In this sohbet, Ayberk Efendi invites us to reflect on the nature of the spiritual journey and the responsibilities of every traveller on the Sufi path. Every seeker, he reminds us, has a direction (yön) and a destination. Without a goal there is no reason to set out, just as a merchant would not leave home without a purpose.
Staying Focused on the Goal
The true traveller must keep moving toward the goal. If we stray from the route, the certainty of reaching our destination dissolves. Ayberk Efendi compares distraction to a shopper who sets out to buy parsley, is sidetracked by an apple and comes home empty-handed. In the same way countless whispers, “from every side, sixty thousand directions,” try to pull us away from the straight path. The remedy is simple yet profound: look ahead.
To look ahead means turning our gaze away from sideways glances, past regrets and future anxieties, and fixing it on the purpose that set us on the road. The Qur’an, the Hadith and the counsel of the saints are our road map: they show where the cliffs, pits and bandits lie, and which steps to take. When we heed these signs, the route becomes clear and the traveller stays steady.
The Necessity of Intention
Even on a clear road the traveller can falter if the intention (niyet) is weak. A wavering niyet makes us drift from one path to another until we are stuck. The tarikat itself is the road to Allah; entering it is a blessing that must not be handed back to the devil through negligence.
Ayberk Efendi cautions against claiming titles such as “mürid” (disciple) too early, because true discipleship means having already reached the goal, a state none of us has yet attained. We are all still candidates: walking, learning and testing our resolve. The journey ends only when the seeker reaches the divine destination, or else remains on the road without progress.
The Guide’s Role
A central theme of the talk is the indispensable guide (rehber), who knows where the abyss lies, where hidden traps wait and how to pass safely. Ignoring this guidance in favour of shortcuts only leads further astray. As Sheikh Efendi often says: “Give a way, open a way, or step aside.” Finding a trustworthy guide who keeps opening doors toward the goal is therefore essential for every traveller.
Knowledge as Motion
Knowledge (ilm) is not static; it becomes a journey when it is put into practice. What we learn must be set in motion, shared, lived and passed on, so that it too travels back toward its source. In this sense every piece of wisdom is itself a traveller, returning to Allah, the true owner of all truth.
Ayberk Efendi’s reflections remind us that the spiritual path calls for constant vigilance, steadfast intention and reliance on authentic guidance. May we each keep our eyes fixed ahead, nurture a sincere niyet and walk together in the light of true guides.
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