Tasawwuf And Service

When one thinks of Ghawth-i Thani (quddisa sirruhu), service is one of the first concepts that come to mind. He desired to be remembered as "Khadim al-Muslimin," the Servant of Muslims and often emphasized the etiquette of service in his discourses. He persistently advised all believers to engage in service night and day.

To better understand why a kamil murshid places such importance on service, it is useful to briefly recall the concept of service and its place in Islam.

If we were to leave nature alone without human interference, it would continue in its own rhythm and cycle. However, there will be disruption or improvement where there is human presence, for humans possess will. This will, enveloped by divine decree and destiny, brings forth "good" or "evil" situations. Animals, plants, and inanimate beings can be helpful, but they cannot perform "good" through will. The usefulness and goodness of a human being are contingent on their will. This act of exerting one’s will to be beneficial to other beings is called "service."

In Islam, and especially in tasawwuf, certain conditions are set for service. Firstly, an act of service must be performed with the intention of seeking Allah’s pleasure. Acts done for show, prestige, or worldly purposes are not considered service. One may serve to be worthy of Jannah, but acts for any worldly benefit completely change the nature of the service. Hence, "ikhlas," which means to be free from any purpose other than pleasing Allah, is a prerequisite for the act of service to be acceptable.

Furthermore, numerous adabs have been established for service, and acts of service that do not adhere to these adabs are considered unacceptable to the extent of their non-compliance.

Ghawth-i Thani (quddisa sirruhu) is synonymous with service, not only recommending it in his discourses but also leading and guiding the establishment of various service institutions. He expanded the opportunities for service to such an extent that it spread across all seasons and continents, leaving no excuse or justification for not participating in it. Consequently, everyone who has come to know him has shared in this service.

SERVICE IN ISLAM

To understand why a kamil (one who has achieved perfection) murshid places such importance on service, one should recall the concept of service in our religion.

The Quran and the hadiths frequently advise doing good and helping others.

The Quran speaks of believers racing in good deeds and praises them in the following ayah:

"They believe in Allah and the Last Day, they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and they hasten in (all) good works: They are in the ranks of the righteous." (Ali ‘Imran, 114)

In another ayah, believers are commanded to help one another in righteousness and piety:

"Help each other in righteousness and piety, and do not help each other in sin and aggression. Fear Allah. Surely, Allah is severe at punishment." (Al-Maidah, 2)

The Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "The best of people are those that bring most benefit to the rest of mankind" (Bayhaqi, Shu’ab, VI, 177) and encouraged his companions and all believers to strive for the benefit of others.

In the following hadith, it is conveyed that Allah the Exalted is pleased with the servant who helps his Muslim brother and meets his needs:

"Allah helps His slave as long as he helps his brother." (Muslim, Dhikr, 38)

According to these and other commands and recommendations, helping a Muslim brother, working for his benefit, and making sacrifices to do so are the essence of service in tasawwuf. Believers know that they cannot earn the pleasure of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) by thinking only of themselves. They must be beneficial to others, and this benefit must be given solely for Allah's pleasure, without any worldly or selfish gain.

Therefore, service, while being a requirement of good character and a virtuous act, is also a command of Islam in certain contexts.

We, as believers, cannot entirely abandon service. One can earn many virtues by continuing to serve after fulfilling the responsibilities of service one is accountable for. A good place to start when looking for more ways to serve is within one’s immediate environment.

Prophets have performed the greatest service because they conveyed the truth and reality to people without expecting any worldly return. They have shown remarkable sacrifices and patience. Looking at the life of any prophet, one can see that they put everything at stake, even their lives, to guide people to salvation. All these efforts fall within the Sufi definition of service. Indeed, the figures that dervishes most often look up to for their service ethic are the prophets.

All ummahs have served, with the Noble Companions being the foremost example. The Quran and hadiths narrate how believers from past ummahs served their prophets and their communities. The Companions are a pinnacle generation in service, and the Age of Bliss is a pinnacle period in service.

Anas bin Malik (radiyallahu anh) narrated:

"We were traveling with the Prophet, and some of us were fasting, and some were not. On a very hot day, we stopped at a place. Only those who had suitable clothing could shelter themselves from the sun. Some tried to shield themselves with their hands. The ones who were fasting inevitably collapsed from exhaustion. Those who were not fasting set up tents and watered the animals. Then the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, 'Today, the real reward is earned by those who are not fasting.'" (Muslim, Siyam 16, 2678)

As narrated in many authoritative sources, this hadith is one of the most famous pieces of evidence for the people of knowledge and wisdom considering service superior to supererogatory worship. The esteem in which the people of knowledge and wisdom hold service has influenced almost all Islamic institutions throughout history. Our mosques, madrasas, dargahs, caravanserais, inns, bathhouses, bridges... all have been designed, constructed, and revived to enable and render service.

SERVICE IN TASAWWUF

Although service is one of the commands and recommendations of our religion, it is more closely associated with tasawwuf and Sufis. Even though service may appear to be an exhausting task from the outside, its essence is related to the heart. Therefore, its spiritual depth has been considered more important than its apparent aspects. In service, emphasis is placed on intention, purpose, and adab. All these have contributed to the flourishing of the concept of service under the umbrella of tasawwuf. Indeed, Sufis have had a significant share in many of the visible services throughout Islamic history.

From the early sources onwards, tasawwuf literature has featured service extensively. The advice given to serving dervishes in the Qushayri Risalah is a beautiful example of this:

• One serving should not expect to be asked but should understand what people need by observing their condition, as some may be too shy to ask.
• The person providing service must be patient and endure hardships.
• No thanks should be expected for service; instead, apologies should be offered.
• As the difficulties endured in service increase, the dervish should intensify his service.

Many similar words of advice regarding the adabs of service can be found in tasawwuf classics. Some sayings related to the scrupulous adabs of service, such as "Do not bring crooked wood to the dargah," "A single morsel does not fill you but increases the love in your heart," and "Service done unwillingly does not bring good," have long been staple adages of the tasawwuf culture. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the Islamic civilization is a civilization of service. Our cultural elements are full of nuances related to service. Even if one is not a follower of tasawwuf, the upbringing received from one’s elders and the values transmitted from generation to generation instill the ethics of service.

In tasawwuf, particular importance is given to serving one's murshid. As a term in tasawwuf, service is defined as "assisting a shaykh or the dervishes in a dargah." However, kamil murshids often assign those who wish to serve them not to their own service but to the service of all living and non-living beings. In this way, the actions performed in the name of service are predominantly characterized by not the benefit they confer upon the murshid but the compliance with the murshid's command. All services performed by the disciple at the behest of the murshid are considered service to the murshid.

SERVICE IN THE NAQSHBANDI PATH

Service holds special importance for the Naqshbandis because the Naqshbandi path has a principle called “halwat dar anjuman,” which can be defined as "being with Allah at heart while amidst the people in person." Shah Naqshband (quddisa sirruhu) said:

"If a person lives in a community and serves the people, they reach a level of heart tranquility superior to segregating themselves from the rest of the world and engaging in worship alone. Our path is one of mingling with the people. To distance oneself from the people is to seek fame (by drawing attention to yourself through isolation), and in fame, there is calamity."

Shah Naqshband (quddisa sirruhu) defined the method of service following the footsteps of the earlier Khajagan Sufis. In turn, the great awliya of the Khajagan lineage kept the consciousness of service from the history of the prophets and the Age of Bliss alive. Thus, the tradition of service, which is the crown jewel in all the branching lineages of this beautiful path—the path that has come to be known as Naqshbandiyyah with Shah Naqshband (quddisa sirruhu)—will be preserved until the Day of Judgment by Allah's permission and grace.

Here is a list of some of the advice regarding the adabs of service by the noble Naqshbandi Sadat:

• It must strictly comply with Islamic commands and prohibitions.
• Attention should always be paid to having the right intention and proper adab.
• It must be done wholeheartedly. Service done unwillingly and with complaints is not truly service, and such actions are weighed down by a stifling darkness.
• One should make use of their time with service as much as possible. In most cases, service is more meritorious than supererogatory worship.
• Service must be rendered in every possible field. No job permitted by our religion should be seen as worldly; even halal activities that appear to serve worldly gains should be transformed into beneficial deeds for the afterlife through intention, service, and dhikr.
• The true owner of service is Allah the Most High, and success is a divine grace. Service does not need the individual; the individual needs the service.
• Service requires patience, self-sacrifice, and enduring all kinds of hardships.
• Service demands steadfastness; one must stick firmly to the initial intention and purpose.
• Those who wish to be beneficial to others must never neglect their own nafs; one who cannot reform themselves cannot reform others.
• The immaculate nature of service must not be tarnished by worldly benefits, ambitions for position and power, or pride in numbers.

When we look at the attitude, words, and actions of Ghawth-i Thani (quddisa sirruhu) regarding service, we see that the principles and methods explained so far have been implemented with great precision. When considering the value given to service in Islam, in tasawwuf, and in the Naqshbandi way, the sensitivity with which service endeavors have been carried out during the thirty-year guidance period of Shaykh Sayyid Abdülbaki el-Hüseyni (quddisa sirruhu) becomes clearer. SERVICE AS A BLESSING

The saying of Ghawth-i Thani (quddisa sirruhu), "Service is a blessing," has become patently famous. He addressed his followers on many occasions to teach that service is a blessing and to facilitate its realization. Furthermore, he contributed a wide range of service institutions to humanity.

When Ghawth-i Thani (quddisa sirruhu) began his irshad in 1993, the communication between those devoted to Menzil and their kamil murshid was not at the desired level. Confirming the contents of a sohbah or a request was difficult. Also, the supervision of local volunteers was necessary. As the number of Sufis increased, this naturally led to some problems.

Upon this, Ghawth-i Thani (quddisa sirruhu) established a foundation, also termed as waqf in Islamic contexts, to institutionalize the services. Through the waqf, a healthy communication system was installed. Thus, as Shaykh Sayyid Abdülbaki el-Hüseyni (quddisa sirruhu) himself confirmed, problems and complaints were significantly reduced.

When the waqf was first established, it was the sole institutional structure for services. Consequently, institutionalization in Menzil was referred to as "the waqf." Later on, many other foundations, associations, and companies were established to institutionalize services in different areas. Over time, the foundation’s healthy communication evolved into effective coordination, and numerous service institutions were founded within and around the waqf.