In an evening that felt both timeless and urgently contemporary, the Royal Ottoman Society presented “Diriliş Vakti” (“Time of Revival”), a programme devoted to the spirit of renewal that runs through our Ottoman Sufi heritage. It brought together three speakers: the scholar and author Mehmed Pala, the cultural activist Tuğrul Selmanoğlu and the spiritual guide Ayberk Efendi. Together they showed how the legacy of the empire can inspire a fresh awakening among seekers today.
Mehmed Pala opened by recalling the golden moments of the Ottoman Empire, when knowledge, art and devotion were intertwined. He highlighted episodes of cultural revival, such as Sultan Süleyman’s patronage of poetry and architecture, and drew parallels to our own time, urging us to let the same energy flow through modern life.
Tuğrul Selmanoğlu turned to practical expression: keeping Ottoman traditions alive in everyday practice, from Turkish calligraphy to the shared rhythm of zikir. His examples came from local initiatives in Ludwigshafen and showed how a community can weave its heritage into city life without losing authenticity.
Finally, Ayberk Efendi gave revival its spiritual frame. True diriliş, he reminded us, begins within, through sincere remembrance of the Divine (dhikr) and openness to surrender. When inner transformation and outward action go together, we come closer to the Ottoman ideal of insan‑ı kâmil, the perfected human being.
The evening closed with a shared recitation of classical Ottoman verses, a reminder that the past is not a museum piece but a living source of inspiration. We left with renewed purpose: to study, to act and to pray in ways that honour both our ancestors and the future we are shaping together.
If you feel called to continue this journey, join our community or become a member of the Royal Ottoman Society, and help keep the flame of Diriliş Vakti burning.
