In today’s environment we increasingly find a new kind of believer. This believer is not religious and not exactly an atheist. They may or may not, however, be an agnostic but believe in something “greater than themselves”. This kind of believer is, for all intensive purposes, considered “spiritual”. Which essentially means that a person does not practice or partake in one particularly religion but believes there is a “transcendental reality” beyond the material world. These believers are often attracted to mysticism, often seeking the emotional  experience of religious awe or reverence.

The Western world has been scared by doctrinal and dogmatic religious systems and thus many of the would be Believers coming out of the Western world are skeptical of the mature methods of faith. Often times the intention of these kind of seekers is to find plurality in faith, thus penetrating some kind of perennial or objective truth. You can find this happening daily throughout America.

In the film, My Mom’s New Boyfriend, which debuted in Spain on April 30, 2008, writer and director George Gallo portrayed a scene which is becoming all too familiar in the religious landscape of America. The setting has three of the characters sitting at the dinner table sipping wine after a meal. Meg Ryan plays Martha who after a life altering experience lost weight and became beautiful, changed her name to Marty and adopted a new outlook on life. The other two characters: Colin Hanks, plays Martha’s son and Selma Blair his fiance Emily. And when sprituality becomes the topic of discussion it mirrors the reality that is fast growing in American society, that being, “more spiritual than religious” as the screen play narrates,

Marty: It just took me a long time to realize that there was something missing inside.

Henry: Missing from inside the house?

Marty: No Henry, missing inside here, spiritually.

Henry: Oh…

Marty: So started my quest for enlightenment, inner peace; inner joy. The person who’d gotten buried alive in a sea of nicotine and packaged cakes. 

Emily: Yeah, this is so great.

Henry: Yeah… yeah (eyes skeptically reading the scene while nodding the affirmative).

Emily: So what did you do?

Marty: I went to India!

Henry: You went to India?

Marty: Yeah!

Henry: You used to never leave the house.

Marty: Then I went to Tibet and I studied Buddhism and I read the Koran and then studied Kabbala and then, I understood!

Emily: What?

Marty: That the whole world is one truth-seeking organism and so it doesn’t matter if your science is religion or your religion is science. Because we all seek meaning; we all seek our reason for being.

Emily: That is so beautiful.

Henry: And the reason that we’re here is?

Marty: To have fun, because its all over too frickin fast (as the two women toast their wine glasses in agreement).

Although this may be a story-line for the purpose of entertainment, it is reflecting a growing culture and mentality in our society. A culture which has its good and its harm. On one hand it is waking people up to themselves but it is a path that is not sustainable for long periods of time. And the wakefulness one once found seeking the plurality of faith ends in a similar mentality as Marty’s conclusion, that the meaning of life is to have fun and enjoy yourself before you die.

This condition, that we see reflected in Gallo’s screenplay and big budget motion picture, has also been addressed by Shaykh Maulana Nazim, Grand Shaykh of the Naqshbandi Sufi Order. In 2000 he toured the U.S. giving talks and holding a number of associations where he said,

I have met so many people here in the West who have delved deeply into the great traditions of the East. They have acquired wisdom through seeking it. They have read, traveled, listened and learned. The attraction for everything oriental is a divine inspiration in the hearts of Western people: even the ancient Greek philosophers took their light from the East.

But as for Westerners who often subject themselves to great hardships to travel to Tibet and India, and receive wisdom to take back with them, most are in danger losing all they gained. Why? Because they bring back loose pearls. If a lady buys pearls does she carry them loose in her pocket, or does she string them on a strong thread? People are going to great lengths to seek wisdom and are so happy with what they have gained, but all the time the pearls are falling out the holes in their pockets, because the pearls are not yet bound on a thread. What is the thread I am referring to? Wisdom pearls may only be kept with a strong faith and method. So many people have overlooked this necessity. If you have the thread, one by one you may obtain the pearls and string them.

You must follow the methods prescribed by a great religion. I am not going to tell you that you must follow this one or that; all I am saying is that making a hodge podge is useless. Why? Keeping to the precepts of a world religion, without being a fanatic, guards your string of pearls. There are many thieves at work, and you must keep it carefully lest it be stolen. Therefore, faith and wisdom need protection, and you must learn what actions or practices may protect your treasures from thieves. Who tries to go the path alone will wander into a den of thieves, or be attacked by a pack of wolve’s in no man’s land. (Sh. Nazim, In The Mystic Footsteps of Saints, Volume 1)

In summary, it could be said that the inner peace and joy, Marty mentioned is like a rose. The divine inspiration that comes to a seeker, that stirs his passion for knowledge is like that of rose’s fragrance. Through its fragrance we can sense its presence yet the fragrance is not tangible. Likewise, through divine inspiration we can sense the truth but it is unobtainable.

Shaykh Maulana Nazim has expressed that, ‘wisdom may only be obtained by faith and method’. Our way, the Naqshbandi Sufi Way, is that of association. This means that rather than searching high and low for the rose by running after its fragrance, we merely find the possessor of the rose and sit in his association. And while immersed in the fragrance of that sitting what also occurs is the splendor of witnessing “a rose”. This strengthens the faith and increases one’s knowledge of the method to protect a man’s faith. 

Recently, I have delved into the profound wisdom of Yusūf Balasağuni (qs) taken from his masnavi entitled, Kutadğu Bilig or The Wisdom of Royal Glory. Yusūf the Khāṣṣ Ḥājib (qs), an honorific which translates roughly to “Chancellor”, was an 11th century writer and poet; a contemporary to Mahmud al-Kashghari and is the author of the oldest known literary work of what is known as Islamic Turkish literature, the Kutadğu Bilig. Its original form is a “long didactic” poem in what is known as the mirror-for-princes tradition and it was prepared for and presented to the reigning prince of Kashghar in 1069 CE, Tavghach Bughra Khan.

There are two connecting parts of the Kutadğu Bilig that I would like to cite. These segments of Yusūf Khāṣṣ Ḥājib’s (qs) masnavi are concerning three sets of pairs. These particular pairs are integral, and they meet, joining at a point. The first of the pairs are “wisdom and intellect”; the second “merit and demerit” and the third, “benefit and harm”. That joining component, the centerpiece that acts as the interconnecting item is, “the tongue”.

The reason this item stood out is because, not only did Yusūf Khāṣṣ Ḥājib (qs) address wisdom and intellect as it relates to speech prior to the main body of his mesnevi, but it is a topic which my own shaykh addresses regularly during his talks, often quoting the Holy Prophet (may Peace and Blessing be upon him) and warning against the folly of foolish speech. Likewise Yusūf Khāṣṣ Ḥājib (qs) expounds on man’s chief glory, wisdom and intellect saying,

When God created man He chose him and distinguished him, granting him virtue and wisdom, mind and understanding, a heart and the power of speech, modesty and refinement of manners. Because He gave him wisdom, man has grown great this day, and because He gave him intellect, all knotty problems are resolved. When God grants a man wisdom and intellect, that man stretches forth his hand to many goods.

Know that wisdom and intellect are noble things and they ennoble the chosen servant (i.e., man). This saying has come down as witness to that fact-listen, and be silent! Wherever there is intellect, there is greatness, and whoever has wisdom achieves nobility. The intelligent man understands, and the wise man knows, and thus they attain their desire.

Wisdom proclaims its own meaning thus: when a man knows wisdom, then illness stays far from him. The foolish man is full of ills, and if illness is not treated, the patient dies. Go then, fool, seek remedy for your ills; and you, glorious sage, prescribe the fool’s remedy!

Intellect is a leading rein: if a man leads by it, he achieves his goal and enjoys countless desires. A man of intellect provides a multitude of benefits and a man of wisdom is very precious. With intellect a man accomplishes all his affairs, and with wisdom he preserves from spoil his alloted time.

But how does one draw on wisdom and exercise intelligence? Yusūf Khāṣṣ Ḥājib (qs) says,

The tongue is interpreter to intellect and to wisdom. Know that an eloquent tongue causes a man to shine. It is the tongue that brings a man esteem, so that he finds fortune, and it is the tongue that brings a man dishonor so that he loses his head. The tongue is a lion crouching on the threshold-householder, take care, or it will bite off your head!

Listen to a man who has suffered because of his tongue, make his speech your companion, and apply it to your own affair: Let me cut out my tongue-it is what ruined me-only let them not cut off my head! Guard your speech lest you lose your head, and guard your tongue lest you break your teeth. The sage has laid down for the tongue these ripe words of wisdom, so guard your head, you who have a tongue! If you would be safe and sound, let not your tongue bring forth unseemly words. When a man speaks knowledgeably, his words are counted as wisdom, while the words of the ignorant devour his own head.

I see no great profit in verbosity, nor do I find advantage in repitition. Use speech sparingly, for a single word may untie the knots cause by ten thousand others. A man may rise to be king by means of speech, but too many words may cast down his head as a shadow to the ground. if he talks too much, Wisdom says that he chatters, but if he talks not at all, it says that he is tongue-tied. Since this is so, practice eloquence, which raises a man’s estate. Hold your tongue and you will hold on to your head. Shorten your speech and you will lengthen your life.

Many are the profits derived from the tongue, many too are the losses. The tongue gets now praises, now curses. Speak knowledgeably, therefore, and your words will be an eye to the blind. The blind, that is the ignorant. Go then, fool, and get a share of knowledge from the wise!

What is born dies, but words remain as a sign, so speak good words and you will be immortal. If a man has two things, he does not grow old: one is good deeds, the other good words. Though a man must die, his words remain behind, and though his soul departs his name stays. Keep your deeds and words good then, O sage, if you seed undying life.

I speak these words and give this counsel to you , O brave one, as to my own son-and my son is below me, not on a level! If I bequeath to you gold and silver, do not consider that to be equal to these words. Apply silver to affairs and it will be used up, but apply my words and you will gain silver. Words are one man’s legacy to another. So hold to the legacy of my words, and the profit therefrom will be a hundredfold. (Yusūf Khāṣṣ Ḥājib, Kutadğu Bilig)

I’m asking, O my shaykh, prescribe this fool’s remedy that I may lengthen my days; achieve the goal and enjoy countless desires of the After-Life (ahiret).

A wizened sage, from beyond Ashsharq, a far-off Eastern land, had arrived in the village. His philosophical expositions were so abtruse and yet so tantalizing that the usual company in the teahouse soon became convinced that he could perhaps unveil for them the mysteries of life.

Nasreddin Hoja listed to him for a while. ‘You know,’ he said, ‘I have had experiences something like yours on your travels. I, too, have been a wandering teacher.’

‘Tell me something about it, if you must,’ said the elder, somewhat ruffled at the interruption.

‘Oh, yes, I must,’ said Nasreddin Hoja. He continued:

‘For instance, there was the trip which I took through Kurdistan. I was welcomed everywhere I went. I stayed at one dergah (sufi lodge) after another, where the dervishes listened eargerly to me. I was given free lodging at caravan-serais (roadside inns), fee food at teahouses. Everywhere the people were impressed by me.’

The old sage was becoming impatient at all this personal publicity. ‘Did nobody ever oppose anything you said, at any time?’ he asked curiously.

‘Oh, yes,’ said Nasreddin Hoja. ‘Once I was beaten up and put in the stocks, then driven out of town.’

‘Why was that?’

‘Well, you see, the people there happened to understand Turkish, the language I was doing my teaching in.’

‘What about the people who had welcomed you?’

‘Oh, they were Kurds; they have a language of their own. I was safe as long as I was with them.’ (Shah, 1993)

The word Islam comes from the tri-literal root, S-L-M, root in the Arabic language. When trying to understand this concept, think of building blocks, and the tri-literal root is the foundation; the ground work of the word construct. This particular tri-literal root, S-L-M, literally means, among other things: purity, peace, submission and obedience.

The religion of Islam means, the way of submission to God and obedience to His commands. And as a result there is a theme among Muslims which was taught to us by the Holy Prophet, Muhammad (may Peace and Blessings be upon him). That theme is, servanthood. A Muslim is one who has willingly accepted the title of servant and the responsibility of a servant is obedience to his master. In this case the master is the Lord of the Heavens and Earth, the Master of the Day of Judgement. His most secret name, though His names are innumerable, is Allah The Most Compassionate Most Merciful.

The first man, Adam (may Peace be upon him) was also the first Messenger of God. The Holy Prophet (may Peace and Blessing be upon him) taught mankind that Adam (may Peace be upon him), the first man, knew the Oneness of the Lord of the Heavens and Earth. And as mankind began to proliferate there became obedient ones and disobedient ones among them. These circumstances created a need among mankind, the need for Allah Almighty’s Mercy, and so He made Adam (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) a messenger to mankind.

This need continued overtime and thus messengers were sent to mankind as a means; a link between Allah Almighty and intelligent beings of His creation. These messengers, Prophets were sent in order to remind mankind of their identity as servants and their responsibility of obedience. 

The sending of messengers is not incumbent upon Allah Almighty, on the contrary it is His Wisdom (hikma) that demands it and in it are wise and beneficial things for all of His Creation. Allah Almighty has sent messengers from among mankind - to mankind - with announcements of good tidings of the Garden of Paradise and rewards for those servants of Belief and obedience.

The Messengers of God warned the disobedient servants, the people of Unbelief, against the Fire and punishments. For these are among the things of which Reason has no way of obtaining knowledge. Man’s Reason may have the capacity to find God but fails to recognize His attributes and how to worship and without Prophetic guidance man exists in a state perplexed. Shaykh Muhyiddin ibn al-’Arabi (ks) wrote of this saying,

“If anyone says that he knows that God is his Creator and is not confused, this is proof that he is ignorant. Only God knows God, so take heed! The One who attends to you is not like one who is ignorant. Incapacity to perceive is mystical knowledge. The principle in it is like that for the one who is intelligent. He is God, and you cannot number His praises. He is Incomparable, so do not make a likeness for Him.”

Therefore, it is only of the Grace and Mercy of Allah Almighty that He sent messengers to mankind. They show the right path and true ethics for righteous living. They are the mediators between the Creator and His creatures, the Master and His servants. 

The prophethood is a gift from God. He bestows it upon whom He wishes and one cannot obtain it through effort. The qualities that were innate within all prophets were:

• Veracity
• Trustworthiness
• Intelligence
• Purity
• And the capacity to convey the message

God has raised messengers from among every people; every nation, 124,000 from Adam (may Peace be upon), the first man and messenger to the last Messenger of God. And they all brought the same religion, the way of submission to God and obedience to His commands. This is the message that Abraham (may Peace be upon him) brought during his time, that Moses (may Peace be upon him) brought during his time, that David (may Peace be upon him) brought during his time, that Jesus (may Peace be upon him) brought during his time and the message that Muhammad, Last Messenger of God, (may Peace and Blessings be upon him), brought during his time on Earth.

In terms of the religion, all messengers brought the same message, servanthood, and in this respect all of the Messengers of God stand on par with each other. If a man believes in anyone of them, he as it were, believes in all of them. And if a man affirms and believes in one of them, he must and ought to affirm all of them.

The Prophets whose names are mentioned in the Qur’an are: Adam, Enoch, Noah, Eber (Hud), Shaloh (Salih), Abraham, Lot, Ismail, Isaac, Yaqub, Yusuf, Job (Ayyub), Jethro (Shu’ayb), Moses, Aaron, Ezekiel (Zulkifl), David, Solomon, Elija, Elisha, Jonah (Yunas), Zachariah, John the Baptist (Yahya), Jesus and Muhammad (may the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon them all).

In Islam it is necessary and incumbent upon Muslims to have implicit faith in all the Prophets of God. One who does not believe in a particular Prophet would be an Unbeliever, though he may be professing faith in all other Prophets.

The religion the Prophets brought was the same, it was the religion of submission to God and obedience to His commands. The message the Prophets brought was also same in kind. All the Prophets of God have been deputed by Him to teach the straight path, al-siratul mustaqim. In this sense all Divine Religions share three common elements:

1. The principles of Faith
2. Forms of Worship
3. and Ethics

The guidance imparted through the Prophets of the past was not complete. Every Prophet was followed by another who affected alterations and additions in the teaching and injunctions of his predecessors. In this way the chain of reform and progress continued. That is why the teaching of earlier Prophets, after the lapse of time were lost in oblivion. Obviously there was no need to preserve earlier teachings when amended and improved guidance had taken place.

He who follows Muhammad (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) follows all the Prophets. For whatever was good and eternally workable in their teachings has been embodied in his teaching. He is the last Prophet of God. After him no Prophet will appear among any people till the Day of Judgement.

Our Prophet’s Biography:

• Born in 570 AD in Mecca
• Mother’s name: Amina
• Father’s name: ‘Abdullah
• He received the first revelations from God in 610 AD at the age of 40
• He emigrated to Madina as a result of persecution in 622 AD
• He died in Madina 632 AD

The Qur’an says,

“Muhammad is the Messenger of God and the Last of the Prophets” (33:40)

The real death of a prophet consists not in his physical demise but in the ending of the influence of his teachings. The earlier prophets have died because their followers have adulterated their teachings, distorted their instructions, and sullied their life-examples by attaching fictitious events to them. The life stories of earlier Prophets have been so mixed up with fiction that an accurate and authentic account of their lives has become impossible. Their lives have become tales and legends and no trustworthy record is available anywhere. Thus, the real death of a Prophet consists in the death of his teachings.

None of these conditions exist for the Last Messenger of God, Muhammad (may Peace and Blessings be upon him). The account of his life and teachings is preserved with complete accuracy. It is as though it all happened yesterday rather than nearly 14 centuries ago. It is securely kept unchanged within the Qur’an al-kerim and ahadith, the authentic recorded sayings of the Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him), all of which is guarded by the inheritors of the Holy Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him), the righteous shaykhs, noble scholars and pious people of the Sunnat and Community of Muslims, Ahl-e-Sunnat wal Jama’ah.

What is chivalry? Today, we have a very narrow understanding of chivalry and what generally comes to the minds of most Americans when contemplating chivalry is: medieval knights, throwing your jacket over a puddle or some random act of kindness for a damsel in distress. All of which are about as likely to happen in today’s world as owls delivering acceptance letters to teenage children the world over, inviting them to attend the fabled and legendary school of magic.

In other words this kind of chivalry is not likely to happen. But real chivalry in today’s world means having honor and courtesy. But not the kind of courtesy we generally understand, this chivalry, Islamic chivalry has a depth that, when observed, one cannot help but to admire.

It is said that the one who exemplified Islamic chivalry in the way of the Holy Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) most perfectly was Hazreti Ali ibn Abi Talib (ra). There is a story of Hazreti Ali (ra) that gives us an idea of the spiritual power and sheer faith that it takes to embody Islamic chivalry,

“The perfect example of this level of control and chivalry is demonstrated by the conduct of Hadrat Ali ibn Abu Talib (RA) a companion of the Prophet (SAW) who once, in the midst of battle was about to slay his opponent. As he raised his sword to strike, his enemy spat in his face. Hadrat Ali immediately dropped his sword & refused to kill his opponent, “what is wrong with you, why do you not strike?” the man asked “because before you spat at me I was fighting you for the sake of Allah Almighty” Ali (RA) replied, “but after you spat I was fighting you because I was angry - and as a muslim I can only fight for Allah , never for my own Nafs. “Upon hearing this, Ali’s ( RA) opponent recongnized the nobility & truth of his words and immediately accepted Islam.” [1]

But is Islamic chivalry dead? I can, with a great deal of certainty, tell you that it is not. The essence of Islamic chivalry is found in the Tradition (sunnat) of the Holy Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him). Therefore those who are holding tightly onto the Traditions of the Holy Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) and applying them to their lifestyle, they are the chevaliers.

I have witnessed Islamic chivalry in my time spent with Shaykh Abdul Kerim Hazretleri under his training. Prior to the time spent with the Osmanli Naks-i’bendi Sufi Association, my observations of manners in Muslim social-circles of America, from coast to coast, were nothing much different from the ordinary, and by ordinary I mean non-Muslim American social circles that I frequented.

For example, one can probably take a quick scan of the Internet or Google Blog and find a number of articles and blogs with Muslims complaining about the manners of some other Muslim or group of Muslims. Usually women complaining about other women.

However, when I was introduced to the “Ottoman Way” of the Osmanli Naks-i’bendi Sufi Association, I immediately noticed a different way of conduct. There was actually a culture of chivalry (futuwwa) and courtesy (adab) consciously woven into nearly every aspect of the day and night. From the careful movements and special attentions to detail at dawn; to seriousness, hardwork and progress during the day to developing an atmosphere of sharing and openness of the heart at dusk and closing out in a state of remembrance, gratitude and thankfulness in the night.

One of the reasons for this is because there is an emphasis on struggling for purity and perfection of the soul (jihad al-akhbar) Shaykh Abdul Kerim refers to it as, ’stepping on your ego’. ‘Stepping on one’s ego’ is the key to Islamic chivalry and good manners. Shaykh Abdul Kerim Hazretleri once said in a sermon (khutbe),

“Man may loose his faith, if he doesn’t have good manners.”

He explained,

“Shaytan, was worshipping, he was worshipping that no man, if you put them all together from the beginning of Adam until the end of the world, that much worshipping that he was doing and the faith that he had, no one could reach. One thing made him to lose everything, he lost his good manner. One word, one wrong word, saying it, loosing his manner; loosing his faith, kicking him away from Divine Presence.”

Then asked,

“Why is Allah subhana wa ta ala giving us an example? Why is He sending that one to us saying look and learn? For what? For us to say that we are better than that one?”

And continued,

“No! To take a lesson a lesson to understand and the faith, if a man has faith, that time his heart is trembling. Moving. He is very nervous that time. Before he opens his mouth, he gets nervous. He has to know what he saying and where the words are going to reach. He has to know, if he doesn’t, that faith is not a strong faith, its shaky faith. And that means it has a price, a worldly price, somewhere; somehow, Shaytan is going to run after that one to trick and to fool.”

Seyh Efendi concluded saying,

“Think about a tree. The trunk of the tree, the trunk and the roots is like the man’s faith. The branches, it is like the man’s good deeds that he is doing. The leaves, it is like the knowledge the man has. So what’s the most important thing on that tree? The fruit.

If you don’t have the fruit, why are you raising that tree, spending all that time for nothing! So the faith and good deeds and the knowledge must teach a man to give fruit. And the fruit is good manners, if you don’t have good manners you will be kicked away from Divine Presence. If you don’t have good manners, the people who have good manners will kick you away from them or they will send you away or if they cannot they will go away!”

Allah Almighty has sent the Holy Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) to teach good manners. And this good manner; this courtesy; this honor, this lifestyle of chivalry coming from the Holy Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) was transmitted to Hazreti Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra) and from him, down the line; down the chain of forty Grand Shaykhs of the Osmanli Naks-i’bendi Tarikat holding tightly to the way of our Master Maulana Muhammad (may Peace and Blessings be upon him). This fact has been mentioned in a number of scholarly sources saying,

“Some orders, such as the Ottoman (but not the Indian) Naksibendiye, required their followers to adhere strictly to the articles of religious law. Jurists and theologians were more often among the members of such orders” [2]

Another scholar writes,

“If the Naqshbandiyya was “the order of the ulama,” as has been suggested, in the Ottoman capital of our period it was both more and less than that. Numerous men of religion were indeed attracted to this tariqa. This is not only suggested by hagiographers such as Lami Celebi or Mustafa b. Hayreddin, with their hyperbolic assertions that most of Ahmad Bukhari’s disciples came from upper echelons of the ‘ilmiye or that Sa’ban Efendi, a century later, had as his “heart and soul” disciples “most [of the capital's] glorious ‘ulema and illustrious shaykhs.” The same connection is reflected in the profusion of Naqshbandi disciples and shaykhs among the minor religious functionaries (mosque preachers and prayer leaders, personal tutors, calligraphers, copiers of fatwas) that fill the masha’ikh chapters in the biographical dictionaries.” [3]

Latifi wrote in his Tezkere,

“Of all the ways of the shaykhs, this way [in particular] is considered by seri’at-minded ‘ulema to be in conformity with the Prophet’s practice and the Holy Law. It is for this reason that most men of religion… who choose withdrawal [and take up the devotional life] opt for this way.” [4]

The scholars’ accounts of the historical culture of Osmanli Naks-i’bendi tarikat and its strict abeyance to the Holy Prophet’s way is exactly what I find today. And inshaAllah, with Shaykh Abdul Kerim’s help and support (himmat), those on this way will make the Holy Prophet’s Traditions (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) a lifestyle so that perhaps one day, we may bear fruit. That fruit being a far reaching culture of good manners, courtesy and honor, Islamic chivalry.

• [1] Royal Chivalry. http://steppenreiter.de/royal_chivalry.htm
• [2] Faroqhi (2007), p. 67
• [3] Le Gall (2005), p. 55
• [4] Le Gall (2005), p. 56

If you read, if you practice, you may qualify for a Sufi circle. If you only read, you will not. If you think you have had experiences upon which you can build, you may not qualify.

Words alone do not communicate: there must be something prepared, of which the words are a hint.

Practice alone does not perfect humanity. Man needs the contact of the truth, initially in a form which will help him.

What is suitable and unexceptionable for one time and place is generally limited, unsuitable or a hindrance in another time and place. This is true in the search and also in many fields of ordinary life.

Hope and work so that you may be acceptable to a Sufi circle. Do not try to judge it or its members unless you would not normally believe. It makes you disbelieve things you should ordinarily believe.

If you cannot overcome greed, exercise it only where you can see it working, do not bring it into the circle of initiates. (Nazir al-Kazvini an-Naks-i’bendi)

Nasreddin Hoca is a a well known figure all throughout the Muslim World. He may be the most widely loved sufi master that has ever existed. He lived during the Seljuk rule which spanned from China across Central Asia and the Middle East. Nasreddin Hoca is legendary and has been loved by Afghans, Persians, Turks and Uzbeks for centuries.

Nasreddin Hoja’s name varies, as many Sahabi’s, saint’s, and dervishes’ names did as they traveled over long distances. In Afghanistan he is known as Mullah Nasruddin; in Albania, Nasredin Hoxha; in China Afanti and Macedonia he is known as Stradin Hoca. But what ever you call him, the feeling and attachment to him is the same, he is loved and this is why,

A local busybody, wanting to be rewarded for bringing good tidings, ran to Nasreddin Hoja’s house one day.
‘Nasreddin Hoja! Good news!’
‘What is it?’
‘They are baking cakes next door!’
‘What is that to me?’
‘But they are going to give you some!’
‘What is that to you?’

Nasreddin Hoja was a sufi master known mostly for his funny stories and anecdotes. The wisdom of his stories are typical of those who traveled the path of sufism explaining to the nations of the Oneness of our Creator, teaching the Qur’an al-kerim and showing them how to live the Tradition (sunnat) of the most honored one in Divine Presence Sayyidina Muhammad (may Peace and Blessings be upon him).

In the stories of Nasreddin Hoja, his behavior, like many of the saints, seems absurd. But within the tale is a profound wisdom that reaches the heart and draws a smile as much as it does an understanding of reality. One story accounts for how Nasreddin Hoja received the ability to warm the hearts of listeners when he was a child.

As a boy Nasreddin Hoja had the mysterious ability to fascinate his school mates keeping their attention and distracting them from the day’s lessons. As a result the academic interest declined and their attention was directed toward Nasreddin Hoja. Their teacher, a sufi master and master, who himself was keeper of some divine secrets, worked to redirect the attention of the students and at the same time guide the young Nasreddin Hoja so that his stories would benefit others for the sake of Allah. The teacher made supplication to Allah, asking for this and that, then he approached young Nasreddin Hoja saying,

“From now on, the more wise you become, the more people will laugh at your wisdom. And whenever someone tells one of your stories, they will want to continue telling more until at least seven have been told.”

This is exactly the case, as you will see on this blog, inshaAllah. I will be posting a series of stories from the famous Nasreddin Hoja and they will be posted in the categories called Nasreddin Hoja and Humor. I pray you will find them interesting and develop love for this most memorable sufi master.

Video (01:19) - “Sheikh Nazim” ilahi performed at a New York church by murids from the Osmanli Dergahi

Video courtesy of nakshibendi.com

The Torture of the Beloved

The torture of the beloved is no punishment

at all

Thank God for the faithfulness of your cruelty

There are many beloveds with cypress-bodies,

witch-eyes, and trouble-making brows

But not one of them has been so enticing

as you!

If those thirst for the wine of you rubied lips

gave one thousand lives

One thousand lives for just the dregs-

it would be cheap!

No matter how much I am seperated from you,

no matter how far

Your image remains constant within my soul

Oh my beloved, why do you withhold our union?

It does not befit you to torment your slave

this way!

Do a favor for the lovers, bring joy and captivate

their hearts

One must be faithful, for we know beauty

does not last

From my heart, I love you dearly,

more than life itself

Believe me, God knows there is no error in what I say

In this poem entitled, The Torture of the beloved, Ahmed-i Da’i makes mention of “many beloveds” when he writes, “There are many beloveds with cypress-bodies, witch-eyes,”. Ahmed-i Da’i appears to be referring to an allure an attraction of perhaps, unexplainable magnetism yet describing this attraction as having “trouble-making brows”. The scholars have commented on this phrase writing,

“This introduces the notion of fitne, which involves disturbing the peace and harmony of the community by doing something (or having a quality) that causes trouble, unrest, riot, or misbehavior. The beloved causes such trouble in innumerable ways.” (Andrews; Black; Kapakli, 2006)

There is little known about the poet Ahmed-i Da’i (d. ca. 1500), however, scholars have said he was born “during the latter part of the fourteenth century”, in the Anatolian Turkish Beylik named Germiyan. Germiyan was established by the Oghuz Turkish Clans and it is likely that Ahmed-i Da’i was from one of these clans. Ahmed-i Da’i was well known in the court of Kütahya, the region’s center for the arts and cultural activities. 

After the invasion of Timur into Anatolia, Ahmed-i Da’i sought refuge and patronage in the court of the Ottoman Sultans. He was accepted into the court of Sultan Suleyman I and Sultan Mehmed and later became the private tutor to the young Prince Murad II. Ahmed-i Da’i was loyal to the Ottoman Sultans and dedicated many of his works to Ottoman officials. Scholars have written that,

“Like many premodern intellectuals*, Ahmed-i Da’i was a master of many fields of knowledge from law to medicine, to literature and linguistics, to history and natural sciences. He wrote at least seventeen major works that we know of and collections of poetry in both Turkish and Persian. In addition he is thought to have been an excellent calligrapher… He is said to be buried in Bursa, the first Ottoman capital, however, his grave-site is not known.” (Andrews; Black; Kapakli, 2006) [*Emphasis mine]

Today was an interesting day, it began for me a bit reluctantly because I left the window open and it was much colder in my bedroom than normal. But eventually, I prepared myself and quickly raced out of the bedroom to prepare for fajr, the morning prayers. When I left my apartment to catch the train, I noticed the chilly wind had become a soft and cool breeze and accompanied by the Sun set the tone of the day.

When I got to work I everything was as usual until a woman came to me and began to ask me about death. She wanted to know my views on death and how do I - really referring to Muslims - understand death. I did not answer her question directly, instead I shared with her a real life scenario. I told her that the older I get the less I feel the need to acquire things: money, possessions, collateral, etc. I explained that more and more I am feeling satisfied with my basic needs met. She inquired what I meant, so I explained further saying,

“These days, I am happy to have comfortable pants and shirt, a place to sleep and a meal. I feel like having money in my pocket is nice but if I die tomorrow what will I do with it? Pass it on to my family? Yes that is necessary however, there are limits and I feel better about using the money to help others today than holding onto unnecessary amounts for an unknown future.”

We continued our talk and as I was about to walk away she said,

“Thats a good way to look at it. I think you are headed in the right direction.”

Then she paused and said,

“But… I don’t think you are going to Heaven.”

I laughed to myself, but kept a straight face. Then asked why not, she explained that she doesn’t think Islam and its Prophet (may Peace and Blessings be upon him) will lead people to Heaven. So I asked her if she thought my lifestyle was good? She said yes. Then I asked if she thought my values were good? She said yes. Then I asked if she thought that my intentions were sincere? And she said yes. 

So I asked her if the all of these things are good, how is it that I’m on the wrong track? She was a Christian and her disagreement was basically in the age old discussion that I will not entertain in this post. But what I will say is that this showed me something very important. It showed me, in effect, how important the murshid (the Master) is to the murid, (the disciple). 

Essentially, what he is doing is ‘polishing your mirror’ so that you may see yourself more clearly. This is why it is sometimes difficult to accept tariqat ways because in that polished mirror, all the ugliness and dirtiness of our ego’s wants and desires are shown clearly to us and at times others as well.

In an unpolished mirror, we can make up any story about ourselves and others. When looking into the unpolished mirror, that blurred image, can be anything our imagination can dream up. Yet the reality may be something else. The murshid is polishing our mirror so that we may finally see ourselves; so that we may finally meet ourselves:

One of man’s greatest difficulties is also his most obvious drawback. It could be corrected if anyone troubled himself to point it out often and cogently enough. It is the difficulty that man is describing himself when he thinks that he is describing others. How often do you hear people say, about me: ‘I regard this man as the Qutub (magnetic Pole) of the Age?’

He means, of course: ‘I regard this man…’

He is describing his own feelings or convictions, when what we might want to know is something about the person or thing being described.

When he says: ‘This teaching is sublime,’ he means: ‘This appears to suit me.’ But we might have wanted to know something about the teaching, not how he thinks it influences him.

Some people say: ‘But a  thing can truly be known by its effects. Why not observe the effect upon a person?’

Most people do not understand that the effect of, say, sunlight on trees is something constant. In order to know the nature of the teaching, we would have to know the nature of the person upon whom it has acted. The ordinary person cannot know this: all he can know is what that person assumes to be an effect upon himself - and he has no coherent picture of what ‘himself’ is. Since the outward observer knows even less than the person describing himself, we are left with quite useless evidence. We have no reliable witness.

Remember, that while this situation still obtains, there will generally be an equal number of people saying: ‘This is marvellous,’ as are saying: ‘This is ridiculous’. ‘This is ridiculous’ really means: ‘This appears ridiculous to me,’ and ‘this is marvellous’ means: ‘This appears marvellous to me.’

Do you really enjoy being like that?

Many people do, while energetically pretending otherwise.

Would you like to be able to test what really is ridiculous or marvellous, or anything in between?

You can do it, but not when you presume that you can do it without any practice, without any training, in the midst of being quite uncertain as to what it is you are and why you like or dislike anything.

When you have found yourself you can have knowledge. Until then you can only have opinions. Opinions are based on habit and what you conceive to be convenient to you.

The study of the Way requires self-encounter along the way. You have not met yourself yet. The only advantage of meeting others in the meantime is that one of them may present you to yourself.

Before you do that, you will possibly imagine that you have met yourself many times. but the truth is that when you do meet yourself, you come into a permanent endowment and bequest of knowledge that is like no other experience on earth. (Tariqavi; qtd in Shah, Wisdom of the Idiots)

I’m longing for this final meeting, though I see that it is a gradual process, a process that has progressed most effectively in the company of my murshid; the association of my shaykh. And today, it was in the few moments with this woman, questioning me on death, that I realized that: whether we agree, disagree, form this opinion or that one, it is not as important as that meeting in the polished mirror. It was Mevlana Rumi (ks) that said, “If you are irritated with every rub how will your mirror be polished.” When the mirror is polished perhaps then we will know something; perhaps then we will have something to say.