SUFITEXTS

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VAHIT GKTAS, ALl TENIK
SUFITEXTS
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1. 2013
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3. CATEGORIES OF SERVITUDE AND THE
SENSE OF NOT FEELING OFFENDED IN THE
THOUGHT OF AKSHEMSEDDIN1
Vahit K T
Muhammed Ali YILDIZ
Abstract
This articles studies the thoughts on servitude of Akshem-
seddin, who is the teacher and spiritual guide of Sultan
Mehmet, the Conqueror, and is among the leading Sufi
masters of Ottoman period. Akshemseddin, who classi-
Hes the servitude, which is one of the purposes of creation
of human kind, in five categories, namely the servitude of
soul, servitude of heart, servitude of seeret and servitude
of spirit, suggests that each step of servitude entails distin-
guished hardness and that these levels could only be ac-
complished by patience. While expressing all these, Aksh-
1 This article is published on pages 1-9 EKEV A/cademic Review, number
43, Erzurum, 2010.
emseddin states that the of not feeling offended
by others is the highest step of servitude.
Keywords:
Akshemseddin, Sufism, Risalat an-Nuriyya
Introduction
Sufis have a great share in the Ottoman civilization hav-
ing a state and social structure relying on sound fundamen-
tals. So much so that, every part of the society, from the or-
dinary public to high level administrators and sultans, has
taken its share of this breeze of spirituality.
Akshemseddin is among those friends of God who tried
to spread this spirit through various pupils that he raised
and tens of works that he wrote. After all, Akshemseddin is
a Sufi, a scholar, a physician, a poet; namely he has a versa-
tile personality. Playing an increasable role in the conquer
of Istanbul, Akshemseddin has been among those recalled
and remembered the first when one speaks about Istanbul.
Life of Akshemseddin
It is recorded that Akshemseddin, whose first name is
called to be Mehmet (Celebi, t.y. 680) and who is also re-
ferred to as the White Sheikh, was bom in Damascus on 792
h./ 1389- 1390 AD. It is narrated that he was named as "Ak-
shemseddin" or "White Sheikh" since his face and bears
whitened as he performed severe ascetism. (Enis!, t.y.: 2).
It is known that Akshemseddin memorized Quran be-
fore passing to Anatolia with his father when he was seven.
It is also stated that he studied other sciences after he ar-
rived at Anatolia in the vicinity of Amasya and Osmancik
and that he was a scholar in Osmancik madrasas (Mehmet
3. CATEGORIES OF SERVITUDE AND THE SEN SE OF NOT FEELING 69
Tahir, 1331 12). The interest of Akshemseddin in Sufism
started in that madrasa. He affiliated to Haji Bayram al-
Wali when he was twenty five years old. 2001;
78.) He became the successor, khalifa, of the Sufi path asa
result of his love in Sufism, his strive towards perfection
and ascetic livelihood. (Enisi, t.y.: 5)
After undergoing the spiritual training of Haji Bayram
Akshemseddin raised to the level of guiding and
he relocated to Beypazari, which is currently a district of
Ankara, and he built a masjid and a mill there. Thereafter
he left Beypazari and relocated to Evlek Village in Iskilip
District of Corum, and lived there for some time. Following
the death of Haji Bayram, he left Evlek village and moved
to Goynuk town.
The Conquerer was in his cradie when Haji Bayram al-
Wali visited Edirne. When Sultan Murad said to Haji Bay-
ram al-W ali: "W e need Istanbul, give your heartfelt support
and let us get this city", the Sheikh said: "My Lord, you will
not conquer this city, neither I will see this. The prince in
the cradie and our beardless will conquer it", pointing Ak-
shemseddin. Sultan Murad used to say to his prince: "Me-
hmed, you will conquer Istanbul together with the White
Sheikh'.
Haji Bayram al-Wali visited Edirne. Sultan Murad II
said to Haji Bayram "We need Istanbul, give us you spiri-
tual support and let us we conquer it". Haji Bayram al-W ali
said: " .. The conquer of Constantinapolis will be by the
hand of our beardless (Akshemseddin) and your son in the
cradie (Sultan Mehmetthe Conquerer). " (Ycel, 1994: s.
25). Following this, Sultan Murad said to his prince: "Me-
hmed, your will conquer Istanbul together with the White
Sheikh" (Ayverdi, 1953 p. 19)
Akshemseddin, who encouraged the Conqueror for the
seize and conquer of Istanbul and strengthened his hope,
was also a member of the war assembly of the Conqueror.
1980: 13)
Attending the conquest, Akshemseddin played an im-
portant role in keeping the morale of the army high. It is
said that, during bad times when the hope to conquest di-
minished, the hopeful Jetters wrote by Akshemseddin to
the Conqueror for keeping his morale high, has important
role in the conquest taking place in short time.
2001; 84).
According to the narrations, Sultan Mehmed asked for
assigning the time for the conquest of the castle, and upon
this sent Ahmed Pasha to Akshemseddin. Akshemseddin
undertook a contemplation, his face sweated, eyes wetted,
and he raised his he ad and said " They shall walk from such
directian with loyalty and strength in the dawn of twenti-
eth day of Jamazialawwal of this year, and the castle shall
be on day" 1995: 395)
Akshemseddinreturned to Goynuk immediately follow-
ing the conquest of Istanbul, and continued with the teach-
ing and student raising works. One year after to
from Istanbul, he assigned his son Muhammed
Fazlullah as his successor to his dargah. He dealt with the
searching and education of his son, Hamdullah, in the last
years of his life. t.y.: 18).
The medical aspect of Akshemseddin is also striking. It
'is known that he had a treatise on the science of medicine,
3. CATEGORIES OF SERVITUDE AND THE SEN SE OF NOT FEELING OF 71
that he practiced medicine in many places, treated patients
and he was the first person who mentioned about the mi-
crobe in the history of medicine centuries before the mi-
crobe was first known in the west. 2/301)
Akshemseddin passed way in h.863/m.1459 His grave is
next to the mosque that he himself built in Goynuk. His
tomb was built around 5 years following his death and the
on his sarchophagus belongs to his son Mehmed
Sadullah. His sons, Mehmed Sadullah and Nurullah, are
also buried in that tomb.
The of Aks hemseddin are as 1) Risalet 'n-
Nuriyye 2) Def'u .3) Risiile-i Zi/crulliih 4)
Risiile-1 Aleval-f Def''i
6) Evliyil 7) Risiilel'ii'd-Duii 8) Miiddet7-Hayiit 9)
Poems (Yurt, 1972: 35).
The Servitude Thought and Categories of Servitude in
Akshemsed din
In the discionary, servitude has the meaning of worship,
which means obedience (Ibn Manzur, 1968: 272) In Sufi
jargon, it is defined as the effort demonstrated by the Sufi
pupil to complete his spiritual journey. Efendi, 1305:
1199; Crcani, 1300: 119; 2001: 237)
According to Qashani, ibadah (worship) is being des- .
titute before God, which is the final point of degradation
for the ordinary public. Ubudiyyah, is for the spiritual elite
who are loyal to God on the Sufi path they walk with loy-
alty. Ubudah, is for the supreme elite (hawass ul hawass),
who stand at the s ta te of Farq and J am, and who worship to
Him with Him, and consider themselves as standing with
Him. (Qashani, 2004: 53)
Akshemseddin who considers ibadah (worshipping) as
the purpose of creation, studies it in five categories.
" .. . lcnow that the worships are in five hjpes:
One is the"servitude of flesh". This order is to aclcnowledge
what God orders and avoid anything he prohibits.
The second is the servitude of spirit. This means to train your-
self. The method of Sufism is to refrain from obeying the one' s
desires and acting on its contrary.
The third is the servitude of heart. This servitude is to turn
one's face away. That is, to turn face away from the worlc and
what is in it, to hereafter and to goodness.
The third is the servitude of secret. Servitude of seeret is to be
empty, empty of either of the worlds. To love God for reaching
Go d.
The fifth is the servitude of saul. This servitude is accom-
plished by sacrifice, for the salce of witnessing. Whoever does
not worship God, he shall not be able to reach such asces-
sions" (Akshemseddin, 125)
a) Servitude of flesh
This is the first grade in servitude, and is characterized
as the lowest step. One who performs the provisions of sha-
ria externally, that is bodily, could be said to have attained
the stage of servitude of flesh. In other words, a slave who
lives by striving to acknowledge the orders of the God and
avoid what he prohibits, is at this stage.
Fulfilling the daily prayers, fastening, pilgrimage and
giving alms, and refraining from what God prohibits, are
3. CATEGORIES OF SERVITUDE AND THE S ENSE OF NOT FEELING O F F N ~ 73
the most significant characteristics of this degree of servi-
tude. (Akshemseddin, 125).
b) Servitude of Spirit
Thespirit (nafs) means the reviled morals and actions
of the slave. Spirit, in the nomenclature of Sufism, is gener-
ally deseribed as the sublime entity whiCh is where the bad
habits, ill characteristics, evil feelings habit (Qushayri, 2003:
86)
According to Akshemseddin, this grade of servitude is
the level superior to the servitude of flesh, wherein the per-
son fulfills his obligations against God and trains his spirit
to reach to this level. To become a member of a Sufi path,
to train one' s spirit in accordance with the instr1.,1ctions and
practices of that Sufi path, to resist the d esires of one' s spirit
constitute the situation heavily seen at this level of servi-
tude. (Akshemseddin, 125).
It is a clear fact that the spirit has a quality which loves
comfort, refrains from the Divine orders, and has a tendeney
to opt w hat is prohibited. In fact, this is the natural creation
and attitude of the spirit which is not trained. Suhrawardi
says: "When the spirit is taken under control and forced to
obey and is oriented towards the orders of God, its hostility
against the heart disappears and a complete agreement and
a balance approach occurs between the he art and the nafs.".
He also writes: "If the spirit is fed and any promise is given
to it, it becomes avaricious; but if it is forced to modesty, it
becomes modest." (Suhrawardi, t.y.: 52).
This being the case, the spirit has such a character which
should be struggled against all the time. Whereasit has a
high quality essence which could always be oriented to-
wards the beautiful if exposed to hardness, ithasa charac-
ter that has atendeney towards the evil if let al one. (Izutsu,
2003: 24).
c)Servitude of Heart
He art ( qalb) means tUrning something to anything other,
to orient something towards another direction, and to rota te
from one side to the other. Sametimes the word heart, qalb,
is used tomean "fuad", "reason" "core, essence and reality
of something". The he art of human being is deseribed with
this name since it continuously changes directian and turns
from one condition to another. (Isfahani: 682)
According to Akshemseddin, this level of servitude is to
refrain from the world and what it contains, and to direct
oneself completely to the hereafter. At this level of servi-
tude, the person refrains from the worldly things and turns
his face only to the other world. (Akshemseddin: 125).
The heart is the place where the spiritual and material
aspects of the person unites and where all movements of
the existence arise from. Heart ( qalb ), which is an organ of
sensatian in spiritual terms, is the place where God looks
at. "God does not look at your shapes and properties, but
to your hearts and actions." From this aspect, the slave
who is at this servitude level should have been devoid of
all worldly concerns and filled his heart completely with
other-worldly concerns. 2001: 230).
d)Servitude of Seeret
The sates that are private and eonfidentiality the slave
and the Supreme Gad are ealled the seeret (sir). Seeretisa Divine
3. CATEGORIES OF SERVITUDE AND THE S ENSE OF NOT FEELING 75
attitude in the heart. The spirit is the adobe of love, heart is the
adobe ofknowledge and seeret is the adobe ofwitnessing (Cebecio-
glu, 681). It isa big mistake to disclose the seeret of the Sufi path
(tariqa) to those who are the foreigners of Sufi system. Because
one who does not know this terminology may derive erroneous
meanings. As a matter of fact, Sufis said "if ever my button had
known my secret, I would've removed and thrown it" or "if ever
my hat had known w hat I thought, I would 've it away from
my head". (Qushayri: 184).
According to Akshemseddin, at this level the slave has
no worry about the world and there hereafter. His sole pur-
pose is to get the consent of God and to reach to Him. Any
concerns other than Him has become void. (Akshemsed-
din: 125).
e) Servitude of Spirit
Can in Persian means the spirit The Mawlawi Sufis call the
new denvishes who arrive tq be admitted as "can" .. As used by Ak-
as one of the stages of servitude, is the
level of worship, the word spirit,, "Can", is usedas the servitude
that is done by heart. 169).
Sufis have considered the act of brealeing the heart asa sin that
is worse than demolishing Qa'ba. Prophet Mohammad, who was
the prophet of mercy, was sent as a mercy to all creatures and
worlds, and behaved in the best manner against any person re-
gardless of his identity, race or social status, befitting his dignity
and honor. He was very keennot to damage any person's heart.
The attitudes of our prophet not to offend people, avoid
from humiliating and insulting them and giving any pun-
ishment using hand and tongue. There is a frequently nar-
rated prophetic saying from the Prophet, which states "The
Muslim is one from whose hand and tongue others are safe"
(Bukhari, Iman 4). No doubt that since offending is directly
related to personal rights, one should pay high attention to
the issue. Whereas enduring against non-offence is impor-
tant from this aspect, enduring against being offended also
is highly vital.
The heart is fragile like a crystal and it is hard to be re-
paired:
The wounds of sword heal over time;
Yet the injury of tongue does not.
While the prayer performed by breaking the heart does
not benefit anyone, the pilgrimage completed by suffer-
ing many problems after breaking a heart will not give any
benefit.
"The old white-bearded hodja
Does not know how he is;
He shall not strive for the pilgrimage
If he breaks one heart" (Tatci, 1997: 386)
For that reason, Yunus Emre has considered conquei-
ing a heart valuable than making thousands of pilgrimages.
This is sufficient to demonstrate the value put by Yunus
Emre and Sufis in human beings. He says as follows:
"Yunus Emre says, o hodja!
If thousand pilgrimages are necessary,
One that is better than i ,
is to conquer a heart." T a t , 1997: 386)
According to Sufis, the he art of humans beings is the
throne of God. Heart is the place where God looks at.
Whereas conquering the heart mediates towards the mercy
3. CATEGORIES OF SERVITUOE AND THE SEN SE OF NOT FEELING OF 77
and love of God, the breaker of the heart is the unluckiest
person in the world. Yunus Emre states this in the follow-
ingpoem:
"Heart is the throne of God;
God looked at heart;
The unluckiest of both worlds
Is the one who breaks the heart"
Sufis stated that not offending a person, who may even
be an is the way of the Prophet. Ahmed al Yawasi,
the greaJ sheikh of Turkistan, states puts this situation as
follows: "Snnet kafir bolsa berme azar." (Yesevi, 2000:
20; Tosun, 2012: 82)
This situation is well demonstrated by .t;\bdulqadir al
Gaylani: "Do not make wrong to yourself or to others. Be-
cause wrongdoing means darkness in this world and here-
after. Injustice and arrogance darkens the heart, face and
the book of actions. Do not do anything wrong, or help
others to do wrong ... If you can, endure the injustice you
encountered, but do not be the party that behaves unjust;
be oppressed, but do not oppress anyone. God helps those
who are oppressed. The Prophet said: "If sameone sees
something wrong and cannot find any helper other that
God, God says to him: Soan or later I will help you.". Nar..,
rating the prophetic saying, Abdulqadir al Gaylani states
that one who endures will receive help, ascend and have
honor. (Geylani, 2010: 165).
Man Who is Not Offended
Beside all these, it is a supreme Prophetic ethic if a per-
son, whose heart is broken and who is offended, endures
this and does not act upon being offended. At this stage, the
slave leaves behind all his existence in order to reach to the
level of witnessing.
According to Akshemseddin, the highest level is the
level of seeing 1 witnessing God (mushahada) Those who
are at the stage of rijal, even qutbiyya, reach to this level. At
this state, the slave adopts the character of the Prophet and
looks at the essence of God through his essence. "Obey me,
thus God loves you." (Al-i 3/35) becomes manifest.
Where as the manifestation of the essen ce of. God knocked
Moses down, it has the same effect on the slaves; one loses
his mind, becomes crazy, and his social life ends. This is not
considered as something acceptable by the Sufi masters,
since one needs the reason all the times. For that reason, it
is necessary to look at and witness the essence of the God
through the essence of the Prophet. (Akshemseddin, 125).
According to Akshemseddin, a person who wants
to reach to supreme levels should endure the burden of
prayers: "Whoever wants to ascend the levels, it is obliga-
tory for him to endure the hardness of prayers. As a matter
of fact, God said that "Let them continue to endure their prayers"
'
(Maryam, 16:65), wherein the witnessing inerenses with strug-
gling. One who just may not reach to the curtains of the
sublimity of the God, the real beloved. The beauty of the beloved
God could only be witnessed thereafter. Thus one should not feel
offended. One who is offended shall have lots of spiritual plea-
swes. That is why the Prophet had said: "Neither of the prophets
was offended as I was". (Akshemseddin, 125). Under the light
of these sentences we could easily say that enduring the
hardness of the worship rituals and keeping patience, and
3. CATEGORIES OF SERVITUDE AND THE SEN SE OF NOT FEELING 79
adopting the prophetic way of not feeling offended against
others are a must for anyone who wants to progress in the
path of reaching.
Each of the five stages of servitudes as classified by Ak-
shemseddin entails unique hardness, and patience against
these ascends the slave spiritually. Because, as it is put by
him, those who fall in love to the beauty of God should pay
high prices for this, and endure the hardness so as to reach
him "One who is much offended shall have much plea-
sure!".
The Prophet has endured the attacks against him in Taif
and did not feel offended, which was immediately followed
by the event of spiritual ascension (miraj) and he reached to
his Lord, who he loved.
Also when he conquered Makkah, he said to his coun-
trymen, who previously offended him and the believers
very rudely, the following verse quoted from the prophet
Joseph: "Today there is no taunting for you, let God forgive
you" (Yusuf 12/ 92), and h demonstrated a high morale.
Akshemseddin also recommends keeping patient and
enduring the offenses for those who want to reach to God,
namely who want to enjoy the servitude of spirit. Accord-
ing to him, those who accomplish this prophetic attitude
will spiritually ascend as let by their capabilities and reach
to the honor of being with the Eternal Beloved.
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