How can the Nation that carried the banner of the Prophetﷺ and was entrusted with the seat of Islamic Caliphate, reach the levels of ignorance and unbelief it is suffering from now? The tragic history of the modern Muslim world is summarized. At the turning point in history, Mawlānā congratulates his Excellency Mr. Tayyib Erdoğan on his electoral win, advising him to free the guilty ones from the jails, for “Those who forgive, the country improves”. 

Bismillahi r-Rahmani r-Rahim

Sultan ul-Awliya Mawlana Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Al-Haqqani An-Naqshibandi ق 

13 Rajab, 1432 A.H. Wednesday, June 15, 2011 Translated from Turkish by: saltanat.org

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Oh believers, our brothers and our sons who are people of faith (ahlul Iman), stand up for the sake of Allah! Allah glorifies you. Remember His name. May Allah never leave you. Oh people who have faith, put your trust in and lean towards Allah. Whoever relies on Allah never falls. For 700 years, 1000 years, our glorious ancestors relied on Allah to destroy the fortresses of disbelief against them. For the last 100 years, we were not able to achieve anything. We could not destroy the fortress of disbelief. We relied on other things and what we relied on turned out to be cardboard. We fell down with a great clatter. Now we are confused about what to do. I am showing you the way. Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar, La Ilaha illa Allah wa Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa Lillah al Hamd.

This was our honorable national Takbir. One cannot find honor in an artificial national anthem. Whoever tries to find honor with a made up anthem is left without honor. Then we make illusions about ourselves, following ourselves. Nobody is interested and nobody even looks at us. It’s like a bride and a groom at a wedding with no attendees. But during the Ottoman Empire, when there was a meeting in Europe, the flag of the Ottomans was raised before any other flag. They were not daring to raise any flag before they raised the Osmanli (Ottoman) flag. Why? – because on the holy flag of the Ottomans, there was a drawing of the Holy Qur’an. It was the banner of the Khilafat (Caliphate). They controlled the whole Islamic world. It was the flag of the Sultan. It was the Islamic Sultanate flag, the holy banner of the Khalifa (Caliph) of the Muslims. How wonderful and magnificent it was.

Welcome to you! What can we do? The Prophet (may Allah increase his honor) … We send as many salams to him as the number of waves in the ocean. We send salams to him. Allahumma Salli wa Salli wa barik, ala Habibika Sayyidil Awwalin wal Akhirin. Our Lord, You created everything for his honor. Give us strength to praise him. We may last 100 years or 1000 years standing on our feet to honor and glorify his holy name. You make me stand, oh our Lord. You give power. Therefore, religion is not a toy; and mankind is not created to play. This is our way, our forgotten ways. They took us out of the forgotten ways and put us into unknown jungles. They say, “Find a way to get out of the jungle”. Allah Almighty, Subhanahu wa Taala, says with His Magnificence,

inna Hadha Siratun Mustaqimun. Siratun `Alayya Mustaqimun (15:41) This is indeed the Way which will lead straight to Me.

“Oh My servants Where are you going, leaving Me? Is it Me who created you, or another man created you? Who created Heavens and Earth? Who can claim, ‘This earth is mine? These Heavens are mine?’ I created them.” Ajaib (strange) … This is an association (sohbet). I am not lecturing. I am not a person to give a lecture. Scholars give lectures. We listen to the scholars. We love scholars and respect them; but there are inheritors … We honor and respect the saints who are the inheritors of Prophets. The heavenly lights (inspiration) comes from their hearts into our hearts. We are making sohbat. We are not selling knowledge here. We are not claiming, “We have knowledge. We give knowledge.” No! Tawba astaghfirullah. There are those beloved by Allah Almighty who teach us what they have learned. There are pure servants who live a pure life. Their hearts are pure, their tongues are clean, their minds are pure, their actions are pure, their intentions are pure. They have surrendered and submitted themselves to Allah Almighty, Creator of Heavens and Earth!

[Mawlana sings:] Oh Allah, Your Order is most high! Whoever keeps your orders is Your servant.

Oh people of the Black Sea [region], oh Muslims who live in Anatolia, Allah did not create you so that you would fight with each other. Shame on you that you have become enemies to each other! You say, “I am this, I am that …” Don’t claim, “I am this, I am that”. If they put you in the coffin with your community and then line up all the coffins from all the people who claimed something for themselves from this world, what difference would there be? They say, “No, is that possible? We are Turkish, we are Kurdish, we are PKK, we are people of the Black Sea.”

Work so that your face becomes bright and enlightened. Your face must be enlightened when you stand in the presence of Allah (swt), not to come with a dark face. If you do, the angels will treat you … When catching fish in the sea, if a fish was not good, it would be batted with a stick (what we used to call ‘kamach’) back into the sea. Likewise, angels use a heavy stick to strike those ones with darkened faces and cast them into the fire, because fire wants black coal. In that presence, anyone’s face that does not become filled with light, they are coals for the hellfire. It will be said, “Throw them there”; and the angels will be throw them. The angel of hell …

I am not telling a story. Listen well! Don’t be deceived with your titles and ranks in this world. In one second, the man fell down. What happened to him? [Shaykh Mawlana acts out a scenario]:

“He had a heart attack, Shaykh Efendi. What will we do? The man is heavy, impossible to carry. What will we do?”

“You may tie him with a rope and pull. We may put him in a car and send”.

“Send to where?”

“We may send him to a hospital and see if his spirit is hidden or gone? We may get the report. If he is alive, we may treat him as a living one. If his soul came out …”.

Whoever doesn’t have faith, their soul will leave them. However, one who has faith, his spirit submits. Listen and understand!

I am a weak servant among common people. I am speaking the language of the general public. For the common people, they [angel of death] take their soul. But there are special servants of Allah who surrender / offer their souls. It is said about them that, “He surrendered his soul. There is Nur (light) where he is buried.” If he did so many evil things in his life, even if it is not said openly, they may say, “His hole is deep and may be full of fire! He hurt so many people in Dunya, he will get hurt. He may be ashes”. It is said like this for them. And the angels give them fire. He may scream, shout … No one hears. Aman ya Rabbi. We seek refuge in You from a bad end.

Oh the one from the Black Sea, Baba Tahsin [a murid], although it is afternoon now, it is said that you are very sharp in the morning. (They get tired in the afternoon, and don’t understand anything. And they are not to be addressed in the afternoon. What can we do? We address them, and they may listen in the morning. What can we do?) Since you can’t listen now, listen tomorrow morning.

[Mawlana sings:]

Oh Allah, Your Order is most high …

[Mawlana acts out an official shouting:] “What are you saying? No! Don’t say this word. Why do you say this word? Government’s order is high.”

I spit on the government’s order! How is the government’s order high?

He says, “We were educated this way, ‘The government’s order is most high’.”

Is that so? From which book did you learn this? Who taught you this? Who taught you this thing?

“We have been taught this for the last 100 years.”

You are learning and still you have not learned anything. The Divine Order is the highest, because Allah Almighty created us, Jalla wa Ala!

Welcome, oh people of the Black Sea! Although it is afternoon – no harm. (They still do not understand this.) If you don’t understand, the sea swallows you. Be careful. If Allah wants, He can drown you in a spoonful of water. Keep your manners and keep straight. Be honest or Allah will surround you from all directions. You are surrounded from all directions. Oh people of Black Sea, don’t say, “We are this, we are that, we manage this, we do that.” It is not done with saying, “I can do”.  [Mawlana acts out a scenario:]

“Boss, stand up, why are you laying inside the coffin? Get up!” No sound!

“Raise your hand!” He cannot. His hand doesn’t move.

“Why did you tire us with walking [carrying the coffin]? Why didn’t you walk since you had feet?”

“The permission to walk is taken away. I can’t walk. The permission is taken. I can’t touch. The permission is taken, I can’t look.”

There are so many things!

Therefore mankind is in need of advice. There is no one wilder than men when they are left without advice. There are scenes of savagery every day, attacking each other and killing each other. They are the enemies of Allah. Don’t kill! Don’t kill yourself! Don’t attack and kill each other!

Wa La Taqtulu ‘Anfusakum. (4:29) And do not kill each other.

There is no Religion, no faith, no mercy! Then, Allah Almighty … Oh people of the Black Sea, listen carefully. The Prophet (ﷺ) said this way,

Irhamu Yarhamkum man Fi Al SamA

Be merciful with those on earth because mercy is granted to you from Heavens.

Where are you, oh head of the Religious Affairs Department, our muftis and hojas who address from the kursis (thrones), who roar in their khutbas? Where are you? Why don’t you read this Hadith from the mimbar? This hadith is not in your books? Aman ya Rabbi, Aman ya Rabbi, Aman ya Rabbi. shaytan is seducing everybody. shaytan seduced our ancestor, and made him to be kicked out from paradise. You still follow him? – follow his way? It is shaytan who made Adam (as) to be kicked out of paradise. You are still following him? You still refuse Allah’s orders? la hawla wa la quwwata …

Oh our Lord, give us reason and the ability to understand. Without mind and ability to understand we become zero. The people have forgotten love. They have forgotten their final destination. Don’t you know that this life will end in the grave? When a person dies, they rush him to the cemetery, quickly bury him, and run. He says, “Stay a bit longer”. [They say,] “The imam made it too long”. One day you will be a regular in the cemetery. One day they will leave you in this graveyard, all alone; and you will stay there. I saw something, oh Hajji from the Black Sea. I saw one person, a famous man from Kayseri. What was his name? Very rich? Sabanci … Sabanci, yes … From everything you may take a lesson. That person, passed away. All the newspapers and magazines wrote about him in so many pages. I was surprised. I said, “Such an important person, they praised him so much and also took him to his grave”. Thousands, tens of thousands of people put him inside his grave. Whoever the imam was said three times back and forth,

“Oh Sabanci, when they ask you, ‘Who is your Lord?’, say ‘My Lord is Allah’.

When they ask you, ‘Who is your Prophet?’, say ‘My Prophet is Mohammad (ﷺ), Prophet whose glory is high’. Say this!

Angels are coming to you and will ask, ‘What is your book?’ Give your answer, say, ‘It is the Holy Qur’an’.

They will ask, ‘Where is your Qibla?’. Say, ‘My Qibla is Kaaba Sherif’.”

Now they invented a poem. What did they say?

“We do not want any miracles or magical charms. Kaaba can be for the Arabs. Chankaya^* is enough for us.”

I think that Bahcet Kemal (famous poet) wrote this. Look at this now. When you comprehend this, can you stand for it? They were saying like this, “No miracles or magic charms. Kaaba can be for Arabs”. Is that so? Then they continue, “Chankaya is enough for us”. Was Chankaya enough for you, oh people of the Black Sea? Oh Muslims of Anatolia, brothers of Erzurum, people of Mawlana Rumi’s Konya, where are you about such words as these? Where do you stand? But no one knows about them.

Alhamdulillah, at our age we still have our mind in our head. I don’t know if it was Behcet Kemal, the poet who said, “Leave the Kaaba for the Arabs. Our Kaaba is Chankaya”. Now, go and see Chankaya! They made Chankaya like Kaaba, prostrating in that direction now. What has come and passed through this world is astonishing. A camel loaded with coals passed through the sieve. Oh people of the Black Sea, you don’t know such things? How is this, people of Anatolia? Everything is possible. Don’t think that it can’t happen. It can happen. Whoever does not know his history does not know himself. They taught you lies about history. [What they taught] is not worth anything. They raised a disobedient new generation. The disobedient young people rebel against the government. What does Islam say?

Yā ‘Ayyuhā Al-Ladhīna ‘Āmanū ‘Aī`ū Al-Laha Wa ‘Aī`ū Ar-Rasūla Wa ‘Ūlī Al-‘Amri (4:59)

Oh you who believe! Obey Allah; obey the Prophet; and obey those of you who are in authority. (Pickthall)

But, they couldn’t make them obey. Why? – because you changed the Qibla. Their Qibla has changed like this. Anatolian people don’t know about such poems. They didn’t teach anything about this. They say, “No miracles or magical charms. Kaaba can be for Arabs. We are Turks and Chankaya is the new Qibla for us”. What is there in your Chankaya? Tell us, what happened that it became your Qibla? Who is there in Chankaya now? Whoever sits there, it is his. What is there in Chankaya? Nobody said anything about the majesty or holiness of that place. All majesty and holiness is only for Allah Almighty, Himself. For other than Him, holiness applies only if it is granted from Heavens. Servants may have it. We cannot claim or assign holiness by ourselves to a person. No! Then what will you do?

[Mawlana acts a scenario:]

Official: “Stand up and and give selaams!”

To where?

Official: “Face Chankaya! Why are you sitting? National Anthem is playing, stand up!”

When the national anthem is playing, you warn people to stand up as a rule. OK, but when Azan is recited and when Allah Almighty’s (jwa) Holy Name is mentioned, why are you sitting and not standing up then? Why don’t you stand up? You don’t stand up, OK! They will teach you a lesson. Angels say from above, “I make your home with Allah Almighty’s permission”. The angels call out, “I will make your home!” Where? They say,“Your home is inside the fire”.

When Allah Almighty’s Holy Name is mentioned you don’t have goose bumps, you are not standing up, and you don’t care at all? Is that so? OK! When the day comes, we will fix you. When the national anthem is played, you have to stand by law. When Allah Almighty’s Holy Name is mentioned, why don’t you stand up? It is adab for Muslims. In the old days, when the blacksmith was raising his hammer like this [Mawlana demonstrates the hammer being held overhead], if the Azan started, “Allahu Akbar”, he wouldn’t put the hammer down. He froze, holding the hammer up. When soldiers were walking (at that time, our soldiers would go around on foot), they would stop and stand in place when “Allahu Akbar” was called. The general (Pasha) [would pull up on the reins to stop the horse immediately in place], until the Azan finished.

Oh people of Black Sea, oh people of Anatolia, oh people who claim to be Muslims, do you know these things? Do your teachers tell you such things?

“Oh Shaykh Efendi, do they let us to speak so that we may tell them? If they let us speak, we can talk about it. But they control everything we say.”

[The government official says], “What is he saying. Is he saying anything against Chankaya?”

To make people sad deep inside, we decorated everywhere with that person, the one who was the first in Chankaya. However, this one in Chankaya spent about one tenth of his life, maybe one fortieth of his life, in Chankaya. He spent most his life in an Ottoman Palace in Istanbul. He lived there. The Sultans were thrown out; and we put another sultan. We made him sit there, as he liked, until he left this world. No one knows this. No one says. No one lets it to be said. And now, [Mawlana acts out a scenario]:

“What can we do Shaykh Efendi? We have won [the election]… But Shaykh Efendi … Look …”

What?

“Shaykh Efendi wears a fez.”

I may wear one. What happens if I wear it?

“It was strange to us. You were wearing a turban. Why do you wear a fez now?” (I heard them say.)

Our ancestors, the Ottomans, it was the sign of them.

Therefore, whenever they see someone wearing this, they say, “This is an Ottoman”. I wear a fez for that reason.

Our identity is Osmanli, especially since the title for the deed to Cyprus is under the name of the Sultan. Sultan Selim II conquered Cyprus. Sultan Abdul Hamid II rented Cyprus. And in the Treaty of Lozan (Lausanne), the governors of the Turkish Republic gave Cyprus away for free. They donated it. You did not have such a right. You don’t have such a right! You don’t have the right to give it away. But they gave it away. Our real identity here is ‘Osmanli’. Turkey doesn’t take us as their people. They give us a fake ID here. No one recognizes us. On the other side are Greeks. What do we have to do with Greeks? The island is ours. But we gave it away in Lozan. There are three Sultans. The third sultan didn’t call himself Sultan. Sultan Selim II Han is the conqueror of Cyprus. Sultan Abdul Hamid II Han (may paradise be his abode) rented it out, receiving every year 60 000 or 600 000 gold coins rent, which was the budget for the whole country. The governor was also Osmanli. The British who came here put two battalions on each side. They didn’t do anything else.

The rule of Ottomans continued until they made people enter into World War I in 1914 unnecessarily. Turks call it mobilization. They made the people enter the war and they destroyed the great empire. A new republic was established, and they called the new country to Lozan to make an agreement. “Come, we will make an agreement. We will accept you as a nation.” They went there in rush. The British delegates there said, “You sign Cyprus over to us, and we agree to recognize you [as a nation].” You [the third sultan] didn’t conquer Cyprus; but you gave it away. They signed as if they had conquered it. In Lozan, they gave us to the British. The British said, “Now the island is ours”. What happened then? All these troubles and fights, wars, and so many of our soldiers were killed. We were left out, all alone. They ask, “Why do you wear a fez?” I say: Cyprus belongs to the Ottomans. Its title deed is with Sultan Abdul Hamid II Han. It belongs to his sons; and we are his grandsons. Without him signing first, you did not have the authorization to sign. In any case, when you established the Turkish Republic, we were already out of the Misak-a Milli / National Pacts borders. National Pact borders included the Anatolia of now. They didn’t take a step beyond it. This whole island was [populated by] Ottomans. How could you leave us out? They signed to give it away for free; and the British came here.

I am saying: We are still Ottomans. Therefore I may wear this fez as much as I wear the turban, which is the Prophet’s crown. But I do not wear a hat. I don’t wear one ever! Why should I wear a hat? It is not our religious attire, nor our national dress. It is not in the customs of our nation. According to our national custom, whoever wears a hat are called unbelievers. That was before. Now you cannot say that. They think that the law has changed^*. Your law is one thing; the order of Heavens is something else. We are responsible [to obey] the orders of Heavens. I am wearing this fez and I am honored to say, “I am Osmanli!”, because my ancestors are Osmanli. Cyprus is a property of the Ottoman Empire; and inside it, we are still Ottomans. Turkey cannot give us identity. And what the government [KKTC] gives here is not valid anywhere. We are left in the hands of Greeks. They may give something; but I am not Greek! I am Muslim! Greek Cypriots may rule; but they cannot interfere with my religion and identity as a Muslim. Greeks used to call us ‘Ottomanos’. They still call us Ottomans on the Greek side [of the island]. The British ruled here under British law for 100 years, all that time referring to us as, ‘Ottoman Muslim’.

Oh people of Black Sea, we extended the sohbet a little long; but with this opportunity, everybody may listen from East to West. If anyone says, “It is a lie”… Whoever lies, a curse falls on him. Either we or they are liars. I hope that for whoever is lying, bolts of Allah’s wrath may fall on them because they left us like this – without identity. They gave away our country, our land for free. No one knows about this. They may look at the history. If there is lie, Allah’s curses on those who lie. May Allah make us far from that curse. This is an ocean; it goes on. We made you tired today. Whoever wants may listen. If one says, “It is a lie”, they should prove it. If you have men in Turkey, who can say, “This is a lie”, he should come to me and say to me, “You said wrong, Shaykh Efendi”. Although I am not Shaykh, they call me such a name. I am Osmanli! If I want, I wear the fez like this. It is better. [Mawlana is adjusting and moving the fez to different positions on his head.] When they make me tired, I wear it like this. When I am very serious, I wear it like this. It is OK.

Greetings, oh Muslims, oh people of Anatolia! We used to love you so much. Shame on them. They put so much fitna between us and destroyed it. Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar. La Ilaha illa Allah wa Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa Lillahil Hamd. Thanks to Allah Almighty. Thanks to Allah Almighty.

You gave us permission to speak these words, oh our Lord. You are the One to wake them up, oh our Lord. We cannot wake them up! You know oh our Lord that we are weak servants. We are weak servants. We do not have the power. Who will listen to what we say? Here, a few Black Sea people listen. They may like it or not. He keeps yawning where he is sitting. Thanks to Allah Almighty, Fatiha.

Ya Fattah! Welcome, oh people of the Black Sea. How are you? How is this sohbet?

B.T: You know better Mawlana; but Sultan Abdul Hamid II made the title deeds for Mosul and Kirkuk, the oil cities of Iraq in his name, so that they would not fall into the hand of unbelievers after him. We couldn’t even take these places, we left them in Lozan as well.

Mosul?

B.T: Yes, Mosul and Kirkuk. They are all Ottoman title deeds.

Of course, it is under the Ottoman name.

B.T: Until the last moment, they were getting rent from them.

They finished it! We have a lot of mistakes. That is why people suffer; and they made people suffer. The ones who were sent to the courts are the ones who carry no responsibility. Whether they are Bey (official) or Pasha (military general), they cannot be judged because they found the system that way and were trained in that way. The people before them will carry their responsibility. I am not angry with the people now. Instead of judging the people now, judge the ones before them. You can’t accuse and judge the Pashas. You cannot do that. I don’t accept it. There is no need for any of the Pashas to come to the courts to be judged. There is no need. Whoever educated them in the beginning, judge them in the light of history. Why do you take these ones to court and make them responsible? Some of them are 80 years old. Some of them are 90. Why did you take these? Don’t ask! Don’t ask them! Whoever educated them this way originally, judge those! However, you cannot judge them; their judgment belongs to Allah.

So, now Turkish people don’t accept us; but we are Turkish Muslims in foreign countries. Now, a few days ago there were elections. What is my advice for the Prime Minister? Allah (jwa) has made you victorious. You didn’t come to this position to dig through the old books to bring people to court. Close those old books and issue a general pardon. Pardon all of them [generals] and all of them in the jails. Let them all go this year and issue a general pardon.

The one who pardons, his reward is from Allah (swt).

… Faman `Afā Wa ‘Aşlaĥa Fa’ajruhu `Alá Al-Lahi  (42:40)

… whoever forgives and makes amends, he shall have his reward from Allah

If he [Erdoğan] forgives everyone, he will correct the situation in the country. Allah will give him a reward. Say this also, oh Head of the Religious Affairs Department, our Imams and Muftis, “…Faman `Afā Wa ‘Aşlaĥa Fa’ajruhu `Alá Al-Lahi. ” It is a holy verse that I recited. … and run to Allah.

Therefore I congratulate the one who won. He made an effort. Today, he came closer to the nation of Islam. In the Turkish Republic, even with all the heaviness on the people, he got about 50% of the votes. But even more than just  voting, their hearts were opened. Now, there are so many convicts. That person should release all of them. Release all of them for the glory and honor of Allah (swt), for the honor of His Beloved (ﷺ). Forgive all of them. And I will support you until the Day of Judgment. If I go, there are sincere servants of Allah who support you. All the soldiers of this world cannot protect you; but one man of Allah from the servants of Allah protects you. Here I said my congratulations and also this very important point – oh Erdoğan Bey, my son, if you listen to me – all the Pashas that you sent to court to be judged were trained that way and did that way. Forgive them and forgive all the guilty ones filling the jails. Say to them, “You have seen this life in jail. I don’t think that you will fall into the same mistake and return to this place, which is like the cells in hell. Fear Allah, obey his Prophet, and listen to Qur’an”.

Don’t listen to the unbelievers. Europe is also enemy to you. The US is enemy to you. Russia and China are enemies. And shaytan is the enemy of all. Keep Allah as your friend! Do as Allah orders. You will be in safety. Do not carry bodyguards with you. Do not put guards. Whomever Allah protects, no one else can protect. Allah protects. Otherwise, even if you carry 100 guards with you, they may still throw something at your head. This is my advice. I am not a person who speaks from himself. This is an important matter.

I declared it. They may keep it or not. Oh our Lord, forgive us. Oh our Lord, forgive these people. Oh our Lord, the ancestors of these people who shed their blood in Your way, don’t leave them alone, oh our Lord. Send them someone from Your Special Servants. Send us ones from Your servants whose hearts are full of Iman; and they may be our Masters. Ya Allah Ya Allah Anta Allah, Fatiha.

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* Chankaya is the graveyard in Ankara where Mustafa Kemal, first president of Turkey, is buried

* Turkey has a law that requires a man to wear a western-style hat if he wants to cover his head, effectively outlawing a turban.

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