Halwat And ‘Uzlat (Privacy And Seclusion) Literally meaning solitude and living alone, halwat and ‘uzlat (privacy and seclusion) within the context of Sufism denote an initiate’s going into retreat to dedicate all of his or her time to worshipping God under the guidance and supervision of a spiritual master. He...
Firar And I’tisam (Fleeing And Taking Shelter) This article covers Firar and I’tisam (Fleeing and Taking Shelter). Firar, which literally means to run away from something, is used in Sufism to denote the journey from the created to the Creator, sheltering from the “shadow” in the “original,”[1] and renouncing the...
Sayr u Suluk (Journeying and Initiation) In the language of Sufism, when used together, sayr u suluk (journeying and initiation) denotes becoming free of bodily and animal appetites to a certain extent within the framework of certain principles, searching for ways to reach God and traveling toward Him by the...
Qalaq (Passion) This article covers the answer to the question: “What is Qalaq (Passion)?” Literally meaning boredom with the place where one is and with the surrounding conditions, feeling discomfort as if in imprisonment or captivity, qalaq (passion) is intense love, deeper than the desire for Paradise that the ordinary...
Tafakkur (Reflection) Tafakkur (Reflection) literally means to think on a subject deeply, systematically, and in great detail. In this context, it signifies reflection, which is the heart’s lamp, the spirit’s food, the spirit of knowledge, and the essence and light of the Islamic way of life. Reflection is the light...
Muhasaba (Self-Criticism Or Self-Interrogation) Muhasaba (Self-Criticism or Self-Interrogation) literally means reckoning, settling accounts, and self-interrogation. In a spiritual context, however, it takes on the additional meaning of the self-criticism of a believer who constantly analyzes his or her deeds and thoughts in the hope that correcting them will bring him...
God and the Truth of Divinity This article covers the subjects of God and the Truth of Divinity. The sacred term Allah (God), which is also referred to as the Word of Majesty or the All-Supreme Name in the sense that it is the Chief Divine Name comprising all other...
Tawba, Inaba, And Awba Repentance, Sincere Penitence, and Turning to God in Contrition This article covers Tawba (Repentance), Inaba (Sincere Penitence), and Awba (Turning to God in Contrition). Repentance (tawba) means that one feels regret and, filled with remorse for his or her sins, turns to God with the intention...
What Is Sufism? Sufism (tasawwuf) is the path followed by Sufis to reach the Truth—God. While Sufism usually expresses the theoretical or philosophical aspect of this search, the practical aspect is usually referred to as “being a dervish.” What is Sufism? Sufism has been defined in many ways. Some see...
God And Man Every human being thirsts for knowledge of God, craving faith; Their need is most dire whose minds have strayed the furthest. A needy conscience is healthy: its need is faith in Him, Minds lost in bewildering ways are recovered in search of Him. Abstract knowledge cannot, nor...
Broken Plectrum Broken Plectrum is a poetry book written by M. Fethullah Gulen. Broken Plectrum is one of the best examples of Sufi poetry. It covers spirituality, closeness to God and His messenger. “Poetry in this sense of the word is such an atlas of expressions arranged from pearls of words...
Young Man Young man, Give some thought to the terrible maladies, now a century old, that afflict this society on every side. There is no remedy known for such fainting hearts and feverish minds: crowds in the street shouting for no reason; people, become like fish in the aquarium, Blundering...
Regarding The Information Age and The Clash of Civilizations Regarding Huntington’s claim about the clash of civilizations, I think that rather than being realistic evaluations regarding the future, these types of claims seem to me to be determining new goals in an attempt to influence public opinion within the framework...
Fethullah Gülen’s Idea on the Relationship Between Science and Religion The study of the relationship between science and religion occupies a central position in Fethullah Gülen’s thought. It implements a dialectical confrontation of two concepts as a strategy, leading to a decoding of Islamic principles for the benefit of communities....
M. Fethullah Gülen A BRIEF HISTORY A man for all seasons, M. Fethullah Gülen was born in tiny village of Korucuk, in Erzurum Province, Eastern Turkey, in November 1938. His family tree is traced to a noble lineage. He comes from a long line of learned scholars. Born with an...
Homesickness This spiritual poem, “Homesickness“, is written by M. Fethullah Gulen. For man this world is like a foreign land, a fearful ocean, where he flounders a whole lifetime among waves of anxiety. At every step and every station, he expects a dawn of hope to break; Morning begins with...
Never Worn Out An eternal ‘textile’ woven with silk threads, pure as rain, cool as the shade of clouds; its colour and design address all the worlds, unstained white like the river of milk in Paradise… Not a transient hope, but peace everlasting, from which begin all roads leading souls...
The Pure Path “The Pure Path” is written by M. Fethullah Gulen. One night I had a vision of the future so bright; there was a peaceful silence and was pouring light upon light. Things were being done with the precision of clockwork; centuries-old confusions disappeared one after the other....
The Door Half-Opened Through Death This poem is about old age and death. What imaginations those coming to this world nourish! Imaginations as sweet as the joy felt at religious festivals! And yet the first step taken into the world is also the first step those who have come to...
The Rose Of My Heart ‘The Rose of My Heart‘ is about the love of prophet Muhammad written by M. Fethullah Gulen. As I mentioned you again, nothing else remained in my memory; I imagined you traveling on the hills of my heart. A mirage, I know, but it sufficed...