Safranboluian Ismail Najati, One of the Sheikhs of Gumushkhanawi Lodge: His Life, Khalifas and Work

Abstract

Ismail Najati efendy was born in Safranbolu in 1258/1842-3. After completing primary education in his hometown, he came to Istanbul and completed his education there, then he was engaged in teaching as a mudarris. Besides being a participant of Huzur Lessons as a muqarrir and mukhatap, he taught as a professor in the madrasa of Dar al-khilafat al-aliyye. His relationship with Ahmad Ziyaaddin Gumushkhanawi, the scholar-sufi of that era, began in his pupilage and continued in the form of professor-student and sheikh-disciple relation until the death of Gumushkhanawi. He attended the lessons of Gumushkhanawi, took scholarship ijazats and also khilaftnamah from him by completing his sayr al-suluk. He undertook the sheikhdom of Gumushkhanawi Lodge, which was the grand lodge of Ziyaiyyah sufi order attributed to Gumushkhanawian Ahmad Ziyaaddin Efendy, succeeding Kastamonuian Hasan Hilmy Efendy and conducted this mission until his death. As a mudarris and a sheikh he gave ijazats to numerous students regarding hadith books that he taught. He also gave khilafatnamah to his merited disciples who were taken by himself to khalwats/seclusions, one of the rutin activities of the Lodge. As far as we identified, the number of his khalifas was twenty five. His pamphlet titled Sayr al-Suluk Lessons and postscript to the book of Ramuz alahadith are written works of him. In this paper, by presenting the life, scholarly career, lodge activities and khalifas of Ismail Najati Efendy, and briefly examining his pamphlet regarding sayr al-suluk, we sought to introduce this outstanding scholar and wise man.