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Book Presentation ELISABETH ÖZDALGA The

The order constitutes one of the leading Sufi orders ( t a r i q a ) in the Muslim world. Baha'al-Din Naqshband (d. 1389), the order's eponym, originated from in Khorasan. During the 15t h and 16t h in Western and centuries, the order developed into a world-wide or- ganization, spreading to areas as culturally and geo- graphically distant as Central Asia, Eastern Turkestan, , China, Afghanistan, and the then Ottoman Empire (including the Balkans). Central Asia

that a Sufi order like the Naqshbandiyya has Algar, where attention is drawn to how process of reconstructing the Naqshbandi been able to preserve its traditions since the 'global' people, living many generations be- tradition in . He also discusses 1 5t h century. This highlights the fact, so eas- fore us, in fact were. Hamid Algar presents the dilemmas facing today's Uzbek authori- ily overlooked in times of powerful secular- an analysis of how Sheikh Nidai of Kashgar ties, who in their newly begun nation-build- ization, that religion represents a strong (d. 1760), in the capacity of a wandering ing projects, are anxious to support the new force in the formation of social and cultural mendicant, for more than 40 years travelled interest in , without leaving the fields identity – even in modern society. to a large number of holy sites in Turkestan, open to religious radicalism and fanaticism. Outsiders trying to understand the role of later on turned to Kirkuk, Mosul, Aleppo, the Naqshbandi order in today's society and the Hicaz, and how he finally Outside Central Asia often mistake its members' involvement in settled in Istanbul, where he was appointed This volume also contains chapters on the worldly affairs (as economic entrepreneurs, the first sheikh for a newly opened t e k k e Naqshbandis in three areas outside of Cen- state officials, or political activists) for sim- (lodge) in Eyüp. This example illustrates tral Asia, namely the Kurdish areas of ple worldliness; as if religious involvement how the Naqshbandi order, for many cen- and southeast Turkey, , and was nothing but a pretext or cover for their turies, bound together the three main re- Afghanistan. Ferhad Shakely gives a de- economic or political power interests. How- gions of the Sunni Muslim world: the Ot- tailed description of the relation between ever, this picture is over-simplified. A char- toman Empire, Central Asia, and the Indian the sheikhs of Hawraman and other Sufi or- acteristic feature of the Naqshbandi is in- s u b c o n t i n e n t . ders like the and their cultural and deed the emphasis of a double responsibili- (zikr) – the repetitive invocation of political influence in the Kurdish areas until ty: towards this world a n d the other world. the name of Allah – is widely practiced today. Leif Stenberg analyses the Syrian This position seems to be as valid now as it among Sufis. The z i k r ritual is most often branch of the Naqshbandi order, centred at was hundreds of years ago and constitutes practiced collectively, with intensive and the Abu an-Nur Foundation in , an important key to the remarkable perse- emotion-laden expressions, where the par- led by Sheikh Ahmad Kuftaro, and the verance and integrity of the movement. takers move their bodies rhythmically as Grand Mufti of Syria. Bo Utas' account of the The Naqshbandi order could not have pre- they loudly pronounce the names of Allah. Naqshbandi order in Afghanistan is unique. served its core identity so persistently, had In contrast to such expressions, members of Having spent time in Afghanistan in 1977 it not been for a good share of flexibility. Its the Naqshbandi order have generally been and 1978, he happened to be in the country capacity to adjust to changing social condi- regarded as being more sober and orderly, on the very day of the coup d'état, 27 April tions is just as remarkable is its endurance. practicing the so-called 'silent' rather than 1978. For a couple of months, he travelled The openness towards change has been es- the 'loud' z i k r. However, even if silent z i k r around and visited 12 k h a n a q a h s , 7 of which pecially observable during the last century, generally has been referred to as one of the are Naqshbandi. Bo Utas' observations took and especially the last couple of decades, most characteristic marks distinguishing place at a very critical point in time and con- when representatives for the Naqshbandi the Naqshbandis from other Sufi orders, tain information about groups and social t a r i k a t have been involved in a range of such as the Qadiriyya ('whispering' as op- networks that are now lost forever. Cover of Sheikh Of great importance for the diffusion of the high technology enterprises, advanced in- posed to 'jumping' ) historical The book also contains three chapters on Ahmad Kuftaro's Naqshbandi order was Sheikh Ahmad stitutions of higher education and the latest records show that both forms of zikr in fact modern Turkey. Hakan Yavuz problematizes bestseller Sirhindi (d. 1624) from India, who, at the innovations in media technology. Studying have been practiced by Naqshbandi the role of different Naqshbandi groups in from 1997. turn of the first millennium (Hijra) became the Naqshbandi raises intriguing questions dervishes themselves. This intriguing ques- terms of economic, political and intellectual one of its great innovators, thence gaining not only about how change and continuity tion is addressed by Isenbike Togan, who, life in post-war Turkey, placing this against the epithet m u j a d d i d (re-newer). He is, as so are balanced against each other, but also by referring to developments in Eastern the background of an historical exposé of many other leading Naqshbandi figures, how concerns for this world and the next Turkestan and China of the 17t h and 18t h the Naqshbandi order. Fulya Atacan pre- well-known both for his great wisdom and are combined against the challenges from centuries, draws attention to the fact that sents a portrait of a contemporary Naqsh- his powerful involvement in social and po- an increasingly secularized society. the question of 'silent' versus 'loud' z i k r bandi sheikh, Osman Hulusi Ate_ (1914- litical affairs. Ahmad Sirhindi had an influen- could even stir up controversy between var- 1990), who was born in a small town in the tial predecessor in Khoja 'Ubayd Allah Ahrar Background and content ious Naqshbandi groups. province Malatya. (d. 1490) from Samarqand, who is also re- The articles on which the book, The Naqsh- Jo-Ann Gross discusses the well-known Korkut Özal, former MP for the National membered as a great religious personality bandis in Western and Central Asia: Change w a q f (foundation) of Khoja Ahrar (d. 1490) in Salvation Party and Minister of Internal Af- and powerful community leader. and Continuity, is based are papers read at a Samarqand, and its reorganization after the fairs in one of the coalition governments of Another prominent Naqshbandi sheikh conference entitled 'Patterns of Transforma- Russian conquest of Central Asia in the the 1970s, focuses on yet another leader, and re-newer was Mawlana Khalid (d. 1827), tion among the Naqshbandi in Middle East 1860s. Khoja Ahrar was an influential and namely the well-known Sheikh Mehmed who belonged to a Kurdish tribe in what is and Central Asia' held at the Swedish Re- venerated Naqshbandi sheikh, whose Zahid Kotku (1897-1980). Professor Özal of- today northern Iraq. Since he spent his most search Institute in Istanbul from 9-11 June k h a n a q a h , or tomb complex, has been a fers more than just a portrait of a prominent influential years in Baghdad, he has been 1997. The conference was part of a two-year place of pilgrimage for over 500 years. The Sufi leader. He also gives an account of his endowed with the epithet 'Baghdadi'. Like programme of activities at the Institute fo- fact that the Russian colonial administra- own experience of being Kotku's m u r i d ( d i s- Ahmad Sirhindi, he was influential enough cusing on 'Islamic culture'. The aim of the tion, for the sake of control, initiated a spe- ciple) for a period of 20 years. to initiate a new Naqshbandi sub-branch, conference was to address problems of re- cial investigation of the w a q f, bears witness This book was intended as a modest fol- the Khalidiyya. It was to a great extent under cent change among the Naqshbandi in the to the social and economic importance of low-up of the impressive work , The Naqsh- the influence of the Khalidi branch that the Near East and Central Asia. Keeping in mind the w a q f holdings. The effect of Russian b a n d i s (Gaborieau, Marc, Alexandre Popoviç Naqshbandi order markedly increased its in- the long history of this institution, the aim colonialism was, however, that the Naqsh- and Rierry Zarcone (1990) It is hoped that as fluence over 19t h century Ottoman society. was to encourage analyses in a longue durée bandi communities, for the first time in their such it will help in carrying the scholarly dis- Its legacy is still strong in both present-day perspective. In light of that objective, stud- long history, were seriously threatened. Fol- cussion of this powerful branch of Islamic Turkey and Syria. ies focusing on Central Asia gained special lowing is a chapter by Butros Abu-Manneh, mysticism a bit further. ◆ significance, since these areas are the origi- which approaches this w a q f leader from a Preserving tradition nal homeland of the Naqshbandi. But it was different point of view, namely through a In today's world, where social relation- crucial to focus on Central Asia for yet an- widely read hagiography, Rashahat Ain al- ships are highly fluid, it is remarkable to no- other reason, which concerns the fact that H a y a t (Trickles from the Fountain of Life), tice the existence of a viable religious move- its peoples have only very recently come written by Kahshiifi, one of Khoja Ahrar's ment with roots several hundred years back out from a 70-year-long communist dicta- d i s c i p l e s . in history. It is only by reflecting over the im- torship, in which religion was severely sup- Questions related to what happens to mense transformations taking place within pressed. Stemming from this fact are many Naqshbandi networks in Central Asia after economic relationships, political structures, questions related to what will happen to the collapse of the former Soviet Union are Elisabeth Özdalga is professor of Sociology at the settlement patterns, communications, sci- Islam in general, and the Naqshbandi in par- discussed by Vernon Schubel. Based on his Middle East Technical University, Ankara, ence, technology and even family relation- ticular, as conditions in this part of the world own recent research, Schubel discusses how and is currently director of the Swedish Research ships over the last 100 to 150 years, that one have the opportunity to normalize. written sources in the form of popularized Institute in Istanbul. can truly appreciate the extraordinary fact The book opens with a chapter by Hamid hagiographies play an important role in the E-mail: [email protected]