BEŞİNCİ BAB · SEKİZİNCİ FASIL · Beşinci Madde
**Item Five**
Relating the homeland, birth, meeting with his teacher and agreement, beautiful states, character, constant appearance of sadness, amazement, and burning (for God’s sake) of my revered father, Dervish Osman Hüsnü Hakîrullah (may Allah be pleased with him), who is the foremost servant of the Most Exalted Pole, esteemed Shaykh Ismail Tillovî Fakîrullâh (may Allah have mercy on him).
O esteemed one! It must be known that a great plain lies six hours east of blessed Erzurum, in its northern middle, and Hasankale, whose people are from the vicinity of Pasinler, is located there. This is Dursun Mehmed’s son Molla Bekir, renowned for his generosity to guests, feeding the poor, and respect for dervishes; who expresses his views at the divan of viziers and commanders and possesses authority regarding measures to be taken; and known for bringing order and organization to worldly affairs. Our revered ancestor, may Allah have mercy on him, whose blessedness is such that on Monday morning, Rabi’ al-Awwal in the year 1081 (Hijri), a son was born with a veiled face, modesty, and decorum, and his name was Hazret-i Osman. [1081/1670 CE]
With his birth, his esteemed father rejoiced greatly and attained his desire. On this occasion, he offered praise and blessings to the Exalted God and gave feasts to the people of Hasankale. Until he reached twenty years of age, his revered son resided in Hasankale and received instruction from the late Kara Shaykh’s son, Sayyid Ibrahim Effendi (may Allah be pleased with him), who was renowned for his miracles. He studied *sarf* (morphology), *nahiv* (syntax), *fiqh* (jurisprudence), and *farā'iz* (inheritance) from him, and acquired knowledge of hadith, tafsir (commentary on the Quran), and creed. Due to his innate gentle nature, beautiful character, and upbringing from his mother, he was known as Dervish Effendi. Subsequently, his revered mother fell ill and passed away. Consequently, his father encouraged him to marry and took a daughter of Sayyid Mahmud, late of the family of Shaykh, from the village of Fendiği near Hasankale. This is our affectionate mother, Hanife Hâtun.
Although Osman Effendi was overcome by modesty, on the night of his wedding he hid himself in a minaret out of shyness towards people. However, Allah, the All-Loving [one who loves His servants greatly], established much love and compassion between them so that they might find peace and tranquility together. They took great pleasure from one another and derived many delights.
Our grandfather Molla Bekir delighted immensely in entertaining guests due to his generous nature. For this reason, he had a considerable number of guests almost every evening. He hosted more than twenty people or at least ten strangers each evening. On evenings when no guests arrived, he remained hungry from sadness.
One evening, during the beautiful days, an esteemed guest named Dervish Zekeriya, from Uzbekistan, arrived. After arriving, he fell ill and stayed as a guest in his home that winter. His revered son, Dervish Effendi, was appointed by him to serve this Uzbek guest, and he considered this service a great blessing, attending to the guest day and night without rest.
At the beginning of the *Erba'in* [fortieth nights of remembrance], during one of the longest nights, while Dervish Effendi was waiting in the guest’s room, that esteemed person entered into a state of ecstasy. In this state, he sprang from his bed and wandered around the house lamenting for about an hour. He appeared to be extinguishing a fire like the Great Fire of Istanbul. Subsequently, at the beginning of *Hamsin* [a period of fifty days], a vizier’s steward arrived from Istanbul, who was informed of that long night's fire due to him. Consequently, he developed a good opinion of that esteemed person. [357/a] When spring days arrived, that esteemed guest recovered and found healing from his illness. As he departed, he looked at the face of the servant waiting at his door and said, "Your generosity will be completed in six months, while ours remains. Immediately ask for your desire, for the gate to fulfillment has been opened for you."
That servant replied to that esteemed person, “My desire is only to depart this world with faith and to attain the blessed state of Paradise.”
That esteemed person spoke again to him, saying: "Elevate your striving, for the essence of faith is to elevate your striving."
At that time, that servant wept and said, “My greatest wish is to meet my Lord in the eternal realm.”
He spoke to him once more, saying: "Elevate your striving; the ultimate goal is to find that state within the climate of the heart in this world."
Upon hearing these words, the servant prostrated himself, and at that very moment divine guidance came to him. Thereupon, that esteemed guest gave him tidings and said, “Raise your head, for that state has settled therein.” He instructed him to inscribe his own image between his two eyebrows. He advised him to repeat the testimony of oneness (the *shahada*) with long breaths and a low voice ten thousand times daily, and then departed. Dervish Effendi cherished and put into practice the instructions and advice of that esteemed person. In this manner, he busied himself with those remembrances day and night. At that time, his revered father, Molla Bekir Effendi, while going on the Azak Expedition, passed away in Kefe, fulfilling his promise at the Great Mosque.
The commercial and agricultural affairs left behind by his deceased father, the administration of servants, plowing fields, planting and nurturing saplings, dealing with carriages and laborers; furthermore, attending to those who came and went to the house, tending to the needs of the poor accustomed to visiting from his father’s time, caring for his young brothers who remained without a father at home, consoling grieving family members – all these preoccupations, combined with the separation grief caused by the loss of his father, prevented Dervish Effendi from continuing his remembrance and entering into contemplation, leaving him with a sick nature and soul, a broken heart, sadness, and sorrow.
Therefore, he wept and lamented every hour and moment, immersing himself in a sea of sorrow and grief.
Love's arena demands valor; no other pursuit suffices.
Within it, one must transcend the self; no further words remain.
A lover of the beloved’s face knows no respite.
No shadow wall exists to shield from love’s sun.
The love of the beloved whispers gently into the ear of the soul, eternally.
For those occupied, there is no burden of our sorrow.
Let foreignness be washed away with tears; I have sought only the manifestation of the beloved.
One cannot find him without taking a single step forward.
Beyond nearness to him, there is no obstacle to seeing him.
The fish did not see the ocean until it emerged from it.
Emerge from your being, for beyond this sea, nothing exists.
If you are valiant, O seeker of Truth! Come, be dyed with the color of love’s pain.
Behold, in this world, there is no other realm but ours.