From the Preface of the Book:
"Infinite praise be to Allah, the Exalted, and peace and blessings be upon His beloved, the noble Messenger, our Prophet (peace be upon him), his family, his companions, and all those who follow them until the Day of Judgment.
Praise be to Allah, the Creator of mankind, the Teacher of the unseen, the Perfecter of creation, the Bestower of knowledge, the Knower of the unseen, the Preserver of the unseen, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, the All-Powerful, the All-Glorious, the All-Generous, the All-Merciful, the All-Forgiving, the All-Purging, the All-Knowing, the All-Aware, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, the All-Wise, the All-Powerful, the All-Glorious, the All-Generous, the All-Merciful, the All-Forgiving, the All- Such praise that with it, the increase of knowledge and the continuation of the sciences of the realm of meaning are sought. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, that He is One, and that He has no partner. I also bear witness that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His servant and messenger. May Allah Almighty always send blessings upon him. For he (peace be upon him) is the Beloved and Messenger of the Exalted Lord.
The Almighty, who is holy in all His names, created all hearts as vessels. The best of them are those who are most open to goodness and guidance. The worst of them are those who are closest to evil and corruption. The Almighty has promised Paradise to those who resist the desires of their souls and succeed in their struggle. He has punished those who obey their souls with the fire of Hell. He has made it obligatory to resist and reject the desires and wishes of worldly life, which is as short as an hour in comparison to the life of the Hereafter.
Becoming a servant of the Truth is possible through a spiritual journey (seyr ü sülûk). Adherence to certain principles is essential for attaining spiritual maturity. Nothing happens by itself. Just as one cannot become a scholar without studying or a traveller without travelling, one cannot become a Sufi or enter the path of Sufism without struggle and self-examination. Those who do not recognise Sufi and tarikat guides as guides are deprived. Recognising them as guides, regulating our essence, words, and behaviour according to their guidance and signs, and living in accordance with the Sharia is a beautiful thing and a beautiful way of life.
Yes, Sufism is a path of moral and spiritual purification, and Sufi orders are the furnaces of purification. This purification is a quality attained at the end of a spiritual journey that begins with our physical existence and ends with Allah. This journey is the ascent of the mortal being, which has an end, to eternity while still alive, as a result of certain struggles and ascetic practices, its transition from impermanence to permanence by breaking free from the temporary mould, and the rise of the servant to spiritual ranks. Sufism, which means to bring the essence of religion to life in our inner and outer worlds, has become one of the fundamental elements that bring order and harmony to social life through the systematic and disciplined organisations known as tariqats.
Dear reader, this book is a compilation of answers to various questions asked by our sisters. Although the questions are diverse, they are mostly related to rabita, so I thought it appropriate to name the book ‘Rabita.’ The answers are inspired by the works of our saints, who are well-versed in the science of Sufism, whose source is the spiritual life of our Master Muhammad (peace be upon him), and the scholars of the Naqshbandi Order, rather than our personal opinions.
As is well known, the noble connection (rabita) breaks the chains of the self and drives away Satan. It is a means of attaining true blessings from the All-Bountiful God. It leads to union with Allah the Almighty. Some scholars have said, ‘The spiritual connection is an independent path to reaching Allah, and it alone leads to attainment.’ And the spiritual connection is a requirement in every order. Those who do not accept this requirement either do not know what the spiritual connection is or do not understand the meaning and concept of the orders. One must be careful.
Praise be to Allah, who enlightens the hearts of the wise with His knowledge and, with His great bounty, elevates the states of the seekers above the worlds. May peace and blessings be upon His Beloved Prophet (s.a.v).
Our prayer to Allah Almighty is that He may make this treatise beneficial to its readers, especially those who ask questions. Our request from the reader is that they forgive any mistakes and shortcomings they may see and mention us in their prayers.
"O Allah, grant us goodness in this world. Grant us goodness in the Hereafter. Protect us from the fire of Hell. (Amen).‘
The work is ours, but success and guidance come from Allah, who guides His servants to the straightest path.
Şahver Çelikoğlu
08.02.2016/ESKİŞEHİR’
