FAQ in the category of Mysticism and Tariqah

Tariqah literally means path but in Islamic etymology, it means the path of achieving the knowledge of Tasawwuf (mystic tradition within Islam). The tariqah paths are the ways of reality. (1) The tariqah paths are the proofs, and the sources of Kawthar, which distributes a sort of water of life. (2) Many believers for centuries have drunk from this source and have benefited from this supreme treasury.

The tariqah path is a spiritual journeying with the feet of the heart under the shadow of the ascension of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). (3)

Although, tariqah path is a way through to find the reality, it is not the only way to do that. All Haqiqa (true) paths adhere to their basis to Quran. Some peoples questions, who do not want to accept tariqah paths such as, were there any tariqah paths during the era that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) lived in? is because of an insinuation.

All of the principles of tariqah build upon Prophet Muhammads (pbuh) practices. That is to say, there was an application, but its name was not tariqah yet. First appearance of tariqah as a system goes back to 3rd century in Islamic calendar. Junayd-i Baghdadi, Bayazid-i Bistani emerged as the first tariqah leaders. Shah-i Nakshiband, Abdulkhadir Gaylani, Mawlana Jaladdin-i Rumi, Imam-i Rabbani are the most famous gallants of tariqah paths of later years.

Sources:
1. Nursi, Words, s 464
2. Nursi, Letters, s. 444-445
3. Nursî, Letters, s. 443

Dhikr means remembering and commemorating God. It is a clear and explicit order of the Noble Quran.
Two of the verses of the Holy Quran pertainig to dhikr are:
So (in return for all that) always remember and make mention of Me (when service to Me is due), that I may remember and make mention of you (when judgment and recompense are due); and give thanks to Me, and do not be ungrateful to Me. (Al-Baqarah Surah, 2:152)
O you who believe! When you meet a host in battle, stand firm and remember and mention God much, that you may triumph. (Al-Anfal Surah, 8:45)

There are two kinds of dhikr:
1) Oral Dhikr
2) Dhikr of Hearth

The preferred and most valued dhikr is the one performed by hearth. Language is solely the conveyer of the dhikr of hearth. If the oral one, dhikr is not performed by hearth, it cannot be considered as a kind of dhikr. If a person working in a field, or in an office, or in a factory remembers God, he performs dhikr. These people are praised in the Noble Quran as:
Men (of great distinction) whom neither commerce nor exchange (nor any other worldly preoccupations) can divert from the remembrance of God, and establishing the Prayer in conformity with all its conditions, and paying the Prescribed Purifying Alms; they are in fear of a Day on which all hearts and eyes will be overturned. (An-Nur Surah, 24:37)
These people do not get confused by and engrossed in worldly things. They are in a search of getting close to God, the Merciful.
Dhikr, which is the obligatory precept of all tariqa, softens hearths. Hearths attain grace and elegance by dhikr. Dhikr makes hearths sensitive receivers towards inspiration.

Here we use Rabita in the meanings of contact, attachment, bond, connection, attention, relation, being the member of It is performed by leaving ones personality aside and uniting with the personality of, for example, sheik or Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and establishing a connection with him.
As is known, the lover dreams of his/her beloved. S/he feels her/him close to himself/herself. Even in her /his dreams, s/he is with her/him. The relations between master and apprentice, instructor and pupil are also concerned with Rabita The apprentice wants to remember his masters movements and the pupil what his instructor said and they in a way try to go back to that moment.

As in these examples, a disciple in a dervish order recalls his sheik. This Rabita is not to the figure of the sheik but to the Islamic qualities shown in this body. Actually, this is what should be. (1) Such a Rabita will cause the qualities of maturity in the sheik to be reflected on the disciple. This is called to vanish in sheik; however, the disciple should not stay there and should try to rise to the ranks of vanishing in the Prophet and vanishing in God. In other words, a disciple who succeeded in vanishing in his sheik and who acquired his virtues should then try to vanish in prophets and eventually in God. (2)

While these states of vanishing are issues concerned with joy, they may have implications for everyone in this meaning: If one leaves his choice and ideas aside and prefers the will of his instructor, master or sheik to his own will, it means he has vanished in these people. Likewise, if he adjusts all his deeds, conducts and words to the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) it means he has vanished in our Prophet. He will have benefited from the rank of vanishing in God on the condition that he grasps fully the sets of commands and prohibitions determined by God and that he leads all the phases of his life in accordance with them.

Sources:
1. See Eraydın, Tasavvuf ve Tarikat, page 135-138
2. Eraydın, Tasavvuf ve Tarikat, page 384-385

Love is the name of intense liking. In Sufism, it is used in the meaning of affection toward God. (1) Man uses love in either figurative or real meaning. Love in figurative meaning is to be attached to mortals. On the other hand, love in real meaning is to love God. Sometimes, figurative love leads to real love. (2)

It can be said that the best example of this issue is the story of Layla and Majnun. Majnun becomes mad with his love toward Layla. He wanders through deserts. He becomes friends with gazelles in deserts because their eyes are like those of Laylas. One day a dog comes to his whereabouts and Majnun pays great attention to the dog while the others do not care. They ask him why he behaved that way. He answers: You do not know, but this dog came from the place of Layla. Eventually, when he meets Layla, he says, No, you are not Layla. and says, Go, Layla, because I have found Mawla-God. Thus, his figurative love turns into a real love.

It is also divine love that made Yunus Emre say, I need You and only You. Such people as Yunus Emre and Mawlana who are in love with God mean Divine love when they mention love. The expressions of love from now on should be understood this way.

In the first place, love is not a mental issue; it is spiritual. In other words, it is not possible to explain and understand it with clear expressions like the issues of Math and Chemistry; it can only be known in the conscience and feelings. In this respect, love is subjective in nature. Mawlana explains this: One asked, What is it to be in love? I answered, If you become like me, then you will understand. The pen was writing fast, but when it came to the description of love, it could not endure and split into two. Mind became unable in explaining love like a donkey stuck in mud. (3)

Judging from the example given by Mawlana, we can understand being in love as a spiritual intoxication. When a drunkard leaves the pub and forgets which road to take, children make him a laughingstock. This drunkard is thus in the state of intoxication. The children, unaware of his pleasure taken from wine and from intoxication, follow him. All the public, except these who are intoxicated with the love of God, is on the level of a child. No one except those who have abandoned desires has reached maturity. (4)

These words describe the situation of those who have not taken their share from divine love and who are drowned in the transitory dealings of this world: These children get on a stick and say This is our horse. Although they bear the stick, they brag out of their ignorance and imagine themselves riding a horse. (5)

As in the expressions above, in the verses of Sufis, such similes as wine and wine house are often used. Those who do not understand the encapsulated meanings of these terms construed these expressions by looking at outer appearance; and miscalled and wrongly introduced them.

In fact, Supreme God decrees as, Their Lord will favor them with the service of a pure drink. (Al-Insan Surah, 76:21)-in the original (Arabic) form of the verse, sharab, means pure drink, unlike we use it to refer wine or alcoholic drink in contemporary Turkish dialects.

This dialogue highlights the difference of rank between lovers: Yahya b. Muaz says to Bayazid-i Bistami: I have drunk so much from the goblet of affection that I am at last enchanted. Bayazid gives this meaningful answer: I have drunk the wine of affection from bowls, but neither the wine gave out nor my thirst is quenched. (7)

As is seen, this lover of God sees everything coming from the land of God. As is mentioned before, just as everything reminds Majnun of Layla, the lover also says, Everything reminds me of You, reaches God through existents, and becomes vanished. Moreover, people like Hallaj-ı Mansur may say, I am God presuming that they no longer exist. Of course, such words of lovers are contrary to the exterior of Sharia. However, they uttered such words when they were spiritually intoxicated. Mawlana likens the condition of such people to reddened iron saying, I am fire. (8) However, he also makes this important warning: Dont you take the intoxicated as guide! (9) In other words, while these people are on the right path, they are not the people to follow.

Let us return to the world of the lover The lover sees himself in this world as far from homeland. They evaluate the hadith: Love for ones homeland is from faith (10) in relation to Sufism. They take the real homeland as Bazm-i Alast-when the souls were created; God asked them Am I not your Lord? They replied, Yes, You are our Lord. The expression refers to this event. They know it their greatest aim to complete their days in this dungeon of world and to reunite with Divine peace. (11)

The lover is far from both grief and joy. He is always green and fresh without spring and fall. (12) His state is reflected in this verse:

It is nice for me whatever comes from you.
Be it a rose or a thorn.
Be it a garment or a shroud.
Your fire is nice, so is your light.

The lover sees both favors and pain coming from God as a favor. Mawlana points this out: Whether he is a knowledgeable or an ignorant, or a vulgar, everyone can differentiate between favor and pain. However; just few can see favor hidden in pain, or pain hidden in favor. (13)

Sources:
1. Nursî, The Letters, p. 450
2. Eraydın, Tasavvuf ve Tarikat, p. 203
3. Mawlana, I, 137.
4. Mawlana, V, 1583-1584.
5. Mawlana, V, 1588.
6. Mawlana, VI, 54 (İzbudak).
7. Tahirul-Mevlevi, 1, 72
8. Mawlana, VII, 436.
9. Mawlana, VII, 567.
10. Aclunî, I, 345.
11. See Mawlana, XI, 995.
12. Mawlana, III,, 907.
13. Mawlana, IX, 390-391.

Apart from senses, mind and experience, Sufis (Muslim mystics) embrace ilm-i ladun as well. Ilm-i ladun is the knowledge imparted by God through illumination. The name ladun was inspired by the verse, which is about Hazrath Hızırs Knowledge. (Al-Kahf Surah, 18:65). Such knowledge is quite important. This knowledge highlights the details of events. It is a kind of gayb (unseen) or secret knowledge.

Human beings hearths are a system of sensitive recipients. A hearth acquires delicacy and grace through some principles such as dhikr, mind, asceticism etc. It turns out be like a mirror in this world. Hence, it can feel many realities and secrets without being told. Such people can obtain some favors via their sensitivity and delicacy. However, it should be kept in mind that human beings hearths are open to evil apprehensions as well as divine influences. Those who cannot distinguish between them are likely to deceive other people, and to be deceived.

In addition, those, who do not know that While discoveries depend on glosses or explanations, dreams rely on interpretations, are mistaken in that respect. Nobody can obtain a good and pure amal (deed) by dreams that contradict with the precepts and realities in the Noble Quran. Such findings should certainly be explained away. For instance, a person can have a dream in which he sacrifices his son for God. This person will definitely be the murderer of his son if he sacrifices his son. In that respect, comparing you with Prophet Ibrahim will certainly be a big mistake, for the dreams of prophets are revelations (inspiration placed in the hearth or mind of prophets by God). In the event of Prophet Ibrahim, the incident is not the sacrifice of Prophet Ismael for God but the trial of the father and his son, namely Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Ismael.

We can note the all or some of the features below in a piece of information sent through inspiration:

1) Alleviation

2) Guidance

3) Information about gayb (unseen things; things that cannot be sensed)

This kind of information is subjective. It does not bond other people, and it gives contentment to the person who is inspired. It relieves the ones who are bothered. Besides, it makes those who are in trouble feel better. In addition, it guides the ones who are in a sort of quest. The last but not the least, it enhances marifat (the fourth Divine door in Tasawwuf; the station at which your spiritual knowledge finds its value inside you) of arifi-billahs (Gnostics; the mature human who has attained the true knowledge of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate).

References

1)Imam-ı Gazali has given a lot of information about this subject in the third chapter, named Acaibul-kalb, his book called Ihyau Ulumid-din. The details can be attained in this book.
2)Nursi, Kastamonu Lahikası, p. 249
3) Bukhari, Vudu, 5

The main features of Islam are composed of faith, worship, and morality. The branch of speech handles faith, the canon law handles worship, and Sufism handles morality. Sufism is to live Islam profoundly. It is the harvest of a sensing pertaining to spirit and conscience. To pass to the core from the form, to reach the seed from the shell, the words coming true. (1)

Human mind is a diamond-like key that opens the thousands of treasures of the universe. When it reaches its perfection, it is a Divine guidance. It is a window that opens to the sun of truth.

Heart is the centre of human beings spiritual life. It is a spiritual map of myriads of beings. It is the manifestation, means, and seed of innumerable truths of the universe. (2) It is a bright mirror to Allah Almighty. It is a window facing the unseen realms. It is a Divine gift.

Just as there have appeared a number of branches of science through minds performance, in the same way, through the performance of heart, Sufism has appeared.

Some persons who examined the source of Islamist Sufism, seeing that there are similar principles in pre-Islamic Sufist movements, sought it in either India, or Persia, or any other places. Whereas one needs to seek the Islamist Sufism directly in the Quran and in the life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). (3)

Because the principles such as remembrance, reflection, self preservation are the ones that are also mostly mentioned in the Quran. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who was as The Living Quran showed the full performance of Sufist way of life.

Sources
1. Selçuk Eraydın, Tasavvuf ve Tarikat (Sufism and Tariqat), Marmara University Faculty of Theology. Pub. İst. 1994, p. 85
2. Said Nursî, Letters, Trans. Şükran Vahide, Envar Pub. İst. 1993, p. 518
3. Eraydın, Tasavvuf ve Tarikat (Sufism and Tariqat). p. 60

The way of Sufism passes through suffering. Crude iron cannot be forged without fire. Just like that, it is not possible to purify a self without suffering. The palace of bliss is reached through the way of suffering. The term suffering in Sufism is a Persian word meaning forty days and is derived from the event of Prophet Moses (upon whom be peace) staying in Mount Sinai in a state of asceticism for forty days in order to receive the Torah. (Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) stayed in Mount Hira before his prophethood, which is also an inspiration for the term.) (Eraydın, Tasavvuf ve Tarikat, p. 139)

Such a retreat is required in order to be engrossed in contemplation and remembrance of God. Actually, it would be perfectly appropriate for every one who seeks truth and knowledge to make a retreat for at least a month every year and to utilize this month with such sacred activities as contemplation, remembrance, self-reckoning, and knowledge.

The period of suffering is also a period of asceticism. Asceticism is a plan of fight against lust and evil desires, eating little, not filling the stomach and thus is a purification of the body and the soul in order to make the soul delicate and to work comfortably. (İz, Tasavvuf, p. 10)

In Sufism, eating little, sleeping little, and speaking little are the essentials that must be complied with. The compliance of these will provide the sovereignty of the sultan of soul in the county of body. Or else, in a person who eats much, sleeps much and speaks much needlessly the sultan of soul will stay in dungeon.

As materiality has its rules, so has spiritualism its own. For instance, a weak person becomes powerful by lifting weight. Just like that, the person who complies with asceticism becomes powerful spiritually. In nearly every mystical movement, asceticism is the basic principle. Furthermore, some poor Indian people who comply with this asceticism exhibit wonderful conditions similar in appearance to workings of miracles.

Whoever shows patience in sufferings will see that whatever comes from God is beautiful. This verse beautifully depicts such peoples world:

It is nice for me whatever comes from you.
Be it a rose or a thorn.
Be it a garment or a shroud.
Your fire is nice, so is your light.

Tasawwuf is an effective way through achieving the aims that Islam heralds. We could list some of these aims as; having the morality of Gods (1) that is to say, ones fulfilling his/her heart and soul with the attributes, which God allows. Divine morality is the morality of Quran in shortest statement.

To follow the Sunnah: That means, taking Prophet Muhammads (peace be upon him) life as an example, and trying to live as he did. Following the Sunnah among the ways of the Valayat (curatorial) is one of the most beautiful, the most direct, the brightest, and the richest one. (2) With the statement of Quran, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is, usve-i hasene (Surah?) that is to say, he is a beautiful pattern for Muslims; he has to be taken as a model for Muslims to follow.

Riyadat an-nafs, Self-discipline, to control and to educate nafs (ones inner self, soul) (egotistical self as the Sufis call): It is nafs nature to incline to sin, but it can reach up to a beautiful state by disciplining it. Nafs looks like a crude oil in its first form. If it would not be purified, it is worthless or even harms. However, after good disciplining of nafs, it is benefited a lot from it.

Kasb-i Kamal, Sayr-i Jamal: It is a necessity for the one who grows bodily to grow spiritually. Great man is not a man who is great bodily but spiritually. Like the seeds trying to become a tree, humans aim should be to become a complete human being insan-el Qamil (the man of the Universe with utmost perfection). A human who reaches up to this level would find pleasure in contemplating and observing the divine art works. In addition, he would become an insightful observer of the book of the Universe.

Kurbiyet-i Allah: That means, attaining closeness to God. Doubtless, to say, this is not a place wise closeness. It is like an army officers ascending in rank and getting close to the president, or a students getting superior in knowledge and having close relation with his teacher.

To reach to the level of Ihsan (benefaction): According to Prophet Muhammads (pbuh) definition of Ihsan, It is to worship God as though you are seeing Him. (5) A believer at this level, sees him/herself before God, and lives in peace and quiet. Even before admitted to paradise, he/she feels the tastes of the Heaven in his/her inner realm.

To attain Ihlas (sincerity in belief): Ihlas means committing acts as because of God commanded them. Salvation is only possible with Ihlas. The antonym of ihlas is hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is an act of falseness that one does not hold; just for showing off. The Nafs that let alone tends to hypocrisy. But the Nafs that disciplined does not condescend to these kind of lower things, it directly heads towards God.

Sources:
1. Nursî, Sözler, Sözler Yay. İst. 1987, s. 508
2. Nursî, Mektubat, s. 450
3. Eraydın, Tasavvuf ve Tarikat, s. 89
4. Eraydın, Tasavvuf ve Tarikat, s. 90
5. Buhâri, İman, 37; Müslim, İman, 1

One of the most significant principles of tasawwuf is abandoning the world. It is quite certain that this abundance should not be in terms of work but hearth. Human beings who have both materialistic and spiritual sides should not be hooked on materialism, for materialism can solely be a slave to spirituality. A person ought to earn money, yet he should not be absorbed in money. He should spend this money for the sake of Islam. Mawlana says, If water leaks into a ship, the ship will most probably sink. In contrast, if the water stands beneath the ship, the ship will go on floating on the water.

The earth has a force, which cause objects to attract one another, namely gravity. Those who cannot get rid of this attraction are unlikely to realize the realities. They will always be engrossed in transitory things. They will be captured in lowness and shabbiness. Yet, the world is the place where we get ready for the other world. In other words, this world is the Home (this world) of the Hereafter (the other world). This world can be regarded as a commercial field and guesthouse for the other world.

In a verse, Karun and his tribe were warned as, But seek, by means of what God has granted you, the abode of the Hereafter (by spending in alms and other good causes), without forgetting your share (which God has appointed) in this world. Do good to others as God has done good to you (out of His pure grace). Do not seek corruption and mischief in the land, for God does not love those who cause corruption and make mischief." (Al-Qasas Surah, 28:77)

Late Hamdi Yazır says that about ones gifts and endowments bestowed by God: Even though some would like to consider things in this world as fair rızq (gifts and endowments; livelihood) and legitimate enjoyments, they are the transitory world itself. The real livelihood of this world is the one that will help us to be placed in heaven. If it is not so, our livelihood in this world is merely a shroud.

A group of Sufis (Muslim mystics) is on the wavelength that solely sustenance and clothing are enough to survive, in terms of abandoning worldly things. This is not a fundamental notion in tasawwuf. The actual thing is that, in this world, we should pray to God, as this world is the Home of the Hereafter. In addition, we should interpret the all-existing things as the rites of devout people by observing them in a critical way.

This world is considered as What is the life of this world but amusement and play? But verily the Home in the Hereafter, - that is life indeed, if they but knew. in the suwar of Al-Ankabut (The Spider, 64) and Al-Hadid (The Iron, 20). Mawlana interprets this aspect of the world in that way: While little children are playing some games, they pretend to build some stores and do shopping there. However, the shopping and the stores provide no advantage except for spending time. When it is night, the little children who opened the stores close their stores and go back to their homes since they get hungry. Actually, this world is like the stores of little children. In this comparison, night refers to death.

In another aphorism, the world is resembled to a sort of sleep or dream. Human beings are sound asleep, and they will wake up when they die. The things in this world, such as wealth, positions etc, have no value because they are transitory things. Nonetheless, if these opportunities are used for the sake of Gods mercy and compassion, then they can put on significance. Otherwise, they will have no differences from the wealth and positions in the sleep or dream, namely this world.

Human beings have affection against this world in their nature. Mawlana compares this affection to the connection between unripe fruits and the trees they grow on. When these fruits ripen, the connection between the fruits and the trees gets weak and some time later, they fall down from the trees. Thus, wise devout people are not scared of dying; in contrast, they like dying.

The Prophet Joseph who became the leader of Egypt after quite a hard life declares his wish to die by the words below:

"My Lord! You have indeed granted me some important part of the rule and imparted to me some knowledge of the inner meaning of all happenings (including dreams). O You, Originator of the heavens and the earth each with particular features! You are my Owner and Guardian in this world and in the Hereafter. Take my soul to You a Muslim, and join me with the righteous. (Yusuf Surah, 12:101)

People should try to be devout and not to be a slave to worldly things. The more you promote and attract reverence, the more appealing the world seem to you, and the more complicated it gets for people to overcome the dominance of this world. The incident below exemplifies this issue pretty well:

A sovereign asks to a leading devout person, Tell me whatever you wish! The devout person replies: What can I wish from you (?!), for my two despicable slaves have dominated you and they became the masters of you. The sovereign asks in a perplexed voice, Who are those? The leading devout person responses: The first one is wrath, and the other one is lust!

This world is the gift for human beings to obtain eternal happiness. The 24 hours of a day are more valuable than 24 pieces of gold. Nonetheless, it is quite certain that the majority of humans do not care about the value and importance of their lives, and they waste their lives. In that respect, we should never forget the advice of Shirazi below:

Sit by a stream and watch and ponder how life goes by!


References

1. Mahir İz, Tasawwuf, p. 42
2. Mevlana, I, 76
3. Aclûnî, Keşful- Hafa, I, 412
4. Nursî, Words, p 188
5. Müslim, Zühd, 1, Tirmizi, Zühd, 16, İbnu Mace, Zühd, 3
6. Nursî, Lemalar, s 46
7. Hamdi Yazır, Hak Dini Kuran Dili, V, 3755
8. Ahmed b. Hanbel, Müsned, V1, 226
9. Aclunî, 1, 412.
10. Mevlânâ, VIII, 796-797.
11. Aclunî, II, 312. It is claimed that this utterance belongs to Hazreti(saint; a term of respect denoting the attribute of sainthood) Ali.

Sheikh is a guide and arif (the mature human being who has attained true knowledge of Gods affection) person and a murid is a person who is a student of a sheikh. Sheikh, in other words Murshid (master) is a guide who helps people to abandon public things and arrive at the haqq (divine and absolute truth). Sheikh is an instructor in dargah (the place where murids gather) just like a teacher at school. While the teacher is predominantly interested in mind, the murshid is engrossed in spirit. The face of the murshid is blessed, and his words are godly.

It will be quite accurate if we evaluate a murshid in that respect:

The master and spiritual guide should not be considered to be the source and origin, but known to be the place of reflection and manifestation. For example, heat and light reach you by means of a mirror. If you forget the sun, and considering the mirror to be the source, are grateful to it instead of being grateful to the sun, it would be crazy. The mirror should be preserved because it is the place of manifestation. Thus, the guide's spirit and heart is a mirror; it is the place for reflecting effulgence emanating from Almighty God. He is the means of its being reflected to his followers. He should not be ascribed a higher station with regard to the effulgence than that of being the means.

It will be fairly beneficial if we elaborate the meaning of being means to his followers. Regarding the importance of being a means to his followers, it is ordered, O you who believe! Keep from disobedience to God in reverence for Him and piety, and seek the means to come closer to Him, and strive in His way, so that you may prosper (in both worlds) (Al-Maidah Surah, 5:35) in the Noble Quran. Conveyers are things or human beings that help us to get close to God. For instance, fulfilling divine precepts, abandoning sins etc are some kinds of conveyers. Likewise, salavat [the words that Muslims utter when they hear the name of Prophet Muhammad ((MAY ALLAH BLESS HIM AND GRANT HIM PEACE)> is the means of getting close to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the means of getting close to God.

A physician is provider of a remedy, yet, God, the Merciful, bestows the remedy. Similarly, a murshid is the means of obtaining divine enlightenment and hidayat (the way to Islam). A murid should endeavor to promote to the stage of a murshid and follow the path of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Then, he can attain the absolute truth (the true knowledge of God).

People should benefit from the knowledge of those who are well-informed about science, and they should be aware of those who have irfan (gnosis; the attainedment of direct spiritual knowledge). The peace and relief felt in the presence of a kamil(perfect, mature) murshid is a bestowment of divine enlightenment. Their nefes(breath) is something that comes from the world of aalimul-gayb(the unfelt, unseen etc things). Prosperity, enlightenment, and freshness emerge with the influence of the murshids nefes.

Dependence on a master and loyalty to a murshid are good and worthy. Nonetheless, this loyalty should not be perceived as a person can get rid of being punished by God due to his sins, with the help of his murshid. In the Noble Quran, this faulty notion is explained in that way:

God presents the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot as an example for those who disbelieve. They were married to two of Our righteous servants yet betrayed them (by rejecting the Messages they brought from God and collaborating with the unbelievers). But they (their husbands) availed them nothing against God and it was said to them: "Enter the Fire with all those who enter it!" (At-Tahrim Surah, 66:10)

Noah called out to his Lord, saying: "O my Lord, my son was of my family (as a believer), and Your promise is surely true (for my believing family members), and You are the Most Just of judges." (Hud Surah, 11:45)
(God) said: "O Noah! he (being an unbeliever) is not of your family. He is one of unrighteous conduct (which embodied his unbelief). So do not ask of Me what you have no knowledge of. I admonish you so that you do not behave as one among the ignorant." (Hud Surah, 11:46)

God tells Prophet Noah O Noah! He (Prophet Noahs son) is not of your family. about Prophet Noahs son. This being forgiven is certainly not something related to ones family but to his beliefs. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) even says to His daughter, Hazrath Fatima, that she should rescue herself from hells fire through her good deeds, O Fatima, rescue thyself from the Fire, for I have no power (to protect you) from God in anything except this that I would sustain relationship with you. This sample is quite important to put across the triviality of family in terms of being forgiven by God.

A murid says to Bayazid-i Bistami, If you could merely give a piece of your fur, I will keep, and carry it as a gift or domination on myself. Bayazid-i Bistami responses, O my son! It will be useless if you do not behave yourself. Besides, it will be of no use even if you skin me and wear it.

The given samples do not mean rejecting intercession. Of course, we will ask prophets, mature and perfect murshids etc. for their intercession; nevertheless, it is necessary to attain a certain level of good deeds and ikhlas (sincerity or purity of intention) in order to deserve this salvation through their intercession.

Sources:
1. İz, Tasawwuf, p. 100
2. Eraydın, Tasavvuf ve tarikat, p. 114
3. Eraydın, Tasavvuf ve tarikat, p. 116-1191
4. Nursî, Flashes, p. 129-130
5. Alûsi, Ruhul- Meâni, Vl, 124-125
6. Nursî, Flashes, p. 97
7. Eraydın, Tasavvuf ve tarikat, p. 114-115
8. Eraydın Tasavvuf ve tarikat, p. , 384
9. Mawlana, IV, 1008
10. Sahih Muslim, The book of Faith, Book 001, Number 0399
11. Tahirul-Mevlevi, VII, 692

A Sufi is a person who is freed from dirt, who constantly meditates, who turns to Allah from people and who regards gold and mud as the same. Sufi is a person whose heart Allah has purified; thus, his heart becomes full of nur (light) and he has tasted the pleasure of dhikrullah (mrntioning the names of Allah). 

Sufism represents the intuitional and emotional aspect of the Quran. The concept of Sufism is not present in the Quran as a word but it is present as a principle, purpose and lifestyle. Sufists have dealt with the concepts of ethics, meditation, dhikr, tasbih (glorifying Allah), tahmid (praising Allah), etc in the Quran and have interpreted the relevant verses.

İslam consists of belief, worshipping and ethics in general. The science of Kalam deals with belief; fiqh deals with worshipping and Sufism deals with ethics. Sufism means to practice Islam deeply. It is a product of the spiritual and conscientious perception. It means to go to the meaning from the form and to reach the essence from the outer covering. It means to do as one preaches.   

There are various definitions of Sufism. A Sufi must try to have good and beautiful things, be patient when he is in need, give things away freely when he has, do people favors without discrimination, do good deeds in return for bad deeds, must not value worldly elements like goods, property, posts and fame; on the other hand, his inner world must be better than his outward appearance; he must educate his soul, purify his heart, attain God Almighty and be a friend of His.

Kushayri reports some definitions of Junayd al-Baghdadi about sufism. According to Junayd al-Baghdadi, “A Sufi is like the ground; everything bad is thrown onto it; but, only good things come out of it. A Sufi is like the ground. Both the good and bad people walk on it by treading it. A Sufi is like a cloud. He shades both the good and bad people. A Sufi is like rain. He waters everywhere without discrimination. If you see a Sufi who gives importance to his outward appearance, know that his inner world is ruined.” (Kushayri, ar-Risala, II, 553)

The definition of Abu Bakr ash-Shibli, “A Sufi is a person who leaves people and attains God Almighty” emphasizes the relationship of a Sufi with God Almighty. A Sufi is the slave of Allah addressed as, “And I have prepared thee for Myself (for service).” (Taha 20/41)

After explaining the concepts of Sufi and Sufism, Hijwiri states the difference between a Sufi and mutasawwif. A sufi is a perfect saint and a supporter of the truth. A mutasawwif is a person who is on the way of being a Sufi and who tries hard to act like a Sufi. (DİA, Diyanet Vakfı Yayınları, 37, Sufi item)

Sayr-u suluk means the special training of a religious precept in tasawwuf. A person cannot be a scholar without education, and one cannot be an itinerant without traveling from place to place. Likewise, one cannot advance in tasawwuf without struggle and meditation (Eraydın, Tasawwuf and Tariqa, p. 30). Being a student is a kind of sayr-u suluk in science. A student becomes specialized in a field after 8 years of primary school, 3 or 4 years in high and 4 years of university education. After some 15 or 16 years of education, this person cultivates a good career. Similarly, a murid becomes a murshid after executing a sayr-u suluk of science, intellect and riyaz(heaven). This sayr-u suluk changes from person to person. While some find out the absolute truths after some 40 days, some find them out after some 40 years.

If a person who wants to mould a piece of iron tries to cast it at a low heat, he will probably have to wait for years. However, if he tries to cast it in a furnace of 6000°C heat, he will be able to mould it readily.

The sayr-u suluk of hearth and mind are important. If they help each other, they can very quickly attain the absolute truths. Yet, if a person advances merely in one of them, he will not be able to attain the absolute truths very easily.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) attained the highest level of sayr-u suluk. The reality of His Miraj (The Night Journey of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, from Mecca to Jerusalem and then through the realms of the seven Heavens, beyond the limit of forms, the Sidrat al-Muntah, to within a bow-spans length or nearer to the Presence of God. See Holy Quran, Al-Isara 17:1. See Bukhari, Hadith 345, Vol. 1, Vol. 1, 227, Vol. 5.) is a kind of sayr-u suluk at the level of kamalat (perfection, maturity) [Nursi, Words, p. 528). The aim of the sary-u suluk of all the Avliyas (Muslim saints; friends of God) is to advance in the path of the Miraj of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and try to reach the level which Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) attained, to some extent.

“Sheikh” is a guide and ‘arif’ (the mature human being who has attained true knowledge of God’s affection) person and a “murid” is a person who is a student of a sheikh. Sheikh, in other words ‘Murshid’ (master) is a guide who helps people to abandon public things and arrive at the ‘haqq’ (divine and absolute truth). Sheikh is an instructor in ‘dargah’ (the place where murids gather) just like a teacher at school. While the teacher is predominantly interested in mind, the murshid is engrossed in spirit. The face of the murshid is blessed, and his words are godly.

It will be quite accurate if we evaluate a murshid in that respect:

The master and spiritual guide should not be considered to be the source and origin, but known to be the place of reflection and manifestation. For example, heat and light reach you by means of a mirror. If you forget the sun, and considering the mirror to be the source, are grateful to it instead of being grateful to the sun, it would be crazy. The mirror should be preserved because it is the place of manifestation. Thus, the guide's spirit and heart is a mirror; it is the place for reflecting effulgence emanating from Almighty God. He is the means of its being reflected to his followers. He should not be ascribed a higher station with regard to the effulgence than that of being the means.

It will be fairly beneficial if we elaborate the meaning of being means to his followers. Regarding the importance of being a means to his followers, it is ordered, “O you who believe! Keep from disobedience to God in reverence for Him and piety, and seek the means to come closer to Him, and strive in His way, so that you may prosper (in both worlds)” (Al-Maidah Surah, 5:35) in the Noble Qur’an. Conveyers are things or human beings that help us to get close to God. For instance, fulfilling divine precepts, abandoning sins etc are some kinds of conveyers. Likewise, salavat [the words that Muslims utter when they hear the name of Prophet Muhammad ((MAY ALLAH BLESS HIM AND GRANT HIM PEACE)> is the means of getting close to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the means of getting close to God.

A physician is provider of a remedy, yet, God, the Merciful, bestows the remedy. Similarly, a murshid is the means of obtaining divine enlightenment and hidayat (the way to Islam). A murid should endeavor to promote to the stage of a murshid and follow the path of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Then, he can attain the absolute truth (the true knowledge of God).

People should benefit from the knowledge of those who are well-informed about science, and they should be aware of those who have ‘irfan’ (gnosis; the attainedment of direct spiritual knowledge). The peace and relief felt in the presence of a kamil(perfect, mature) murshid is a bestowment of divine enlightenment. Their “nefes”(breath) is something that comes from the world of aalimul-gayb(the unfelt, unseen etc things). Prosperity, enlightenment, and freshness emerge with the influence of the murshid’s nefes.

Dependence on a master and loyalty to a murshid are good and worthy. Nonetheless, this loyalty should not be perceived as a person can get rid of being punished by God due to his sins, with the help of his murshid. In the Noble Qur’an, this faulty notion is explained in that way:

God presents the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot as an example for those who disbelieve. They were married to two of Our righteous servants yet betrayed them (by rejecting the Messages they brought from God and collaborating with the unbelievers). But they (their husbands) availed them nothing against God and it was said to them: "Enter the Fire with all those who enter it!" (At-Tahrim Surah, 66:10)

Noah called out to his Lord, saying: "O my Lord, my son was of my family (as a believer), and Your promise is surely true (for my believing family members), and You are the Most Just of judges." (Hud Surah, 11:45)
(God) said: "O Noah! he (being an unbeliever) is not of your family. He is one of unrighteous conduct (which embodied his unbelief). So do not ask of Me what you have no knowledge of. I admonish you so that you do not behave as one among the ignorant." (Hud Surah, 11:46)

God tells Prophet Noah “O Noah! He (Prophet Noah’s son) is not of your family.” about Prophet Noah’s son. This being forgiven is certainly not something related to one’s family but to his beliefs. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) even says to His daughter, Hazrath Fatima, that she should rescue herself from hell’s fire through her good deeds, “O Fatima, rescue thyself from the Fire, for I have no power (to protect you) from God in anything except this that I would sustain relationship with you.” This sample is quite important to put across the triviality of family in terms of being forgiven by God.

A murid says to Bayazid-i Bistami, “If you could merely give a piece of your fur, I will keep, and carry it as a gift or domination on myself.” Bayazid-i Bistami responses, “O my son! It will be useless if you do not behave yourself. Besides, it will be of no use even if you skin me and wear it.”

The given samples do not mean rejecting intercession. Of course, we will ask prophets, mature and perfect murshids etc. for their intercession; nevertheless, it is necessary to attain a certain level of good deeds and ‘ikhlas’ (sincerity or purity of intention) in order to deserve this salvation through their intercession.

Sources:
1. İz, Tasawwuf, p. 100
2. Eraydın, Tasavvuf ve tarikat, p. 114
3. Eraydın, Tasavvuf ve tarikat, p. 116-1191
4. Nursî, Flashes, p. 129-130
5. Alûsi, Ruhu’l- Meâni, Vl, 124-125
6. Nursî, Flashes, p. 97
7. Eraydın, Tasavvuf ve tarikat, p. 114-115
8. Eraydın Tasavvuf ve tarikat, p. , 384
9. Mawlana, IV, 1008
10. Sahih Muslim, The book of Faith, Book 001, Number 0399
11. Tahiru’l-Mevlevi, VII, 692

Şadi Eren (Doç.Dr.)

Philosophical sufism is a sufistic philosophy. Its purpose is to transfer the sufistic idea, which is spiritual, actual and sentimental and to explain it by means of mental knowledge.

It would be a better evaluation to regard the words of Hallaj Mansur and others similar to him not as “philosophical sufism” but as words uttered due to a spiritual exhilaration and which go beyond their purpose. Since sentiments are dominant rather than mind and love rather than idea in the consideration of sufists like Hallaj Mansur and Ibn Farid, there are reflections of exhilaration in their words.

There is some wrong information – which can never be accepted – on the internet. According to this information, in the late 9th century, developing his point of view that abolishes the division between God and the humanity and which regards humans to be of the same essence as God, Hallaj Mansur explained the main principle of sufism : “ According to sufistic philosophy, the universe is the sole living thing. And this sole living thing is God, himself.” 

These ideas are not the product of sufistic philosophy but pantheistic philosophy, which is a materialistic way of consideration.

It is Ibn Arabi who leads the sufists who try to explain mystic facts by means of mental methods and add a philosophical dimension.

Attempts to apply the works of people like Ibn Arabi, who deny the presence of the universe for the sake of love of God as a system, -on the assumption of Wahdat-ul Wujud ( Unity of Being)- Wahdat-ul Mawjud ( Unity of Presence) -  may bring the danger of being deceived by Pantheism and denying God for the sake of love of the universe. For this reason, Ibn Arabi stated : “ It is forbidden for the ones who are not one of us to read our books”.
(For further information, see Said Nursi, The Rays (Lemalar), 8th Ray)

For a Muslim there is no drawback in taking lessons or learning something from a sufi or another person. However, one should act cautiously and should not trust everybody. There are a lot of wrong and aberrant ideas nowadays and various people who present themselves as sufis or religious scholars but actually who are not.  Furthermore, it is not necessary to take lessons from Sufis or scholars in order to learn and live Islam but it will be very useful for us to make use of people who know the Islamic realities and practice them and follow their example.

The meaning of the words dervish and sufi is given below.    

DERVISH: An expression used for the members of a tariqa (sect). It is derived from Persian “deryush” which means “a beggar going from one house to another”. After the 5th century of Hegira calendar, this word began to be widely used for members of a tariqa. Words like abdal, faqir, lover, miskeen (poor), saint and father are used in the same sense. In some regions the word “ikhwan” (brothers) is used. Dervish also means doorstep, expressing that even if a dervish is stepped on like a doorstep, he should put up with all the troubles. Like the word, the concept also originated in Iran and then was transferred to other countries. Arabs took the word as it is and made it plural like an Arabic word, “darawish”.  

SUFİ; A person who purifies his heart for Allah.
Sufi is a person who is cleaned off filth, filled with contemplation, oriented towards Allah from human beings, and for whom gold and mud are equal. Sufi is a person whose heart Allah purified and so whose heart became full of light and attained the pleasure of Allah’s zikr (mentioning the name of Allah).

The real murshid and guide of a Muslim is the Quran and the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). If a Muslim accepts those two holy beings as a guide for himself, he will find the true path and follow a right direction. The guide of a person who does not accept them as a guide is no one but Satan, because there are representatives of both the good and the evil in the universe. There is not a third way. The guide of a person is either our Prophet, who is the representative the good and good people, or Satan, who is the representative of the evil, and his volunteer assistants.   

However, primarily the companions of the Prophet, saints, and scholars of Islam are also guides that show people the true and right way. They obtain their knowledge and information from the Quran and the Prophet (pbuh). They became means for hundreds and thousands of people to find the guidance, served Islam and helped people reach happiness both in the world and in the hereafter.  

For instance, Imam Azam, Imam Shafii, Imam Ghazali, Abdulqadir Gaylani, Imam Rabbani, Shah Naqshiband, Mawlana and Badiuzzaman Said Nursi are some of those guides. If the lives of those holy personalities are studied, their greatness and their place in the history of Islam will be seen easily.   

Yes, a Muslim can read the words, books, prayers and glorification of those personalities, imitate their attitudes and thus enrich and illuminate their Islamic lives. Thus, those personalities become guides for people.

Only Satan and bad people are the guides of the people who regard those personalities as bad people, who do not imitate them although they are the inheritors of the Prophet and who do not recognize them. A Muslim loves them, reads their books and tries to benefit from them because they follow and obey the Quran and the Prophet.

A person does not necessarily have to enter a tariqah or a jama’ah or to pledge allegiance to a sheikh. It is not appropriate to say that a person who does not pledge allegiance to a sheikh or who does not become a member of a jama’ah cannot live Islam.

There are some people who introduce themselves as sheikhs but who are not really sheikhs. It is necessary to be careful against those people. Besides, those people who are not shown favor by the majority of Muslims turn out to show their real faces in time and are excluded by Muslims.

Please also click on the link given below;

Could you define ‘sheikh” and “murid” according to tasawwuf and can a Sheikh claim that on the day of judgement he will request Allah to forgive his murid?

According to the verses of the Quran and hadiths, karamah of saints is true.  

Introduction

According to the verses of the Quran, karamah of saints is true.

First Evidence: The table sent down to Hz. Maryam (Mary)

Second Evidence: Asaf's bringing the Throne of Balkis

Third Evidence: Angels’ carrying the Chest

Fourth Evidence: The sleep Ashab al-Kahf

Fifth Evidence: The karamah of Hz. Musa’s (Moses) mother

Sixth Evidence: Jibril’s (Gabriel) visiting Hz. Maryam

Hadiths about karamah

Answer to the so-called evidence of Mutazila: Allah does not make anyone acquainted with His mysteries (ghayb).

Difference between Karamah and Istidraj

Introduction

According to our creed, the creed of Ahl as-Sunnah, it is permissible for saints to show karamahs. According to Mutazila, which is the sect of Shia in creed, karamah is not permissible. Just like Shia, some people with Wahhabi mentality deny both saints (awliya) and karamah on behalf of tawhid (oneness). Those Wahhabis, who call themselves Ahl as-Sunnah, probably do not realize that they think like Mutazila regarding the issue.

First of all, when we say, “Karamah is permissible”, we do not say, “A saint creates it”. I want to summarize the view of the Ahl as-Sunnah regarding the issue in items as follows:

1. Karamah is true. Prophets have miracles; similarly, saints have karamahs.

2. Karamah is sometimes created for the sake of a saint's prayer. Sometimes karamah is given to the saint by Allah without the saint’s wish and even without being aware of it.

3. It is Allah who creates karamah. Like miracles, Allah creates karamahs too. The saint has no intervention in that creation.

Now, let us meditate a little on Sheikh Ghaylani's karamah related to the chicken, which is criticized most by those who deny karamah:

Sheikh Ghaylani said to the bones of the chicken, قُمْ بِاِذْنِ اللَّهِ “Rise with the permission of Allah.” The bones of the chicken were covered with flesh suddenly and the chicken was revived. Those who deny karamah state the following against that karamah: “It is polytheism (shirk) to believe in it; Creating is peculiar to Allah.”

We address them as follows:

That karamah is recorded in the soundest books and reported by most reliable people. When we believe in that karamah, do we believe that “Sheikh Ghaylani gave life to the dead chicken”? Do we attribute the deed of creation to him? Definitely not - God forbid! No being other than Allah can be the doer of the deed of creation by any means.

What do we accept? We accept the following:

Allah created a karamah full of wisdom through the hands of His slave Ghaylani as a sign of his value. It is Allah who built the skeleton of the chicken out of bones. It is Allah who covered the bones with flesh. It is Allah who gave it life. Sheikh Ghaylani is only a means. The chicken was created again for the sake of his prayer and as an indication of his value.  

Now we ask those who deny that incident:

- Is it difficult for Allah to give life to a chicken? Is it difficult for a being that gives life to dead trees in spring and that decorates them with flowers, fruits and leaves to give life to a chicken?

Do you not read the Quran? A similar incident is narrated in verse 259 of the chapter of al-Baqara:

God Almighty killed Hz. Uzayr and revived him 100 years later. When he was revived 100 years later, he saw the decayed bones of his donkey. Then, God Almighty revived the donkey before Uzayr’s eyes. Since a dead donkey was revived, why could a chicken not be revived?

Besides, the following incident is narrated in verse 260 of the chapter of al-Baqara:

Allah gave life to 4 dead birds for the sake of Hz. Ibrahim’s prayer before his eyes. Why should that incident, which was shown to Hz. Ibrahim as an example, not be shown to the ummah of Muhammad? Why should Allah, who showed that miracle to Hz. Ibrahim, not show a similar incident to the ummah of Muhammad through a sincere slave of His?

Verse 49 of the chapter of Aal-i Imran shows that Hz. Isa (Jesus) was given the miracle of reviving the dead. Hz. Isa states the following in the verse:    

  وَأُحْيِ الْمَوْتَى بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ And bring the dead to life by Allah’s leave. 

Is it regarded polytheism to believe that Hz. Isa revives the dead? It is not polytheism to believe it but it is unbelief not believe it because it is clearly stated in the verse.  

Is it not possible for our Lord, who revived the dead through Hz. Isa, to give life to a dead chicken through Ghaylani? What part of it do you not understand? What part of it is polytheism? Is it polytheism to watch the power of Allah in that incident? If it is polytheism, it is also polytheism to believe that Hz. Isa revived the dead. It is also polytheism to believe that birds were revived before Hz. Ibrahim’s eyes and a donkey was revived before Uzayr’s eyes. However, they are clearly stated in the verses of the Quran. Are we not supposed to believe in them in that case?  

Tawhid does not mean denying miracles and karamahs; it means seeing the power of Allah in those miracles and karamahs.

According to verses of the Quran, it is true that saints can show karamah.

First Evidence: The table sent down to Hz. Maryam (Mary)

We are in the second lesson of our work related to the trueness of karamah. We will analyze verse 37 of the chapter of Aal-i Imran.

According to what is stated in the verse, whenever Hz. Zakariyya entered Hz. Maryam's room, he saw different sustenance there. The Quran narrates the incident as follows:

 كُلَّمَا دَخَلَ عَلَيْهَا زَكَرِيَّا الْمِحْرَابَ Every time that Zakariyya entered (Her) chamber to see her, وَجَدَ عِنْدَهَا رِزْقًا he found her supplied with sustenance.  قَالَ يَا مَرْيَمُ He said: O Maryam!   أَنَّى لَكِ هذَا Whence (comes) this to you? قَالَتْ هُوَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ She said: From Allah.

As the verse clearly states, tables with food were sent to Hz. Maryam from the sky. Let us analyze that incident by asking some questions:

1. Is it something usual for a table with food to come down from the sky? Have any tables come down to your house or to the house of a person you know from the sky? No. It means it is something unprecedented.  

2. Since it is something unprecedented, can it be called a miracle? No, it cannot be called a miracle because miracles are peculiar to prophets. Hz. Maryam is not a prophet.

3. What can we call that incident since we cannot call it a miracle? We have to name it. It is something unprecedented. It is not a miracle. What is it then? We call it karamah. Let those who do not accept karamah find a name for it.  

It is a karamah that a table with food was sent down from the sky to Hz. Maryam. The owner of the table is definitely Allah. It is also Allah who sends it down from the sky. However, Allah sent down that table for the sake of Hz. Maryam. Therefore, that incident was recorded as a karamah of Hz. Maryam. If you do not accept karamah, you have to find a name for that incident. Tell us its name so that we will learn it.

Second Evidence: Asaf's bringing the Throne of Balkis

We will analyze verse 40 of the chapter of an-Naml. Hz. Sulayman states the following:

  يَا أَيُّهَا المَلَأُ Ye chiefs! أَيُّكُمْ يَأْتِينِي بِعَرْشِهَا Which of you can bring me her (Balkis’) throne قَبْلَ أَنْ يَأْتُونِي مُسْلِمِين before they (Balkis and her nation) come to me in submission?قَالَ الَّذِي عِنْدَهُ عِلْمٌ مِنَ الْكِتَاب Said one who had knowledge of the Book: أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَن يَرْتَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ I will bring it to thee within the twinkling of an eye.  فَلَمَّا رَآهُ مُسْتَقِرًّا عِنْدَهُ Then when (Solomon) saw it placed firmly before him, قَالَ هَذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّي he said: “This is by the Grace of my Lord!

Ibn Abbas states that the one who brought the throne of Balkis from her palace was Asaf, the scribe of Hz. Sulayman. Imam Mujahid, Said Ibn Jubayr, Muhammad b. Ishaq and other tafsir scholars state the following:

The throne of Balkis was in Yemen and Hz. Sulayman was in Quds (Jerusalem). Asaf prayed to Allah as follows: “O our God! There is no god except You. Bring her throne to me.” Imam Mujahid states that he said, “O Allah who is full of Majesty, Bounty and Honour” in his prayer. Upon that prayer, the throne suddenly appeared next to Hz. Sulayman. (see Ibn Kathir, the interpretation of the verse in question) 

You can find more detailed information in tafsir books. Let us analyze the issue a bit:

First question: Is it not something unprecedented to bring a throne from Yemen to Quds within the twinkling of an eye? Have you ever seen or heard anything like that? No, you have not seen or heard anything like that. In that case, that incident is something unprecedented.   

Second question: Since it is something unprecedented, can it be called a miracle? No, it cannot be called a miracle because miracles are peculiar to prophets. Asaf is not a prophet; he is the scribe of Hz. Sulayman.

Third question: What can we call that incident since we cannot call it a miracle? We have to name it. It is something unprecedented. It is not a miracle. What is it then? We call it karamah. Let those who do not accept karamah find a name for it.

It is a karamah that Asaf brought the throne of Balkis in an instant. It is definitely Allah who brought the throne. That incident occurred with the power of Allah However, Allah brought that throne for the sake of the prayer of Asaf. Therefore, that incident was recorded as a karamah of Asaf. If you do not accept karamah, you have to find a name for that incident. Tell us its name so that we will learn it.

Third Evidence: Angels’ carrying the Chest

We will analyze verse 248 of the chapter of al-Baqara. First, we will summarize the incident narrated on page 39:

Sons of Israel went to their prophet and asked him to send them a king. They promised that they would fight in the way of Allah with that king. Allah sent them a person called Talut as their king. However, Talut was poor; therefore, Sons of Israel did not want to accept him as the king. They said they deserved to be the king more than Talut. Thereupon, their prophet addressed them as follows:  

  إِنَّ آيَةَ مُلْكِهِ A Sign of his authority is أَن يَأْتِيَكُمُ التَّابُوتُ that there shall come to you the Ark of the covenant, فِيهِ سَكِينَةٌ مِن رَبِّكُمْ with (an assurance) therein of security from your Lord

According to what is stated in tafsirs of Fakhrurrazi, Abussuud, Hazin, Qurtubi and Alusi, when Sons of Israel went astray and disobeyed God Almighty after the death of Hz. Musa, He inflicted the tribe of Amaliqa upon them. That tribe took the ark (chest) from them. Afterwards, God Almighty sent the ark to Sons of Israel through His angels as a sign of the kingdom of Talut. The phrase حْمِلُهُ الْمَلآئِكَةُ carried by angels mentioned in the verse shows that the ark was brought to them by angels who carried it.

We refer the details of the story to tafsir books. What we need to know here is as follows:

The ark, which was the sign of the kingdom of Talut, was carried by the angels and taken to the house of Talut.

Let us analyze the issue a bit:

First question: Is it not something unprecedented for a chest to be carried by the angels and taken to the house of a person? Is it something ordinary that the angels carried a chest and took that chest to his house? Have you ever seen or heard anything like that? No, you have not seen or heard anything like that. In that case, that incident is something unprecedented.   

Second question: Since it is something unprecedented, can it be called a miracle? No, it cannot be called a miracle because miracles are peculiar to prophets. Talut is not a prophet.

Third question: What can we call that incident since we cannot call it a miracle? We have to name it. It is something unprecedented. It is not a miracle. What is it then? We call it Talut’s karamah. Let those who do not accept karamah find a name for it.

It is a karamah that the angels carried a chest for the sake of Talut and that they took it to the house of Talut. The angels definitely carried the chest. They carried it upon the command of Allah and that incident occurred with the power of Allah. However, Allah made the angels carry that chest for the sake of Talut. Therefore, that incident was recorded as a karamah of Talut. If you do not accept karamah, you have to find a name for that incident. Tell us its name so that we will learn it.

Fourth Evidence: The sleep Ashab al-Kahf

We will analyze verse 25 of the chapter of al-Kahf. The following is stated in the verse related to Ashab al-Kahf (People of the Cave):

 وَلَبِثُوا فِي كَهْفِهِمْ So they stayed in their Cave – How many years did they stay? - ثَلاَثَ مِائَةٍ سِنِينَ وَازْدَادُوا تِسْعًا three hundred years, and (some) add nine (more). That is, they slept in the cave for 309 years.

We all know the story of Ashab al-Kahf. They told the truth in the presence of the tyrannical king and took refuge in a cave to escape his persecution. They fell asleep in the cave. God Almighty made them sleep in the cave for 309 years and then awakened them. When they woke up, they asked one another:  

 كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ “How long have ye stayed (here)?” قَالُوا لَبِثْنَا يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ They said, “We have stayed (perhaps) a day, or part of a day.” 309 days felt like one day to them.

We refer the details of the story to tafsir books. Let us analyze the issue a bit:

First question: Is it not something unprecedented to sleep for 309 years? Have you ever seen or heard anybody who slept for 309 years? No, you have not seen or heard anything like that. In that case, that incident is something unprecedented.

Second question: Since it is something unprecedented, can it be called a miracle? No, it cannot be called a miracle because miracles are peculiar to prophets. Ashab al-Kahf (People of the Cave) are not prophets.

Third question: What can we call that incident since we cannot call it a miracle? We have to name it. It is something unprecedented. It is not a miracle. What is it then? We call it karamah. Let those who do not accept karamah find a name for it.

It is a karamah that Ashab al-Kahf slept for 309 years. It is definitely Allah who made them sleep. That incident occurred with the power of Allah. However, Allah created that incident for the sake of Ashab al-Kahf. Maybe the fact that they spoke up and told the truth in the presence of the tyrannical king led to that karamah. If you do not accept karamah, you have to find a name for that incident. Tell us its name so that we will learn it.

Fifth Evidence: The karamah of Hz. Musa’s (Moses) mother

We will analyze verse 7 of the chapter of al-Qasas. The following is stated in the verse:    

وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى أُمِّ مُوسَى أَنْ أَرْضِعِيهِ So We sent this inspiration to the mother of Moses: “Suckle (thy child), فَإِذَا خِفْتِ عَلَيْهِ but when thou hast fears about him, فَأَلْقِيهِ فِي الْيَمِّ cast him into the river

As it is clearly stated in the verse, Hz. Musa's mother put her son in a basket and cast him into the river. The family of Pharaoh found him and adopted him. We refer the details of the story to tafsir books.

Let us analyze the issue a bit:

First question: Is it not something unprecedented to send inspiration to a mother to “cast her son into the river”? Is it not something unprecedented for a mother to cast her son into the river and for her son to be saved safe and sound? Have you ever seen or heard an incident like that? No, you have not seen or heard anything like that. In that case, that incident is something unprecedented.

Second question: Since it is something unprecedented, can it be called a miracle? No, it cannot be called a miracle because miracles are peculiar to prophets. Hz. Musa’s mother is not a prophet.

Third question: What can we call that incident since we cannot call it a miracle? We have to name it. It is something unprecedented. It is not a miracle. What is it then? We say, “it is a karamah bestowed upon Hz. Musa’s mother”. Let those who do not accept karamah find a name for it.

It is a karamah that Hz. Musa's mother was sent inspiration and that he was saved from the sea safe and sound. It is definitely Allah who sent inspiration to Hz. Musa's mother. That incident occurred with the power of Allah. However, that it occurred with the power of Allah does not prevent that incident from being a karamah. It is an extraordinary incident. An extraordinary incident that occurs through a saint is called a karamah.

Sixth Evidence: Jibril’s (Gabriel) visiting Hz. Maryam

We will analyze verse 17 of the chapter of Maryam. The following is stated about Hz. Maryam in the verse:

  فَاتَّخَذَتْ مِنْ دُونِهِمْ حِجَابًا She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them فَأَرْسَلْنَا إِلَيْهَا رُوحَنَا then We sent her our angel فَتَمَثَّلَ لَهَا بَشَرًا سَوِيًّا and he appeared before her as a man in all respects.

As the verse clearly states, Jibril visited Hz. Maryam and appeared in the form of a man. You can refer to the relevant verses of the chapter of Maryam for the conversation between Jibril and Hz. Maryam.

Let us analyze the issue a bit:

First question: Is it not something unprecedented that Jibril visited Hz. Maryam and appeared in the form of a man? Has Jibril ever visited you? Or has he visited anybody you know? Have you ever seen or heard an incident like that? No, you have not seen or heard anything like that. In that case, that incident is something unprecedented.

Second question: Since it is something unprecedented, can it be called a miracle? No, it cannot be called a miracle because miracles are peculiar to prophets. Hz. Maryam is not a prophet.

Third question: What can we call that incident since we cannot call it a miracle? We have to name it. It is something unprecedented. It is not a miracle. What is it then? We call it karamah. Let those who do not accept karamah find a name for it.

It is a karamah that Jibril visited Hz. Maryam and appeared in the form of a man. It is definitely Allah who sent Jibril. Hz. Maryam has no intervention in that incident. She even felt scared when she saw Jibril. However, those facts do not prevent the incident from being a karamah.

When Hz. Musa threw the staff he was holding and when the staff was transformed into a snake, He was frightened and ran away. However, his fear and fleeing, and lack of his intervention in the transformation of the staff into a snake do not prevent the incident from being a miracle. Similarly, Hz. Maryam’s fear and lack of her intervention in Jibril’s coming do not prevent the incident from being a karamah. It is an extraordinary incident. An extraordinary incident that occurs through a saint is called a karamah. It does not have any other name.

Hadiths about Karamah 

We have proved karamah with the verses of the Quran. Now we will quote some hadiths related to karamah. The hadiths we will quote is related to the part of karamah regarding giving information about ghayb. 

The Prophet (pbuh) states the following in a hadith included in Bukhari:

 قَدْ كَانَ فِيمَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ رِجَالٌ Among the nation of Sons of Israel who lived before you, there were men يُكَلَّمُونَ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَكُونُوا أَنْبِيَاء who used to be inspired with guidance though they were not prophets, فَإِنْ يَكُنْ مِنْ أُمَّتِي مِنْهُمْ أَحَدٌ فَعُمَرُ and if there is any of such persons amongst my followers, it is Umar. (see Musnad, VI, 55; Bukhari, Fadailus-Sahaba, 6, Anbiya, 54)

The clause “and if there is any of such persons amongst my followers” mentioned in the hadith is used for confirmation. It is like the following statement: “If I have one friend, it is Ahmad.” Attributing friendship peculiarly to Ahmad in that statement is due to his perfect friendship. It does not aim to reject other friends. Mentioning Hz. Umar exclusively in the hadith above is like that. It aims to show that inspirations sent to him are at the highest level. It does not mean “Nobody else is sent inspiration.” 

The Prophet (pbuh) states the following in another hadith reported from Hz. Aisha:

“There had been among the people before you inspired persons and if there were any such among my ummah, Umar b. Khattab would be one of them.” (Muslim, Fadailus-Sahaba, 23)

It is understood from the hadith above that there are some individuals who are inspired among this ummah. That inspiration is a karamah. If there were no individuals who were inspired in this ummah, the following statement would not have been made about Hz. Umar: “Umar b. Khattab would be one of them.” 

Let us think about the following:

The ummah of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the most virtuous ummah. When it is certain, the virtuous people that existed in other ummahs should exist in this ummah too. Since it is certain based on hadiths that there were individuals who were inspired in other ummahs, it becomes certain that there are such people in this ummah too. It proves that karamah is true.  

We should also explain the following:

The reason why Hz. Umar is specifically mentioned among those who are inspired is the fact that the decrees that Hz. Umar thought were supported by the verses of the Quran. Hz. Umar expressed his views related to several issues and his views were supported by verses.   

It will be appropriate to mention a karamah of Hz. Umar here:

Hz. Umar was the caliph. On a Friday, He was delivering the sermon in Masjid Nabawi as he did every Friday. During the sermon, he suddenly said, “Ya Sariya! Al-jabala, al-jabala! / O Sariya! To the mountain, to the mountain!”

The people in the mosque looked at one another. Sariya was a commander sent to Iran. Hz. Umar sent it to Iran as a commander. Hz. Umar was in Madinah and Sariya was in Iran. What was that talk about?

Sariya states the following regarding the issue:

I heard a voice saying, سمِعتُ صوتًا يا سارِيَةَ الجبلَ يا سارِيَةَ الجبلَ “O Sariya, to the mountain, to the mountain!”   

Yes, when Hz. Umar delivered that sermon, Sariya’s soldiers were fighting against the Sasani army. During the battle, Sariya heard Hz. Umar’s words, took his soldiers toward the mountain and won the battle.

Ibn Kathir narrates that incident in “al-Bidaya wan-nihaya”, Ibn Hajar in “al-Isaba” and Ibn Hibban in “Sahih”. It is narrated in several other sources.

Answer to the so-called evidence of Mutazila: Allah does not make any one acquainted with His mysteries (ghayb).

We will answer a so-called evidence of Mutazila here. The following is stated in verses 26 and 27 of the chapter of al-Jinn:

عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ He (alone) knows the Unseen, فَلاَ يُظْهِرُ عَلَى غَيْبِهِ أَحَدًا nor does He make any one acquainted with His Mysteries إِلاَّ مَنِ ارْتَضَى مِنْ رَسُولٍ except an apostle whom He has chosen.

That is, He makes only His prophets acquainted with His Mysteries (ghayb). 

Mutazila shows that verse and states the following: There is evidence in that verse that there is no karamah because God Almighty specifies that He informs only the prophets He has chosen about ghayb. The saints to whom karamah is attributed are not prophets. It shows that saints cannot give information about ghayb.

That is what Mutazilites, who deny karamah, say; they state that it is not possible for saints to give information about ghayb, which is a kind of karamah. Fakhruddin Razi, the great tafsir scholar answers Mutazila as follows:

What is meant by the ghayb in the verse “Allah does not make any one acquainted with His ghayb” is the time of the Day of Judgment. The evidences that the ghayb mentioned in the verse is the time of the Day of Judgment are as follows:  

1. The following is stated in the previous verse:

“Say: ‘I know not whether the (Punishment) which ye are promised is near, or whether my Lord will appoint for it a distant term.’” (al-Jinn, 72/25) 

The Prophet (pbuh) says, “I know not” in the verse for the time of the Day of Judgment. After that verse comes the following verse: “Allah does not make any one acquainted with His ghayb.” The ghayb mentioned in the verse must be the ghayb mentioned in the previous verse, which is the time of the Day of Judgment. It is understood with this explanation that the ghayb with which chosen prophets are made acquainted is the time of the Day of Judgment, not other issues related to ghayb.   

The second evidence showing that what is meant by the word “ghayb” in the verse is the time of the Day of Judgment is as follows: The word غَيْبِهِ “ghayb” in the verse is singular. Singular words indicate an individual. Therefore, it will be enough to interpret it as a single ghayb, which is the time of the Day of Judgment. There is no evidence showing that the word ghayb in the verse indicates ghayb in general.  

The second evidence showing that what is meant by the word “ghayb” in the verse is the time of the Day of Judgment is as follows: The word غَيْبِهِ in the verse is part of a phrase. When the determiner of the phrase is definite in Arabic, the other word is also regarded as definite. Definite words are used for things that are known/definite. Therefore, a certain ghayb is mentioned by the word “ghayb” in the verse. That certain ghayb is the time of the Day of Judgment. 

In that case, the meaning of the verse together with the previous verse is as follows:

“Say: ‘I know not whether the (Punishment) which ye are promised is near, or whether my Lord will appoint for it a distant term.’ Allah knows ghayb (that is, the time of the Day of Judgment). He does not make any one acquainted with His ghayb except an apostle whom He has chosen.”

The following question can be asked regarding the issue. The following is stated in the verse: “He does not make any one acquainted with His ghayb except an apostle whom He has chosen.” If the ghayb mentioned in the verse is the time of the Day of Judgment, Allah has not informed His prophets about the time of the Day of Judgment. How can it be explained then?

Fakhruddin Razi answers that question as follows:

What is meant by the word “rasul” in the verse is angels. The word rasul is also used for angels in several verses in the Quran. For example, Allah mentions angels as rasuls in verse 51 of the chapter of ash-Shura, 95 of al-Isra and 37 of al-Araf. The same thing holds true for the verse in question. What is meant by the word “rasul” in the verse is angels. Allah will inform the angels about the time of the Day of Judgment when it approaches. God Almighty states the following in the Quran:

“The Day the heaven shall be rent asunder with clouds, and angels shall be sent down, descending (in ranks).” (al-Furqan, 25/25)

It is doubtless that the angels will understand that Doomsday will strike at that time.  

We should also learn the following with this lesson:

Sometimes an evidence that is contrary to our creed is presented. That evidence may sound very strong. Do not be shaken by it. Know that the evidence they present has been refuted by Ahl as-Sunnah scholars. Ask someone who knows or search the answer in books. Do not allow it to grow larger in you.

Difference between Karamah and Istidraj

We will explain the difference between karamah and istidraj here. We stated the following beforehand:  

Karamah is an extraordinary incident created by Allah to indicate the value of a slave.

Are all extraordinary incidents karamahs? Is any person who shows something like that a saint?

Definitely not. Karamah has a stepbrother. It is called istidraj. Karamah and istidraj may appear close to each other but the difference between the is actually like the distance between the earth and the sky.

Istidraj is an extraordinary state or deed seen in people who are not close to Allah.

If a person does not have taqwa, does not worship and does not do righteous deeds but extraordinary deeds occur in him, it is called istidraj, not karamah.  

It is important to know the difference between Karamah and Istidraj due to the following reason:

If we think that every extraordinary incident is a karamah, we will think that the one who shows it is a saint. We may love that person due to that thought and follow him. If what that person shows is not karamah, but istidraj, we will be led to destruction. Therefore, we must know very well that not all extraordinary incidents are karamahs.

Then, the following issue arises:

- How can we know whether an extraordinary incident is karamah or istidraj?

The way to know it is as follows:

We will look at that person. If he is consistent in the religion, if his creed is sound, if he has taqwa and righteous deeds and if he follows the sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh), what he shows is karamah. If he does not have the abovementioned characteristics, if he disobeys Allah and commits sins, what he shows is istidraj.  

We should also know the following:

What matters is being consistent, not karamah. Therefore, scholars state the following: If you see that a person walks on the sea or flies in the air, his deeds are not taken into consideration unless he is consistent in the religion.

Therefore, when we choose teachers and guides for ourselves, we need to take their consistency in the religion into consideration, not their karamah. Such a person can be our teacher and guide if he is consistent in the religion even if he does not show any karamah. What is essential is not karamah but sincerity, consistency, taqwa and so on.

It is possible to understand the statement above as follows: They would have abandoned what they themselves thought to be the truth.  

Ibn Arabi’s statement regarding the issue in “Fusus al-Hikam” is as follows:

“If they had stopped worshipping their idols, they would not have known the Truth to the extent that they gave up because, in every worshipped deity, there is an aspect of the Truth (which is why that thing is worshipped).”

Like some of Ibn Arabi’s other statements, this one is also apt to be misunderstood; it needs explanation.

Some commentators explained it.

According to the explanation of Bali of Sofia, Ibn al-Arabi expresses the inner situation of Hud tribe. In other words, people who were accustomed to worshipping idols, who thought that they approached Allah by worshiping idols and who continued this worship sincerely, thought that they would turn away from Allah when they turned away from worshipping idols. That is why they cannot stop worshiping idols. Every believer’s conception of Allah is shaped within himself. That is how their belief in Allah was formed.

Ahmet Avni Konuk explains these statements as follows:

The people of Noah became ignorant of the Truth to the extent that they abandoned their idols because God Almighty is present in all particles with His identity. As a matter of fact, He has a special aspect in every deity. He who knows that aspect knows Allah, and he who does not know it cannot know Allah. The verse “Whithersoever ye turn, there is the presence of Allah” (al-Baqara, 2/115) expresses this meaning.

This explanation should not mean that idolatry is permissible. The thing to note here is this:

If a person worships the outward appearance of things or worships the imagination of a deity, not its person, he falls into idolatry. However, if a person worships Allah, who is one and single, in every deity and in every manifestation, without allocation and determination, that person will be wise. The verse “Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him” expresses this meaning.

From this point of view, if a person worships an idol or worships an imagined deity, he actually worships the Truth because it is always the Truth that is manifest both in the apparent manifestations and in the spiritual manifestations such as imaginations. The body is one, and it is the body of the Truth (God).

The explanation of the Bosnevi is as follows:

There is a special aspect in every deity. He who knows that aspect knows the Truth. He who is ignorant of that aspect becomes ignorant of the Truth. That is, there is an aspect for the Truth in every deity of stone, tree, sun and moon; that aspect is eternal when the veils of things perish. He who knows the aspect of the Truth in every deity knows the Truth that is certain in the manifestation of that deity. And he who is ignorant of that aspect becomes ignorant of the Truth that is certain in the manifestation of that deity.

“When thou threwest (a handful of dust), it was not thy act, but Allah’s.” In each being, divinity and servitude, worshipping and being worshipped, prostrating and being prostrated are apparent. If a person worships the veil and implicitness of that being or worships the imagination of the deity in that divinity, he will have worshipped his own desire.

And if a person worships Allah Almighty, who is always and unconditionally one and single, in every deity and in every form, he is knowledgeable, inquisitive, wise and sage. Thus, the pronoun hu in the phrase “ya’rifuhu wa yajhaluhu” refers to the Truth. The pronoun hu in the phrase “Wa man arafahu wa man jahilahu” refers to the aspect. It is permissible for the pronoun hu to refer to the meaning in the phrase “wa ya’rifuhu wa yajhaluhu” and to the Truth in the phrase “Wa arafahu wa jahilahu”. That is, “Ya’rifu hadhal-ma’na man arafal-Haqqa va zuhurahu fil-mazahiri. Va yajhaluhu man jahilal-Haqqa wa jami’a zama’iri” is permissible to refer to the aspect. So, it means, he who knows this aspect knows and he who does not know it does not know.

The terms fana fillah and baqa billah are usually explained together. Therefore, we regard it appropriate to explain them together.

Fana means disappearance, annihilation and impermanence. In Sufism (tasawwuf), it means to transcend oneself and all masiwa (everything other than Allah) and to be absorbed in the ocean of ahadiyyah (divine oneness). (2)

In the apparent sense, fana means the removal of all kinds of bad qualities from the servant, and baqa means the retention of all kinds of good qualities. In its real sense, fana is the servant’s being stripped off from his own attributes and being absorbed in what Allah wants him to be. Fana is the servant’s transcending his own states and being with Allah, who transforms states. (Sülemî, Tasavvufun Ana İlkeleri, p. 33)

Fana means the servant’s becoming stripped off from his carnal and animal pleasures and desires, losing his ability to distinguish by transcending himself and becoming stripped off from things because he is always preoccupied with the being in which he annihilated himself. Baqa, which comes after fana, means the servant’s being stripped off (fani) from the things belonging to his nafs (soul) and being absorbed (baqi) in the things belonging to God, that is, being fani from his nafs and and being baqi with God. (2)

Perfect man is a person who has attained the state of fana fillah. The phrase to be fana fillah means “to dissolve the human will in the will of the Creator”.

Junayd Baghdadi divides the state of fana into three levels:

First: Being stripped off from bad attributes, habits and natural characteristics by doing deeds, making effort and striving, opposing his soul (nafs) and forcing it to do the deeds it does not want to do.

Second: Abiding by what God wants from you, having no intermediary between you and Him, being cut off from everything else, and being stripped off from all thoughts of enjoyment in worship in order to turn solely toward Him.

Third: When the witness (light) of God prevails at the level of wajd (ecstasy), being stripped off from noticing that he has attained the observation of Allah too. At that time, you, the mortal (fani) being, become baqi (permanent). Your physical existence (your picture) remains, but your name (your individuality) disappears; and you exist with someone else. (3)

Fana is the disappearance of the incompleteness of the dervish and baqa is the occurrence of the perfection of the dervish. (İz, ibid, p. 188)

“What is with you must vanish: what is with Allah will endure.” (an-Nahl, 16/96)

“All that is on earth will perish: But will abide (for ever) the Face of thy Lord,- full of Majesty, Bounty and Honor.” (ar-Rahman, 55/26, 27)

Fana is non-existence, nothingness and to be transient. Baqa is to be permanent and everlasting. Fana is the disappearance of bad attributes and baqa is the retention of good attributes. When a person abandons bad deeds, his sensual and carnal desires disappear, and sincerity and good intentions remain. The heart of the one who severs his heart’s connection with the world becomes free from the passion for the world. When the passion for the world and bad intentions have disappeared, righteousness and honesty remain.

Fana is the servant’s losing the consciousness of being the doer and Allah’s replacing “the servant (abd)” as the doer. In this state, which we can also describe as the servant’s not seeing his deed, Allah replaces the servant; Allah sees, hears and holds. Thus, the sacred hadith “When I love my servant, I become his seeing eye, his holding hand, and his walking foot” (Bukhari, Riqaq, 38) is realized. The servant becomes so busy with Allah that he finally loses the consciousness of “self”. That consciousness is replaced by Allah again. If this state is attained through dhikr, it is called: “al fana fil madhkur”; if it is attained through love, it is called “al fana fil mahbub”. The highest degree of fana is “fana anil fana”. It means to be stripped off even from the consciousness of attaining the state of fana. This state is also called the state of “fana andar fana”. Although the servant gets rid of some human attributes in the state of fana, he does not get rid of the attribute of humanity completely. Such a claim is false and causes unbelief.

In Sufism, the concept of fana has been subjected to certain classifications from different perspectives.

a. Fanau dhat: A person’s regarding himself as non-existent, not seeing existence in himself, and thinking that the real existence is Allah.

b. Fanau sifat: A person’s being stripped off from human attributes.

c. Fanau af’al: It is the lack of consciousness in the actions and movements of the servant. Therefore, in Sufi books, fana is used together and synonymously with the word faqr.

There are also varieties of fana according to the training process during sayr and suluk (journeying and initiation).

a. Fana fil-ikhwan: In tariqah (dervish order), placing the love of ikhwan (religious brothers) and brotherhood in the heart, putting their desires and wishes before one’s own desires and wishes, and mixing with them with love.

b. Fana fish-sheikh: The dervish’s eliminating his personal will and desires in the will and desire of his sheikh, and replacing his own will and desire with the will and desire of his sheikh.

c. Fana fir-Rasul: The dervish’s melting with love and affection in the person of the Prophet (pbuh) and attaining fana in his person after experiencing fana in his shaykh. It is the adoption and adornment of the attributes and ethics of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh).

d. Fana fillah: The dervish’s being stripped off from his own attributes and qualities and being adorned with the attributes of Allah. (4)

Hujwari states the following regarding the issue: It should be known that fana and baqa mean one thing in the tongue of knowledge (among scholars) and another thing in the tongue of disposition (among Sufis). Scholars are not astonished by any other expression as much as by this expression.

The word baqa has three meanings according to dictionaries and in terms of knowledge: First: It is something whose beginning and end are both in fana, such as this world. Second: The beings that did not exist at first, but came into existence later and will never perish (be fani), such as the hereafter, Paradise, Hell and those that are there. Third: The being whose existence has never ceased to exist and will never cease to exist: The baqa of the glorious God and His attributes. The knowledge of fana is the knowledge that the world is ephemeral, and the knowledge of baqa is the knowledge that the hereafter is eternal because God Almighty states the following in the Quran: “But the hereafter is better and more enduring.” (al-A’la, 87/17)

Fana and baqa (in the Sufi sense of baqa and fana) in one’s state are as follows: When ignorance is fani (disappears), the baqa of knowledge is essential; when ignorance disappears, knowledge definitely exists and remains. When the state of disobedience disappears, the state of obedience remains (becomes baqi). When the servant attains knowledge and worship, heedlessness disappears with the maintenance of dhikr. In other words, if the servant has knowledge in the sight of Allah and this knowledge is permanent and lasting, ignorance will be eliminated thanks to it. When he is stripped off from heedlessness, he becomes permanent with His dhikr. That is the permanence of good qualities and the removal of bad qualities. Abu Said Kharraz, as the founder of this school of thought, said: “Fana is the servant’s becoming fani from seeing servitude and baqa the servant’s becoming baqi with the witnessing of divinity (and seeing its manifestations).” He was the first one to mention the states of fana and baqa. (5)

It is a Sufi term meaning that the servant becomes fani from seeing his own actions and behaviors and reaches the point of being a true servant. (Mustafa Kara, “Fana”, DİA., XII, 333) As for Baqa-billah, it is a Sufi term meaning that the dervish, who is purified from bad habits and attributes, acquires good habits and attributes, becomes fani from himself and is together with God. (“Bekâ”, DİA., V, 359)

A Sufi expression meaning to disappear (to be annihilated) in Allah. Fana means extinction, the end of existence. In Sufism, fana means to be qualified with all of Allah’s attributes except His essence. As the servant abandons the attributes and deeds of the servants, he becomes qualified with the attributes of Allah, i.e., Allah’s attributes such as sight, hearing, etc. When the servant turns to Allah and surrenders to Him, he begins to see things from Allah’s point of view as it is stated in the hadith “I become his eyes and ears...”.

In addition, fana means abandoning bad habits and characteristics and having good qualities and characteristics (Tahanawi, Kashshafu Istilahati-Funun, Istanbul 1984, I, 1157).

According to Abu Said Kharraz, “Fana fillah means the servant’s being fani from seeing his servitude and baqa billah means that the servant’s being baqi and existent in the presence of Allah.”

It is possible to regard fana as being closely related to annihilation and baqa to existence. The following is stated in the Quran:

“All that is on earth will perish: But will abide (for ever) the Face of thy Lord,- full of Majesty, Bounty and Honor.” (ar-Rahman, 55/26-27)

The state of fana ends with the existence of the state of baqa. It is called Fanaul-Fana.

References:

(1) See Şemsettin Sâmî, Kâmûs u Türkî, İkdâm Matbaası, Ist., 1318; Ofset 3rd imp., Çağrı Yayınları, İst., 1989, p.1005.

(2) See Abubakr Muhammad Qalabazi, at Ta’arruf li Madhhabi Ahlit-Tasawwuf, Tahqiq, Mahmud an Nawawi, 2nd imp., Maktabatul Kulliyyatil Azhariyya, Cairo, 1400, p. 147; the same author, Doğuş Devrinde Tasavvuf: Ta’arruf, prepared by Süleyman Uludağ, Dergâh Yayınları, 2nd imp., Ist., 1992, pp. 182 183.

(3) See Süleyman Ateş, Cüneyd i Bağdâdî (k.s) Hayatı, Eserleri ve Mektupları, Sönmez Neşriyat, İst., 1969, p. 154.

(4) See H. Kamil Yılmaz, Ana Hatlarıyla Tasavvuf ve Tarikatlar, Ensar Neşriyat, İst. 1994, pp. 226-229.

(5) See Ali b. Uthman al Hujwiri, Kashful Mahjub, Translated from English into Arabic by Ismail Mazi Abul Gharaim, Tah. Ibrahim Dusuki, Darut Turathil Arabi, Cairo, 1974, pp. 290, 293; the same author, Kashful Mahjub: Hakikat Bilgisi, prepared by Süleyman Uludağ, Dergâh Yayınları, Ist., 1982, pp. 363, 370.

Sayr and suluk (journeying and initiation) is a training of knowledge of Allah (marifatullah) aimed at getting to know the names and attributes of Allah closely. It has nothing to do with the body. It is a completely spiritual training method. The expressions “spiritual journey or journey to Allah” are also used to describe it.

However, in reality, it is not a journey to Allah’s sacred being, but a journey to get to know His names, attributes and deeds. There is such a long distance as to pass through a thousand dark and luminous veils in the journey made for this marifatullah. But not everyone can follow this way. Some go through 5-10 veils while others go through a hundred veils.

By passing through those veils, people experience the manifestations of certain names and attributes of Allah in their way. As a result of this manifestation, some rise to the level of a kind of fana fillah (annihilation in Allah) in tawhid mustaghraq (immersed oneness) called “Jam’ (Gathering, Coming Together)” and begin to see Allah everywhere with the manifestation of His names and attributes. Since they begin to see everything in this level - with nominal meaning - as a shadow or a dream, they say “La mashuda illallah” (There is no visible being except Allah) and since they see the manifestations of Allah’s names and attributes everywhere - with significative meaning -, some people call this level “maqam jam’”, that is, meeting with Allah, coming together with Allah.

For example, when a person looks at the Sun, if he looks at the Sun’s own body, being, and light, this look becomes a veil against the Creator. If he looks at the Sun with the significative meaning, he observes the attributes of Allah, such as knowledge, wisdom and power, manifested in the circle of power in which the Sun was created. And he thinks that no particle exists independently of Allah, operates, and performs any function, and he attains a pure palace of oneness.

If, as some people do, this sayr and suluk does not lift the veil of causes and rise above it, for example, if one thinks that the Sun has the manifestation of some names of Allah in terms of the significative meaning, but still continues to know that it is a created being with the nominal meaning, this level is called “maqam farq” according to some.

The views of Sufi scholars on the issue are as follows:

Farq (difference) is what is attributed to man. Jam’ is what is kept from man. That is, the worship of man and other human affairs belong maqam farq. The boons that Allah gives to His servants with His grace and benevolence is maqam jam’. (see ar-Risalatul-Qushayriyya, 1/166)

There are different definitions and interpretations regarding the issue. However, it is possible to summarize the issue in line with what we have mentioned above as follows:

“Maqam jam’” is a sign of seeing Allah without seeing the beings called masiwa. Accordingly, maqam jam’ coexists with the manifestation of His oneness. As a matter of fact, the oneness mentioned in the verse “...And He is with you wheresoever ye may be...” (al-Hadid, 57/4) indicates a secret of oneness and maqam jam’.

So, it is a maqam jam’ for a person who realizes that Allah is omnipresent with His knowledge and power and thinks that all beings are manifestations of His name, attributes and deeds.

On the other hand, it can be considered as a maqam farq if a person does not forget the bodies of the beings and accept that Allah is the creator of everything and at the same time does not ignore that creatures have existence - depending on Allah.  

Our answer to the question “Does it not mean that they believe that they are equal to or a part of Allah?” mentioned above is “No!”.

Everything is from him, but nothing is a part of Him.