saint who has a tained this level will be safeguarded against looking at and seeing his ego. It is therefore that “conceitedness” will not get to him. Providing information on and going into discussions about maters of creed and kalam, like a scholar of kalam does, Kalabadhi does not provide much information about practices of worship (ibadah). And on those maters for which he provides information, he approaches and tries to explain the mater like a Sufi, and not like a scholar of fiqh. For example, for purification (taharat) , , he provides no information about the impurities that require purification, or about how ablution (wudhu) or full body ablution (ghusul) is practiced. He discusses ma ters from exoteric (dhahiri) and esoteric (batini) points of view. He describes batini taha96

Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf, p.74.; “Walaya al-Amma”; “Allah befriends believers.” As Baqara: 257 states, this is the sainthood which all believers share. See Dilaver Selvi, Sainthood (Walaya) and Miracle (Karamat) in Islam, Umran Publications, Istanbul 1990, p.42.

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rat as purifying one’s interior from the habit of looking at others than Allah, and describes dhahiri taharat as taharat from hadas , and as wudhu and ghusul. Understanding continuous abdast not as trying to stay with abdast for as long as possible, but as performing the wudhu when hadas occurs, the author justifies this by saying that the mu’min is constantly in either of the two states, which are muraqaba and dhuhul.97 This shows that tasawwuf a taches more importance to the inner nature of man. 98 Being a common term in the Tariqah period, the word murid was used by early Sufis more in relation to will. This word was used in the meaning of one intends and wills none but Allah.99 According to Kalabadhi, both Allah and man are both murid and murad. But Allah’s being murid and murad precedes man’s being murid and murad. That is to say, every true murid is murad at the same time. 100 Because when one wills Allah, he wills Him by virtue of the will from the beginning of time, which originally comes from Allah Himself. Because if Allah did not will one, he would not be murid. It is because Allah willed His subject first that the subject can subsequently will Allah. Allah says the following about this: “Allah loves them, and they love Allah;” 101 “Allah is content with them, and they are content with Allah;”102 97 98

Al-Kalabadhi, Bahr al-Fawaid, lf. 239b. A person should be honest with himself and should search for Maslow says “ A the source of his actions in his inner nature.” Maslow, The Psychology of Being Human , p.172. p.172. 99 Muhasibi, Riaye , p.110; p.110; Al-Sarradj, Al-Sarradj, Luma’, p.334. 100 Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf , p.139; p.139; Kuseyri, Risale, p.204. 101 Maide, 5/ 54. 102 Maide, 5/119 5/119..


“Allah gave them repentance (tawba) so that they can repent.”103 Allah’s giving His subjects tawba means that He first turned to His subjects so that they can turn to Him.104 Annihilation of man’s will in the will of Janab-i Haqq is the highest point that human will can atain. 105 While concepts like forty-days of isolation (arba’een) or solitary retreat (khalwat) are not to seen in early-period tasawwuf, thus one finds in Kalabadhi such concepts as striving (mujahada) and austerity (riyadah), which constitute the very basis of the foregoing. Again, Kalabadhi does not provide any insight as to whether one needs a guide (murshid) for mujahada. Accepting and enduring all su ffering is one’s own jihad.106 Like endurance, spending in the name of Allah is also jihad. 107 Interpreting the hadith, “Pilgrimage (hajj) is the jihad of the weak and women,”108 in conjunction with mujahada, Kalabadhi suggests that hajj is the jihad of a weaker person who has a chronic health condition or disability.109 Kalabadhi discusses the formation of deeds (amal) in three stages, which are words, thoughts and actions. Words are the deeds of the tongue, thoughts are the deeds of the heart, and actions are the deeds of the body. 110 Man has 103 Tevbe, 9/118. 104 Al-Kalabadhi, Ta’arruf , p.139. p.139. 105 Mawlana puts this as follows:

“He who has surrendered his will to Allah is the one that does the real work. For he has abandoned all works for the work of Allah.” Alla h.” Masnawi , , v. VI, b. 586. 106 Al-Kalabadhi, Bahr al-Fawaid , p.161 p.161.. 107 Same page. 108 Ahmet b. Hanbel, Musned, 3/321,399. 3/321,399. 109 Al-Kalabadhi, Bahr al-Fawaid , p.160. p.160. 110 Al-Kalabadhi, Bahr al-Fawaid , lf. 236a.

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some innate qualities. Some of these qualities are negative and they need to be tamed. One can purify and clean himself from these through riyadah and training. If one corrects his morals and clean himself from these, his intentions will be straightforwar straightforward, d, his character beautified, and he will develop good habits. When one is trained and tamed, the nobility in his nature will start to show itself. 111 Defending that man’s morals can be corrected, 112 Kalabadhi rejects the Mutazili understanding that says that man is absolutely free, and the Jabri understanding which a tributes no freedom to man, showing that he follows the ahl al-Sunnah line. This atitude of early Sufis is important for understanding into what line tasawwuf was first born and developed. In his works, Kalabadhi provides examples about how beautiful some Sufis were in their deathbeds. These examples suggest that Allah does not cause any su ffering when taking the souls of his beloved subjects, and that he furthermore persuaded those subjects to give up their souls, resulting in a beautifully natural state of death. In conclusion, the purity and clarity of tasawwuf in its period of asceticism started to degenerate in time. In this century, the essence of and the truth about ascetic was life gradually lost. Meaning of tasawwuf was gone, while only form was left behind. In this period, those who do not understand and experience tasawwuf claimed themselves to be Sufis, and those who lack the qualities of being a Sufi made atempts at beautifying themselves with tasawwuf.

111 Al-Kalabadhi, Bahr al-Fawaid , lf. 199a. 112 Al-Kalabadhi , , Bahr al-Fawaid, lf. 202a.


Those who verbally accepted tasawwuf denied it with their actions, and many things that were against the essence of tasawwuf were being included in tasawwuf. Kalabadhi lived in such an environment in the 4 th century AH, and he got himself into a struggle for bringing tasawwuf back to a legitimate ground, thus realizing what he advocated. In this period, Kalabadhi is also important in that he is one of the first Sufis to write a book on tasawwuf. In his Ta’arruf , he discussed concepts of tasawwuf for the first time. And in his Bahr al-Fawaid , he interpreted hadiths whereby he discussed the love for and the orientation toward Allah, abandonment of the love for the world, that worldly blessing are temporary, waking up from a state of unawareness (ghafala) , , the negativity of spiritual diseases diseases like pride, conceit, greed, and jealousy, the perils of carnal desires and the ways of quiting these. He also touched upon good properties one needs in order to atain the required maturity and to have yaqin for Allah and to be useful for the rest of humanity, and upon the beauties of Islam, discussing devotion to Qur'an and Sunnah. Discussing the individual, religious and social aspects of moral values, Kalabadhi states that behavior like lying, slander gossip, stinginess, conceit, boasting and jealousy cause one to be alienated from himself and from the society, resulting in the inability to establish healthy relationships. He also tells that man brings some negative qualities from his creation, which can only be tamed through riyadah and mujahada.

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2. EVENTS DONE AND WORKS WRITTEN ON MEVLANA IN “2007 MEVLANA YEAR”1

Vahit GÖKTAŞ

Summary: 2007 has been promulgated as “Year of Mevlana” by UNESCO. Various activities are performed in relation to Mevlana, and periodicals host numerous articles and research works about Mevlana. Programs on Mevlana have been organized overall the world in 2007 and papers are wri ten. This article makes an assessment of the activities conducted in relation to Mevlana in 2007, and tries to establish what is done and written in Turkey. Full identity of these articles and researches published in various scientific and popular journals is given in alphabetic order. 1 This article published on pages pages 211-2 211-217 17 of Journal of Su fi Scienti fi fic Academic Research , Ankara 2007, 20. 20.

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Keywords: Mevlânâ, Unesco 2007, Article, Journal

As known, 2007 has been promulgated as the "Year of Mevlana" by UNESCO. In this regards, various events are organized in our country in relation to Mevlana. Numerous events are conducted about Mevlana every year, and periodicals publish numerous articles and research works. We can easily say that it is possible to say new things about Mevlana, who is at the center of a global interest. With his Mesnevi and other works, and besides these with his life, he has a power of in fluence which could give the require inspiration /motivation to people of modern world. The interest on this enormous culture accumulation reaches to dimensions which gradually increases in the West. It is seen that Mesnevi is the book which is read the most after the Bible in the USA. We witness that the interest paid on Mesveni has been expanding over years. This great interest requires making certain inquities on Mevlana. Efforts of some people to perceive Mevlana abstracting him from his Islamic identity should also be examined well. Also there is a need to carefully consider some approaches towards Mevlana under the scope of "Moderate Islam", which has become a point of a traction. Isolating Mevlana from its place in Islam Tasawwuf Tasawwuf and reducing him to a mystical plane with a Western approach requires us to speak about a diluted percepton of Mevlana. It is required to question such an atitude and demonstrate a firm standing towards the approach which detaches even the modern spiritual concepts of our age from their original

2. EVENTS DONE AND WORKS WRITTEN ON MEVLANA IN “2007 MEVLANA YEAR”

context, and imposes them an ungrounded “content” and consumes this meaning in the short run. We need to evaluate the magnificent accumulation of culture which Mevlana and Mevlevis left to us, the books which reflect various aspects of Mevlevi order, his contri bution in the sufi music, evaluate his contributions to the agricultural field through Mevlevihanes, and, on the other hand, overcome some modern problems that could come into agenda through Mevlana (moderate Islam, a spiritual experience converted into a gaunt mysticism). Demonstrating the accumulation of books prepared by Mevlevi authors in a healthy manner and presenting them to the people of our days and thus increasing the productivity of our world of thought require intense and exhausting efforts. What has been done on this area is quite less than what should be done. It is possible to analyze and assess Tasawwuf, Tasawwuf, which is one of the arteries of our culture, in a healthy manner within the context of Mevlana. Another point which we could consider as having a connection with Mevlana seems to be the increasing interest in Persian. We see that the young people pay atention to Persian, among the Eastern languages, mainly due to the fact that it is the language of Mesnevi, though this is not a single factor. What has been done in 2007 about Mevlana? Numerous events have been organized in our country due to Mevlana Year, Year, including Seb-i Arus ceremonies, and various works are published accordingly. In fact, Mevlana has always been a focus of interest all the time, and of course this interest is not limited to Mevlana Year. For this reason,

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despite the fact that 2007 is the Year of Mevlana, activities conducted in the year are not that much visible. In 2005, Tasawwuf Journal of Scientific and Academic Research has issued a tribute publication titled “Mevlana Special Issue”, a think volume with 834 pages, (January June 2005, N.14, p.834) and in 2007, it has published a “Tribute to Mevlana”, comprising of 416 pages, which involves articles and interviews related to Mevlana. In this issue, interviews are made with various academicians, each of which is an expert on Tasawwuf, including Süleyman Uludağ , Mustafa Mustafa Kara, Kara, Osman Türer, Abdülhakim Yüce, Mustafa Aşkar, Dilaver Gürer, Reşat Öngören, Himmet Konur, İsa Çelik, Hülya Küçük, Süleyman Derin, Cengiz Gündoğdu, Rifat Okudan, Sezai Küçük, Kabir Helminski, Safi Arpaguş , Must Mustafa afa Çakmakl Çakmaklıoğlu, Salih Çift, Hüseyin Kurt and Ali Tenik. The fact that the special issues related to Mevlana are limited to a few special issues prepared by Tasawwuf (Y (Yıl: 8, I. 20, A Tribute to Mevlana), Seven Climates (October 2007, I. 211), Turkish Literature (October 2007, I. 408) and Berceste (December 2007, I. 66) journals is partly due to the fact the scholars in our country devote most of their times to Mevlana all the times, read his works, and works and researches about him are published in periodicals periodicals.. Another joyful progress that has taken place in the year is the fact that a Journal of Mevlana Researches has started to be published in Konya by SUMAM. The first issue of the journal was published in 2007; and the preparations preparations for the second issue are ongoing. Again, in 2007 an almanac of Mevlana Researches has been published in book-journal format under the editorial of Adnan Karaismailoglu by Mevlana Researches Association. Association. It will be a significant contribution


to Mevlana researches to publish this almanac, the first issue of which has been published, every year. We can say that the most important event in terms of scope and content among 2007 events is the International Mevlana Symposium, which has been organized in Istan bul and Konya by the Ministry of Culture between 8 - 12 May 2007. 163 scientists who are experts on their fields participated in this symposium from 32 countries, and presented papers 2. Turkish Union of Authors also organized two separate Mevlana Symposiums in 2007. The first of this has been organized in Aleppo between 23 23 – 27 March 2007 and held in Halep Mevlevihane. This symposium, which hosted the participation of various scientists from Turkey and Syria, demonstrated that Mevlana could be a bridge of love and gnosis both within our country and among our neigh bors. The second symposium organized by Turkish Union of Authors was the “Mevlana Days” organized on 4 -5 May 2007 in Gelibolu Mevlevihane. This symposium, which was organized with a wide participation and in an atmosphere of spirituality of Gelibolu Mevlevihane, was held with the contribution of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Gelibolu Governor’s Office. Papers of both Symposiums were compiled in book within the year. We should also emphasize that new books and new translations were published in 2007 about Mevlana. A new translation of Mesnevi was prepared by Hicabi Kirlangic and Derya Ors, who are two scholars from the Faculty of 2

For the presentation of the symposium see: Prep.: Osman Nuri Küçük, Küçük, International Mevlana Symposium, Tasavvuf Journal of Scientific and Academic Research, year: 8 (2007), number: 19 19,, pp. 461-471.

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Language and History - Geography. This translation has found its place among other Mesnevi translations prepared up to date, with its quite simple language and fluent style. Meanwhile, new translations of part of other works of Mevlana were made. The famous Mesnevi Commentary of Abidin Pasha was simplified and published in 2007. This commentary is a significant work, although it was simplified and published before being published under a healthy translation. Part of the publications related to Mevlana re flects the interest paid by the West on this great saint through translations. In this regard, in 2007, books of such authors as Kebir Helminski, Neil Douglas-Klo , Coleman Barks, John John Moyne about Mevlana were translated into Turkish, With selection for the Western reader. Some of these books are the publications which release some problems focused on Mevlana as we have mentioned about, and are thus eyecatching in this regard. As can be seen, a certain atmosphere of liveliness has been provided in 2007 Mevlana Year. However, we would like to emphasize that Mevlana will be in our agenda after 2007, as it has been before 2007. In the scope of Mevlana, we may talk and discuss various traditional and modern problems and issues. Existence of such a legacy is doubtlessly a great opportunity. Mesnevi, which is a commentary of Quran, will facilitate our positive steps on this issue and Mevlana will continue to influence us with his full warmness. Assuming that this will benefit to our readers, we hereby would like to present the works about Mevlana published in 2007.


Works Published on Mevlana in 2007 Due to the Mevlana Year3

Special Issue: “A Tribute to Mevlana”, Tasawwuf Journal of Scientific and Year:8, number: 20, 2007, 416 s.s. Academic Research , Year:8, “Mevlana Special Issue”, Berceste , , Year: VI, December December 2007, S. 66, 44 s. “Mevlana Special Issue”, Gülistan in Education (Kulu Journal of National Education Directorate), Year: IV, S. 5, 47 s. “Mevlana Special Issue”, Seven Climates , October 2007, S. 211, 174 s. “Mevlana and Culture of Mevlevi Order”, Turkish Literature , October 2007, S. 408, 77 s. Files: “Mevlana’s Journey of Love: the Claim of Beeing Cooked and Burnt in, Altınoluk , January 2007, S. 251, s. 3-14 [Ahmet Taşgetiren, H. Kamil Yılmaz, Rabia Brod beck, Ethem Cebecioğlu, İ brahim brahim Emiroğlu, Tarık Velioğlu]. “2007 Mevlana Year”, Semaver, Year: I, (May) 2007, S. 1, s. 8-23 [Harun Başlı-Adnan Karaismailo ğlu, Y. Turan Günaydın, Sadık Yalsızuçanlar, Selver Zengin, Serap Turgut].

3

We present out out greetings to Yusuf Turan Turan GUNAYDIN, GUNAYDIN, the valuable valuable researcher, from whom we have received contributions in t he preparation of this section.

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“Ya Hazret-i Mevlânâ”, Yenidünya , Yea Year: r: XV, December 2007, S. 170, s. 43- [Mehmet Demirci, M. Erol K ılıç,Mahmut Bıyıklı]. “Special Section: Mevlana and the West”, Turkish Literature , , October 2007, S. 408, s. 60-66 [From Hasan Akay- İlyas Öztürk, Senail Özkan, Éva de Vitray-Meyerovitch, Annemarie Schimmel]. Golden Cage”, Real Life, 2 Şule Altundağ , “My Tolerance in Golden February 2007, S. 328, s. 36-37 [Mevlana Dosyas ı]. “Two Thinkers, Two Men of Struggle: Mevlana and Yunus”, Education In the Light of Science and Reason , “Mevlana”, Science and Utopia , Year Year:: XIV, December 2007, S. 162, s. 4-14 [Erdem Ergen, İlhan Başgöz, Hüseyin Haydar, Nuri Şimşekler, Bayram Ali Çetinkaya, Dursun Ayan]. Interviews: “About Hz. Mevlana, witj Osman Nûri Topba ş… ”, Year: II, December 2007, S. 15, s. 16-19. Rabia Gülcan, “With Hicabi Kırlangıç … / My Reason has become struggle with ”, Yea Year: r: II, December 2007, S. 15, s. 39. Halime Kökce, “[Sırrı Süreyya Önder:] “Mevlana would have been a very different director if he had lived ”, Real Life , 12 October 2007, S. 41 (364), s. 26-27. W : A. Vahap Akbaş , “Bir Mevlevî, Bir İtihatçı”, Berceste, Year: V, June 2007, S. 60, s. 30-31 [About memories of Tâhirü’l-Mevlevî].


Adem Arıkanlı , , “İkbâl, Mevlana and Pakistan”, Sızıntı , , Year:: XXIX, April 2007, S. 339, s. 111-114. Year Ahmet Hüsrev, “An Intellectual Complex: Reading Mevlana Though West ”, White Ship , November 2007, S. 2, s. 20-21. Ahmet Güner Sayar, “Taks with Amis Efendi, the Fatih Türbedar / Notes of Mesnevî Commentator Ahmed Avni Konuk”, Turkish Literature , October 2007, S. 408, s. 48-52. Ahmet Öğke, “For 2007 World Mevlana Year”, Tasawwuf , Year:: 8, 2007, S. 20, s. 2003-210. Year Ahmet Sevgi, “Respond from Ahmed Avni Avni Konuk to Tevfik Fikret”, Turkish Literature , , December 2007, S. 410, s. 49-53. Ahmet Taşgetiren, “Good Muslim”, Altınoluk , January January 2007, 2007, S. 251, s. 3-4. Akif Vezir, “Our Presentation of 2007 Report to Mevlana: Still Longing for the Man Who Understands the Word Correctly!”, Genç , Year: Year: II, December 2007, S. 15, s. 1415. Ali Günvar, “Hz. Mevlana and Hakîkatül Hakây ık”, Seven Climates , October 2007, S. 211, s. 8-9. Ali Temizel, “Works Writen in Old Turkish Leters Related to Life Story of Mevlana”, Mevlana Researches , , c. I, 2007, s. 96-119. Ali Temizel, “Works Writen in Old Turkish Leters Related to Works of Mevlana”, Mevlana Researches , c. I, 2007, s. 120-158. Bayram Ali Çetinkaya, “Encountering of Oceans (of Sems and Mevlana): Benchmark of Love and Friendship ”,

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Science and Utopia , Year: XIV, December 2007, S. 162, s. 24-33. Bayram Ali Çetinkaya, “Language of Speech of Twin Souls: Semâ”, Tasawwuf , Year: Year: 8, 2007, S. 20, s. 93-115. Cahit Doğan, “Hazret-i Mevlana Muhammed Celâleddin-i Rumî I-II”, Guide , May 2007, S. 50; June 2007, S. 51, s. 50. Cansu Yılmazçelik, “Mevlana / I am a Prisoner in the Prison of World …”, K , 27 April 2007, 2007, S. 30, s. 6-11. Cavit Marancı , , “Şeyh Galib and Hüsn ü Aşk”, Ay Vakti, Year: VII, February-March 2007, S. 77-78, s. 38-40. Celâleddîn-i Humâî, “Life Stories of Mevlana, His Family and Friends According to Velednâme”, Mevlana Researches , , c. I, 2007, s. 9-28. Cengiz Batuk, “Tradition of Criticism / Polemics and Mevlana’s Understanding of Christianity, Tasawwuf , Year: Year: 8, 2007, S. 20, s. 39-68. Cevdet Kılıç, “An “An “Outside” Look to Philosophy and Philosopers in the Context of Mevlana”, Tasawwuf , Year: 8, 2007, S. 20, s. 175-202. Cihat Arınç, “In the memory of Molla- ı Rûm: Thinking of a New “Now”, Anlayış , December 2007, S. 55, s. 86-88. Derya Örs, “Concept of World in Mevlana”, Mevlana Researches , c. I, 2007, s. 254-268. Dilâver Gürer, “Prophet (s) in Mesnevi”, Âşinâ , Yea Year: r: IX, Winter-Spring 2007, S. 25, s. 49-61. Dursun Ayan, “On Some Poems of Mevlana Which Are Ob jecting to Philosophy and Logics”, Science and Utopia , Year: XIV, December 2007, S. 162, s. 34-42.


Dursun Gürlek, “A Lover Who Reached the Secret of Mesveni: Tahirü’l-Mevlevî”, Yenidünya , Year: Year: XIV, XIV, January 2007, S. 159, s. 14-16. Ebubekir S. Şahin, “Mevlana in Mevzûâtü’l-Ulûm”, Mevlana Researches , c. I, 2007, s. 470-475. Erdeniz Utku, “The Essence of Death in Mevlana”, Sürmelim , Year: Year: I, May 2007, S. 1, s. 34-35. Ethem Cebecioğlu, “A General Review on Mevlana” Tasaw2007, S. 20, s. 7-12. wuf , Year: 8, 2007, Ethem Cebecioğlu, “Mevlana Celâleddin-i Rumi”, Altınoluk , January 2007, S. 251, 251, s. 9-10. Ethem Cebecioğlu, “Some Reflections in Hz. Mevlana to the life of Hz. Peygamber (s.a.)”, Altınoluk , February 2007, S. 252, s. 20-21. Ethem Cebecioğlu, “Mevlana As a Bridge in the Encounter of Rich and Poor, Çeyiz Foundation”, Altınoluk , March 2007, S. 253, s. 22-23. Ethem Cebecioğlu, “Saint and Hostility to Saint in the View of Mevlana ”, Altınoluk , April 2007, S. 254, 254, s. 40-41. Ethem Cebecioğlu, “Mevlana and Colorlessness ” Altınoluk , May 2007, S. 255, s. 38-39. Ethem Cebecioğlu, “About “About Agedness Agednes s in Mevlana”, Altınoluk , June 2007, S. 256, s. 18-19. 18-19. Ethem Cebecioğlu, “Warnings by Hz. Mevlana to Those on the Sufi Path” Altınoluk , July 2007, S. 257, s. 6-7. Ethem Cebecioğlu, “Love of Mevlana in Şeyh Kuddûsî”, Altınoluk , August August 2007, S. 258, s. 20-21. Ethem Cebecioğlu, “A Saint on the Foot of Hz. Davud: Hz. Mevlana”, Altınoluk , September 2007, S. 259, s. 48-49. 48-49.

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Ethem Cebecioğlu, “A Saint on the Foot of Hz. Davud: Hz. Mevlana”, Altınoluk , September, 2007, S. 259, s. 4849. Ethem Cebecioğlu, “Hz. Mevlana and Christians”, Altınoluk , October 2007, S. 260, s. 44-45. Ethem Cebecioğlu, “From the Climate of Mevlana, K ıllet-i Taam”, Altınoluk , November 2007, S. 261, 261, s. 17-18. Ethem Cebecioğlu, “From the Climate of Mevlana, Where Are the Sufis in the Society”, Altınoluk , December 2007, S. 262, s. 44-45. Gülen Üstündağ , “Alliance of Civilizations is Impossible Without Mevlana ”, Aksiyon , 1 January 2007, S. 630, s. 58-59. Hasan Almaz, “Works Related to Mevlana and Mevlevi Order in the Manuscripts Department of Ankara University Faculty of Language and History – Geography University”, Mevlana Researches , , c. I, 2007, s. 213-238. 213-238. Hasan Aktaş , “V “Visi ision on and Mis Missio sionn of Mev Mevlan lanaa in Mod Modern ern Turk urk-ish Poetry”, Tasawwuf , Year Year:: 8, 8, 2007 2007,, S. 20, s. 143 143-15 -158. 8. H. Kamil Yılmaz, “Mevlana and His Message”, Tasawwuf , Year:: 8, 2007, S. 20, s. 13-19. Year H. Kamil Yılmaz, “Claim of Burning and Being in Mevlana; Love”, Altınoluk , January 2007, S. 251, s. 5-6. 5-6. H. Kamil Yılmaz, “From the Climate of Mevlana, Psychology of Sin and Repetition”, Altınoluk , February 2007, S. 252, s. 6-7. H. Kamil Yılmaz, “From the Climate of Mevlana, Adl or Adâlet”, Altınoluk , March 2007, S. 253, s. 20-21. 20-21. H. Kamil Yılmaz, “From the Climate of Mevlana, Our Prophet (s.a.v.)”, Altınoluk , April April 2007, 2007, S. 254, 254, s. 14-15. 14-15.


H. Kamil Yılmaz, “From the Climate of Mevlana, Way to Paradise”, Altınoluk , May 2007, S. 255, s. 10-11. 10-11. H. Kamil Yılmaz, “From the Climate of Mevlana, Message of Mevlana”, Altınoluk , June 2007, S. 256, s. 41-42. 41-42. H. Kamil Yılmaz, “From the Climate of Mevlana, Tasawwuf and Tevhid Tevhid”, ”, Altınoluk , July 2007, S. 257, s. 6-7. H. Kamil Yılmaz, “From the Climate of Mevlana, Daily Prayers, the Ascension of the Believer”, Altınoluk , AuAugust 2007, S. 258, s. 18-19. H. Kamil Yılmaz, “From the Climate of Mevlana, Zakah or Purification ”, Altınoluk , September September 2007, 2007, S. 259, 259, s. 8-9. 8-9. H. Kamil Yılmaz, “From the Climate of Mevlana, Repenting: Turning to Haq from Sins”, Altınoluk , October 2007, S. 260, s. 18-19. H. Kamil Yılmaz, “From the Climate of Mevlana, Tolerance”, Altınoluk , November 2007, S. 261, 261, s. 14-15. H. Kamil Yılmaz, “From the Climate of Mevlana, Şeb-i Arûs or the Joy of Death”, Altınoluk , December 2007, 2007, S. 262, s. 42-43. Harun Kırkıl, “A Story from Mesnevî: Bird of the Sultan”, Altınoluk , May 2007, S. 255, s. 40-41. 40-41. Hasibe Mazıoğlu, “Mevlana Celâleddîn-i Rûmî in His 800. Death Anniversary ”, Turkish Language , c. XCIII, Octo ber 2007, S. 670, s. 619-629. 619-629. Hicabi Kırlangıç, “Image of Water in the Poetry of Mevlana”, Culture , Winter 2007, S. 9, s. 106-109. 106-109. Hicabi Kırlangıç, “Prayer in Mesnevi”, Mevlana Researches , c. I, 2007, s. 239-253. Hülya Atakan, “Day of Wedding”, Ay Vakti, Year: VII, February-March 2007, S. 77-78, s. 6-8.

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Hülya Küçük, “Mevlevî Lady Khalifas and Sheikhs, Tasaw2007, S. 20, s. 69-78. wuf , Year: 8, 2007, Hüseyin Ayan, “Sayings of the Prophet in Sevâk ı b b-ı Menâkı b”, b”, Âşinâ , Year: Year: IX, Winter-Spring 2007, S. 25,s. 89-98. Hüseyin Türkmen, “Remembering and Understanding Mevlana”, Berceste , , Year: V, V, January 2007, S. 55, s. 16. brahim Emiroğlu, “Supremecy of Hz. Muhammed Acİ brahim cording to Mevlana ” “He consists of an eternal love”, Altınoluk , January 2007, S. 251, s. 11-12. 11-12. İhsan Kurt, “Mevlana Has Always Saught Refugee to Mevla Mevlana”, Ay Vakti, Year: VII, February-March 2007, S. 77-78, s. 4-5. İmzas ız, “Our Presentation of 2007 Report to Mevlana: Still in the Search of Man!”, Year: II, December 2007, S. 15, s. 14-19 [Akif Vezir, Musa Yay, Osman Nûri Topba ş]. Kadir Özköse, “Thought World of Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rûmi”, Tasawwuf , Year: Year: 8, 2007, S. 20, s. 79-92. Kibar Ayaydın, “A Mevlana-Lover Poet “Muhammed İkbal”, Akpınar (Niğde),Y de),Year: ear: II, March-April 2007, S. 8, s. 20-25. Kibar Ayaydın, “A “A Mevlana-Lover Poet: Poet : Muhammed İkbâl”, Year: IX, July-September 2007, S. 36, s. 68-71. 68-71. Ya ğmur , Year: Mehmet Demirci, “Sultan Mahmut and Ayaz”, Tasawwuf , Year:: 8, 2007, S. 20, s. 33-38. Year Mehmet Korkmaz, “A View of Today by Mevlana -1 / Mevlana and Shiraze of Humanity”, Yeni Odak, Year: IX, 15-January-15 February 2007, S. 90, s. 28-29. Mustafa Aksoy, “An Onthological Approach Towards Widespread Reading of Mesnevi of Mevlana”, Journal


of Research on Turkish Culture and Hacı Bektaş Veli , , Yaz Yazı 2007, S. 42, s. 123-136. HL CulMustafa Erdal, “Being Mevlana”, Yakamoz / Çubuk İ HL tural Journal , , Year: Year: II, May 2007, S. 2, s. 15-16. Mustafa Kara, “Mevlana and Lady Leyla”, Year: XIV, Octo ber 2007, S. 168, s. 44-45. 44-45. Nazan Özcan, “There are 99 Mevlana Poems compiled by Talat Sait Halman and 99 Works Studied by Ergin Inan With Different Techniques in the Book prepared by İstanbul Culture and Art Foundation Titled “ Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi: 99 Poems, 99 Paintings” Milliyet Art , , December 2007, S. 854, s. 108-109, Necip Fazıl Duru, “Whirling Dervishes From the Eye of Wester Travelers”, Hece , Year: XI, October 2007, S. 130, s. 118-146. Necip Fazıl Duru, “Devran: A Heart Melting Story of a Daughter of a Çelebi ”, Hece , Year: XI, May 2007, S. 125, s. 143-147 (About the novel of Şükrü Pamirtan). Nuri Şimşekler, “Is it possible to look at Mevlana from the eye of a scientist?”, Science and Utopia , Year: XIV, December 2007, S. 162, s. 19-23. Nuri Şimşekler, “Works in Foreign Languages Related to Mevlana’s Works (1973-2005 (1973-2005)”, )”, Mevlana Researches , , c. I, 2007, s. 159-212. Nurullah Çetin, “They Have Defamed Mevlana By Saying Him a “Humanist”, Edebiyat Ota ğı , , February 2007, S. 17, s. 2-10. Rabia Brodbeck, “Mevlana, the Leader of Love”, Altınoluk , January 2007, S. 251, s. 7-8. 7-8.

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Rabia Brodbeck, “Listening to Mevlana: Value of Man is Measured With Love”, Altınoluk , February 2007, S. 252, s. 22-23. Rabia Brodbeck, “Mevlana and Man’s Literal Dualism”, Altınoluk , April 2007, 2007, S. 254, s. 38-39. Recep Alyağıl, “Ontho-theology Criticism in the Modern Philosophy, Tasawwuf in the Poetry of Mevlana and Nazim”, Hece , Year: XI, January 2007, S. 121 (N. Hikmet Ö. S.), s. 323-331. Rıza Duru, “Mesnevî and Sezai Karakoç”, Mevlana Researches , c. I, 2007, s. 461-469. Selami Şimşek, “Thoughts in the Divan of Kemahli Ibrahim Hakki Efendi, the Last Postnishin of Erzincan Mevlevihane, About Mevlana and Mevlevi Order” Tasawwuf , Year: 8, 2007, 2007, S. 20, s. 159-174. Semih Ceyhan, “Mesnevi Analysis of İsmail Rusûhî Ankaravî: A Methodological Approach to the Meaning in Mesnevi ”, Tasawwuf , Year: 8, 2007, 2007, S. 20, s. 117-142. Suavi Kemal Yazgıç, “Şefik Can: 96 years for Mevlana”, Real Life , 31 August August 2007, S. 35 (358), s. 16-17. 16-17. Süleyman Derin, “Mevlana From the Views of 4 Scientists: the Secret of Activism in Mevlana”, (Interview, Omid Safî, Alan Godlas, Robert Frager, Micheala Mihriban Özelsel) Altınoluk , June 2007, S. 256, s. 38-40. 38-40. Tarrık Velioğlu, “Journey to the Deepness of Quran with Ta Mevlana ”, Altınoluk , January 2007, s. 13-14. 13-14. Timuçin Çevikoğlu, “Relation Between Nay and Nezr-i Mevlana”, Mostar , , August August 2007, S. 30, s. 72-73. Vahit Göktaş , “Actions “Actions of Gnosis in 2007 Mevlana Mevlana Year”, Year”, Ta8, 2007, S. 20, s. 211-216. 211-216. sawwuf , Year: 8,


Yakup Öztürk, “2007 Mevlana Year”, Mostar , , November 2007, S. 33, s. 74-75. Yakup Şafak, “Mehmet Muhlis Koner and his Work Titled “Core of Mesnevi”, Seven Climates , July-September 2007, S. 208-210. Zafer Işık, “Mevlana’s Guests”, Berceste , Year: Year: VI, July 2007, 2007, S. 61, s. 9. Ziya Avşar, “Listen to the Stream of this Nay ”, Kardeş translation of Kalemler, June 2007, S. 6, s. 18-19 [Poetic translation the first 18 couplets of Mesnevi]. Ziya Avşar, “Going to Mevlana; Various Paths, Same Target ”, Kardeş Kalemler, April 2007, S. 4, s. 77-81. Ziya Avşar, “Method of Commentating on the First 18 Couplets of Mesnevi in Rûhu’l-Mesnevî”, Berceste , Year Year:: VI, August August 2007, S. 62, s. 5-7.

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3. CATEGORIES OF SERVITUDE AND THE SENSE OF NOT FEELING OFFENDED...

3. CATEGORIES OF SERVITUDE AND THE SENSE OF NOT FEELING OFFENDED IN THE THOUGHT OF AKSHEMSEDDIN1

Vahit GÖKTAŞ Muhammed Ali YILDIZ Abstract This articles studies the thoughts on servitude ser vitude of Akshemseddin, who is the teacher and spiritual guide of Sultan Mehmet, the Conqueror, and is among the leading Sufi masters of Otoman period. Akshemseddin, who classifies the servitude, which is one of the purposes of creation of human kind, in five categories, namely the servitude of soul, servitude of heart, servitude of secret and servitude of spirit, suggests that each step of servitude entails distinguished hardness and that these levels could only be accomplished by patience. While expressing all these, Aksh1

This article is published on pages pages 1-9 1-9 EKEV Akademic Review , number 43, Erzurum, 201 2010. 0.

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emseddin states that the servitude of not feeling offended by others is the highest step of servitude. Keywords: Akshemseddin, Sufism, Servitude, Risalat an-Nuriyya

Introduction

Sufis have a great share in the Otoman civilization having a state and social structure relying on sound fundamentals. So much so that, every part of the society, from the ordinary public to high level administrators and sultans, has taken its share of this breeze of spirituality. Akshemseddin is among those friends of God who tried to spread this spirit through various pupils that he raised and tens of works that he wrote. After all, Akshemseddin is a Sufi, a scholar, a physician, a poet; namely he has a versatile personality. Playing an increasable role in the conquer of Istanbul, Akshemseddin has been among those recalled and remembered the first when one speaks about Istanbul. Life of Akshemseddin It is recorded that Akshemseddin, whose first name is called to be Mehmet (Celebi, t.y. 680) and who is also referred to as the White Sheikh, was born in Damascus on 792 h./ 1389- 1390 AD. It is narrated that he was named as “Akshemseddin” or “White Sheikh” since his face and bears whitened as he performed severe ascetism. (Enîsî, t.y.: 2). It is known that Akshemseddin memorized Quran before passing to Anatolia with his father when he was seven. It is also stated that he studied other sciences after he arrived at Anatolia in the vicinity of Amasya and Osmancik and that he was a scholar in Osmancik madrasas (Mehmet


Tahir, 1331 12). The interest of Akshemseddin in Sufism started in that madrasa. He affiliated to Haji Bayram alWali when he was twenty five years old. (Cebecioğlu, 2001; 78.) He became the successor, khalifa, of the Sufi path as a result of his love in Sufism, his strive towards perfection and ascetic livelihood. (Enisi, t.y.: 5) After undergoing the spiritual training of Haji Bayram al-Wali, Akshemseddin raised to the level of guiding and he relocated to Beypazari, which is currently a district of Ankara, and he built a masjid and a mill there. Thereafter he left Beypazari and relocated to Evlek Village in Iskilip District of Corum, and lived there for some time. Following the death of Haji Bayram, he left Evlek village and moved to Goynuk town. The Conquerer was in his cradle when Haji Bayram alWali visited Edirne. When Sultan Murad said to Haji Bayram al-Wali: “We “We need Istanbul, give your heartfelt support and let us get this city”, the Sheikh said: “My Lord, you will not conquer this city, neither I will see this. The prince in the cradle and our beardless will conquer it”, pointing Akshemseddin. Sultan Murad used to say to his prince: “Mehmed, you will conquer Istanbul together with the White Sheikh’. Haji Bayram al-Wali visited Edirne. Sultan Murad II said to Haji Bayram “We need Istanbul, give us you spiritual support and let us we conquer it”. Haji Bayram al-Wali said: “.. The conquer of Constantinapolis will be by the hand of our beardless (Akshemseddin) and your son in the cradle (Sultan Mehmet the Conquerer). “ (Yücel, 1994: s. 25). Following this, Sultan Murad said to his prince: “Me-

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hmed, your will conquer Istanbul together with the White Sheikh” (Ayverdi, 1953 p. 19) Akshemseddin, who encouraged the Conqueror for the seize and conquer of Istanbul and strengthened his hope, was also a member of the war assembly of the Conqueror. (Şanlı , , 1980: 13) Atending the conquest, Akshemseddin played an important role in keeping the morale of the army high. It is said that, during bad times when the hope to conquest diminished, the hopeful le ters wrote by Akshemseddin to the Conqueror for keeping his morale high, has important role in the conquest taking place in short time. (Cebecioğlu, 2001; 84). According to the narrations, Sultan Mehmed asked for assigning the time for the conquest of the castle, and upon this sent Ahmed Pasha to Akshemseddin. Akshemseddin undertook a contemplation, his face sweated, eyes we ted, and he raised his head and said “ They shall walk from such direction with loyalty and strength in the dawn of twentieth day of Jamazialawwal of this year, and the castle shall be conquered on that day” (Cebecioğlu, 1995: 395) Akshemseddin returned to Goynuk immediately following the conquest of Istanbul, and continued with the teaching and student raising works. One year after returning to Goynuk from Istanbul, he assigned his son Muhammed Fazlullah as his successor to his dargah. He dealt with the searching and education of his son, Hamdullah, in the last years of his life. (Nalbanto ğlu, t.y.: 18). The medical aspect of Akshemseddin is also striking. It is known that he had a treatise on the science of medicine,


that he practiced medicine in many places, treated patients and he was the first person who mentioned about the microbe in the history of medicine centuries before the microbe was first known in the west. (DİA, 2/301) Akshemseddin passed way in h.863/m.1459 His grave is next to the mosque that he himself built in Goynuk. His tomb was built around 5 years following his death and the scripture on his sarchophagus belongs to his son Mehmed Sadullah. His sons, Mehmed Sadullah and Nurullah, are also buried in that tomb. The works of Akshemseddin are as follows: 1) Risâletü’nNûriyye 2) Def’u Metâini’s-Sûfiyye 3) Risâle-i Zikrullâh 4) Risâle-î Şerhi Akval-î Hacı Bayram-ı Velî 5)Telhisu Def’î Metâin 6) Makâmât-ı Evliyâ 7) Risâletü’d-Duâ 8) Mâddetü’l-Hayât 9) Poems (Eş’âr) (Yurt, 1972: 35). The Servitude Thought and Categories of Servitude in Akshemseddin

In the discionary, servitude has the meaning of worship, which means obedience (Ibn Manzur, 1968: 272) In Sufi jargon, it is defined as the effort demonstrated by the Sufi pupil to complete his spiritual journey. (As ım Efendi, 1305: 1199; Cürcani, 1300: 119; Uluda ğ , 2001: 237) According to Qashani, ibadah (worship) is being destitute before God, which is the final point of degradation for the ordinary public. Ubudiyyah, is for the spiritual elite who are loyal to God on the Sufi path they walk with loyalty. Ubudah, is for the supreme elite (hawass ul hawass), who stand at the state of Farq and Jam, and who worship to

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Him with Him, and consider themselves as standing with Him. (Qashani, 2004: 53) Akshemseddin who considers ibadah (worshipping) as the purpose of creation, studies it in five categories. “…know that the worships are in five types: One is the“servitude of flesh”. This order is to acknowledge what God orders and avoid anything he prohibits. The second is the servitude of spirit. This means to train yourself. The method of Sufism is to refrain from obeying the one’s desires and acting on its contrary. The third is the servitude of heart. This servitude is to turn one’s face away. That is, to turn face away from the work and what is in it, to hereafter and to goodness. The third is the servitude of secret. Servitude of secret is to be empty, empty of either of the worlds. To love God for reaching God. The fifth is the servitude of soul. This servitude is accom plished by sacrifice, for the sake of witnessing. Whoever does not worship God, he shall not be able to reach such ascessions” (Akshemseddin, 125) a) Servitude of flesh

This is the first grade in servitude, and is characterized as the lowest step. One who performs the provisions of sharia externally, that is bodily, could be said to have a tained the stage of servitude of flesh. In other words, a slave who lives by striving to acknowledge the orders of the God and avoid what he prohibits, is at this stage. Fulfilling the daily prayers, fastening, pilgrimage and giving alms, and refraining from what God prohibits, are


the most significant characteristics of this degree of servitude. (Akshemseddin, 125). b) Servitude of Spirit

The spirit (nafs) means the reviled morals and actions of the slave. Spirit, in the nomenclature of Sufism, is generally described as the sublime entity which is where the bad habits, ill characteristics, evil feelings habit (Qushayri, 2003: 86) According to Akshemseddin, this grade of servitude is the level superior to the servitude of flesh, wherein the person fulfills his obligations against God and trains his spirit to reach to this level. To become a member of a Sufi path, to train one’s spirit in accordance with the instructions and practices of that Sufi path, to resist the desires of one’s spirit constitute the situation heavily seen at this level of servitude. (Akshemseddin, 125). It is a clear fact that the spirit has a quality which loves comfort, refrains from the Divine orders, and has a tendency to opt what is prohibited. In fact, this is the natural creation and atitude of the spirit which is not trained. Suhrawardi says: “When the spirit is taken under control and forced to obey and is oriented towards the orders of God, its hostility against the heart disappears and a complete agreement and a balance approach occurs between the heart and the nafs.”. He also writes: “If the spirit is fed and any promise is given to it, it becomes avaricious; but if it is forced to modesty, it becomes modest.” (Suhrawardi, (Suhrawardi, t.y.: 52). This being the case, the spirit has such a character which should be struggled against all the time. Whereas it has a

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high quality essence which could always be oriented towards the beautiful if exposed to hardness, it has a character that has a tendency towards the evil if let alone. (Izutsu, 2003: 24). c)Servitude of Heart

Heart (qalb) means turning something to anything other, to orient something towards another direction, and to rotate from one side to the other. Sometimes the word heart, qalb, is used to mean “fuad”, “reason” “core, essence and reality of something”. The heart of human being is described with this name since it continuously changes direction and turns from one condition to another. (Isfahani: 682) According to Akshemseddin, Akshemseddin, this level of servitude is to refrain from the world and what it contains, and to direct oneself completely to the hereafter. At this level of servitude, the person refrains from the worldly things and turns his face only to the other world. (Akshemseddin: 125). The heart is the place where the spiritual and material aspects of the person unites and where all movements of the existence arise from. Heart (qalb), which is an organ of sensation in spiritual terms, is the place where God looks at. “God does not look at your shapes and properties, but to your hearts and actions.” From this aspect, the slave who is at this servitude level should have been devoid of all worldly concerns and filled his heart completely with other-worldly concerns. (Uluda ğ , 2001: 230). d)Servitude of Secret

The sates that are private and confidentiality between the slave and the Supreme God are called the secret (sir). Secret is a Divine


atitude in the heart. The spirit is the adobe of love, heart is the adobe of knowledge and secret is the adobe of witnessing (Cebecio glu, 681). It is a big mistake to disclose the secret of the Sufi path (tariqa) to those who are the foreigners of Sufi system. Because one who does not know this terminology may derive erroneous meanings. As a mater of fact, Sufis said “if ever my buton had known my secret, I would’ve removed and thrown it” or “if ever my hat had known what I thought, I would’ve taken it away from my head”. (Qushayri: 184). According to Akshemseddin, at this level the slave has no worry about the world and there hereafter. His sole purpose is to get the consent of God and to reach to Him. Any concerns other than Him has become void. (Akshemseddin: 125). e) Servitude of Spirit

Can in Persian means the spirit The Mawlawi Sufis call the new derwishes who arrive to be admited as “can”. As used by Akshemseddin as one of the stages of servitude, which is the highest level of worship, the word spirit, “Can”, is used as the servitude that is done by heart. (Cebecio ğlu: 169). Sufis have considered the act of breaking the heart as a sin that is worse than demolishing Qa’ba. Prophet Mohammad, who was the prophet of mercy, was sent as a mercy to all creatures and worlds, and behaved in the best manner against any person re gardless of his identity, race or social status, befiting his dignity and honor. He was very keen not to damage any person’s heart. The atitudes of our prophet not to o ffend people, avoid from humiliating and insulting them and giving any punishment using hand and tongue. There is a frequently nar-

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rated prophetic saying from the Prophet, which states “The Muslim is one from whose hand and tongue others are safe” (Bukhari, Iman 4). No doubt that since o ffending is directly related to personal rights, one should pay high a tention to the issue. Whereas enduring against non-o ffence is important from this aspect, enduring against being o ffended also is highly vital. The heart is fragile like a crystal and it is hard to be repaired: The wounds of sword heal over time; Yet the injury of tongue does not. While the prayer performed by breaking the heart does not benefit anyone, the pilgrimage completed by suffering many problems after breaking a heart will not give any benefit. “The old white-bearded hodja Does not know how he is; He shall not strive for the pilgrimage If he breaks one heart” (Tatci, (Tatci, 1997: 386) For that reason, Yunus Emre has considered conquering a heart valuable than making thousands of pilgrimages. This is sufficient to demonstrate the value put by Yunus Emre and Sufis in human beings. He says as follows: “Yunus Emre says, o hodja! If thousand pilgrimages are necessary, One that is beter than all, is to conquer a heart.” (Tatç (Tatçı , , 1997: 386) According to Sufis, the heart of humans beings is the throne of God. Heart is the place where God looks at. Whereas conquering the heart mediates towards the mercy


and love of God, the breaker of the heart is the unluckiest person in the world. Yunus Emre states this in the following poem: “Heart is the throne of God; God looked at heart; The unluckiest of both worlds Is the one who breaks the heart” Sufis stated that not offending a person, who may even be an infidel, is the way of the Prophet. Ahmed al Yawasi, the great sheikh of Turkistan, states puts this situation as follows: “Sünnet imi ş kafir bolsa berme âzar.”(Yesevi, âzar.”(Yesevi, 2000: 20; Tosun, 2012: 82) This situation is well demonstrated by Abdulqadir al Gaylani: “Do not make wrong to yourself or to others. Because wrongdoing means darkness in this world and hereafter. Injustice and arrogance darkens the heart, face and the book of actions. Do not do anything wrong, or help others to do wrong…If you can, endure the injustice you encountered, but do not be the party that behaves unjust; be oppressed, but do not oppress anyone. God helps those who are oppressed. The Prophet said: “If someone sees something wrong and cannot find any helper other that God, God says to him: Soon or later I will help you.”. Narrating the prophetic saying, Abdulqadir al Gaylani states that one who endures will receive help, ascend and have honor. (Geylani, 2010: 165). Man Who is Not O ffended

Beside all these, it is a supreme Prophetic ethic if a person, whose heart is broken and who is o ffended, endures

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this and does not act upon being o ffended. At this stage, the slave leaves behind all his existence in order to reach to the level of witnessing. According to Akshemseddin, the highest level is the level of seeing / witnessing God (mushahada) Those who are at the stage of rijal, even qutbiyya, reach to this level. At this state, the slave adopts the character of the Prophet and looks at the essence of God through his essence. “Obey me, thus God loves you.” (Al-i İmran, 3/35) becomes manifest. Whereas the manifestation of the essence of God knocked Moses down, it has the same e ffect on the slaves; one loses his mind, becomes crazy, and his social life ends. This is not considered as something acceptable by the Sufi masters, since one needs the reason all the times. For that reason, it is necessary to look at and witness the essence of the God through the essence of the t he Prophet. (Akshemseddin, 125). According to Akshemseddin, a person who wants to reach to supreme levels should endure the burden of prayers: “Whoever wants to ascend the levels, it is obligatory for him to endure the hardness of prayers. As a ma ter of fact, God said that “Let them continue to endure their prayers” (Maryam, 16:65), wherein the witnessing increases with strug gling. One who just watches may not reach to the curtains of the sublimity of the God, the real beloved. The beauty of the beloved God could only be witnessed thereafter. Thus one should not feel o ff ended. ended. One who is o ff ended ended shall have lots of spiritual pleasures. That is why the Prophet had said: “Neither of the prophets was o ff ended ended as I was”. (Akshemseddin, 125). Under the light of these sentences we could easily say that enduring the hardness of the worship rituals and keeping patience, and


adopting the prophetic way of not feeling o ffended against others are a must for anyone who wants to progress in the path of reaching. Each of the five stages of servitudes as classified by Akshemseddin entails unique hardness, and patience against these ascends the slave spiritually. Because, as it is put by him, those who fall in love to the beauty of God should pay high prices for this, and endure the hardness so as to reach him “One who is much offended shall have much pleasure!”. The Prophet has endured the atacks against him in Taif and did not feel o ffended, which was immediately followed by the event of spiritual ascension (miraj) (miraj) and he reached to his Lord, who he loved. Also when he conquered Makkah, he said to his countrymen, who previously offended him and the believers very rudely, the following verse quoted from the prophet Joseph: “Today there is no taunting for you, let God forgive you” (Yusuf 12/ 92), and h demonstrated a high morale. Akshemseddin also recommends keeping patient and enduring the offenses for those who want to reach to God, namely who want to enjoy the servitude of spirit. According to him, those who accomplish this prophetic a titude will spiritually ascend as let by their capabilities and reach to the honor of being with the Eternal Beloved. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Asım Efendi. (1305). Kâmus Tercümesi. c. I-IV, İstanbul. Ayverdi, Sâmiha, (1953). “Edebi ve Manevi Dünyası İçinde Fatih”, 13, İstanbul Fethi Derneği Neşriyatı , , sayı: 19

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Cebecioğlu, Ethem. (2001). “Ak şemseddin’de Bazı Tasavvufi Kavramlar-I”. Ankara Üniversitesi İ lahiyat lahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi, 42, 77-95. Cebecioğlu, Ethem. (1995). “Ak şemseddin”. Sahabeden Günümüze Allah Dostları. (Der.) 7: 384-396. Cürcani, Ş. (1300). Ta’rifat , , İstanbul: Ahmet Kamil Matbaası. Enisi, H. (t.y.) Menâkıb-ı Akşeyh , Ankara: Milli Kütüphane, Kütüphane, bni Sina Kitaplığı. A.1217/14, İ bni el-Fethu’r-Rabbânî Rabbânî Alemlerin Anahtarı , , Geylani, A. (2010). el-Fethu’rçev.: Osman Güman, İstanbul: Gelenek yay. bn Manzur. (1388/1968). (1388/1968). Lisanü’l- Arab. Beyrut: Darü’l İ bn Maarif Neşri. slam’da Varlık Düşüncesi, Çev., İ brahim Izutsu, T. ( 2003). İ slam’da brahim Kalın. İstanbul: İnsan Yay. Kâşânî, A. (2004). Tasavvuf Sözlü ğü, İstanbul: İz Yayıncılık. Kuşeyrî, A.(2003). Kuşeyrî Risalesi. Çev., Ali Arslan. Ankara: Alperen Yay. Nalbantoğlu, M. (t.y.). “Akşemseddin’in Hayatı ve Eserleri”. Akşemseddin Sempozyumu Bildirileri. Ankara: AkşemseddinVakfi Yay. Olguner, F. (t.y.), “Türk İslam Medeniyeti İçinde Akşemseddin’in Yer Yeri”, i”, Akşemseddin Sempozyumu Bildirileri. Ankara: AkşemseddinVakfi Yay. Avârifü’lrifü’l- Maarif. Maarif. Süleymaniye KütSühreverdi, Ş. (t.y.). Avâ üphanesi, Nafiz Paşa Kitaplığı , , No: 428. Şanlı , , M. (1980). Akşemseddin Hazretleri’nin Hayatı. Yayyınlanmamış Lisans Tezi, Marmara Üniversitesi Ya Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, İstanbul.


Tahir, BM. (1333). Osmanlı Müelli fl fleri. İstanbul: Matbaa-ı Amire. Tosun, N. (2012). Derviş Keşkülü (Tasavvuf ve Dergah Kültürü) , , İstanbul: Erkam Yay. Uludağ , S. (2001). Tasavvuf Terimleri Sözlü ğü. İstanbul: Kabalcı Y. Uludağ , S. (2001). “Kalb”, İstanbul: Diyanet Vakfi Y. ntişarat-ı Beyne’l-mileli’yi Yesevi, A. (2000). Divan-ı Hikmet, İ nti el-Hüdâ . Yurt, Ali İ. (1972). Fatih’in Hocası Akşemseddin Hayatı ve Eserleri. İ stanbul: stanbul: Fatih Y. Dinî-Tasavvufi asavvufi Yücel, A. (1994). Akşemseddin’in Eserlerinin Dinî-T Açıdan Tahlili, Yayınlanmamış doktora tezi, Gazi Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi, Ankara.

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LIFE AND SUFI PERSONALITY OF IHSAN TAMGUNEY1

Vahit GÖKTAŞ

Özet Allah dostları dengenin mimarlarıdır. Kainataki her olgunun, her me fumun, her zerrenin hakk ını vererek yaşayan hayat dolu insanlard ır. Bu makalede, bu dengenin mimarlarından biri olan İhsan Tamgüney’in hayat ı ve tasavvufi görüşleri ele alınmıştır. İhsan Tamgüney 1904-1991 yılları arasında yaşamış ve Şeyh Şerafetin Dağıstani’den manen beslenmiş önemli bir mutasavvıftır. O, Türkiye’de ve dünyada yüz binlerce insana etki etmi ş bir şahsiyetir. Onun hayat ıyla ilgili bilgiler, hakkında yazılan yazılardan

1 This article published on pages 51-56 51-56 of Osh University University Arashan Journal Of Social Sciences, Bishkek 2013.

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ve birinci elden yapılan mülakatlardan derlenerek ortaya konulmuştur. İhsan Tamgüney’in hayat ı yakın tarihe ışık tutması aç ısından önemlidir. O’nun örnek şahsiyeti, sade, mütevazı ve her anı dolu olan ya şamı günümüz insanının pek çok problemine çözüm olabilecek mahiyetedir. Anahtar Kelimeler İhsan Tamgüney, Sultan Baba, Tasavvuf, Şeyh Şerafetin Dağıstanı Abstract Friends of Allah are the architects of balance. They are the people, full of life, living by doing justice to every case, every concept and every atom in the universe. This paper studst udies the life and mystical mysti cal teachings of Ihsan Tamguney, one of the architects of such balance. Ihsan Tamguney is a significant Sufi who lived between 1904 – 1991 and who spiritually benefited from Sheikh Sharafaddin Daghestani. He is a person who had an impact on hundreds of thousands of people in Turkey and in the world. Information about his life has been demonstrated by quoting from what is wri ten about him and the first-hand interviews. Ihsan Tamguney is an important figure in the sense that his life puts a light on history. His example personality, his simple, humble life every moment of which is full of memory is characterized to state for a solution for many problems of today’s man. Keywords: Ihsan Tamguney, Sultan Baba, Sufism, Sheikjh Sharafaddin, Daghestani

Introduction

LIFE AND SUFI PERSONALITY OF IHSAN TAMGUNEY

Friends of Allah are the helpers of the religion of Allah, whose face remind of Allah when looked, awakening peace and joy in the hearts. They are the teachers of the school of Gnosticism. They are the inheritors of prophets who have arisen in social atmosphere that devastates the soul. In our study, we will work on the life, personality and sufi views of Ihsan Tamguney, who is named among the architects of the social texture. The paper contains interviews by some newspapers and journals following the death of Ihsan Efendi with the people who were near him, including the interviews that we have made with him. Life

Ihsan Efendi is mainly known with his title “Sultan Baba”. Hoca Baba was the phrase used to address him before Sultan Baba. One of his pupils, about twenty years before his death, saw in his dream that Ihsan Efendi was called as Sultan Baba, rather than Hoca Baba. He tells this to Ihsan Efendi. Ihsan Efendi remains silent. Sultan Baba nick becomes widespread thereafter. (25 November 93, Milli Gazete) Ihsan Tamguney was born as the second of three siblings in Lome village in Arhavi town of Artvin, in 1904. He lost his mother when he was three and his father when he was seven. He was grown up both as an orphan and motherless. The grandfather of Ihsan Tamguney Efendi is a financial inspector. He used to go on inspection with horses; one day, when he was on inspection, he was shot to martyrdom by the terrorists. His father, Hasan Efendi, was a teacher in Ottoman period. His mother’s name is Hanifi Hanim. Ihsan Tamguney has two brothers. His older brother’s name was

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Nazmi Tamguney, who resided in Zonguldak and worked as a teacher there for long years. His younger brother’s name is Necmetin Tamguney. Signs of Ihsan Tamguney are seen even when he was litle. His surrounding is a tracted by extraordinary situations. For example, he looks for the crescent in Ramadan month by climbing on the trees in order to see, and he also catches a tention with his focus on prayer and remembrance of Allah during young ages. After staying with his uncles in the village, Ihsan Efendi migrates to Zonguldak, since his older brother was there. He starts to live abroad when he was nine. He stays in Zonguldak until he is twenty; upon a spiritual sign, he leaves there with his friends to Adapazari; after traveling the towns and villages of Adapazari, he goes to Bolu; after traveling the villages and towns of Bolu, he and his friends pass the Golpazari town of Bilecek to Kursunlu where they setle. Together with his friend who is from Of town of Trabzon, they work in Kursunlu on tin plating. They earn their lives through tin plating which they perform by traveling the towns and villages of Bilecek. After setling at Kursunlu, Ihsan Tamguney calls his older and younger brothers to Bilecek. They also se tle at Bilecek. His older brother Nazmi Tamguney is assigned as a teacher there. Thereafter, Ihsan Tamguney quits tin plating work, and starts linen drapery. He also works as peddler. Ihsan Tamguney performs his military service in 1937 in Kars as a sergeant. He went for military service very late. He explains the reason as follows: “I was prevented by the fear to hamper my worship.” He tells a military service memory as follows: “I ought to pray, but there was no place. I was praying behind the toilet. The commander of


squad saw me, said: “Son, what are you doing here?” I said: “I am praying sir.” “Is it possible to pray here, this is toiler” he said. “Well, sir, there is no other place”. Then he took me and assigned a prayer room for me. “Perform you prayers here comfortably” he said. This event demonstrates that Ihsan Efendi was keen on worships even during his youth. Ihsan Efendi met Abdulvahit Demirkaya during his military service, a retired lieutenant colonel, who would become his successor after him. Abdulvahit Demirkaya tells about this meeting as follows: “When I a tended the course as the first time as lieutenant, I was assigned to the sixth squad. I asked my friends: Is there any fellow countrymen of me here? They said: “There is a sergeant.” I asked to the seventh squad. He was Ihsan Efendi. He was a sergeant. But then he was discharged. We did not meet thereafter. In 1954, friends of my wife were with Ihsan Efendi. There was an old lady hereç I asked where she was from, and why she came to Istanbul. She said she came to visit her son in law. I asked who the son in law was, and whether he was a religious man. He said he is quiet ascetic. She took me with her when I said that I’d like to meet him. We recognized each other once we met. He was Ihsan Efendi. Thereafter we did not leave each other.” (Cuma Journal, No: 122, November 1992) Ihsan Tamguney could only graduate from primary school since parents passed away when he was very li tle. However, he as a perfect O toman language literacy. He learned Latin alphabet afterwards. However, he has been in various communities of scientific speech in many towns and villages in Artvin, Zongildak and Bilecik, and he ben-

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efited from such chats at a maximum level. He has raised himself without any support from any other person. Ihsan Tamguney Tamguney was not married at an early age. He did not think of marriage during the first years with the opinion that this may hinder his trade and other works in addition to it. However, after completing his military service, he returned back to Artvin, where he married Refika Hanim with the encouragement of his relatives. He had four children from this marriage, named Ahmet, Fatma, Mehmet and Huseyin. Ihsan Efendi migrates to Golpazari immediately after marriage. His first son, Ahmet Tamguney, was borne there. He builds a house and rents a shop. He uses the shop as a warehouse since he dealt with trade. He works as peddler by traveling to villages on mares. He gathers the villages around his exhibition, talks with the villagers and thus teaches them the truth. Ihsan Efendi se tles in Istanbul Zeytinburnu with the help of a person, known as Celal Hoca of Rize, who resided in Istanbul Zeytinburnu for long period; yet it is not know how and where he met Ihsan Efendi. His surrounding expands rapidly after 1960s. He raised hundreds of thousands of students. Ihsan Efendi put a high emphasis on conversation. He used to say that the Age of Hapiness (Asr al-Saadah) was cultivated with conversations, and he claimed that breath used other than for conversation, remembrance of and prayer for Allah is wasted. He used to engage in conversation with his pupils after almost every morning prayer. There are few books which Ihsan Efendi used to read throughout his life without any negligence. He never neglect-


ed to read Quran. He used to read the complete Quran twice a week, and he prayed for completion of Quran reading at Sunday and Thursday nights. In addition to this, he used to read Dalail al-Khayrat continuously without any negligence, though not at a level of Quran. There was something else which he read every day. He used to buy leading Islamic magazines, read them and recommended them to his pupils in order to let people have an Islamic perspective against the events. The books which he recommended mostly in addition to these are: Ihya al-Ulum al-Din of Ghazzali, Tariqatname of Ashrafoghlu Rumi, Ahmadiyya Muhammadiyya of Ahmad Muhammad Yazir of Gallipoli. He used to read and recommend books of collections of sayings of Prophet, as well as Quran commentaries. Ihsan Efendi used to reproduce a text which he liked, and distribute it to his pupils. One of his pupils says the following on this issue in his interview by Cuma magazine: “Without any exaggeration, he used to tell twenty years before by replicating a very important note that belonged to Nuretin Zengi that the Gulf War would break out, while thus expressing that he had the love inside himself for the concept of struggling in the path of Allah, as he was complying with the orders of the Prophet (p.b.u.h). (Cuma Journal,l, No: 122, Journa 122, November November 1992) 1992) Ihsan Efendi did not pay much a tention to extraordinary miracles. He emphasized that that the important things were struggling and being on the right path. Ihsan Efendi had many projections for the future that could be seen as extraordinary sensations. He expressed that USSR would disintegrate and Russia would be divided into states. “We will not see, but you will, the US will also collapse like Rus-

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sia.” he said. Another extraordinary situation was that he used to know who was who even among the ones whom he never met before. If the person has no full ablution, he used to recognize this and whispered to him: “My son, do this and this, and then come”, this was a pre ty way of warning. In addition to this, he had many other extraordinary states which are known only to those who are close to him. Ihsan Efendi did not work for any public position throughout his life. He used to deal with trade at all times. He worked as tinsmith in Kursunlu for a period of time, and quited it thereafter, started to work as a peddler. He continued this work in Bilecik. Since he was a man of travel, he travelled all the villages and worked as peddler. He thus had the opportunity to chat with people in the village. After he moved to Zeytinburnu, Istanbul, he opened a grocery store with Celal Hoca, who made him come to Istanbul. He left this work after two years due to a disagreement. He started to sell wood with his brother. He brought wood from Trace and sold. They lost money from this work, rather than earning profit. They incurred loss even if they did the sawing work themselves. Thereafter they understood that the person who brought the wood engaged in fake weighing. Ihsan Efendi quits this job and returns back to the grocery work. After working working as grocery in varivarioys places in Nuri Pasa neighborhood of Zeytinburnu, he opens a small shop in where now Guneyhan is located in 1962 (Ziya Gokalp street). He both sells and continues to educate people here from 1962 to 1991. He had not undertaken any government post. He did not work as a public worker since he did not want that the illicit money of the


state be consumed by him and his children, although he had gone bankrupt twelve times in the trade. He said that the Republic of established on interest. Ihsan Efendi did not su ffer any sickness during his life of 86 years. He sometimes was seen as a sick person. The perfect teachers act as lightning rods, a tracting all the disasters and dangers to themselves. They seem as if they were sick. However, such diseases did not last long. He had only two operations until the age of 86. Eye surgery and prostate surgery. In 1970s, he visited Canakkale once. In his return, he saw that everywhere is full of beaches from Canakkale to Istanbul, and he says: “Oh God, let me not see these.” Then his sight ability is taken from him. Ihsan Efendi had an operation from prostate, which is a diseases commonly seen in many of the elderly. Ihsan Efendi had thirty teeth even at his death. He said such for his other two teeth: “The Prophet said that tooth ache is one seventieth of the grave suffer. That is why we accepted that tooth ache.” He was taken to Huzur Hospital in Istanbul Aksaray for check up when he was 86. He had no disease. He only had arthritis due to siting for long time. They start the treatment for that arthritis. The treatment lasts for one month. The arthritis is healed. Due to the drugs he took being heavy ones, the disease turns into a kidney disease. That disease lasts for twenty days. He passed away as a result of this treatment on 24 November 1991 in Haydarpasa Numune Hospotal, although he seemed not to be so much sick from his appearance. Ihsan Efendi’s body was washed after passing away on 21 November 1001 and brought to his home. All of his disciplines had the opportunity to see him the last time from his window

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from noon to the evening. The following day he is taken to Guney village on 25 November, Monday, a rainy Novem ber morning morning.. Many politici politicians, ans, schola scholars rs and valua valuable ble people people participated in his funeral after the noon prayer. As per his bequest, beque st, he is buried opposit oppositee Sheikh Sharafa Sharafaddin ddin in Guney Guney village. Ihsan Efendi said the following on this issue: “I am not afraid of being buried here, but I am afraid of my disciplines visiting me without first visiting Sheikh Sharafaddin. Sharafaddin. Mystical Personality of Ihsan Efendi

Ihsan Efendi belongs to the Naqshbandiya sufi order. Although he recommended frequently the Naqshbandi way in his speeches, it is said that he teaches also the 12 Sufi orders. His masters is Sheikh Sharafaddin Daghestani. The discipline mass of Ihsan Efendi comprises of the ordinary public. There are few scholars among them. He has lots of disciplines among those who work in the field of Islamic sciences, natural sciences such as chemistry etc. However, those coming from Islamic sciences are low. He has no special directing on this issue. The interest of Ihsan Efendi on Sufism and sufi orders started from very early ages. He is not known to have any direct connection with a Sufi master. He was spiritually taught in the way of Uwaysiyya by Sheikh Sharafuddin Zayn al Abidin Ibn Abdurrashed Daghestani, who has completed his spiritual path under the guidance of Muhammad Madani, and who was the 37 th chain of the order, who passed away in 1936. Ihsan Efendi did not meet Sheikh Sharafuddin ins this world. He personally stated that he received his spiritual


and sufi training from Sheikh Sharafuddin. He paid frequent visits to the grave of Sheikh Sharafudding located in Guney village. He expressed that the events in Sufism should not be compared to the worldly events, and that it was wrong to look for a hierarchy. According to him, the mystical events should be considered within their specific principles and order. It is known that Ihsan Efendi participated in many sufi gatherings during his young ages. He is said to undergo numerous sufi su fferings, namely arbain. It can be seen that Ihsan Efendi speeded up his teaching activities, which he had been doing since the beginning upon a spiritual sign, after migrating to Istanbul Zeytinburnu. The sufi path has enlarged after 1960s. We can summarize the 24 hours of Ihsan Efendi as follows: The life starts at night. There is no exception. He never woke up at 01.05 He is awake at 01:00. He did not let any night pass in his bed. And none of those who were close to him witnessed that he set the alarm to wake up. After 01:00, he used to pray and read Quran for 3 to 4, even 5 hours. He reaches the morning prayer with such actions. This practice did not change either in summer nights, or during winter nights, whether he slept early or not. He does not sleep after waking up at 01:00 He deals with 3 things: Quran, glorifying the God, prayer and submission. He performs the morning prayer with group. He deals with trade and revenue bringing actions. He used to say that sleeping after the morning prayer prevented one from earning good money. And this has almost no exception. He did not eat early breakfast for fasting during his life. Only he used to

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drink some water, ate few olives, just for obeying the actions of the Prohpet. He has single meal. Non except his wife knew that he was fasting for 360 days in a year. His worldly life starts with the morning prayer. He deals with worldly actions until evening prayer. He met and talked with hundreds of people every day, including those new ones. These people included those with financial problems, health problems, psychological problems etc. He used to perform Ishraq, Dhoha, Awwabin and Ta Tahajjud hajjud prayers. In addition to this, Ihsan Efendi organized the day according to prayer times. He has some day sleep after the mid-noon prayer. This sleep did not exceed half to one hour. He breaks his fast with evening prayer. He reads Quran between evening and night prayers. He performs the night prayer with group. He sleeps immediately after the night prayer with almost no exception. And he is awake at 01:00 every night. Ihsan Efendi approach to the children with love. He never acted harshly against them. He was sensitive in terms of the religious training of the children. He used to direct them in order to let them learn religious information by giving them awards. Ihsal Efendi is a very soft hearted man. He is very calm. His son, Huseyin T., talks about a memory as such: “One day we arrived at home late. My mother did not let us enter. My mother was a beating woman. My father, on the other hand, was a superhuman if this could be said. He was at the limits of being a soft and calm person. My mother did not let us enter since we came late. We, all brothers and sisters, slept on the steps. My father thought that we were in the room. He asked to other mother when he could not find us in our room as he woke up at night. My mother said “They are punished,


do not let them in”. My father let us in. My deceased father had a character that resembled that of the Prophet. Similar to what Anas (Ra) said of the prophet “ I passed my ten years with the Prophet, he did not even shout at me despite my naughty behaviors.” My deceased father was a person who took the ethics of the Prophet as a model.” Ihsan Efendi used to say that all living and non-living things obeyed to the rules of Gods and glorified him. He used to talk about this; once, when he entered to the animal shelter, he saw that the animals were pronouncing the name of Allah. They become unconscious by repeating the name of Allah. He says to them when they awake: “We are the real animals, not you.” His daughter tells: “ I did not forget the moment when a man with an umbrella was waiting at a time when the women were at a high number in his shop. He used to uter the words being exhausted from waiting: I have been waiting for hours, no one came to take of me, how dare this is possible? A person, who knows the moods of people, said: please wait your turn. He knows that you are here. He is a great person. You will incur damage if you pass anything inside you! References

25 November 93, Milli Gazete 23 November 94, Milli Gazete 24 November 95, Milli Gazete November 1992, Cuma Journal, No: 122

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ESAD EFENDI (1847/1931) AND THE SYMBOLIC LANGUAGE IN HIS DIVAN1

Vahit GÖKTAŞ

Abstract This paper studies the Divan of Muhammed Esad Erbili (1847/ 1931), who is one of the most important figures and Sufis of the last period of Otoman Empire and early years of the Republic of Turkey, and who is also shown as instigator of Menemen event, which is one of the most important events of the history of Republic, and his symbolic expressions in his work. Es’ad Efendi is a prominent Sufi who lived between 1847 – 1931, acted acted as the chairman chairman of Majlis al al Mashayih (Assembly of Sheikhs), lead the publishing of the journal named Jarida al-Sufiyya, acted as the master (sheikh) of

1 This article art icle published on pages pages 115-13 115-1322 of Osh University Arashan Journal Of Social Sc iences, Bishkek 2012. 2012.

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Kelami Dergah (Sufi Lodge), and who has spiritual authority both from from Naqshi and Qadiri Qadiri Sufi paths. Divan is one of of the greatest divans writen in the last centuries. It is a composed (muratab) Divan. While Turkish and Persian prevail in the work, there are also some Arabic and Kurdish ghazals. Esad Efendi speaks in his Divan about drunkenness and intoxication, enthusiasm, wine and drinking house, pseudo-sheikhs, the cupbearer, singer and player, and the real Beloved. The Divan of Esad Efendi is full of symbols and poems which should be commentated on due to the clues it give from the realm of imagination. This paper first introduces the Divan of Esad Efendi, explains and comments on the metaphors mentioned in the Divan, and finally states the meanings of such metaphors in the terminology of Sufism. Keywords: Esad Erbili, Divan, Metaphor, Symbolism, Poem.

Esad Erbili

Muhammed Esad Erbili was born in 1264 / 1847 in Erbil district of Mousul2 , and was the son of Sheikh Muhammed Muhammed Said, who was the head of Khalidi lodge in Erbil. His grandfather is Sheikh Hidayetullah, who is a successor (khalifa) of Khalid al Baghdadi. 3 He is said to be “Sayyid", a grand2

3

Hüseyin Vassaf, Sefine-i Evliya , Süleymaniye Library Manuscript Donations Sec, no: 2306, p. 191. Date of Birth: There are different records about the date of birth of Esad Efendi. For example, in Sad ık Albayrak’s book named Son Devir Osmanl ı Uleması it is mentioned as 1259/1843 See. Sad ık Albayrak, Son Devir Osmanl ı Uleması (Ilmiye Ricalinin Teracim-i Ahvali) , (Medrese Yay.), Istanbul 1980. We We are of the opinion that Esad Efendi was born in 1264 / 1847, as mentioned in Sefine and in many other books. Hasan Kâmil Yılmaz, Altın Silsile , Erkam Ya Yay. y.,, Istanbul Ist anbul 1994, p. 241 241..

ESAD EFENDI (1847/1931) (1847/1931) AND THE SYMBOLIC LANGUAGE IN HIS DI VAN

son of Prophet, from both his father's and mother's ancestors. After his Sheikh Taha al Hariri passed away in Erbil, he started his guidance. Esad Efendi is a Sufi having permission from both Naqshi and Qadiri paths. 4 Esad Efendi given an account of his initial training as follows: “I have received my initial education at the Sufi lodge and madrasa of my father, under the mastership of my special teacher Mehmet Efendi, and finally I have received my educational permission (ijaza) from Davud Efendi, who was one of the greatest masters of the time, in one thousand and eighty seven (1287 / 1870)” 5 We understand from here that Esad Efendi completed his initial education in the Sufi lodge and madrasa, which was constructed by Mevlana Khalid Baghdadi in Erbil, where his father was a master in. After receiving special lectures from Davud Efendi, who is considered among the most reputed scholars of his time, he received permission from him when he was 23. He receives spiritual education from Taha al Hariri when he was 23. Sheikh Taha al Hariri assigns him to education worldly sciences to the new entrees of the path. This indicates that he was a qualified person who reached Hasan Kâmil Yılmaz, “M. Es’ad Erbilî”, Sahabeden Günümüze Allah Dostları , , p. 369, 369, Istanbul 1996. 4 Yı lmaz, Allah Dostları , , ibid. See also Muhammed Es’ad Erbilî, Erbilî, Risâle-i Es’adiyye Es’ad iyye fi Tarîkati’l- Aliyye , (Dersaadet Matbaas Matbaası), Istanbul 1341-1343, pp. 29-30. For biography of Esad Efendi from his own words, see als Ismail Kara, “Meclis-i Me şayih, Ulema-Tarikat Münasebetleri ve Istanbul’da Şeyhlik Yapmış Be ş Zât ın Kendi Kâleminden Terceme-i Hali”, Kutadgubilig , Number: 1 (January 2002), pp.1 pp.185-21 85-214. 4. In the Sefine of Vassaf, it is said that he is Sayyid from both father’s and mother’s side, with the sentence “He is a Sayyid from the side of his blessed mother”. See. Vassaf, Sefine-i Evliya , Süleymaniye Library. Manuscript Donations Sect ion, no: 2306, c. II, p. 191. 5 Kara,ibid., s.197.

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to a level of perfection in worldly sciences at that ibid. Esad Efendi explains why he did not enter to path of his father or grandfather, despite the fact that they were both Sufi masters as follows: “Since my spiritual journey in the Great Path of Naqshbandiyya did not correspond to the teaching times of my father and grandfather, I have entered to the service of Taha al Hariri an-Naqshbandiyya al-Khalidi, who was the qutb al-irshad of that time.”6. After completing his spiritual education (sayr al suluk) in five years, upon the death of his sheikh, Taha al Hariri in 1292/1875, he starts the mission of guidance (irshad) in line with the order he received from his sheikh. 7 Esad Efendi, who received his scientific permission from Davud Efendi in 1287/1870, received his Naqshi permission from Taha al Hariri in 1294/1877. Following this, he received the Qadiri permission in 1303/1883 from Sayyid Abdulhamid Rifqani, his Qadiri sheikh in Baghdad. 8 Sheikh Esad Efendi makes his way to Hijaz in order to fulfill his duty of pilgrimibid in 1875, when he received permission after he completed his spiritual journey under the discipline of Taha al-Hariri, his Naqshi Sheikh. When he learnt that his sheikh passed away when he was in pilgrimibid, he comes back to Istanbul, locates there, and starts to give lectures to the son-in-law of Abdulhamid II, Dervis Pasazade. 6

7 8

Es’adiyye iyye , pp.29-30. From these exErbilî, Muhammed Es’ Es’ad, ad, Risale-i Es’ad pressions, it is understood that he entered to Suf i path after his father and grandfather passed away. Ibid Speaking about these permissions, Esad Efendi says says "my "my scientific and sufi permissions are in our library in Erbil", which he wrote on the printed document sent to him when he was the sheikh of Kelami Dergah. See Kara, ibid., p. 197. However, we now do not know where these permissions are.


He lectures the Divan of Hafiz and Luccet al Asrar of Mawlana Jami in Fatih Mosque. However, the principle place of education of Esad Efendi is Kelami Dergah. Because many senior level administrators and scholars of that time have received spiritual guidance from him in this convent. Limitless number of people were raised in Kelami Dergah.9 Esad Efendi is assigned to his homeland, Erbil, by Abdulhamid Khan in 1316 / 1900. Esad Efendi has continued his guidance activities during these 10 years when he loved in Erbil, and organized the Turks here about not favoring the British administration. Meanwhile he assigned his son, Muhammed Efendi, for establishing the Society of Turkish Lovers and for encouraging Turks to apply the United Nations. When the British forces occupied Mousul (1918) Muhammed Efendi was exiled to Basra by the British for his actions in favor of Turks. During this ten-year period when he stayed in Erbil, Esad Efendi engaged in actions against the missionary activities of the British. 10 After staying ten years in his homeland, Erbil, Esad Efendi returned back to Istanbul upon the invitation of his This work comprises comprises of the dairies kept in Kelami Dergah shortly before the Sufi convents were closed. Carl Vet , a Danish researcher researc her who stayed as guest in the dergah for 15 days, highlights the homi bid paid by the senior administrators admi nistrators and scholars sc holars visiting visiti ng the t he der gah to Esad Efendi. These include such names as Gazi Mahmud Muhtar Paşa (1867-1935), Prof. Mehmed Ali Aynî (1868-1945), Ömer Ferid Kam (1864-1944). (1864-1944). For broader informat ion, see Carl Vet , Kelâmî Dergâhından Hat ıralar , , translated by Ethem Cebecioğlu, Ankara 1993 1993,, pp. 4-8, 92-95, 123, 167-1 167-171; 71; This work has been retranslated retran slated and printed by Ethem Cebecioğlu. See Carl Vet , Dervi şler Arasında Iki Hafta , trs. Ethem Cebecioğlu, Anka Yay., Yay., Istanbul 2002. 10 For broader broader information, see TBMM Zab Zabıt Ceridesi, Devre 3, Celse 2, Cilt 25, pp. 62-65, 1931. Esad Efendi’s own statements. 9

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lovers in 1324 / 1908, when constitutional monarchy was promulgated, and restarts his tasks in the Kelami Dergah. Meanwhile, he makes conversations in the Cadirli chalet in Erenkoy. When the Sheikh position in Selimiye Dergah in Uskudar became vacant, Esad Efendi is assigned to this position. He assigns his son, Mehmed Ali Efendi, to the dergah to act on behalf of him. He also continues his guidance efforts as he visits the dergah from time to time.11 Esad Efendi acts as the head of the assembly of Sheikhs, and leads the publishing of a journal named “Ceride-i Sufiyye” and an organization named “ Cemiyyet-i Sufiyye”, and he is assigned as the Surre Emini by the Emperor, Sultan Reshad.12 With the collapse of Otoman Empire and emergence of the Republic of Turkey, as a result of closure of all Sufi lodges in 1925, Esad Efendi takes himself to retreat in his chalet in Erenkoy. Esad Efendi is taken to Menemen, together with his son Muhammed Ali Efendi, with the claim that they had relation with the Menemen event that happened on 23 December 1930, and they are taken to trial for a capital punishment. Whereas his son, Mehmed Efendi, is executed, the capital punishment ruled for Esad Efendi is converted into life imprisonment due to his elder ibid. Esad Efendi passed away in the night of 3 -4 March 1931 when he was 84 while being treated for uremia disease in the military hospital in Menemen. 13

11 Vassaf, ibid. , , v. II, p. 192. 192. 12 Yı lmaz, ibid., p. 210-211; DIA , c.11, c.11, p. 348. 13 See. Yılmaz, Altın Silsile , p. 212.


Esad Efendi is an important Sufi who had a significant impact with his personal and spiritual charisma. Esad Efendi has many works and writings about tasawwuf, tafseer, hadeeth and literature. His works are: Kenzü’lrfân , Mektûbât , , Dîvan , Risâle-i Es’adiyye , Fâtiha-i Şerîfe Transİ rfân lation, Articles and a translation named Tevhid Risâlesi.14 Divan

It is a composed (muratab)15 divan. Poems are mainly written with aruz measure. Whereas Turkish and Persian 16 poems prevail, there are also Arabic poems and a Kurdish ghazal. Esad Efendi has also wri ten poems like Sufi folk literature poems and also Tahmis' for them.17 Divan , has has been prin printed ted firs in 1337/1918 with the name Divan-ı Es’ad in Evkaf printing house as 67 pages. It has been published by Cemal Bayrak with new Mevlidlid-ii Fatma" in Latin leters. There is also a poem named “ Mev 18 the Divan, which was separately printed. For a detailed account about about the life and works of Esad Efendi, Efendi, see Erbilî’nin nin Hayat ı Eserleri ve Tasavvuf Vahit Göktaş , Muhammed Es’ad Erbilî’ Felsefesi , , Ankara Social Sciences Inst itute, Unprinted MA Thesis, Ankara, 2002. 15 Composed ( muratab) Divans are those which contain kaside s and ghazals, which are followed bu Rubai s, K ıtas, Murabbas, Muamma Sharkis, and finally the mufreds, compiled according to the order of syllables concerning the rhymes of po ems; and Divans which include poems which are not compiled as per the order of syllables are called Gayr Muratab Dîvân (Non-Composed Divan). see.: Pakal ın, Mehmet Zeki, Osmanlı Tarih Deyimleri ve Terimleri Sözlü ğü, MEB , V.2, p.622. 16 Persian poems have been translated by Ali Nihat Tarlan. Tarlan. 17 Çelik, Ömer, “Muhammed Es’ad- ı Erbilî’nin Kur’an- ı Kerim Âyetlerini Yorumlama Yakla şımı” Tasavvuf Ilmi ve Akademik Ara ştırma Dergisi (Tasawwuf Journal), (May 2001), Number 6, p. 181. 18 This poem has been translated into Turkish Turkish by Ali Efendi, Efendi, the son of Esad Efendi. 14

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Despite the fact that Esad Efendi was a poet raised up in Sufi lodges, he adopted Divan literature rather than Sufi folk literature and used aruz measure dexterously.19 Whereas Esad Efendi skillfully demonstrated his literal aspect in his Divan, he has also clearly indicated in his introduction to the book that he is not aiming at giving reply to a certain group who are not of Sufi taste. 20 Analyzing the metaphors, which are means re flecting the spiritual experiences and metaphysical states of Sufis, is essential in terms of taking a glance at their view points and learning the secrets in their inner worlds. Esad Efendi speaks in his Divan about drunkenness and intoxication, enthusiasm, wine and drinking house, pseudo-sheikhs, the cupbearer, singer and player, and the real Beloved. The Divan of Esad Efendi is full of symbols and poems which should be commentated on due to the clues it give from the realm of imagination. In the first section of Divan, there are texts and translations of Persian poems. In this section, there are 381 couplets, as we have determined, being separately for each leter, starting from the leter Alif to the leter Ya. In this section, there are also 13 tahmis’ under the title “muhammesat”, 2 of which are unnamed, others being Tahmîs-i Hâfiz, Tahmîs-i Hâlis, Tahmîs-i Kelîm, Tahmîs-i Mesnevî, Tahmîs-i Mevlânâ Hâlid –Kuddise Sirruh-, Tahmis to the two couplets of Nûr Ali Ma ğribî, Tahmîs-i Câmî (three). (three). Also in this section there 19 Erbili, Dîvân , p. 6. 20 Muhammed Es’ad,

Divân-ı Es’ad , Istanbul 1991, pp. 7-8. Here Here the Persion couplets are quoted from the translation of the late Nihad Tarlan.


are a Terci’ of 21 couplets, the Third Encomium of Sheikh Riza and Sheikh Emin Efendi of 13 couplets, and a Kurdish ghazal of 7 couplets. The second section of the Divan comprises of Turkish poems. This section contains ghazals, rubais, na'ts, tahmis’ writen to poems of others and his poems, and a Persian mawlid of 73 couplets writen about Hz. Fatima. The last section comprises of poems under the heading “A precious Tahmis wri ten to the ghazals of me, the poorest, by some respected people”. Symbolism / Metaphor The language, which is in practice a way of defining and expressing as well as a means of hiding and protecting, 21 realizes this function of hiding and protecting with the metaphors it uses. The expression “metaphor", which encompasses various literal arts such as figurative expression, comparison, analogy, proverb, allegory etc., is a word composed of two words, “meta” (meaning beyond) and “phore” (meaning transferring, carrying”. 22 Whereas metaphor is considered as a literal art used in poetry and rhetoric; it is also a way of expression frequently used in the field of philosophy and thinking. 23

21 22 23

Takyeddin Mengü Takyeddin Mengü şoğlu, Insan Felsefesi , , Istanbul, 1988, p. 214. 214. M. Kaya Kaya Bilgegil, Bilgegil, Edebiyat ve Bilgi Teorileri , , Istanbul, 1989, p. p. 154. Ahmet Ögke, Vâhib-i Ümmî’den Niyâzî-i M ısrî’ye Türk Tasavvuf Düşüncesinde Metaforik Anlat ım , Ahenk Yay Yay.,., Van, 2005, p. V; For use of metaphore in other fields, particularly in the field of philosophy and thinking, see: Müfit Selim Saruhan, Islâm Düşüncesinde “Isti’are”(Metafor) , Ankara, 2005

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According to Sufi way of thinking, every existence in the universe is an imitation. That means, it is a re flection of the original. In this case, the connection between the original and its reflection could only be established based on re flection. In other words, the realm of existence is a world of symbols. Imitation of these symbols constitutes the roots of art. 24 Metaphoric expression is one of the ways that Sufis use for expressing their spiritual states and experiences to their addressees. Metaphoric style is the expression by a Sufi of some abstract experiences and subjects, that are hard to be expressed, using concrete concepts.25 These expressions have a symbolic meaning; this meaning is encompassed in an artistic language, with a gnomic, impressive and mystic style called logos spermatikus in Latin.26 The Symbolic Language in Divan

Tasawwuf is is a discipline full of secrets. These secrets are covered with metaphors. The reason for this is to give a concealed message to those who could understand, and protect the secrets against those who are not qualified. The expressions such as wine, drinking house, wine cup, music, dance, the wine cupbearer etc., used by Sufis, are pronounced for metaphorically interpreting the worldly expressions under the impact of the state that the Sufi is

M. Erol Erol Kılıç, Sûfi ve Şiir: Osmanlı Tasavvuf Şiirinin Poetikas ı , , Istanbul, 2004, p. 21 25 Ögke, ibid , p. 375. 26 Cengiz Gündoğdu, “Mevlânâ’n ı n Şathiyye Türünde Yazdığı Bir Ghazali’nin Şerhi: Şerh-i Ebyât-ı Celâleddîn-i Rûmî”, Tasavvuf , year:3, number: 8, January - June, 2002, p. 30. 24


exposed to, which is a state of annihilation, fana.27 Use of metaphors have become widespread due to various reasons such as the possibilities granted by language being limited, the mystical experience being hard to be expressed and the Sufi who might not be eager to disclose his secret etc..28 The intensity of emotions and feelings experienced by the Sufi is higher compared to other people experiencing what is religious. For this reason, it is the Sufism among all Islamic sciences where the symbolic expressions are most commonly used. 29 Esad Efendi states that the Sufis are unfairly criticized with the claim that they are away from all human tastes. 30 However, people who are the masters of this work, have lived this world and the world after death to the fullest extent, and used such symbolic expressions as "wine, drinking house, wine cupbearer, wine assembly, music instrument player etc.” in their poems writen for struggling with such criticisms. For Esad Efendi, it is the "muhabbetullah", Ethem Cebecioğlu, “Seyyid Burhaneddin Muhakk ık Tirmizî’nin Baz ı ÜniTasavvufî Kavramlara Getirdiği Metaforik Yakla şımlar”, Ankara Üniversitesi Journal of Faculty of Divinity, v. XXXVIII, 1998, p. 128. 28 Ibrahim Emiroğlu, Sûfi ve Dil (Mevlânâ Örne ğ i) , , Istanbul 2002, pp141pp141143. 29 For an account of religious experiences of Sufis and the epistemological value of these expressions, see Ramazan Ertürk, Sûfi Tecrübenin Epistemolojisi , , Fecr Yay. Yay.,, Ankara, 2004; Omur Ceylan, who studied on 47 commentaries by 20 di fferent commentators on 42 different poems of 23 poets, has determined that the Turkish commentary on Turkish poems are mostly related to Sufism and highlighted the contribution of Sufism to the tradition of commentary (sharh). This study has been published as a book titled “Tasavvufî Şiir Şerhleri” (Sufi Poem Commentations” See Ömür Ceylan, Tasavvufî Şiir Şerhleri , , Kitabevi K itabevi Yay., Yay., Istanbul 1999 1999.. 30 Es’ad Erbilî Erbilî,, Dîvan , p. 7.7. 27

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the love of God, which annihilates all the grief and worldly distress in man. The drinking house, may-khane , , is the ado be of worship, constructed for the spiritual travelers who entered to Sufi path. The cupbearer, pir-i mugan , is the Sufi master who is to guide those on the Sufi path. The drinkgiver, saki , , is the successors and helpers of the Sufi master. Bazm, is the moment when the Sufis become intoxicated under the effect of remembrance ( dhikr) and contemplation (tafakkur).31 Javad Nurbakhsh explains explains why Sufis use such symbolic expressions with three reasons. 32 1. Atract the atention of readers 2. Being in a state of annihilation ( fena), thus being unaware of the condition 3. Interpreting worldly words in a metaphoric way Now let us work on the metaphors used by Esad Efendi in his Divan: Wine, Drink, Drink house, Wine Maker

Before taking a look at how these metaphors are used in the poems of Esad Efendi, we should first give their meanings as used in the terminology of Sufism. Cupbearer: The person who gives, serves, distributes and sells wine and water. In its Sufi use, the Sufi Master, 31

32

In his book title Sufi and Poem, M. Erol Kilic states the following, following, supporting these words of Esad Efendi: “Those who look for references from the material world to the symbols and metaphors such as “beloved, lover, lovelock of the beloved, drink, cup, lip etc. are characterized as raw poets, living in a very superficial world” K ılıç, Sufi ve Şiir , , p. 143. 143. TerminolJavad Nurbhkhsh, Sufi Symbolism, The Nurbakhs Encyclopedia Terminology , London and New York, York, 1986, 1986, p. 124.


or the God, who distributes love, spiritual knowledge and wisdom to the lovers, presenting them the water of life and the divine love. 33 Wine: The wine as it is normally used. The feeling of love which lets its taster loose his consciousness and makes him intoxicated. Divine love. The first cupbearer of man is God. Man has drunk this wine in " Qalu bela". Whereas wine leaves no carnal aspect in the drinker, it causes the person to loose consciousness and radiate the wisdom. Cupbearer (mugh):

“It is from the fortune and blessings of the cupbearers that the wine, in the second taste, refreshed the old love in my heart” “ When Esad opened his mouth to describe you, a poem, mixed with love, is revealed from his bo tle of heart”34 Commentary: The cupbearer (mugh) used in these couplets, are those who serve the wine of love to the person. In fact, in Sufi understanding, everything in the universe is a cupbearer (saki). Wine is love. What is meant in these couplets is that

33 34

Ögke, Metaforik Anlatım, p. 171. Es’ad Erbili Erbili,, Dîvân , pp. 12-13. 12-13.

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the heart moves as it remembers the God, and poems and couplets, mixed with love, come out of it.

“Last night, our master spoke in the drinking house; The joy of our wine gives the light of foresight ( basirat)”35 Commentary: The light of foresight is the ability of man to comprehend the reality of things. Our Sufi master said in the Sufi lodge last night that the joy of our love gave us the ability to see the inner aspects of things. The Sufi acquires foresight with remembrance (dhikr).

“The heart could not find any prosperity in the madrasa with intellect and delusion. Our detachment from the world is what we had from the cup.”36 Commentary: Here Esad Efendi exalts the group of lover Sufis, which he is included in. The worship and religious practices of the ascetic Sufis do not suffice for comprehending the reality (haqiqa), and only through love and loving it is possible to reach to the stage of abandoning from world, which is called istighna. Again, Esad Efendi criticizes in another poem the ascetics, who have no share from the divine love. He states the

35 36

Erbili, Dîvân , p. 15. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 15.


following, meaning that he is at the place where the divine love is served, not among those who live for world and where a raw asceticism is practiced.

“Esad, who had some time in the temple of cupbearers, does not lay a trap to hunt the bird of world” 37 Trap, Net: The carnal world / things other than God/ phenomena and world of dualism, which deviates the heart of man and pushes him to the trap. One should not set his heart on worldly goods in order to avoid this trap. For the goods of this world are like a feed at the entrance of the trap.38 Seting a trap: A symbolic expressions used for meaning to work for world and for a raw asceticism.

“If you want the water of immortality, be a drunk like the homeless Habbab, seek from the cupbearer as a demolished and easygoing wine-giver; save yourself from the worry of this world and the next world like Esad.” 39

“It is spring, come and drink wine (divine love). Close your eyes for a moment to the worries of the world.” 40 Spring: Devr-i Muhammedî (the (the Mohammedan Cycle) 37 38 39 40

Erbili, Dîvân , p. 34. Ögke, Metaforik Anlatım, p. 187. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 65. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 63.

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“When love exults with clamor and groan, it could be calm only with a lip on the cup"

“ If the glimpse of wine fails to find a cure for it, no one else could stop my tears.”

“Eat not any grief from the table of this bloody world. Drink wine , enjoy your self, taste the joy"

“Oh Esad, if you have a bit of mind, do not abdicate from wine”41 Lip of cup: The good news of divine love. Wine is a metaphoric expression used by Sufis to express divine love, as indicated above. Pure wine, is the absolute divine love.

“Oh ascetic, leave the idea of miswaq , because it is a wood. Hug the wine botle and dream of wine”42 Syrup: A sugary drink in liquid form. Love and loving which enraptures the lover. It is a spiritual drug. This syrup satisfies the fever of love in the heart of the lover. 41 42



“Your patient needs the syrup of your word. That patient will not heal with the drug that Lokman Hekim gave.”43 Cup (Câm-ı cem/peymane/kadeh): Cup of drink The heart and spirit of the lover and Gnostic, who is full of divine love and knowledge. The Gnostic has tasted the cup of love since “ qalu bela". Cup of love is full of divine knowledge and wisdom.44

“I am always drunk from the syrup of mortality. There is no desire for glass of unity ( cam-i cem ) in the heart” 45

“The drunk of the wine of everlasting may not be satisfied with the carnal world, He is the one who found the glass of unity and the crown of the emperor in both worlds.” 46

“The pure hearted, as he drinks wine, rejoices with pleasure. The ascetic, who assumes worshipping, remains in the sea of grief.” 47

43 44 45 46 47

Erbili, Dîvân , p. 32. Ögke, Metaforik Anlatım, p. 252. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 89. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 105. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 105.

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“I am fuddled with your love. The universe is fuddled from the joy of wine.” 48 “The root of rightness and fear from God has been irrigated and rejoiced with wine. I learnt this lecture from the narcist ascetic” 49 Esad Efendi criticizes the ascetic Sufis, and praises the lover Sufis:

“The desire of my heart was not satisfied by sheltering to the Sufi lodge. I would rather go to the house of winegiver.” 50

“The homeless, Esad, passed from this world, and revived with the blessing of the wine, at the door of the cupbearer”51 Cupbearer (Pîr-i mugân): The server of wine, the Sufi master in Sufi terminology.

“Excuse him, if Esad goes to the drinking house, he brings the rose rose gardens, for geting the joy of your smell.” 52

48 49 50 51 52

Erbili, Dîvân , p. 85. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 96. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 103. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 105. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 69.


“If Esad drinks a cup from the drinking-house of love, he wanders in the market of love, drunk and with no fear.” 53 Metaphors About Some Organs of Human Body

Metaphors used in this section are such expressions as eyebrow, tallness, face, lovelock, bow, waist, black nevus. All of these metaphors are used for expressing the beloved in general, or an aspect of the beloved. The real friend of the lover in Sufism is Allah, and his prophet Hz. Muhammed (PBUH). The greatest stage of love is the love of the beloved. The lover rejoices only with His oneness. His place is the heart and the whole universe.54 Eye and eyebrow are used for expressing the characteristics of the divine beauty. Eyelash symbolizes the proximity of the spiritual traveler on Sufi path to the divine reality. Expressions such as tallness and face are used mainly for symbolizing unity, oneness and ultimate reunion. This is the stage of reunion, where the lover and beloved are present together. In general, metaphors related to the body are those used for expressing the divine power and beauties, in the state of intoxication experienced by the Sufi. 55 Now let us study the metaphors related to body organs used by Esad Efendi in his Divan:

53 54 55

Erbili, Dîvân , p. 81. Ögke, Metaforik Anlatım, p. 177. Nurbahksh, ibid. , , p. 65.

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“Oh my dear, I swear by your eyebrows that your tallness killed us. Do never use a sword to kill us.” 56 Eyebrow is a symbol of man's closeness to God. This stage is called the stage of “qab qawsayn” in Sufism 57. Tallness symbolizes the union and oneness. In the foregoing couplets, it says that “my reaching to the stage of union killed me before I died, I am already a death, there is no need for a sword". Another couplet where the metaphor of eyebrow is used in Divan is as follows:

“When I see a lover, I see him bent like a bow. And I know that his soul is charmed to the (beauty in) eyebrows.” 58

"I post my weak body like a target so that the arrow of dimple comes from you eyebrow, which is like an installed bow.”59 Another couplet where the metaphor of eyebrow is used in Divan is as follows:

56 57

Erbili, Dîvân , p. 17. 17. Reference is made to 9. verse of Surat al Najm. It means "two eye brows” or “two eyelashes” eyelashes”.. 58 Erbili, Dîvân , p. 32. 59 Erbili, Dîvân , p. 102.


“Thanks to your eyebrow that looks like a crescent, the ceiling of peace was reinstated as the palace of Kisra collapsed”.60 Commentary: There is a reference to Hz. Muhammed (PBUH). That means: Oh Muhammed, the palace of Kisra collapse with your birth.

“ There is no benefit for a man to turn his face to the niche, unless he is ready to be martyred from the sword of your eyebrow ”61 Commentary: Oh Muhammed (PBUH), while I was praying, I remem bered the bend of your eyebrow (closeness to God). It was such a state that the niche ( mihrab) started to cry. The eyebrow and eyelash metaphor is also used for expressing the love of Hz. Ali:

“Could Zulfikar do, with its power equal to an army, what the beautiful of Necef did with his eyebrow and eyelash?”62

60 61

Erbili, Dîvân , p. 41. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 49; 49; Other places where where the eyebrow metaphor is used in his Divan are: Dîvân , p. 99, 102. 102. 62 Erbili, Dîvân , p. 79.

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“You are unnecessarily carrying the heavy burden of bow. The chain of your lovelock lovelock is enough for tying us.”63 Bow; the trap of unity ( wahdet) Lovelock (zulf ) is multiplicity, the opposite of unity. Chain of lovelock is the manifestation of divine a titudes. Face is the unity. Lovelock comes out of the face. Unity comes out of multiplicity. Commentary: Why do you need the trap of unity you prepared for tying us? All the universe is full of your a titudes. These are enough for us to be tied to you. Bounds of multiplicity are enough to take us to unity. In another couplet in the Divan, the lovelock metaphor is used as follows:

“If lovelock and black nevus is a chain in the hands of the guardian, the chick bowl of emperors is more beautiful that the throne of Egypt" Black nevus: Oneness; this is the seventh of seven a titudes. It is a point on the heart. Commentary: When the human ataches himself to multiplicity, if he has understood that the multiplicity is a multiplicity bound to the real beauty, siting at the botom of a well with this understanding is much be ter than being a sultan of Egypt.


“Her odor of musk has fallen on the foot of lovelock, the shadow of her tallness begs her to grant her long life.” 64 Commentary: The shadow of your oneness beseeches you to grant it eternal life. Because when the multiplicity enters into oneness, it reaches to the eternity, becomes eternal.

“My heart reached to my lip to see your face. One who is captivated to you ey emay not find any healing other than your drug.”65

“Whenever I speak metaphorically about the lovelock of the beloved, my purpose indeed is the jacinth of your crown.”66

“My desire at the niche is to abide by (the way of) your foot. Because in our heart there is no other purpose than your eyebrow.”67

64

63

Erbili, Dîvân , p. 18.

Erbili, Dîvân , p. 59; 59; Other places where the lovelock lovelock metaphor is used in his Divan are: Dîvân , p. 95, 102. 102. 65 Erbili, Dîvân , p. 68. 66 Erbili, Dîvân , p. 68. 67 Erbili, Dîvân , p. 68.

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“In both worlds I desire for your beautiful tallness and stature. Likewise I request something by bowing my head in front of the passion flower.”68

Commentary: I have atained the unity when I understood the reality of multiplicity.

“In my sect, the whole world is a point. The purpose of creation is your black nevus.”69 Another couplet in which nevus is mentioned in the Divan is as follows:

“The condition and silhoue te and lovelock of the beautiful are always in demand due to her chick which looks like a rose.”73

“The nevus on your face made everyone crazy except me. Thousands of lovers like me were sca tered for your love.”70

“Oh Esad, you have become desolate, however your life is saved from the lovelock of the coquetish hair.” 74 The lovelock becoming desolate is an evidence that the person himself is desolate.

“Esad has sacrificed his desire for a hundred-piece prayer beast, that means his connection with the world, fort he sake of your lovelock and your nevus.”71

“Oh Esad, wonder not, if your heart feels comfort under the lovelock of the beloved! It looks like a mindful nightingale resting (siting in peace) on that trap.” 75 Waist

“I am thankful to this black lovelock till death. I reach to the gentile secrets of love with its blessing.” 72

68 69 70 71 72

Erbili, Dîvân , p. 68. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 68. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 35. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 60. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 81.

“I became thin like a piece of hair from the yearning of your waist. I am exhausted and miserable from your hair, looking like a hyacinth.” 76

73 74 75 76

Erbili, Dîvân , p. 81. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 95. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 102. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 84.

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Commentary: Waits Wai ts is the part of man separating the sublime part from the menial part. Face (Dîdâr/Vech /Yüz): The beauty of Haq (God), the divine beauty. It means the beloved. It is a name given to divine manifestations in Sufism. One who remembers God does not remain distant from His Face. The door of His face could only be opened with love, loyalty and unity.77 “If a light for eyes falls abundantly from a cloud in the sky, my eyes only become enlightened with the light of your face.”78 Face is the unity.

“You have burnt my wind with the fire of the beauty of your face. Now you will not even dream that we have stepped out and escaped from that candle”79 Commentary: The beauty of your oneness burnt me up. Now this path has no return.

“The paradise envies the gardens of His realm. The core of hearts are injured due to that bright face.” 80

77 78 79 80

Ögke, Metaforik Anlatım, p. 341. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 29. Erbili, Dîvân , p.18. p.18. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 58.


“After the bird of heart sees with its eyes the nevus on your chick, it will not feel any further su ffering at the trap of your two lovelocks ” 81 Black Point (Dâne-i Hâl): Black point, the unity Lovelock: Multiplicity, events Commentary: While the bird of heart fluters in the webs of multiplicity, it stops to fluter when it reaches the black point (unity). Lip: Lip is annihilation in God ( fana fillah) and lasting in him (baqa billah)

“Her eyes, falling down like a rain, do not cultivate any fruit of happiness in her heart. The heart has turned into an arid soil from that fervent love for that lip that deceives the universe.”82

“If that eye, being a gardener, has grown the bud of mouth, the voice of nightingale comes to the assembly of friends, very deep.”83 Mouth: The thing that carries the meaning and kills the material. Eye: As opposed to the mouth, the thing that enlivens the meaning and kills the material. 81 82

Erbili, Dîvân , p. 22. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 22. For another couplet where t he lip metaphor is used, see. Dîvân , p. 49. 83 Erbili, Dîvân , p. 32.

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Commentary: If the eye has grown the mouth, the beauties they see cause a rose-like odor to be released from the mouth, and a nightingale comes to the assembly. Eyelash/Arrow: The divine sight that heavily pierces the heart of the lover

“ Your eyelashes eyelashes have stood on a line at the niche of your two eyebrows that you see them praying God for healing your ill eye.”84 Eye: The most important organ of man. Ill eye (çeşm-i bimar): The burning and killing eye. This eye burns the things other than God. The overlapped bent standing of the eyelashes is an eligible position. These eyelashes have formed a line, opened their hands, praying for the life of the ill eye, which intends to kill me, so that I die not and live some more. Esad Efendi expresses with the following couplet that he has not desire for any of worldly tastes after he becomes intoxicated from the eye of the beloved:

"How could I, one who got drunk as a skunk from your eye, request for the cup of pleasure and life.” 85

84 85



“My eye did not have a light, neither throughout the day nor the night. The imagination of the bat sees be ter than itself." 86 My eyes await for long that a dust may come from the road of the crate from the broom of your eyelashes. 87

“Your eyelashes want to kill us. You eyelashes, eye and chick do not suffice.” 88 Commentary: For geting closer to God, the material things and all things other than God should be ceased. Other metaphors used by Esad Efendi in his Divan are as follows: Rose89 (symbol of beauty.) nightingale90 (Sufi Master)91 dove92 (slave), chick (unity), tallness (sultan), curl (multiplicity), hümâ93 (godsend, the heart of the Gnostic) phoenix94 ( a mythological bird which is believed to live beyond Qaf mountain, mountain, whose name is known but appearance is unknown. Resembles the heart of the Gnostic in Sufism.) 95 journey96 (the journey to God, which is a path of spiritual perfection), darkness97, water of life, pure water

86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97

Erbili, Dîvân , p. 85. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 85. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 85. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 27. 27. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 19. 19. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 83. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 84. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 71. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 93. Ögke, Metaforik Anlatım , p. 154. Erbili, Dîvân , p. 25. Erbili, Dîvân , p.18. p.18.

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98(pure

water), ultimate reunion99 (it is only the key of consent that opens the door of ultimate reunion), mirror of heart100 (cleaning the dust of heart) shadow metaphor 101 (a reflection which could not be separated from its original), hunter102 (the atraction of world ). Conclusion

Analyzing the metaphors, which are means re flecting the spiritual experiences and metaphysical states of Sufis, is essential in terms of taking a glance at their view points and learning the secrets in their inner worlds. Because wording fails to fully express the spiritual experience. Metaphoric style is the expression by a Sufi of some abstract experiences and subjects, that are hard to be expressed, using concrete concepts. Sufi experiences many states such as unity – multiplicity (vahdet - kesret), annihilation – lasting fana- baqa), union – separation ( cem- farq). It is not pos( fanasible to fully express this experience. It is apparent that the wordings coming out of the tongue will not suffice to describe the condition which the Sufi is in. Because a wording may not be substituted in place of an experience. However, words are like the forms of reality re flected to the mirror. If we read the form on the mirror well and understand the signs in words, we may take a glance at the experience. The 98 Erbili, 99 Erbili, 100 Erbili, 101 Erbili, 102 Erbili,

Dîvân , p. 76. Dîvân , p. 23. Dîvân , p. 29. Dîvân , p. 19. 19. Dîvân , p. 17; About t he hunter metaphor, see.: Ahmet Ögke, “Mevlânâ’n ın Mesnevî’sinde Avc ı Metaforu”, Selçuk University Journal of Mevlana Researches, Year:1, Number:1, Konya, 2007.


Divan of Esad Efendi is full of symbols and poems which should be commentated on due to the clues it give from the realm of imagination. Esad Efendi uses many metaphors in his Divan, such as “wine, drink, drink-house, cupbearer, syrup, glass of unity, cup, lip of cup, eyebrow, tallness, face, lovelock, bow, waist, black nevus, eye, eyelash, lip, waist as well as nightingale and rose, tulip, dove, cypress tree, huma bird, phoenix and reunion, hunter, water of life, mirror of heart, darkness, shadow” etc., and professionally integrates these to his writings, despite him being a Sufi raised in a Sufi lodge. To refer back to the introduction of Esad Efendi’s Divan, we see the following words about these metaphors: “What they say as wine is the love of God which leaves no trace of worldly dealings. Drinking house is a place of worship constructed for the spiritual traveler, and the cupbearer is the Sufi master. The wine givers are the successors of the Sheikh which are mediators for the guidance of hearts. The drinking gatherings are the moments when the spiritual Sufi travelers got intoxicated with remembrance of God, Sufi practices and finally the love.”

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OPINIONS OF MUHAMMED ES’AD ERBILI (1847/1931) ON DHIKR

Vahit GÖKTAŞ Ali TENİK

Abstract This article studies the opinions of Muhammed Es’ad Er bili, who was a Master of the Kelami Dergah, and who witnessed the last period of Otoman Empire and the first years of the Republic. Himself being a Sheikh of the Sufi Order, Es’ad Erbili has evidenced the issue through dhikr which is practiced in various Sufi paths. Es’as Efendi also takes account of the issue within the context of dhikr alkull, the explicit dhikr, the hidden dhikr, and hatm al hajegan. In addition to this, Es’ad Efendi also mentioned about the befits of dhikr. The article also deals with the impor-

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tance, effects and benefits of dhikr while dealing with the opinions of Es’ad Efendi about the subject. Keywords: Es’ad Es’a d Erbili, Dhikr, Sufi Order (Tariqa) (Tariqa),, Kelâmî Dergâh

While dhikr means keeping in one’s memory, remem bering, recalling, or learning by heart any given piece of information, it also holds such metaphorical meanings as reputation, honor and glory, salaah, prayer and the heavenly texts1. In Sufi terminology, dhikr is construed as “remembering, keeping in mind, and not forgeting Allah.” Dhikr is an ascetic practice whereby Sufis and members of mystic orders, be it an individual or a group, recite certain words and phrases in given quantities at various places and according to a predefined set of rules and manners. In tasawwuf, dhikr in the true sense happens when the dhakir goes ecstatic, remembering only Allah, and forge ting everything else.2 In dhikr, the intended target is to exert an effort for remembering what was long forgo ten, and for keeping it in mind and heart for good. The outcome is a maturing of the divine connection and experience experienced internally by the individual. If one is enriched internally through 1

2

Ibn Manzur, Lisan al-Arab , ns. Yousef Khayyat- Nadim Mar’asli, Mar’asli, Dar al-Lisan al-Arab, Beirut, ts. v. IV, p. 308; Firuzabadi, Mohammed Ibn Yaqub, al-Kamus al-Muhid , Egypt, 1952.v 1952.v.. II, p. 34; Asim Asim Efendi, Kamus Tercumesi, Tercum esi, Matca-i Osmaniye, Istanbul, 1304–1305 1304–1305,, v. II, p. 346. Abd al-Karim Qushayri, Al-Risalah , Egypt 1940, pp. 221221-226; 226; Abu Hamid Ibn Mohammed Ghazali, Ihya Uloom al-Din , Beirut 1982, v. I, pp. 390-402; Suleyman Uludag, "Zikir " (Dhikr), IA, MEB, Istanbul, 1993, XIII, p. 561-563.

OPINIONS OF MUHAMMED ES’AD ERBILI (1847/1931) (1847/1931) ON DHIKR

dhikr, he will remember the creator of the universe with everything in it. Although the term means ‘remembering, reciting’ in the Qur’an al-Karim, it is also employed in ways to mean salaah3 , Qur’ Qur’an an4 , men of wisdom,5 advice,6 and tafaqqur (reflection)7 sometimes. In the Qur’an al-Karim, the word dhikr is mentioned in two hundred and ninety-one places together with its derivatives.8 Emphasized by the Qur’an al-Karim as well, dhikr is one of the crucial functions of the heart. Because it is dhikr that brings about the peacefulness of the heart (Fath, 4). Dhikr is used within the Qur’an alKarim in the following meanings: Qur’an (Hijr, 9), salaah (Juma, 9; Ankabut, 45), people of the book (Anbiyya, 7), and remembering Allah. (Baqara, 152; Anbiyya, 20, Ahzab, 35, 41, 42). In addition, while dhikr bears such meanings as abstaining from evil, being just, not falling for the world, and always remembering Allah’s orders (A’raf, 205; Kahf, 24; Munafiqun, 9; Nur, 37; Rad, 28; Ta Ha, 24), it is also used for religious practices like hajj (pilgrimage) and other similar practices (Baqara, 198-203). The Qur’an says: “They remember Allah standing up, siting down and lying on their side.”9 Accordingly, one understands that dhikr is not restricted in terms of time and state. Anoth3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Ankabut, 45/9 45/9.. Hijr, 15/9. Nahl, 16/43; 16/43; Anbiyya, 21/7. 21/7. A’raf, raf, 7/3; Isra, 17/41; 17/41; Nahl, 16/43-44. Baqara, 2/269; Ra’d, 13/19 13/19.. Abd al-Baki, al-Baki, Mohammed Fuad, al-Mu’jam al-Mufahras li Elfaz alQur’an al-Karim , Istanbul 1990, pp. 271-275 271-275.. Ali Imran, 3/19 3/191. 1.

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er verse says: “Remember Me, so that I remember you,”10 which points at the honor and pride that dhikr would bring. On the importance of dhikr, the Prophet (pbuh) says: “The relation between the one who remembers Allah and the one who does not is like that between an alive person and a dead person.”11 Another account is as follows: “How would you like if I told you that the most beneficial deed of all is to remember Allah.”12 Bearing a broader meaning across the Qur’ Qur’an, an, this word is a tributed a different and outward meaning by the commentators then that a tributed by mystics. Commentators usually construe relevant verses in a way to mean “remem bering Allah, observing His orders in one’s acts,” and they do not perceive it as a recital of certain predefined words and phrases, either individually or in groups, in accordance with some normative rules. They hold dhikr equivalent to remembering Allah and all other religious deeds like praying, fasting and helping the poor. 13 On top of that, it is also recognized as dhikr when one waives an opportunity to commit wrong deeds. According to commentators, happiness occurs when salaah is fulfilled in a genuine manner. When salaah is performed is a genuine way, one will be safe from all vice.14 If one thinks that he is in the presence of Allah during salaah, he will realize his inner connection with 10 Baqara, 2/152. 11 Bukhari, Daawat, Daawat, 66. 66. 12 Tirmizi, Daawat, Daawat, 6. 13 Abu al-A'la al-Mawdudi, 14

Ta fim al-Qur'an , Istanbul, 1988, v. IV IV,, p. 229. Elmalili Hamdi Yazir , , Hak Din-i Kur'an Dili (True Religion: The Koranic Language) Lang uage),, Istanbul, Ista nbul, 1997, 1997, v. VIII, p. 230.


salaah. Otherwise, salaah is isolated from his soul, which is forgetfulness. Being the opposite of forgetfulness, if dhikr is incapable of eliminating forgetfulness, one has to assume that dhikr is not taking place properly. Denouncing those that perform the salaah in forgetfulness (Ma’un, 4-5), Allah praises those who do it in deep reverence (Mu’minun, 1-2). Having Allah in mind during salaah will a ffect the soul, bringing the performer of the salaah closer to good deeds, driving him away from evil. 15 According to commentary writers, another important point meant by dhikr is the Qur’an al-Karim itself. Hearts will find peace only in reciting and performing duties defined by the Qur’an al-Karim. Man can achieve psychological and physical happiness only by surrendering to the Qur’an al-Karim, al-Karim, which is the greatest remembrance of Allah. Remembering Allah means reciting His name in every moment, and surrendering to Him with the full understanding that one is under His control. 16 Dhikr is one of the most fundamental requirements in tasawwuf, and a strongest principle on the path to Greatest Truth.17 According to Sufis, the essence of dhikr, which is the opposite of forgetfulness, is to keep Mawla present in the heart at all times, and to avoid anything that may cause one to forget about Him. Sufis take the performing of farz (obligatory), wajib (essential) and sunnah (act of the Prophet) deeds as the greatest forms of remembering Allah, in which way 15 Suleyman

Kur'an-i Kerim Tefsiri Tefsiri (Koran Commentary), Istanbul, Ates , Kur'an-i 1995, IV, p. 1975. 16 Mawdudi, age., v. V, p. 236. 17 Qushayri, Al-Risalah , p. 110. 110.

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they universalize the domain of dhikr by making it the common denominator of all religious deeds. Qushayri says the following about this: “One of the important characteristics of dhikr is that it is not restricted to a certain time. The subject is obliged to remember at all times. There is no time when dhikr is not performed as a farz or nafilah (voluntary). While salaah is the most honorable of all deeds, it is not allowed at certain times. Yet, dhikr done in the heart can continue regardless of time or place.” 18 Therefore, dhikr is a broad concept which, according to one’s intention, can transform any physical or non-physical act into a religious deed. According to Sufis, kalimat al-tawhid is the most virtuous of all dhikrs as it holds in itself the very essence of religion. There is no other means or way that is this e ffective for cleansing and taming the carnal self. This dhikr helps one strengthen his faith, enlighten his heart, and grow more mature; it helps achieve the atraction of Qayyumiyyah alZatiyyah, and spiritual awareness and caution. Tawhid is a dhikr that renews the faith of believers. It is a ritual that eliminates all doubts and con flicts from the heart of the Sufi. Any person who performs the dhikr of tawhid in a sincere manner will achieve union with the Beloved without the need for an intercessor or a mediator. Any person that joins the circle of tawhid has made friends with Haqq. The dhikr of tawhid is the most effective among the self-control disciplines that the Sufi chooses in order to unite with the One. The greatest of all names and recitals is the name Allah. All names and a tributes are brought together in this


name. Performing dhikr with this name helps one achieve the virtue of reciting Allah with His unlimited number of names and a tributes. Those who recite the name Allah frequently will experience a state of extreme spiritual enthusiasm. Such state is balanced by a teacher who has perfected himself. In this sense, Ibrahim Hakki of Erzurum explains that, during dhikr, the dhakir dives deep into an ocean of ecstasy, where he sometimes cannot stand the full splendor of the dhikrullah , going into a state of lunacy.19 Just like it is impossible to make good again a ro ten egg, reversing such disturbance is impossible even for ordained saints. As one can understand, each dhikr affects the spiritual structure of an individual in a di fferent way depending on its inherent quality. Out of these, the kalimat al-tawhid has no adverse effects on the spiritual structure of man. Ge ting deeper in this dhikr, the structure of consciousness gets more peaceful, and one’s soul journeys toward perfection. But if those dhakirs who recite the name Allah, which is like a summary of all names, recite this name too much without being aware of his own spiritual capacity, he may experience some spiritual instability. This dictates that dhikr be within the limits of one’s individual capacity. Because any overload that is beyond one’s limits will, just like circuit breakers in a power circuit, trip the switches in one’s spiritual world, seriously disrupting the spiritual balance. At this very point, the perfected murshid (teacher) plays a crucial role in tasawwuf as he defines which disciple should en-

19 18

Same work, work, p. 368.

Erzurumlu Ibrahim Hakki, Marifetname (The Book of Gnosis), Istan bul 1984, v. v. 2, p. 691. 691.

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gage in which dhikr and in what quantities q uantities according to the capacity and character of each. Keeping the disciple under check, he helps him maintain his inner balance with dhikr. In this context, Ali Ramitani draws an analogy between the murshid and a bird-keeper who knows how much seed each bird is to eat every day and feeds all birds accordingly. In the same way, the murshid must take into consideration the capacity of each disciple when he is training them. 20 A Annother principle the Naqshbandi order uses for achieving a lasting state of remembrance is wuquf al-adadi which is one of the main principled collectively called the usul al-ashara. It means observing the number. 21 At this point, Baha al-Din Naqshband points out the importance of observing num bers in dhikr by saying, “Observing the number in dhikr is for bringing unity to a fragmented inner world ,” and “wuquf al-adadi is the first station of secret wisdom.”22 Es’ad Erbili and Es’ad a nd Dhikr According to Es’ad Efendi 23 dhikr is an instruction; Es’ad Es’ad Efendi who claims that the Sufi Orders are one in terms of their esence, emphasizes dhikr as the esence of this Muhammedan Sufi path 24. This instruction was first ordered to the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), and then to his follow20 Safi, 21 22 23

24

Ali Ibn Hussein Waiz Kashifi, Tarjama al-Rasakhat al-Ayn alKhayat , , Istanbul 1292, p. 66. Same work, p. p. 25. Same work, pp. 30-31. For broad information about the life and works of Es’ad Es’ad Efendi, see: Vahit Göktaş , Muhammed Es’ad-ı Erbilî Hayatı Eserleri ve Tasavvuf Felsefesi , , İlahiyat Yay., Ankara 2013. Tarîkati’l-Âliyye, iyye, (Dersaadet Matbaas ı), Es’ad Erbilî, Risâle-i Es’adiyye fî Tarîkati’l-Âl İstanbul 1341-1343, s. 12.


ers. Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) received this order by understanding its essence through the Gabriel, and then carried out the dhikr by tongue and heart. Following the path of the Prophet is only dependent on the dhikr performed by tongue and heart. For that reason, it is a well known reality that there is a clear need for such remembrances. Es’ad Er bili, who considers considers dhikr as a requirement requirement of the human essence, and, as opposed to what is asserted by many, claims that the origin of the Sufi orders and the dhikr is the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and who thus ties this basis to the Quran, presents us the systemized form of the dhikr in his works. According to Es’ad Es’ad Efendi, the only friend is His remembrance. Although the person might be away from Allah, he is with Allah with his heart and spirit. As regards the “hidden dhikr” (dhikr al khafi) and “openly dhikr” (dhikr al khafi) Es’ad Efendi says that the verse in Quran “Remember your Lord by begging to and fearing from him, in the mornings and evenings, with a slow voice, and do not be among the ignorant” 25 implies the importance of the hidden dhikr. He also says that the following verse in quran reminds us of the openly dhikr: 26 “Pray your lord by begging and hiddenly. Because he does not love those who exceed the limits ”27 According to him, this verse allows for the openly dhikr.28 Es’ad Erbili considers dhikr as a necessity for the awakening of the ten “letaif”, for the enlightenment of the whole 25 26 27 28

A’râf A’ râf 7/205. Es’adiyye iyye , s. 22. Erbilî, Risale-i Es’ad A’râf râf 205/55. Erbilî, ibid., ibid., s. 23.. 23..

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body with with the norms norms of the Sharia Sharia,, and for the healing of the body and the heart, heart, through both both hidden and openly openly dhikr, dhikr, as it was put by the Prophetic saying: “The hidden of the dhikr is beter, as the enough amount of livelihood is be ter”. He states that this is possible only through the adance and blessingg of a Master who has blessin has submi submited himself to Allah and who reached the level of annihilation (fana fi’llah). 29 According to Es’ad Efendi, the hidden dhikr is more valuable than the one that is performed openly The openly dhikr is more influential on new starters. Es’ad Es’ ad Efendi shows the evidence of the circle of “Khatm al Khajegan” through the 28th verse of the Surat al Kahf 30. Es’ad Efendi also shows the order in the verse: “Oh those who believe! Remember Allah abundantly!” 31 as being applicable in general to all men and women as in the case of prayers (salat), obligatory alms and fasting. Es’ad Efendi states that performing the dhikr in the mosque is valuable to the extent this does not disturb others. In relation to the participation of women in the dhikr, he says that the women are also under the obligation of dhikr as men are and the yare allowed to participate in the dhikr gathering provided that their voice is not hear, same as they participate in the prayers with the group of men at a place specially allocated for them in a covered place.32

As it is put by the Prophetic saying: “Remembrance of Allah is the healing of the hearts” 33 , the spiritual ascension to reach the high levels of the paradise will not be accomplished unless the heart is healed.34 Some of the diseases of the hearts are as follows: Jealousy, hypocrisy, arrogance Es’ad Efendi considers dhikr as a polish of the heart. Es’ad Erbili explains the connection between dhikr and praising God as follows: “The first of praise is the one done for the benefit of the nation of Mohammad, which deserves deserves mercy. The second should be the dhikr and thinking made with the ten spiritual powers.35 The purification of the self and cleaning of the heart are the two important targets of the dhikr at the beginning. Es’ad Erbili takes the love as the basis in dhikr and in ra bita and in many other issues. issues. As a mater of fact, the dhikr of Allah arises at the heart of the believer when the love becomes real. This complies with the following verse of Quran: “There are men who could not be ignored of the remembrance of Allah, neither by trade nor any shopping ”36 and thus the heart finds its peace and tranquality. According to Esad Efendi, what is instructed in the Prophetic saying“My eyes sleep, but my heart not”37 is that one should not be ignorant of the remembrance of Allah even for a moment. 38 33 Beyhakî, Deylemi, Ke ş fü’l- hafâ , c.1 s.505. 34 Erbilî, Mektûbat , , Dersaadet, İstanbul 1341,

29 Ibid, s.48. 30 Erbilî, Risale-i 31 Ahzâ Ahzâbb 33/41. 32 Ibid, 42-43.

Es’adiyye, s. 25. Es’adiyye, 25.

35 36 37 38

Kâmil), s.116. Erbili, Mektubat, s.15 s.156. 6. Nur 24/37. 24/37. Buhari, Teheccüd, Teheccüd, 16. 16. rfan , s.46. Erbilî, Es’ad, Es’ad, Kenzü’l-İ rfan

1343. ( matbaa-i Ahmet

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According to Es’ad Efendi, the Kalima al-Tawhid (since it constitutes the basis for iman) is the most perfect of the dhikrs, and praise (since it is a means to increase the blessings of Allah) is the most perfect of the prayers. Es’ad Es’ ad Efendi also shows the order in the verse: “Oh those who believe! Remember Allah abundantly!” 39 as being applicable in general to all men and women as in the case of prayers (salat), obligatory alms and fasting. He states that this is expressly stated in the 35th verse of the Surat alAhzam which ends with “men and women who remember Allah abundantly” and thus that the men and women are both ordered to remember Allah. Es’ Es’ad ad Efendi shows the verse “Stay patient with those who beg him in the mornings and evenings asking for the assent of their Lord” 40 as an evidence of the circular performance of Khatm al-Khacegan41. And again according to Es’ad Efendi, the dhikr is more valuable than the jihad and non obligatory fasting. Es’ad Efendii shows the verse: “Oh those who believe! Remember Allah abundantly ” 42as an evidence for the “dhikr al Kull” which is known as a station in the Sufi path, implying the obligation to get connected with a Sufi master and to make “rabita” with him, which is questionable in quranic terms. Relying on the verse which states: “Those who remember Allah while standing, si ting and sleeping on their sides” 43 ,

39 Ahzâ Ahzâbb 33/41. 40 Kehf 18/28. 41 Erbilî, age., age., s. 12. 42 el-Ahzâb 33/41. 33/41. 43 Al-i İmrân 3/191.


he made explanations about whether the dhikr is to be performed standing or si ting. 44 The ultimate result of dhikr is the “muraqaba” According to Es’ad Efendi, the “muraqaba al-maiyya” in the Sufi paths is not something that is di fferent from the practices of the Prophet (PBUH) As a conclusion, Es’ad Efendi aims at creating the consciousness of dhikr in an individual. In order for the person to live every moment of his life in a meaningful manner, he needs to keep in memory the being to which he is affiliated. For that reason, according to him, dhikr is a requirement of the human nature. Dhikr is necessary for the satisfaction of the soul. For that reason, the personality that is desired is the one “which could not be distracted from the dhikr of Allah by anything”. Thus he is the human who has the highest capacity of sensitivity among the beings and he could thus maximize his capacity. The dhikr, which has been performed in Sufi paths in a systematic manner for the heart, the letaif and muraqaba, is a way of teaching for this. 44

Erbilî, Mektûbât, s. 71.

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IMPORTANCE AND EFFECTS OF REMEMBRANCE (DHIKR) IN SOCIO PSYCHOLOGICAL TERMS1

Ali TENİK Vahit GÖKTAŞ

Abstract This article deals with the impact of dhikr on human psychology. Before going into details, first the etymological meaning of dhikr and its place in Sufi terminology are emphasized. Information has been provided about the use of dhikr, which is one of the most significant methods of tasawwuf, which is a branch of science having a practical aspect, within the scope of Islamic culture and the fields of 1 This article art icle published on pages pages 217-236 217-236 of issue of Volume Volume 49 of Ankara University Faculty of Divinity Journal 2008.

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use of this word in tasawwuf. An account has been given on the impact on man, and on society which is made up of human beings, of this method of tasawwuf discipline, which accepts the internal structuring of man as its leading target, a method that could be applied by everyone. Keywords Remembrance, dhikr, man, socio-psychology, tasawwuf

Being at the heart of Sufi practices, dhikr is an important means for spiritual training. More than remembering or reciting Allah’s names and a tributes in a certain harmonious way, dhikr is a verbal expression of a sort of devotion that has its roots in surrender of the heart. It is therefore that all Sufis have regarded dhikr as the keystone of applied religion.2 Primary purpose of tasawwuf and all other mystical activities is ensuring victory over Satan of the soul that resides in human heart and represents Allah. That is to say, ensuring superiority of the soul over nafs (the carnal self), and achieving full control over the nafs which is identical to the worldly plane. This is because nafs is one of the principal themes in tasawwuf. The struggle of tasawwuf is a struggle for eliminating the nafs. Human nature is based on a constant ba tle between the “nafs” and the “soul.” The target that dhikr aims at in this ba tle is to distinguish between the physical and spiritual being of man, enabling free movement of this spiritual being toward Allah. Dhikr is to concentrate thought on one place in order to release the spiritual powers that will assist one make progress on 2

R. Nicholson ,, The Mystics of Islam , Arkana, 1989, 1989, p. 45.

IMPORTANCE AND EFFECTS OF REMEMBRANCE (DHIKR) IN SOCIO PSYCHOLOGICAL TERMS

the path. Dhikr is generally g enerally regarded from this perspective in tasawwuf. Playing a dominant role in tasawwuf, dhikr, as pointed out earlier, is found in many places in the Qur’an. Qur’an al-Karim talks about the beneficence of dhikr for humans directly in over sixty verses, and indirectly in two hundred and fifty-six verses. 3 Emphasized this much by Qur’an, dhikr is an inner activity of man. With the verse, “ And remember your Lord by your tongue (and within yourself ), humbly and with fear without loudness in words in the mornings, and in the afternoons and be not of those who are neglectful.” (A’raf, 205), Allah orders that dhikr is performed in a sincere and humble manner. Remembering Allah at all times is a quality of sincere Muslims. Taking one step further in showing their sincerity, Sufis claimed that the heaven or hell is not the true objective for them. They care about neither geting closer to heaven, nor away from hell. They are just people who are madly in love with the idea of becoming one with Allah.4 And some Sufis desired heaven merely as a means for uniting with and seeing Allah.5 Inner performance of dhikr depends on the condition of the heart. What is important in dhikr is not the action of the tongue, but that the heart moves with Allah. By just reciting Allah’s name, the tongue helps dhikr se tle deep in the heart and the heart participates in the dhikr 6. When dhikr

3 4 5 6

Mu’jam, p. 273-274. Abd al-Baqi , Mu’jam, Yunus Emre, Divan , ed. Abdulbaki Golpinarli, Istanbul, 1964, p. 257 257. Prayer and Invocation Invocation in Islam ,” AUIFD, A. Schimmel , , “Mystic Prayer AUIFD, Ankara, 1953, issue ΙΙ-ΙΙΙ , , p. 211. 211. Maqqi, Abu Talib, Qut al-Qulub , Cairo 1982, p. 248. 248.

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takes the heart under its control, it enlightens all feelings of one with heavenly light, who becomes the addressee of Allah following appraisal: “ ...now We have removed from you your veil, so your sight today is sharp.” (Qaf, 22). Any person who is the recipient of such appraisal sets an example of the “perfect man” which is desired by individuals and societies alike. Increase in the number of such people will create a livable society. Presence of people of such high character proves the significant impact dhikr has over human psychology. According to Sufis, failure to remember or fulfill dhikr will result in the death of the heart. Forge ting is one of the feeblenesses of limited man. This feebleness is manifested in remembering Allah, too. The Qur’an explains the situation of those who forget Allah with the verse, “...woe to those whose hearts are hard against the remembrance of Allah...” (Zumar, 22.). When the heart is deprived from dhikr, the soul is devoid of love. A heart that is far from Allah’s love will befriend the nafs.7 Such feebleness are seen at times among Sufi orders during practices of asceticism. Extremist behaviors of some disciples during dhikr sessions are not acceptable. Thus, remembering Allah has something to do with neither the way one dresses nor his posture. Remembering Him is about heart and intention. Holding certain postures above others, or cladding one’s self in certain ways is against the spirit of the Qur’an al-Karim. Dhikr should tread an internal path of destitution and secrecy. Vocalizing it, or crying out loud

7

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawzi al-Jawziyya yya , Madaric al- Saliqin trans. commitee, Istan bul, 1994, ΙΙ , , p. 331. 331.


in frenzy is merely a result of forgetfulness.8 Allah must be remembered in order to be safe from forgetfulness and petrifaction of the heart. Keeping Him in mind and heart at all times will ensure balance between the soul and the body, keeping the soul in a constant state of aliveness and alertness.9 In saying, "Do not belong to the forgetful," the Qur’ Qur’an an al-Karim requires that Allah is never forgo ten, and that the dhikr of the heart is unwavering. Dhikr is a door between Allah and His subjects, which door is open at all times. It is a word from the subject to Allah which is u tered at the time, in the place and in the language of preference of the subject. Qur’an does not talk about a specific posture for dhikr. Like all Muslim religious practices, Qur’an Qur’an liberates people in relation to dhikr, without forcing them to conform to strict formalities. “Those who remember Allah standing and siting and lying on their sides and re flect on the creation of the heavens and the earth.” (Ali Imran, 191) If one is still unable to enjoy dialogue with Allah, in spite of such tolerance in relation to the posture during dhikr, such person’s heart is for sure “closed to divine transmiters.” The practice of dhikr is an act of both the tongue and the heart which is regardless of time. 10 Once dhikr is integrated with thinking and becomes automatic without the need for any e ffort, the stage of higher dhikr is reached, which shows that the di fferentiation of thought and body is overcome. When the heart is rusted for not remembering Allah, and goes astray from the di8 Same work , p. 118. 118. 9 Elmalili , , Hak Dini. (True Religion.), v. 10 Ibn Qayyim , same work , v. ІІ , , p. 332.

VII, p. 458.

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vine path, its only cure is dhikr. This important cure is underlined by Qur’an as follows: “ Remember your Lord often, recite His name in the morning and in the evening.” (A’raf, 205) Dhikr polishes the heart, surrounds the heart shining with Allah’s light with love toward the “ Absolute Being.” The disciple perishes against the unmatched beauty of the Beloved. Greatest desire of the lover is to reach that unprecedented beauty. All he wants is to be with Him, and live with Him. This state shows that the heart of the disciple is filled up to the brim with love. He surrounded by love on so many coasts that He becomes his ears, eyes, will and senses. Forgeting everything other than Allah, persons who place nothing but Allah’s love in their hearts prevent both individual and social degradation. Having a significant impact on the social formation of man, dhikr is a spiritual rebirth and the start of a brand new life. Because the first step in dhikr is to forget about the "self," to think only about the “Absolute Being” which treats all subjects equally, and to become a recipient of the manifestation of His a tributes. As dhikr is continued, the disciple feels himself with Allah alone. This is a state whereby all human wrongdoing and sins are abandoned, and one’s entire senses are filled with divine love. The disciple reaches such a level that he no more has the feeling that all of his behaviors are being witnessed. Perishing in his own dhikr, he reaches such a state that he does not go back to the nafs (the limited, carnal self). This is the traditional passage from the lower self to the universal self. 11 With the manifestation of 11

Yaraticilikta Yeniden Dogus (Rebirth in Love A. Riza Arasteh, Askta ve Yaraticilikta


Allah, he gains an universal quality which goes beyond the social being. He is now a person of higher character who embraces all people with love and caring. Done everyday or at least one day every week, dhikr is a ritualistic activity that helps people socialize and get closer. This important activity has meanings that go beyond being a means for remembering Allah. With its unifying quality, it provides morale and motivation against degraded moral and human relations. According to some disciples, dhikr is the ability to withstand a decayed world. Dhikr Dhik r is the most effective cure against the hardships and problems one encounters in the course of day-to-day life. And for some, it is the only effective way of treatment against modern-day problems like depression, deprivation of love, unhappiness, injustice and negativities experienced by most people, against disrupted human relationships, and all other social inconveniences. In the same time, dhikr stops one from spending his time on useless activities, preventing him from wasting his energy. It gives the disciple a spirit of solidarity in both internal and external relations. Reciting person gets to know his being through the power of the recited words. With dhikr, the Sufi lives in an infinite time and an eternal being. Through dhikr, the dhakir is liberated from the mundane day-to-day reality of mater-spirit interactions, and from the individual self, engaging in an intimate relationship with the “Absolute Being” which transcends and entirely encloses his own being. Through dhikr, which is the sayr al-suluq station of the jour-

and Creativity), trans. Bekir Demirkol- Ibrahim Ozdemir, Ankara, 2000, p. 85.

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ney, and through other Sufi training methods, the individual undergoes a process of social and psychological change in the earlier stages. Abandoning his former habits and forms of behavior, the disciple engages in a new practice in his life. Exercises and practices that are performed in groups help one make new practices more systematic. According to Sufi thinking, residing in man’s heart, Allah causes one’s divine character to manifest. Hurting, offending and humiliating other people is the greatest crime one could commit against Allah. Being tender and merciful toward people is a result of an intelligence that is acquired through the heart. If the disciple feed his heart with the remembrance of Allah, loving and respecting humans is no di fferent from loving and respecting Allah. Starting out from the verse, “Remembering is for sure the greatest deed of all.”(Ankabut, 45), Sufis hold dhikr to be more important than salaah and tafaqqur. Because this deed can be performed only by higher souls. On this, the Prophet (pbuh) says that “Best deed is dhikrullah (remembering Allah).”12 For a person to be able to perform dhikr, the heart-tongue balance must be fully in place. Being a form of invocation, dhikr happens when the tongue reveals the feelings that are held in the heart. Sufis take tongue to be the translator of the heart. 13 It is therefore that one cannot sincerely perform dhikr without harmony between the tongue and the heart. Sincere dhikr protects the individual from deviations and from making mistakes against Allah. This

12 Ibn Maja, Adab, Adab, 53; Tirmizi, Daawat, 6. 13 Ibn Qayyim, Madaric , p.332.


process of protection is among the most important tasks of the Sufi. The Sufi must remember and keep in mind Allah at all times. When He is remembered, the heart will be steered by Him and will be safe from slips. It is therefore that a continuous benefit is to be found in reminding. Because Allah says, “ Remind, because there is good in reminding for true believers” (Zariyah, 55). The evergreen desire of the Sufis is to reach Allah. Longing to become one with Allah, Sufis want to reach Allah as soon as possible. Reaching happens as a product of love for Allah. The love for the Beloved increases even more as His name is recited. Every time the lover remembers the Beloved, his heartbeats will accelerate, he will get excited and start sweating. Remembering the beloved causes an increase in the for Him. If it is not for dhikr, love connection will not form between Allah and the subject. Thanks to love, thanks are given to Allah, helping the heart find lasting peace. This peace is explained by Qur’an Qur’an as follows: “They alone are true believers whose hearts are deeply moved when they hear Allah’s name and whose faith is strengthened when its laws are communicated to them, ” (Anfal, 2). On the Sufi path, truths are found only through love. If one wants to remember Allah in the true sense, he must fulfill his biddings, and constantly serve with Him in his mind. One can understand a person beter only when his love for such person is deepened.14 Just like the lover needs to perish in the love of the beloved in order to reach her, the subject also

14

and Sufism , Suzregelman, Inayat Khan, Fernandez , Jungian Psychology and Istanbul, 1994, p. 31

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needs to perish in Allah’s love for becoming one with Him. 15 Dhikr is to forget about everything other than the subject of dhikr. That means excluding from himself all physical universe which is not Allah. Dhikr is the first step on the path of love; because if one loves another, he always wants to spend time with and remember and recite the beloved. As a result of such remembrance, heart filled with love for Allah will become the house of dhikr every moment, achieving true happiness. Allah explains the same as follows: “ Be awake, for hearts find satisfaction only through the remembrance of Allah.”(Ra’d, 28) A sincere Sufi remembers Allah at all times in order to cleanse his soul, to have his sins pardoned, to perish in the being of eternal God, and to go ecstatic with the virtues of divine love. Remembering Allah happens first by closely watching Him and His works. Witnessing Allah's works in an atentive and continuous manner, that is to say observing his signs in the physical plane is called muraqabah. In doing muraqabah of small and big things, it is also dhikr to understand unde rstand all aspects of the created, being alert and a tentive as to their evidences, to take lessons and to think about and remember the Creator. In the history of tasawwuf, we find in the lives of many Sufis a great desire for becoming one with Allah. They wanted to be with Allah at all times and places. The last wish of Rabia, whose has name has come to be associated by Sufis with the love for Allah, was to be with Allah. 16 Yunus asked that the limited being be taken away from him, and he be 15 16

Ghazali, Ihya., v. І , , p. 428 Smith , Margaret, A Woman Sufi: Rabia , trans. t rans. Ozlem Eraydin, Istan bul, 1990, p. 110. 110.


filled with Allah’s being. Similarly, many Sufis asked that the “being” between Allah and themselves be lifted. Sufis believe that man is alone but Allah when he dies and is placed in the grave, and that spouses, children, relatives or friends are not there in the grave, and that the only thing that does not leave one alone in the grave is dhikr. Dhikr is such a prescription for salvation that it gives man both worldly happiness and gives him his Beloved in the afterlife. He tasted all pleasures and joy through dhikr, reaching the long desired thanks to dhikr. On a day that everybody else has deserted him, he is with Allah, which is the one Person that all men want to be with on that day. In brief, dhikr is the only sword the disciple can thrust at perils on his journey.17 At times, dhikr is a sledgehammer for crushing petrified hearts. Dhikr is a brush for polishing Sufi hearts. For the dhakir, Allah is food for the heart, which food comes through dhikr. Apart from being the food for hearts, dhikr is also the most important pillar on the path leading to Allah. 18 To them, dhikr is freedom from disasters, troubles,19 a garden of Eden in which they can stroll around with joy and laughter. To be brief, no one can find peace without remembering Him, and reciting His name. Dhikr cleans the heart from all worldly desires, polishing and filling it with love of Allah. It is the only protection against the atacks of the Satan.

17 Qushayri , , Al-Risalah , p.37. p.37. 18 Schimmel, A., Mystical Dimensions of Islam , trans. Ender Gurol, Istan-

bul, 1982, p. 151; Necmuddin Kubra, Tasavvufi Hayati (His Sufi Life), ed. Mustafa Kara, Istanbul, I stanbul, 1980, p. 79. 19 Qushayri, age., p. 221.

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While Islam does not impose any limitation of time or place for remembering Allah, the “official” dhikr in orders must be done after certain preparations are in place. 20 The sheikh decides which type of dhikr is appropriate for the spiritual station of the disciple. There are di fferent types of dhikr depending on the spiritual status of the disciple: There is the “dhikr al-lisani , ,” which is performed by just the tongue without the participation of the heart; or there is the "dhikr al-qalbi , ," which is performed in the heart; or there is the dhikr that is performed by both. In addition to these, there is the dhikr al-sirr , dhikr al-khafi , , and dhikr al-akhfa. The last one being the most difficult of all, it can be duly performed only by those who are in advanced stages of the journey. 21 The disciple is obliged to fulfill the dhikr within the rules set by his sheikh. He must make an e ffort to control and beautify his behaviors behavio rs and and morals. morals. As a rituali ritualistic stic activity, activity, dhikr sessio sessions ns both help “remember “remember Allah,” and also have have many unifying and socializing functions. These are environments where their members interact at individual and society level. See Abdurrahman Abdurrahman Memis, Halid Bagdadi ve Anadolu’da Halidilik (Khalid Baghdadi and the Khalidiyyah Order in Anatolia), Istanbul, 2000, p. 269-272; Dilaver Gurer, Abdulkadir Geylani: Hayati , , Eserleri, Gorusleri (Abd al-Qadir al-Gaylani: His Life, Works and Views), Istanbul, 2000 p. 338; Himmet Konur, Ibrahim Gulseni: Hayati, Eserleri, Tarikati (Ibrahim Gulseni: Gulsen i: His Life, Works, and Order), Istanbul,2000 p. 160; Sadik Vicdani, Tarikatlar ve Silsileleri (Orders and Their Lines of Descent), simp. Irfan Gunduz, Istanbul, 1996 p. 39; Rahmi Serin, Islam Tasavvufunda Halvetilik ve Halvetiler (Khalwatiyya Order and Khalwatis A ziz in Islamic Mysticism), Istanbul, 1984, p. 132; H. Kamil Yilmaz , Aziz Mahmud Hudayi ve Celvetiyye Tarikati (Aziz Mahmud Hudayi and the Jalwatiyya Order), Order), Istanbul, 1980, p. 188-19 188-1977. 21 Haci Muharrem Hilmi Efendi, Kadiri Yolu Saliklerinin Zikr Makamlari ve Zakirlere Hediye (Dhikr Stations of Qadiri Disciples and Gift to Dhakirs), ed. Suleyman Ates, Ist anbul, 1982, p. 139. 20


Sufis have categorized dhikr in various ways. For example, at one place dhikr is discussed in three forms; the firs one is dhikr performed by the tongue with a forgetful heart. This is called dhikr in numbers. This is regarded as the dhikr of the commoners. The second is dhikr performed with peace of heart, which is done for servitude. Being the dhikr of the chosen ones, the fruit of this dhikr is good deeds. The third is dhikr performed by all organs, which is the dhikr of the chosen of the chosen, the outcome of which is inexplicable. The true nature of this kind of dhikr, which belong to those subjects who are madly in love with Allah, can only be appreciated by the Haqq. Being the opposite of forgetfulness, if dhikr cannot eliminate forgetfulness, it means that dhikr is not properly performed. According to Him, love between God and the subject is mutual because He says, “…remember Me, I will remember you.” (Baqara, 152). Therefore the disciple must observe time in remembering Allah continuously. Remembering Allah means taking part in conversations about Him, which conversation is the most virtuous of all. All deeds are defined to remember Allah and only Allah, to keep him in mind, and to t o not be a tracted to anything but Him. Because Allah says: “…keep up prayer for My remembrance...” (Ta Ha, 14.) Tafaqqur is an advance state for the maturing of re flection. As Sufis also point out, the truth of dhikr is distant to leters and sounds; it is the affection in one’s essence of heart toward the One Truth (Haqq). Qur’an invites one to tafaqqur as well as to dhikr. Qur’an defines dhikr and tafaqqur as an inseparable whole that is the most important virtue of a true believer. “Most surely in the creation of the

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heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day there are signs for men who understand. Those who remember Allah standing and siting and lying on their sides and re flect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: Our Lord! Thou hast not created this in vain! Glory be to Thee; save us then from the chastisement of the fire: Our Lord! surely whomsoever Thou makest enter the fire, him Thou hast indeed brought to disgrace, and there shall be no helpers for the unjust.” (Ali Imran, 190–192). Referenced Qur’anic verses suggest that there is a very close relationship between dhikr and tafaqqur, and one could think that tafaqqur is a an upper state of dhikr. In support of this notion, the Prophet (pbuh) points out that one moment of tafaqqur equals sixty years spent in any other form of religious practice 22 The most important outcome of dhikr the purification of the heart from limited self identification of the ego, excessive desire and avarice, and to disappear in the Truth (Haqq). In this case, an important precondition of peaceful heart is dhikr. Peaceful heart means freedom of heart from ignorance and lowly morality. This means a surrendering of the heart to Allah, finding peace in facing away from atributing partners to Allah, and from lowly desires and worldly conversation. 23 Qur’an saying that hearts can be satisfied only through the remembrance of Allah 24 is a clear indicator that the heart can be saved and fed through dhikr, which suggests that 22 23 24

Shah Waliullah Waliullah Dahlawi, Hujjatullah al-Baaligha , Cairo, ts, II, 591. al-Tafsir al-Kabir , , Beirut, 1990, See Fahr al-Din Rhazi, Mafatih al-Ghayb al-Tafsir v. XXIV, p. 130. Rad, 13/28.


diseases of the heart can be remedied only through dhikr. Because in mental diseases, the root cause of the disease is negligence of the fundamental needs of the soul 25. In the same way, love, which is the most fundamental need of human beings finds its deserved place through dhikr. Because it creates a special connection between Allah and the sub ject, and the subject develops ability toward the blessing and granting of Allah. At the same time, dhikr enlightens one on the inside and outside, while eliminating the mass and density of the physical structure. But in order to achieve such outcome of dhikr, one needs to be able to protect the heart from assaults of memories and apprehension. It may not be possible to salvage one’s self from this situation in the beginning. Therefore until peace and spiritual integrity is ensured, the task of the disciple will be to do his best to keep memories and apprehensive feelings out of the heart, and to obtain the consciousness of benefaction. While, during the process of dhikr, all sorts of memories, thoughts and apprehension will naturally haunt the disciple, dhikr will bear its fruits in time as a result of zeal and hard work. In this context, Ibn Ataullah mentions that dhikr consist of two shells and one nucleus. This could be explained as follows: the dhikr that the disciple engages in the beginning is a verbal form of dhikr (recitation). Even if the heart is not synchronized with this dhikr, it should at least approve of it so that the verbal dhikr can be sound. In time, the heart will grow harmonious to the verbal reci-

25 Fromm,

Erich, Psychoanalysis and Religion , trans. t rans. A. Aritan, Arita n, Istanbul Ist anbul 1982, p. 19.

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tation, which completes the shell. And at the third stage, dhikr starts to spread from the heart to the organs. Virtually each organ starts remembering Allah in its own way. This completes the nucleus, which is the essence, and one will achieve a state of constant remembrance in time. 26 This suggests that, until one is fully matured through dhikr and becomes a man of caution, fana and baqa will follow one another, and there may be alternating states of jazba and sakr experienced along the way. But one can again be saved by dhikr from such transitional states as it is stated in Qur’an: “When you forget, remember your Lord.”27 That is to say, even in the state of dhikr, one is invited to a target state whereby he achieves lasting dhikr of the soul and the heart in the true sense. Dhikr is a milestone in contacting the Creator. Because Allah will not grant the taste and joy of engaging in dhikr and its thought to those whom he does not favor, and to those to whom he will not give his blessings. That is to say, if one loves Allah, a good indicator is that he keeps himself busy with dhikr. An indicator of Allah’s love for His subject is that the subject gets to spend time with Him. In the verse,“…remember me, and I will remember you…” one can understand how the subject remembers Haqq, but how does Haqq remember the subject? According to Sufis, when Haqq remembers His subject, he makes his remembering subject constantly ascend to the top of his station of dhikr, enabling him to continue with His dhikr, which greater than every thing else. And this is the greatest blessing. What is em26 Eskandari,

Ibn Ataullah, Miftah al-Falah wa Misbah al-Arwah , Cairo 1993, pp. 9-10. 27 Kahf, 18/24.


phasized here that one, during his spiritual journey, gets to know his nafs depending on the unfolding created by dhikr, and becomes the recipient of his Lord’s contentment and intimate friendship by means of realizing himself, that is to say, discovering and realizing the potential he holds. Dhikr has both worldly and heavenly aspects. From a worldly point of view, true dhikr occurs when one re flects with all organs,28 eliminates forgetfulness from his heart, and removes all but Allah from the domain of the heart. Heavenly aspect of dhikr is the blessing, honor and highness one is endowed in the afterlife, the nature of which is obscure to limited intellect like ours. During the dhikr of the Sufis, exercises like holding, increasing the pace of or moving (vibrating) the breath function in a way that is similar to the halotropic breathing techniques employed in psychology. Such halotropic breathing exercise automatically resolve any troubling feelings and physical appearances that are rooted in the subconscious.29 It is observed that dhikr helps overcome certain phobias and consuming negative emotions, resulting in an increase in self-confidence and self-respect; observation also suggests that chronic infections (sinusitis, angina, bronchitis) are improved and serious psychosomatic headaches like migraine are not experienced after the new on-charge of energy opens blood circulation in the body. 30 Every psychospiritual system that has studied the nature of man since 28 29 30

Qulliyat al-Baki Billah , Lahor 1967, Rushdi, Malfuzat, Qulliyat 1967, pp. 19-68. Grof, Stanislav, Psychology of the Future , trans. Sezer Soner, Izmir 2002, 2002, p. 269. Same work, p. 279.

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the beginning of history has regarded breath as a vital bond connecting the body, mind and the heart. 31 In Sufi training of dhikr, manner and order of breathing is critical for activating both the physical and the subconscious structure. Badr al-Din Kashmir of the Sufis 32 (10th/16th century) lists a separate piece of intelligence for each stage of the t he practice of dhikr, which is done by holding one’s breath and hi ting it against the qalb (heart). For instance, pulling the captured breath upward under the belly, the sword of “La…” cuts the physical and psychological ties that have an in fluence on the heart. Pulled upward, the breath melts being against the heart. When saying “…ilaha… ,” the breath on the right side transforms being into nothingness against the heart. When saying “…illallah,” hiting the breath on the heart from right to left will a ffect the other body organs as well. When the physical universe disintegrates into nothingness, the heart becomes the recipient and the place of peace in proving the Truth. So one could say that this Sufi method is one that is valid for all people. Through repetition of these dhikrs, the inner structure of man is setled. Because there is creative power in the vibration of a voice. For instance we call each other things like “sugar, honey, angel,” and these words create a positive impact on their addressees, and in this way, said person will start displaying that respective quality 33. Weakening words Same work, work, p. 256. Kashmiri, Badr al-Din Ibn Abd al-Salam Husseini, Siraj al-Salihin , ed. Sayyid Siraj al-Din, Islamabad 1376/1997, pp. 157-158. See Tosun, Necdet, Bahaeddin Naksbend Hayati, Gorusleri, Tarikati (Bahaeddin Naqsh band: His Life, Views Views and Order), Istanbul 2002, pp. 304-305. 33 Fernandez, Tasnim, “In Search Of A Name,” Name,” Jungian Psychology and 31 32


like “sneaky, evil, liar, difficult, bloody...” decrease our psychological energy every time we u ter them, creating images in our mind that diminish enthusiasm. Strong words like “secret, love, respect, help...” strengthen our soul, and modify our feelings. 34 Through repeated dhikrs, we make references to our subconscious, rising from unawareness to higher planes of consciousness and awareness. 35 As the Upanishads say, in time “a person will turn into what he thinks.” We identify with the purpose of our thought, and now our thoughts are our own property, our own characteristic.36 In this way, dhikr serves as a key to enable us feel Allah internally, being painted in His colors. Through the positive energy of dhikr, the heart is conquered and the virus of conceit is killed. And it becomes possible to defeat the nafs al-ammarah , which is a soldier of the Satan. On the other hand Stanislav Grof explains: “a person whose existence is limited to the boring level of day-to-day consciousness, who has never accessed the transcendent and awe-inspiring experience of reality, will have a great deal of difficulty in conquering the deeply-penetrated fear of death, and find a deeper meaning in life. Under such circumstances, a major part of everyday behavior will be directed by the needs of the false ego, resulting in the meaningful aspects of life becoming reactive, and not authentic. It is therefore that we need to integrate political

Sufism , trans. Kemal Yazici-Ramazan Kutlu, Istanbul 1997, 1997, p. 33.

34 Bozdag, Mohammed, Dusun ve Basar , , Istanbul 2000, p. 70. 35 Dorst, Brigite, Jungian Psychology and Sufism (Sufi Relations 36

Today)) , Today trans. Kemal Yazici-Ramazan Kutlu, Istanbul 1997 1997,, p. 22. Tweedie, Tw eedie, Irina, “Sufi Spiritual Training Is The Universal Process Of Psychology , p. 103. Becoming An A n Individual”, Individual”, Jungian Psychology

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activities with certain systematic spiritual practices that o ff er er ex periential access to transcendent planes.”37. In tasawwuf, such spiritual practices usually refer to dhikr in the general sense. Throu Through gh dhikr, dhikr, one grasps grasps the meanin meaningg of life and the purpose purpo se of existenc existence. e. Because Because dhikr dhikr helps helps us acces accesss the inner inner depths depths of our souls, which come from fr om Allah, giving us an understanding of the backstage of existence. A person who has reached the true reality will gradually break free from false identities, and will, after a while, become authentic by realizing himself. In other words, he reverts to his original self. In this context, J. Paul Sartre says, as one of the fundamental fundam ental principle principless of existentialism, existentialism, that that “a person is such as he makes himself.”38 In this very sense, a Sufi uses dhikr to direct his being to Allah to be Allah-like, to educate himself with Allah’s moral values, to paint himself in His colors. Because he constantly bombards the sub-conscious with Allah through dhikr. To the extent of his sincerity, this practice of dhikr shape his inner contingencies in an Allah-like manner. Hadith al-Sharif says the following on this mater: “...We become his seeing eye and hearing ear..."39 In conclusion, dhikr is the most important elixir for the making of the Perfect Man. Ta Taking king root in man’s heart with dhikr, Allah’s love universalizes all acts and thoughts of man (by means of taking root in time). It causes a structuring toward awareness of servitude and perfection in one’s behaviors. In brief, dhikr shoulders a vital role in the making of the Perfect Man. Sufis are people who enlighten themselves by turning into light the feeling that gives birth to “solitude,” which is


nothing like the loneliness created and invented internally by others. As they live, they give meaning meaning to life life rather than oppose it. One could conclude that men catch the disease of “loneliness” only when they forget that “ they are not alone,” or forget about the Rule of the Creator. This brings us back to the dhikr ritual of the Sufis, which means “ remembering at all times in order not to forget.” According to Western psychologists, people who live in solitude lead more organized lives, in terms of self-realization and communication, compared to the population of peers who live together.40 Otherwise it is not a physical separation and seclusion from people. Here, the Sufi turns to dhikr and deep reflection for increasing intimacy with Allah with whom he is left alone, abstracting his heart from people in order to enjoy the heart connection established with his Lord. 41 This inner separation will bring one happiness at both individual and society level. Turning his back to o ffending language and actions, he will stand, in his individual and social life, against all words and deeds that are to the detriment of people. Sufis emphasize the importance of uzlat from the continuance of deeds point of view. He believe that those who discontinue uzlat and get back with the people are doomed to a shameful end.42 According to Mawlana, darkness of a water well is preferable to the darkness of a crowd. Because those who are stuck in the crowd cannot save themselves.43 40 Katharina

37 38 39

Grof, Stanislav, cited work, work, p. 398. 398. Sartre, J. Paul, Existentialism , trans. Asim Bezirci, Istanbul I stanbul 1980, p. 57. 57. Tirmizi, Daawat, Daawat, 80.

Zimmer, The Art of Living in Solitude , trans. Bilgehan Karatas, Gendas Kultur, Kultu r, Istanbul, 2005, p.16. p.16. 41 Maqqi, Qut al-Qulub , v. I, 97. 97. 42 Al-Isfahani, Hilyah al-Awliyya , v. II, 381. 381. 43 Mawlana, Masnawi, v. I, 1299.

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During the period of uzlat (isolation) or halwat (seclusion) spent with dhikr, the heart of the Sufi will be filled with grace and refinement, because hearts of those who remember the Lord taste the divine light. Some Sufis like Ataullah al-Eskanderi (d.1309) saw uzlat as a cure for the heart. They believe that there is no other act that is comparable to uzlat in enlightening the heart of the Sufi with love, tafaqqur and dhikr. It is only through uzlat that Sufis can dive deep into the world of tafaqqur, or reflection in order to find one’s own self, and to stay in solitude with and be inspired by God.44 Cut off from everything else, he stays out of sight in the company of Haqq,45 in a state of exchange through dhikr and tafaqqur. Being alone with God, the subject cleanses his heart from all other things, after which he can focus on the ideation of Allah with a peaceful heart and mind.46 Dhikr sessions are places of uzlat. Because the Sufi is with Him day and night. And the Sufi engages in uzlat because those sessions are promising of Haqq. The Sufi searches for solitude with his Lord amidst masses. In circles of Haqq, such solitude is not to be found. found. He He is in in constan constantt search search of of a friend friend who who can can underunderstand him and share his secret at all times. The Sufi must acquire marifah (gnosis) through sincerity and consciousness of Allah, asceticism, nafs training and continuous dhikr in his deeds and practices. Another imSee Ataullah al-Eskanderi, Abu al-Abbas al-Abbas Taj Taj al-Din Ahmad Ibn Mohammed Ibn Abd al-Karim Ibn Ala al-Allah (1309), (1309), Al-Hikam al-Atai yyah , Cairo (Bulak), 1868. 1868. 45 Asim Efendi, Kamus Tercumesi, v. III, p. 805. 46 Necmuddin-i Kubra, Tasavvufi Hayati: Usulu Asere Risale ile’l-Haim, Fevaihu’l-Cemal (His Sufi Life: Usul al-Ashara Risale ila al-Haim, Fawaihu al-Jamal), trans. Mustafa Kara, Dergah Yay., Yay., Istanbul, 1980, p.76. p.76. 44


portant means for acquiring marifah is to constantly keep Allah in mind, which is also possible through dhikr. Man will achieve marifah if he is able to suppress the animalistic feelings inside, that is to say, if he trains and keeps under check the primal feelings that he was created with. He sees dhikr and the ilm al-wuslah as two main cornerstones. He regards both as vital for the initiated/disciple, and expects that they do it constantly. There are three main points to help realize the contiguity of the Sufi, which cannot be discussed separately. These are the main principles in the maturing, suluq, and reaching Haqq of the Sufi, which are dhikr/tafaqqur, marifah and muhabbah, which concepts are severally connected to one another. Due to this philosophy, the Sufi has to keep Haqq in mind for the enlightenment of his inner world. The station of the Gnostic depends on this enlightenment, and not on becoming an expert of the Ara bic language, or mastering mastering other forms forms of wisdom. Because since the Gnostic stands closer to Haqq and away from the people, namely the nature, things of the physical world are not dear or interesting to his heart. The being, as it is related to anything other than Haqq, holds no value compared to Him. To the Sufi, dhikr means realizing the constant “moment” in order to access the secret of participating in the everlasting being, and to live with the creating power.47 Because realizing the moment for the Creator in this sense, that is to say living “the moment” constantly is only possible through saving the self from being limited and veiled by the past and the future, which is done by remembering/ 47

Qushayri, Al-Risalah , p. 5.

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reciting Allah at all times. The Sufi school of thought names this as “wakf,” in other words, fulfilling the rule of the current time, or experiencing “the moment” constantly by remembering the Creator at all times. In fact, the Sufi remem bers God in everything he sees on an “ayn al-yaqin” basis, living with Him at all times. When the Sufi hears the sound of animals, the crackling of trees, the splashing of waters, the chirping of birds, the blowing of the wind, or the sound of the thunder, he is reminded by all these of the singleness of the Creator, providing evidence for His unmatched beauty.48 Because dhikr is the most effective of all the paths that lead to Allah. 49 Any moment that goes by without remembering him is wasted. Dhikr is such a practice that it penetrates into the whole being of the Sufi. In this state, he remembers of nothing. Any person who remembers Allah will forget about others in that moment of remembering. Because to them, Haqq is worth everything.50 Through dhikr, the Sufi will be so intimate with Allah that he will even forget about his own dhikr. That is true dhikr. 51 The opening of the third eye, and the acquisition of the yaqinn (certainty) is also through dhikr. Dhikr is knowledge of yaqi neither something passive, nor a mere unaware repetition of Haqq’s name. According to him, dhikr is when the disciple remembers his creator with his whole being. Dhikr is also when the disciple orientates his entire self toward Allah for the purpose of communication, looses himself in Him, Hi m, focus48 49 50 51

Isfahani, Hilyah , v. IX, 942. Qushayri, Al-Risalah , p.35. Atar, Tazkirat al-Awliyya , p.411. p.411. Sarraj, Luma , p.220.


ing all receivers on divine will and divine transmi ters. Dhikr is the moment when the disciple experiences togetherness with Allah at a level of perfection, is not forgetful of Him, and is cut off from everything else. It is the moment when love, enlightenment and ecstasy reach the highest level, drowning the dhakir (he who remembers) in a sea of love. To the disciple, Haqq is not an insipid, dull or loveless divinity stuck between the beads beads of a rosary. He manifests manifests in all beings in 52 the eyes of a love-struck disciple. In conclusion, dhikr is not a form of asceticism that is restricted to Islam or tasawwuf only; it has an important place in other religions and faiths. Throughout the course of history, man felt the need to believe in a higher power. Believing is a natural need for humans. They tried to saturate this need by believing in God or another power. Be it heavenly or not, there is a power that people take as sacred, atach value to, and even die for. Many rituals and religious practices were done, and sacrifices made for such sacred powers. One cannot deny these forms of belief which are actually experienced, adopted by people, and have become institutionalized with their practices, moral values and belief systems. In heavenly religions, there are many approaches that take one to divine power, one of which is the mystical way. Mysticism is the inner dimension of all religions, and it is a common characteristic in heavenly religions which share the same single source. For the whole course of human history, similar mystical schools existed in different time periods in different geographical regions. 52

Nicholson, Mystics , , p. 83.

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The extent of such similarity among religions is open to de bate, of course. These commonalities that one finds in religions are not a shortcoming, but a richness for one another. Therefore one says that dhikr is a form of ascetic practice that is performed not only in Islamic tasawwuf, but also in many mystic schools of thought. It is a phenomenon that one finds in Indian mysticism, in the teaching of Hermes, Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, in the Neo- Pla Platonism, tonism, in Gnosticism, Christian mysticism, and in the Jewish Kabbala.

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