In this first part of “The Rise,” we contemplate a timeless Qur’anic reminder: “For every happening there is an appointed time to occur, and soon you will come to know and see.” (Surah Al-An’am 67). The words echo throughout the Sufi tradition and urge the seeker to attune the heart to the unseen calendar that God has set for each soul.
Divine Appointments
The verse stresses that every event in creation unfolds according to a Divine timetable. Nothing is arbitrary; even the faintest inspiration or a sudden surge of longing has its appointed moment. In the Ottoman-Sufi heritage this idea appears again and again—in the poetry of Yunus Emre, the letters of Sheikh Bahauddin Efendi and the teachings of our own Ayberk Efendi—where the “time” is less a calendar date than a spiritual readiness. When the heart softens through dhikr and sincere repentance, the veil lifts and the appointed moment becomes visible.
Preparing for the Coming Dawn
Part 1 of “The Rise” reminds us that the nearness of this time is meant not to cause anxiety but to encourage preparation. The Sufi path teaches three stages of readiness:
- Awareness – recognising the signs of inner stirring, the subtle pull towards the Divine.
- Purification – daily prayer, reciting the names of the Ashab-i Badr and giving charity to clear the heart.
- Surrender – offering one’s will completely to Allah, trusting that the appointed hour will unfold with perfect wisdom.
Through these practices we align ourselves with the Divine timetable, so that the promised “rise” can appear both in personal transformation and in collective awakening.
Let us keep our hearts open to the signs around us. May each breath remind us that the appointed time is drawing near and invite us to rise together in humility, love and devotion.
If you feel called to deepen your practice in a community rooted in Ottoman-Sufi wisdom, we welcome you to join us on the Royal Ottoman Society’s community page.
