All rights of this book belong to the writer

16. Ahl al Bait (The Immediate Members of the Family of the Prophet (A.S.) and İnsan-ı Kâmil (The Perfect Man)

As it is known, every scholar has interpreted religion according to himself, from his point of view. The problem is to choose the most proper one for the essence of religion. Religious interpretation of the Sufis is the most appropriate for Islam because Sufism is the teaching of the essence of religion. It is not interested in the exterior aspects, rules and canonical laws, shortly in details. Sufism tries to teach Allah, Nature, Man and the realities of them. The beauty, order and wisdom in nature are the reflections of Allah on the nature. Nature is the work of Allah and Man is the greatest work of Him, because he is consisted of a body and Spirit (Mind). He is the most superior of all the worlds because he is the synthesis of the inner and outer worlds. Sufis try to live this knowledge, order, wisdom and beauties in nature and see the physical and spiritual beauties in human and learn the divine realities of them.

Briefly, Sufism is the Knowledge of Allah, Wisdom and Love. Sufis know that Allah is the essence of Man (Human) and nature. This is infinite knowledge and wisdom. To know the Absolute Existence is to fall in love with this Absolute Beauty. Sufism does not deal with the Canonical Law and Jurisprudence. It does not care about the Catechism except enough knowledge for performing the worship. Shariat (Law) and Tariqat (Way) are not his aims or objectives and they are not the essential but only the details, symbols and ways.

“A Sufi looks for Allah, who has encompassed both the Earth and the Heavens and who is the infinite knowledge, beauty and energy, in human and in his heart.”

Again, a Sufi would like to learn wisdom (True Knowledge) and divine reality through deep contemplation and to love the Divine Beauty (the Absolute Beauty) through the beauties of human and nature, that is to say, he tries to acquire real love by metaphorical love.

The result of this is good moral qualities and honesty, which means to consider the benefits of the society more than his own benefits and to be realistic and sincere by abstaining completely from hypocrisy. It is to struggle against his own carnal self and desires but not of the others’, leaving all kinds of fights, arguments, temptations, corruption and intrigue. It is to be merciful, generous and be pleased with the little in this life and also to oppose violence and terror.

A real Sufi is against formal (disguise) Islam. He does not pay any importance to Madrasa, Tekke (convent) and Mascid (places of worship). He finds reality in himself and seeks Allah in his heart. His place of worship is his heart because the real tekke and mascid (mosque) is the Heart. The most important thing for the heart is the Remembrance (Ziqr) and the Love of Allah (the Remembrance of the heart and the love of the heart). This is not an external remembrance or physical love.

It is deep contemplation (thinking), remembrance (to remember Allah and never forget Him) and more importantly, to love God, the Perfect Man (Adam), who is the great and mysterious work of Him, his children and nature.

It is to become mature while being immature and to reach divine perfection. All the Sufis have explained it in this way. This humble servant (fakir) has already explained Sufism in details in the books we have written so far, such as: “Varlık (Existence), İslâm’ da Mezhepler ve Yükseliş (The Religious Sects in Islam and Ascending)”, “Muhammed-İsa-Adem (Muhammad-Jesus-Adam)” and in others. Yunus Emre and Sayyid Ahmed er Rufai Hz. also summarized Sufism, which is a divine sea, as follows:

(*) Poet Neyzen Tevfik meant to say that the striking appearance of these rituals is ornamentation. However, he indicates that he is respectful to the real meanings of these places.

Sources: “Yunus Divanı”, “Onların Alemi” by Sayyid Ahmed er Rufai, 25^th

This preface is taken from the back cover of the book called “Shariat and Tariqat in Islam” and it belongs to the writer of the book, KAZIM YARDIMCI.

There is no real religion and real Islam where there is no freedom and democracy.

Monarchism, which is pestered Islam by the Umayyad and which is based on the personal principles of the Kings, Emperors and Sultans, is an extremely cruel, fascist and a despot system. It is a dictatorship.

The existence of some of the good kings such as Omar b. Abdulaziz and Murat Hudavendigar do not disprove that the monarchic system is the opposite of Islamic system. The favors of the good Kings are their own goodness, but not because of the favor of the Monarchy. These good kings are very rare in History anyway; they are only a few.

The most important thing is the system. The Islamic System is democratic and it is respectful to the human rights and the freedom of people.

The Western Democracy is not Islamic but Social Democracy is the nearest to Islam. Cordial piety does not exist in a place where there is no democracy.

According to the Prophet’s Hadith, “The Caliphate-Shariat will last 30 years after me. Then, a rapacious, cruel Monarchy will start”. Therefore, if a person who is not like Hz. Ali, Hz. Abu Baqr, Hz. Omar, Hz. Osman, I mean (That is to say), not like the Four Caliphs, he is not able to serve as a caliph and Shariat cannot be applied. It is a fascist regime or a dictatorship then. Cruelty and oppression are practiced in the name of Shariat. Every personal order of the King is shown as the order (command) of the Shariat and Ulama approves it because of their fear. The name of cruelty becomes shariat. God Forbid!

The Four Caliphs were very pious, just and democratic great personalities and they were loved by their people very much.

ISLAM, THE RELIGION OF ALLAH

b) Hadith-i Kudsi (Sacred Tradition): The direct speech of Allah with our Prophet personally.

d) Sunnat (Customs of the Peophet): The actions done and not done by our Prophet or his practice and customs. The Shariat and Tariqat are depended on the Book and Sunnat. Shortly: the Religion of Allah is the “Tariqat of Muhammad” and the “Shariat of Ahmed”. It is the spiritual way and metaphysical teaching of Hz. Prophet, or the path of being near to Allah spiritually. It is also the teaching of worships as well as social science, Jurisprudence, Economics and Administration and the foundation and practice of his system (his state) depending on these teachings.

The sources of all of them are the Book (the Glorious Koran) and the Sunnat. Sunnat consists of the Hadith-i Kudsis and Hadith-i Sherifs as well as the actions, deeds and performances done or not done by the Prophet. Therefore, the Source of the Sunnat is also the Koran and the Sunnat of the Prophet is Divine just like the Book.

Islam is Divine and it was not set up through reasoning or using Partial Intellect.

In one word, Islam is a “Divine System”. It depends on the Universal (Cosmic) Intellect or Absolute Reason (Akl-ı Kül).

The Pure Spirit of the Prophet or His Supreme Spirit is the first Spirit of Allah. Human minds come from the Spirit, but the Prophet’s Mind is the Universal Mind (Akl-ı Kül) same as the Sun and the Stars. The stars differentiate according to their lights and the structures and so do the partial minds. However, the Mind (Intellect) of the Prophet is just like the Sun. It is the whole mind, the source of all minds. (*)

“Allah first made My Spirit, first of all My Divine light first the Mind, first the Pen” (**)

(*) “Küntü nebiyyen... When Adam was between mud and water, I was even then the Prophet.” (Thirmizi, Sünen, Menakib.1: Ibn Hanbel, Vol.4, p.66)

Hz. Prophet (S.A.W.) is a mercy for the Worlds. Our Prophet is the Sun of the inner world same as the Sun enlightens and livens the entire Universe. He became the Sun of the Exterior World by his arrival at this world. For this reason, Allah said to him:

The Tariqat of Muhammad is consisted of Knowledge or True Knowledge of faith and worships. Man must worship and serve his Master whom he believes in order to please him and encounter him and this is a compulsory even an obligatory duty.

The Principles of Faith (Belief) are corroborated by Allah and his Apostle. They are explained by Allah and His Apostle.

Nobody, except the Prophet, can set up belief through reasoning or using his practical (partial) intellect.

When the subjects about Logic are studied, we first meet “the Aristotle Logic”. The Logic of Aristotle (1) had great influence at the beginning. There was no other logic except his logic.

(1) Aristotle: (B.C. 384-322) He was a famous Greek Philosopher. He worked as a student of Plato until he was 37. He studied on the fields of Logic and Metaphysics at Aristotle Academy. He was also interested in Law, Mathematics and Astronomy. “The Aristotle Logic” has been discussed for hundreds of years. (Encyclopedia Life, from the article about Aristotle)

After them or on the third phase Kant (3) stated and proved the dangers of Strict Rationalism itself by criticizing the Pure Reason.

He said that rationalism or using Logic would help the physical sciences such as Physics, Chemistry, Medicine and Biology whereas when metaphysical and mystical thoughts were applied to Mind, it would force the mind and cause confusion in thinking and so it would reach wrong judgments and would not get rid of conjectures and hypothesis (4). The metaphysical realities could not be solved using Logic or Reason (Rationalism). The field the normal human mind deals with is the physical field and partial intellect cannot reach a definite judgment (5) in metaphysical matters.

Descartes also states that partial intellect is limited in metaphysical matters and the Perfect cannot be comprehended using a normal mind.

Metaphysics can be learnt with divine messages. Those who explain the Divine Messages are the Prophets who have the complete, universal intellects and the wise friends and saints of God and the heirs of them, who are able to contact with them.

Belief and all kinds of worships performed under this belief are called the path of Allah- the way that leads to Allah (Spirits return to the Compassionate). This is called the Tariqat of Muhammad in religion, which means the Path of being Perfect or Mature.

(3) Emmanuel Kant (1724-1804): He is a well-known German Philosopher. He completed his first book called “the Critique of Pure Reason” in 1781. It is accepted as the most important philosophy book in the last two hundred years. (Encyclopedia Life, from the article about Kant)

(4) Allah says in the Koran: “Do not obey the conjecture as it is not true”. (Yunus, 36)

(5) Ghazzali, who is a great philosopher and Theological Scholar, noticed this reality a long time before Kant and said that the Metaphysical realities could not be learnt using ordinary partial intellect. He defended Mysticism (Sufism) saying that metaphysical realities could be learnt through Divine Messages.

(6) “İnnema yubayiuneke... Those who swear allegiance unto Muhammad swear allegiance only to Allah” (Al-Fath 10)

After that, it begins with remembering the name of Allah often, morning and night, every moment. (8)

“Vezkür Rabbeke iza nesite-When you forget, remember your Lord”. (Al-Kahf, 24)

Then, in the presence of Him, to stand up for the remembrance, praying by turning towards the Kaaba in order to perform Salat (Ritual Prayer) which means “Qıyam-Upright Position (Standing)” (9)

After that, bowing before Him respectfully while the palms of the hands reach knees: “Rükû-Bending, Bowing or Kneeling”

Then, touching the ground with your face prostrating in the Presence of Him. To be nothing in the presence of Him, to be perished in front of Him, which means “Sajda-Prostration”.

We call of them “Namaz-Salat” because Salat or Ritual Prayer is performed with standing upright for prayer, bowing, prostration and reading the Koran.

“Vele zikrullahi ekber-The foremost duty is to remember Allah.” (Al-Ankabut, 45)

“Fezkürûni ezkürküm-Remember Me (Allah) so that I will remember you!” (Al-Baqarah, 152)

“Surely, in the remembrance of Allah, all hearts are comforted.” (Al-Rad, 28)

“Those who have faith remember God when sitting, standing and lying down in their side and think about the creation of the Heavens and the Earth.” (Al-Imran, 191)

It is directly commanded to remember the name of your Lord in this verse. This does not mean to recall Allah but directly to say or to repeat the name of your Lord and this is called “Ziqr”. The name of our Lord is Allah.

It is definitely understood by this verse that the purpose of ritual prayer is “Ziqr-Remembrance”

Fasting: Fasting also means to be away from wickedness. It means abstaining from food, drinks and intimate intercourses for a certain period of time. It is a kind of diet. It is to make body taste this divine punishment.

Zakat (Alms) means to distribute 40 percent of the property to the needy and poor (10).

The amount of Zakat is not written in the Koran but the Prophet and his representative may increase it if necessary such as: 1/30, 1/20, 1/10. The decision belongs to the Commander of the Faithful-Amir al Muminun who is the True leader.

Hajj (the Pilgrimage) means paying a visit to the Kaaba in Mecca by those who are mentally financially and physically suitable (11). The spiritual pilgrimage means being in the presence of Allah and to see His beauty, His Perfection and His grace. This is performed spiritually with the heart. It is physically impossible. Physical eyes cannot see the Face of God, which is infinite Divine Light. If only a drop of Him is seen, the eyes become blind. The physical ears cannot endure it, his eardrum bursts and he becomes deaf.

(10) “Perform your ritual prayers and render the alms levy!” (Al-Baqarah, 110)

Note: In the Koran, there are about 100 verses that command to “distribute Alms”.

“Attend regularly to your prayers, especially the middle prayer!” (Al-Baqarah, 238)

Ritual Prayer-namaz is performed with the Command of our Religion; the Pillars performed by physical actions with the eternal feelings such as standing up, reciting some verses from the Koran, bowing, prostration and repeating some words loudly… all of them belong to the Ritual Prayer and namaz is consisted of all these actions. For this reason, it is commanded with the plural noun:

The meaning of the ritual prayer in the Tariqat is to enable the heart to be in the infinite peace.

What we want to explain is the middle prayer mentioned in the verse above because it is the prayer of the heart and the heart is just in the middle of the body. It is between, right and left, up and down, happiness and complaint. The heart presents a middle position between them.

“The hearts of the sons of Adam (mankind) are between the two fingers of God. He turns them where He wills.”

As it is understood from the above verse and saying that the most important task is to perform the prayer of the heart. If the heart of a person is not aware of the real prayer, his physical prayer is also misdone and the peace of all the feelings is corrupted due to it.

For, he who performs his prayer is in silent and fervent relation with his Creator. The place of inward supplication (Conversation, personal prayer) to God is the heart. When the heart is heedless, the spiritual value of the heart dies and the peace tasted by the exterior feelings is lost. Because the heart is essential, the rest are based on it. We understand this reality from the following saying of our Prophet:

“In the human body, there is a lump of flesh; when it is healthy the whole body is healthy and when it is unwell, the whole body is unwell and this (lump) is the heart.”

The Ritual prayer of Shariat depends on time. It is performed five times in a day including night. As a custom, it should be performed in a mosque in congregational prayer modestly. You should obey the Prayer Leader (Imam), face to Qıbla, be humble and perform it in this way.

The ritual prayer of Tariqat is infinite. It lasts forever. The mosque of it is the heart. The congregation of it is the spiritual forces that continue to recite the unification names with the tongue of the inner world. The prayer leader of it is the eagerness. The Qıble of it is the SOLE GOD and His Divine Beauty. The real heart is the one that is able to perform this prayer. Such a heart and spirit are always busy with the prayer because the heart neither dies nor sleeps. He continues this duty when he is awake and asleep.

The prayer of the heart is performed with the life of it. There is no sound, no standing and no sitting. He speaks with God the Most High knowing the Prophet (A.S.) as a leader with the verse:

“In this, there is a sign for the state of the wise Person. He passes to the world of ONESESS when he is in this spiritual state in the invisible world. He is the Most Holy, the Glorious. This great heart is addressed to various Divine speeches.”

It means they speak with God with the life of their hearts. When these two prayers are united (together), it becomes perfect and the reward of it is great. He lives in the world of union spiritually and reaches his degree physically. The person who performs his prayer like this is called by the name “Abid-devout servant” in the outer world and “Wise-Scholar” in the inner world. When the prayer of the Shariat and the prayer of the Tariqat are not united, it is incomplete. The reward of it brings only the spiritual degrees; he cannot find nearness in the world of divine being.

The alms are distributed both in Shariat and Tariqat but differently. The alms given according to the requirements of Shariat is to distribute the annual amount of possession to the needy after having the main necessities.

The alms given in Tariqat is to distribute from the spiritual wealth to the needy and the poor spiritually.

The alms touch the hand of Allah before it is distributed to the poor. This means that Allah the Most High accepts it.

The great personalities donate the merit of their good acts to the rebellious servants. Allah covers their selfishness by manifesting His mercy as much as their Pilgrimage, fasting, prayer, alms, recitation and remembering God.

Their munificence is too great to save anything for themselves. They have neither merits nor goodness for their own.

The person who is in the Prophet’s way is insolvent because he is very generous. Our Prophet (S.A.W) explains this as follows:

“O my God, distribute my worldly share to the unbelievers. If I will have spiritual share from the next world, distribute it to the believers. My only aim in this world is to remember you and to see you in the world hereafter, because whatever is owned for a certain period of time by the servants belong to my Master.”

On the day of Resurrection, each good deed will bring ten-folds merits (rewards). God informs us about it as:

Another meaning of the almsgiving is the purification of the self (nafs). When self is purified from the selfishness, alms find the spiritual value of it.

A piece of wealth given in this world brings a rich reward in the next world. The following verse explains this meaning:

“Who will give a generous loan to Allah the Most High? He will pay him back two-folds and he shall receive a rich reward.” (Hadid, 11)

The loan mentioned above is the good deed distributed to the servants of God in the path of Allah. You should only expect the beautiful face of Allah from this distribution but not the worldly riches. The good deeds should be given to people kindly not ostentatiously. Allah informed us about this as follows:

“Do not mar your almsgiving with taunts and mischief making!” (Baqhara, 264)

You shall not expect anything from this world in return. Another name of it is “infak-distribution”. The following verse tells us why and how it will be given:

“You shall never be truly righteous until you give in alms that you clearly cherish in the path of Allah.” (The Imrans, 92)

The fasting of Shariat means abstaining from food and drinks and giving up the intimate intercourse during the day.

The fasting of Tariqat means protecting all the feeling from all things forbidden by religion during the day and night and to leave the bad things that are contrary to mind both in the inner and outer worlds. The fasting is broken when any of the forbidden things is committed.

The fasting of Shariat is temporary whereas the fasting of Tariqat is forever, it lasts all your life. Our Prophet says in one of his hadiths:

Therefore, most fasting people break their fast but those who break their fast are still fasting. It means they protect their feelings in order not to harm anybody and they do not torture and hurt people with their hands and tongues… This is the fasting, which Allah described as:

“A fasting person has two pleasures, the first is at the moment of breaking the fast; the second is during vision.”

May Allah C.C. bestow upon us this fasting and this pleasure with His grace and mercy! Amen!

The people of Shariat interpret this hadith as follows. “Breaking the fast means to start eating when it is sunset. Vision means the appearance of the Crescent of Bairam.”

The meaning of the breaking of fasting is to enter the Paradise, to eat the heavenly food there. May God enable us to have it!

Vision means to watch Allah with the eye of the secret apparently. May God favor this to you and to us with His grace and benevolence! There is another fasting called “The fast of Reality” which means protecting the heart to worship none except the Person of Allah and to love only Himself. It means to love only Him in the world of mystery because man (human) is created for Him. He informs us this reality:

Secrecy is a divine light from Allah and He does not like us to incline anybody else except Himself. For this reason, there is nobody else except Allah to be loved, to be desired and to be wished neither in this world nor in the hereafter.

If there is another love for someone else besides God in your heart, the fast of reality is broken and you should fast again. You ought to long for His love and desire to acquire His love in this world and in the hereafter because Allah said:

The pilgrimage in Shariat means visiting the Kaaba obeying all the requirements. If this is done with all the requirements of it, you can get the reward. If not, the reward is void because God commands to perform it with all its requirements.

“Make the pilgrimage and visit the Sacred House for the sake of Allah!” (Al-Baqarah, 196)

Wearing Ihram (garb worn by the pilgrim), paying visit and making Tawaf (seven fold circumambulation) to the Kaaba, making a halt in the plains of Mount Arafat, to spend the night in the Muzdalife, to sacrifice an animal at Mina, coming to Harem performing the Tawaf to the Kaaba, drinking water from the well of Zemzem and praying two rak’ats in the Makam-ı Ibrahim (A.S.) (a stone associated with Abraham near the Kaaba in the courtyard of the Great Mosque of Mecca).

After that, things that were forbidden by Allah during the pilgrimage became legitimate. The reward of the pilgrimage performed in this way is being released from the Hell. Allah said:

After all these requirements, another Tawaf is done and you turn back to native land. May Allah will it for you and for us!

The Pilgrimage of Tariqat: You need to get prepared for this journey and you need certain things during this journey. The first preparation is to incline towards an owner of inculcation (suggestion) and getting some things from him. Then, remembering God verbally thinking the meanings of them. Remembering God means: Reciting the sentence “LA İLAHE İLLALLAH”. After this remembrance, the heart becomes lively and you start to do the remembrance of Allah from inside until your inner world becomes pure.

After this purity, the attributive names of God must be continued with the Divine Lights of Jamal (the Beauty) for the Secret Kaaba to be apparent. This task of purification was ordered to the Prophet Abraham and the Prophet Ishmael with the following verse:

The Kaaba in Mecca should be kept clean for the servants who will visit it. The inner Kaaba should also be kept clean for the glance of Allah. This purification is better and more deserving and necessary compared to the other one.

After that comes the entering to Ihram with the Divine Light of the Holy Spirit. Then, you go into the Heart Kaaba and make the arrival Tawaf with the word ALLAH, which is the second name, after that you go into the Arafat of the Heart, the place of silent and fervent prayer, and stay there with “HU”, which is the third name. The fourth name to be followed is “HAQ”. After doing them, you go into the Muzdalife of the Heart “FUAD (precardium)” connecting the interval between the fifth name “HAY (Alive, Living, Everlasting one)” and the sixth name “KAYYUM (Eternal, Ever-Standing, Self-Abiding, Self-Existing One)”. Then, you go to secret Mina and stay there and sacrifice the Nafs-i Mutmainne by reciting the seventh name “KAHHAR (Crusher, Dominant)”. The name “KAHHAR” opens the door of “non-existence”, and draws the curtains of blasphemy .This spiritual state is explained with the following Sacred Hadith of our Prophet:

“Belief and misbelief each has a rank above the Throne. They are considered as the veils between the Lord and His servant. One of them is white and the other is black.”

After that, the head of the Holy Spirit is shaved from the physical and mortal qualities and the eighth name is recited there. The ninth name is recited in the Harem of SECRET. After that comes the entrance of the region “Akif”, the recitation of the tenth name is continued in the state and the manifestation of the name SAMED (Eternal, Everlasting, satisfier of all needs) is seen there having no shapes or likes. Then tawaf (circumambulation) starts and it is performed seven times. Here, the six detail names and the eleventh name are continued. After that wine is drunk by the hand of intimacy. This wine is told us with the following verse:

The cup, here, is the twelfth name. The veils are removed from the everlasting face afterwards. You see Him with His Divine Light. There is no similarity or a shape of that world.

“No eyes have seen that world, no ears have heard it, no hearts of mortals remembered it.”

The speech of Allah the Exalted is not made with letters or sound (verbally or orally). The most high pleasure which the physical heart cannot comprehend is the pleasure at the moment of seeing Allah and His addressing.

After this, all the wicked actions become good and all the forbidden become legitimate. They are done with the repetition of the Unity name. Allah says:

“Those who believe and do good works, for then God will change their sins to good actions.” (Furqan, 70)

“Be awake (know that) the servants of Allah have nothing to fear and regret.” (Yunus, 62)

The above verse informs us this state. May Allah bestow upon us these states with His grace and generosity.

Afterwards, the last Tawaf begins and it is completed with the repetition of all the divine names and the return to native land starts. This native land is in the world of Nearness (Certainty) “YAKÎN”, and this is done with the repetition of the twelfth name.

These explanations are as much as we can comprehend and say. It is impossible to report the events beyond this because the mind, reason, intellect are not able to comprehend it. Our Prophet (A.S.) says concerning this secrecy:

“There is such knowledge that it stays as if a hidden treasure, no one can know it except those who acquire divine Knowledge.”

When this knowledge is mentioned, the Wise do not deny them. The Gnostics understand them inwardly; the scholars take them outwardly. The knowledge of the Wise is the secrecy of Allah the Exalted. He knows what the others do not know. In a verse, it is said.

“They can grasp none but that part of His knowledge which HE wills.” (Al-Baqarah, 255)

Belief, the knowledge of God and all kinds of Worships for Allah written above enable man to be close to his Lord spiritually and with heart. This approach is called “the Path of Allah-The Tariqat of Muhammad”. This is the real definition of Tariqat. In Islam, all the matters concerning faith and all kinds of worship first of all; the Ziqr-remembrance belong to Tariqat. It is the path which leads spirit to Allah.

The others, such as; the essentials of the Tariqats and the similar principles are the branches or the details but not the basics of Tariqat. They are the component parts. The basic essentials of Tariqat are belief and worships. It is to learn the metaphysical realities and the realities of belief and also to worship and serve the Lord.

It is to love the Lord and to encounter Divine Love. Those who love Allah, love the Prophet, those who love the Prophet love the Prophet’s Family and the Friends of God (Walis) who are their heirs. (13)

The Tariqat of Muhammad consists of all kinds of worships for Allah (14), the love for the Prophet and his representatives and for his spiritual heirs, and also swearing fealty to Him, prostration before Him affectionately, serving Him, making contact with His divine face and divine Spirit, Remembrance (Ziqr), ritual prayer, fasting, alms giving, repentance, (Takbir: pronouncing the formula “Allahu Ekber-God is the Most Great”), salawat (pronouncing the formula calling God’s benediction on the Prophet and his Family), showing love, respect and service to the Prophet and his Family, all of them are called worship. The exalted Tariqat of Muhammad is based on belief and worship Allah whom he believes in, but first of all the Remembrance of God. The rest is the Shariat, which means Canonical Jurisprudence of Islam.

(12) See: Sırrül Esrar by Abdulkadir Geylani, trans. by A. Akçiçek, Rahmet Publ. 1968-İstanbul.

(14) “Namaz” (ritual prayer) fends away the indecency, evil and adultery but the foremost duty is to remember God.” (Prayer is a worship, but remembrance is the greatest worship.) (Al-Anqabut, 45)

“Those who obey (who swear fealty to Him) obey Allah. The hand of Allah is on their hands.” (Al-Fath, 10)

He who has obeyed the Prophet has obeyed Allah. He who has sworn fealty to the Prophet, has sworn fealty to Allah. Everyone may obey without swearing fealty. If a person obeys God, His Apostle and His spiritual deputy for his fear of someone else except Allah or for his benefit, he becomes a hypocrite and a liar because obedience is visible. Swearing fealty is both visible and spiritual which comes from the heart. The real worship, obedience and swearing fealty is done willingly and with free will, otherwise, it is hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is a secret polytheism and a hypocrite is a secret polytheist.

In Islam, all kinds of worship: first of all “swearing fealty (establishing a tie)” and “making contact” with the Holy Spirit of the Prophet as well as Remembrance, ritual prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, almsgiving and so on.... are the spiritual path, the Tariqat of Muhammad which draws the spirit of man near to Allah.

It means to know the metaphysical realities (reported with divine messages) called Gnosis-Marifat the knowledge of Reality. The great Masters of Sufism called “Gnosis” as Sufism or Mysticism.

The knowledge of Sufism, in other words-“the Knowledge of Ledunni” means to learn the realities of belief the Koran and the Prophet reported. This is called “Sufism” These subjects have already been explained thoroughly in our books which we have written so far such as: “VARLIK (Existence)”, “İSLAM’DA MEZHEPLER ve YÜKSELİŞ (Religious Sects in Islam and Ascending)”, “GÜNAHSIZLAR (The Sinless)”, “İNSAN’DA YÜKSELME (Ascension in Man)” and “MUHAMMED-İSA ADEM,(Muhammad-Jesus-Adam)” (15)

(15) See: “Varlık”, 1974- İstanbul, “İslâmda Mezhepler ve Yükseliş (The Religious Sects in Islam and Ascending)”, 1988- İzmir, “Günahsızlar (The Sinless)”, 1992- Malatya, “İnsan’da Yükselme (Ascension in Man)”, 1992- Malatya, “Muhammad-İsa-Adem”, 1993- Malatya, “Existence”, 1998- Alanya, “Muhammad-Jesus-Adam”, 1999- Alanya.

Therefore, each Wali-the Friend of God-reaches Haq and falls in love with the Jamal of Haq but does not become the possessor of Gnosis-Arif (Gnostic). He finds the love and union with Allah, which is the result of Tariqat, he also becomes the religious Teacher of Tariqat and he is assigned with the duty of “Seyr-i Süluk-the path of meeting God (Progress in the Spirual Path)”.

Those who become a Wali-saint in this path acquire the Knowledge of Ledunni. This knowledge is learnt by meeting of the spirits. (*) This is the knowledge taught to the spirit of the believer by the spirits of Gnostics. He may also speak with the Supreme Spirit and learn from Him.

This knowledge called as “İlm-i Hikmet or İlm-i Marifet (Theosophia)” is also named as “Sufism” or “Islamic Sufism” by the Religious Leaders of Tariqat.

This knowledge -the Articles of Faith- is learnt from the Great Spirit or the Spirits of the Friends of God who are the successors of Him but not using the Partial Intellect. This education can also be face to face if that Wise person is alive or from the Spirit of Him in the inner world or from the spiritual teachers who died. All of them are the teaching of Reality. These realities are: “the Knowledge of the Unity of Allah”, “the Unity of His Attributions”, “the Unity of His Deeds” and the “Unity of His Manifestations”. It also means to learn the Supreme Spirit (the Reality of Muhammad), Spirits, Angels, Heavens, Hell, Divinity, Rububiyet (Divine Lordship), Secrecy, devotion to God with faith and obedience as well as learning the Apostleship, Sainthood, the Book (the Words of Allah), the Mission of the Prophets, Faith, God’s preordaining, the Eternity of God (He exists in eternity), His unity, the reason of His Manifestations and the Creation of the Worlds, the Universe and how He made them.

(*) Although Hazrat Moses was a Prophet, he learnt the Knowledge of Ledun from Hazrat Khıdır who was neither a Prophet nor an Apostle. This is confirmed by the Koran.

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“Ela innehu bi külli şey’in muhit-Surely, He (Allah) has encompassed everything.” (Fussilat, 54)

The Absolute Existence Allah, who is eternal, the first of the first, the most Divine and who exists definitely is One. He is the Unique One who has no sides, no similarity on account of being infinite and limitless Divine Light. He is the only One because two infinite and unlimited beings cannot exist. Then, Allah, who is the Absolute Existence, is Sole. He is One. There is no One like Him.

Things are one by one and there are other ones like them but the Oneness of Allah is not like the “one” in numbers. For instance: in number ten (10), there are 10 times “one”. There are also other “one’s” but the Absolute Existence Allah is the Sole One. He is infinite and has no sides.

Therefore, since the existence of ALLAH is compulsory, the non-existence of the non-existent is also compulsory. There is no non-existence. The existence of the Existence is compulsory because the non-existence is of the non-existent is inevitable.

If non-existence is accepted, the Absolute Presence Allah becomes limited as if He has an end somewhere, He becomes restricted and as if non-existence starts beyond Him. If this is accepted, you deny Allah who is the Absolute Existence and you put a limit to Allah.

No place where Allah has an end can be considered because Existence (Energy) does not end. If “presence” is proved, then there is no non-existence. It means: if the presence of the Existence is proved, no limit can be attributed to Him. There is no non-existence. Existence exists non-existence does not exist.

The word “non-existence” is used in grammar as an agent in order to define existence more fluently and to prove the presence of Existence.

So “Gnosis-Marifat (Divine Nature)” means learning the Absolute Presence, His manifestations, how and why the inner and outer worlds were created, the Throne, Lahut, Jeberut and Nasut (things), the Creation of the the Universe from the Absolute Presence, the way and reason of the creation. Furthermore, the opposite Attributions of Allah, the opposition of them and how this contradiction reflects both on human-beings and on the nature and also the contradiction-dualism which is caused by it and learning the divine dialectic. (16)

“The origin of dialectic is Divine.” (Allah is One)

“Allah created the Heavens and the Earth and all that is in there and also man with His two hands.” (17)

It means that Existence is One and His attributions are two. His attributions are held in two categories as “Jalal (Divine Majesty)” and “Jamal (Divine Beauty)” . The Koran reported this 1400 years ago. The two hands refer to Jamal and Jalal Attributes.

The real sources of Hegel (18) are the works of Islamic Sufism. Abdulkadir-i Geylani (19), Abdulkerim-i Jili (20), Muhyiddin-i Arabi (21) explained what he said in their books 800 years earlier than Hegel, in details.

You may read the works called “Sırrül Esrar” by Hazrat Abdulkadir Geylani; “İnsan-ı Kamil” by Abdül Kerim Jili; “Füsus ül Hikem” by Muhyiddin-i Arabi for further information if you wish.

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For detailed information, see “Muhammad-Jesus-Adam” by Kâzım Yardımcı, Alanya 1999 / Yardımcı Publications, 5

(18) Hegel, Fredich (1770-1831): A well-known German Philosopher. The founder of “Dialectic Logic” system.

(19) Sayyid Abdulkadir Geylani: Gawsul Azam (1077-1165). He honored the world in “Gilan-Baghdad”. His sacred Tomb is in Baghdad. “Allah created the Universe from the Divine Light of the Spirit of Muhammad which is the first and greatest Spirit of Allah.”

(20) Abd-al Kerim Jili: He is famous for his book called “İnsan-ı Kâmil (Perfect Man)”. He is a well-known Sufi.

(22) Junayd al Baghdad: He is known with the title “Seyyidüttaife- The Head of the Sufis”. Died in Baghdad.

(23) Sırri Sakati: He is the uncle of Junayd al Baghdad. He is a strong possessor of Gnosis in the Knowledge of “Unity-Tawhid”. Died in 865, His sacred tomb is in Shewniziye in Baghdad.

Sufism emerged from TEKKE (place of repose, refuge and asylum) not from MEDRESE (Theological School). There is no Sufi that has been a religious teacher of a Tariqat or there is nobody who has become a teacher of a Tariqat without having served a Religious Teacher (Perfect Man) of a Tariqat. He has become a Perfect Human (Pir, Guide, Master, Patron Saint, Spiritual Director) or a Religious Teacher after being perfected and trained under the education of a Religious Teacher.

In addition, Sufis do not set up belief and if they do, they see themselves as a Prophet then.

The Sufis explain the (belief) faith that the Prophet set up basing on the Divine Message.

Therefore, Sufis depend on the Divine Message, Revelation and particularly the metaphysical teaching of the Prophet because they refuse the faith formed using partial intellect and the principles of Aristotle Logic of the Philosophers and the logicians. They even accept it as a great insolence showed to the Divine Message and the Prophet.

All the Sufis claim that you cannot reach the Divine Knowledge and solve the realities of the articles of faith even you read millions of books. You cannot learn the metaphysical realities using your simple mind.

If the reason (mind-aqıl) were able to solve these realities, Allah would not have sent His Divine Messages and His Prophets and everybody would have learnt the Spiritual Realities reported by the Koran, the Torah and the Psalms of David and the Bible using their own minds.

All people who have a partial intellect would find his own god through thinking and reading. They would learn Him, His attributes (His beautiful names), the world of Spirits and Angels, the metaphysical realities and beings using their own mind without the need of the Prophet and Revelation. As a result of this, every rationalist thinker would be a Prophet. This is not fair!

Human mind (reason) is able to search and learn the physical world and the written Islamic Law. The scholar and the founder of the Canonical Jurisprudence is also the Divine Messenger Prophet. The verses about Shariat are incontrovertible and clear.

Apparently, Muslim Sufis, who have been explaining the metaphysical teaching of the Prophet and the real meaning of the reality of the Principles of Faith directly by holding the Divine Message –the Revelation and the holy Spirit of the Divine Messenger but not by forming a new belief and using Philosophy and the Knowledge of Theology, which is also a kind of Philosophy, have only one source: The Divine Message-the Koran and our Divine Messenger Hz. Prophet Muhammad and His Sacred Sayings.

Sufism is the Divine Knowledge (Gnosis) of Faith and of the articles of faith of Islam. The subject matter of Sufism is related directly with the realities of faith and the source of it is Islam.

It is the belief part of religion and the Knowledge of the realities of faith and “Man Araf” (to know one’s self) Sufism does not deal with the Canonical Jurisprudence which is the teaching of law, economy and social aspects of Islam. This is left to the expounders of Islamic Law. The founder and the scholar of Shariat formed with the Book and Sunnat is again the Prophet. The verses and the hadiths about Shariat are incontrovertible. They are not metaphorical or confusing. These verses and sayings are so clear and definite that every Muslim understands them very easily.

The Canonical Jurisprudence developed with interpretations beyond the Book and Sunnat has been set up by the expounders of Islamic Laws. Judgment in legal matters is permitted in Islam. The interpreters of the law are not the Prophets, therefore they can be right or wrong.

Consequently, none of the religious sects can be 100 percent true. Each religious sect has good and bad points.

Ijtihad is the interpretation of man, whose proof or reason is given and whose accordance with the Book and Sunnat are claimed by him. The opinions of the expounders of Law who do not have the quality of Prophecy are not divine. The Book and Sunnat have descended from the Heaven but the religious sects have not come from the Heaven. Ijtihad (religious opinions and independent, individual judgements or interpretations) is permitted in Islam and it is also necessary. Therefore, the religious sects and the interpreters cannot be denied.

People and the Religious Leader of Believers benefit from them. It enables and helps the progression and improvement.

“Külle yevmin höve fi şa’n - He (Allah) is in an activity, in a manifestation every instant.” (Al-Rahman, 29)

Allah is alive, He is everlasting, so, Allah’s work (task) never finishes and it has not finished yet. The first Creation and the new Creation continue. They are confirmed by the Koran.

In fact, ijtihad belongs to the Commander of the Faithful and his governors. The Prophet gave the right to express his opinions to his governor whom he assigned, named Muaz among his Companions. According to this hadith, ijtihad should belong to the Leader of Islam who is at the rank of commanding. The others may express their opinions if they are asked by the Commander. The person who expresses his opinions should be an expert in that field. The Commander of Islam and the Scholars of Islam always consulted for the opinions of the experts in that very knowledge. They may either accept it or refuse it. He acts according to his own judgme