The Commanding Nafs and Zuhdü’n Nebreş
Ahmed Yesevī’s profound Sufi (taṣawwuf) experiences strikingly express the struggle to escape the tyranny of the nafs (nafs—the lower self; the ego) and to attain a self infused with divine love. In the source text, the phrase “Sünnetlerin mehkem tutup ümmet boldum” (“I firmly held to the Sunnah and became of the community”) symbolizes Yesevī’s adherence to the fundamental principles of Islam and marks the beginning of this journey. However, the main emphasis is on the necessity of overcoming the obstacles of the nafs; for the nafs-i ammar (nafs al-ammāra—the commanding nafs) is the greatest barrier before a person’s attainment of the divine ḥaqīqa (ḥaqīqa—inner reality). This inner struggle that Yesevī experienced is concretized in his words, “Nefsim meni yoldan urup hâr eyledi” (“My nafs struck me from the path and humiliated me”). This means that the nafs causes a person to suffer and diverts them from the right path. Abandoning the nafs is not only about giving up bad habits, but also about overcoming the ego, pride, and love of the world that are hidden in the depths of the self.
The Miʿrāj and in the Footsteps of Divine Being
Ahmed Yesevī’s spiritual journey is not only a process of inner purification, but also a miʿrāj (ascension) into the divine realm. The phrase “Mirâc üzre Hak Mustafâ ruhum kördi” (“On the miʿrāj, the Truthful Mustafa [the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him] saw my soul”) shows that, just as the Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (peace and blessings be upon him) experienced the miʿrāj, Yesevī too established direct contact with the divine being and discovered the secrets of the universe. The messages he received from Jibrīl (Gabriel) during these experiences draw attention to the fundamental responsibilities of humanity: “ümmet i i sizge ber-Hak” (“O community, the Truth is given to you”), that is, to show people the right path, to enjoin good and forbid evil. In order to fulfill this duty, Yesevī states, “her subhidem nidâ keldi kulağımda” (“every morning a call came to my ear”), indicating that he constantly listened to divine guidance.
Fanāʾ fī’Llāh and Attainment to the Truth
At the summit of Yesevī’s Sufi (taṣawwuf) teaching lies the concept of “fanāʾ fī’Llāh” (fanāʾ—annihilation in God), that is, to become annihilated in Allah. This means the dissolution of the individual self and union with the divine being; it is expressed in his words: “Nâm u nişân heç kalmad lâ lâ boldum, Allah yâdın ayta-ayta illâ boldum, hâlis bolup muhlis bolup lillah boldum.” (“No name or sign remained, I became nothing but ‘lā’ [no]; by constantly invoking Allah’s remembrance, I became ‘illā’ [except]; becoming pure and sincere, I became for Allah.”) For Yesevī to reach this result required him to sever all worldly ties outwardly, to be cleansed of selfishness, and to surrender completely to the Truth (al-Ḥaqq). As a symbol of this surrender, he displays an attitude full of humility and gratitude, as described in the phrase: “Ar üstide namâz okup tizim büktüm, Razı aytıp Hakk’a bakıp yaşım töktüm” (“I performed prayer on the ground and bent my knees, expressing contentment, I looked to the Truth and shed tears”). Yesevī’s teaching aims not only at individual purification, but also at contributing to the shared spiritual development of humanity; for this reason, he advises, “Akil erseng erenlerge hizmet kılıl” (“If you are wise, serve the saints [awliyāʾ]”), encouraging support for those who possess wisdom and virtue.