ABDÜLHALIK GUCDÜVANİ HAZRETLERİ'NİN HAYATI BİRİNCİ BÖLÜM

Abdulkhalik Gujdawani (may Allah be pleased with him) HİLYE-I HACE ABDULHALIK He was tall, had a large head, fair skin, a beautiful face, and bushy, frowning eyebrows. His chest was broad and his shoulders broad. He was large-bodied and awe-inspiring. He was insightful and spiritually open-hearted. He was a companion and friend of Khidr. He was the first on the path of Khwaja. His life in short lines: Gujdawani is the tenth link in the golden chain. He is known by the nickname "Haja" in Persian, meaning "Sheikh," and "Hoca" in Turkish. The "Naqshbandiyya," known until his time as "Bistamiyya" or "Tayfuriyya," was known as the "Tariq-ı Hājagan" from Gujdawani to Muhammad Bahaeddin Naqshband. Unlike Ahmed Yasawi, who received the trust from Yusuf Hamadani, Khwaja Abdulkhalik Gujdūvanī adopted the principle of silent dhikr and established the eleven principles of the order. Ahmed Yasawi spread his Jahrī dhikr-based order in Transoxiana, while Gujdūvanī spread his path based on silent dhikr in Khwarezm and Khorasan. From later centuries to the present day, both orders have been influential in Central Asia, Anatolia, and the Balkans. What is known about Gujdūvanī's life is limited to the very limited information provided in books on etiquette and etiquette, such as the Nafahat al-Uns and Reshahat aynu'l-Hayat, written a few centuries later. According to tradition, Abdulkhalik Gujdūvanī was a descendant of Imam Malik. He was the son of a family that migrated from Malatya in Anatolia during the Great Seljuk period and settled in the village of Gucduvan, six farsakhs (approximately 35 km) from Bukhara. Khwaja Abdul Khaliq was born in this village. For this reason, he is known as Gucduvani. His father, Imam Abdul Jamil, was a man with profound knowledge of both exoteric and esoteric sciences and, according to legends, conversed with Khidr (peace be upon him). It was even Khidr (peace be upon him) who announced the birth of his son and requested that he be named "Abdul Khaliq." It is recorded that his mother was also from a noble family and was his daughter. Gucduvani studied religious sciences in Bukhara. He became a student of Allame Sadreddin, one of the renowned scholars of the time. His Turn to Spirituality: Having excelled in exoteric sciences, Abdul Khaliq inclined towards asceticism and struggle. He had a naturally profound heart, one inclined to spirituality. One day, while studying Tafsir with his teacher, Allama Sadreddin, the conversation came to the verse, "Call upon your Lord in secret, while you are silent." (Al-A'raf, 7:55). Gujdûvani asked: "What is the origin of this secrecy and the reality of silent dhikr?" In silent dhikr, the organs move, and the sound is heard from outside. However, silent dhikr, even if outsiders cannot see it, is visible to the devil within. For the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Satan circulates in the blood vessels of man." So, what is the way for a person to remain unseen by others and undetected by Satan during dhikr? When Allama Sadreddin struggled to answer this question, he found it easier to confess the truth and said: "The answer to this question can only be given through the knowledge of the divine. We do not have that." For it is a knowledge exclusive to God's saintly servants. However, if God so wishes, He will bring before you a saintly servant and resolve your difficulties. His Friendship with Khidr: After hearing this statement from his teacher, Khwaja Abdul Khalik began to expect God to one day bring before him someone who would guide him. After a while, it was Khidr (peace be upon him) who appeared before him. We have previously mentioned that his father's guide was Khidr. Khidr adopted him as his son and taught him "knowledge of the time" and "secret dhikr." According to tradition, this style of dhikr, which the Prophet (peace be upon him) taught to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) in the cave of Thawr, gained even greater importance with Abdul Khalik Gujduvani. This method, abandoned for a time on the path of Hajagan, firmly established itself in the hands of Shah-i Naqshband (d. 791/1389), a disciple and student of Khwaja Abdul Khaliq, who practiced the "Uwaysi" style. It is also narrated that Khidr taught Gujdûvani not only the dhikr of the heart but also the dhikr of monotheism by having his head submerged in a pool and holding his breath, using nafy and isbat (proof). Gujdûvani's true mentor was Yusuf Hamadani. However, it was through Khidr's guidance that he found Hamadani. Around the age of twenty, Khwaja Abdul Khaliq found his sheikh and quickly became imbued with his style. Having traveled to some Islamic countries, Abdul Khaliq also resided in Damascus for a time. While still alive, his fame spread throughout Islamic lands. The number of visitors to his lodge reached thousands.