﷽
Shaykh Nazim, who has died aged 92, was an influential spiritual teacher and head of a branch of the Naqshbandi order of Sunni Islamic Sufism. He led about 300 Sufi centres in more than 30 countries as diverse as Chile and Japan; his followers ranged from heads of state to the homeless and troubled people in search of solace.
The spiritual training of Sufism is intended to help people to love, honour, understand, and be true to themselves and others. Shaykh Nazim taught that Sufi ways were universal, and his methods were grounded in everyday living.
I first visited him in 2009 as an anthropologist interested in healing. He used naturopathic and psychological methods to treat physical and mental illness, but was primarily regarded as a spiritual healer. Intrigued, I returned. I stayed with him several times, and came to regard him as the kindest of people and the best of friends.
Anyone, from any background, was welcome to stay with Shaykh Nazim at his base in Cyprus, and be fed and sheltered among the cats and the orange groves. Spiritual healing could sometimes be quite painful, as people confronted their hidden fears and selfishness, but most participants I spoke to felt that self-knowledge allowed them to live more complete and rewarding lives.
Nazim Adil was born in Larnaca. Both his grandfathers were spiritual teachers. His mother, Khadijeh, was a descendant of the Sufi poet Rumi. His father, Adil, was a civil servant. Nazim took a degree in chemical engineering from Istanbul University, and was invited to study for a doctorate; but his main interest was in spirituality. He studied and became a shaykh, or teacher, in several Sufi orders, before travelling to Damascus, where he met his spiritual master, Grandshaykh Abdullah.
Abdullah was known for his inspired simplicity: he taught love and respect for all things, and once reprimanded Nazim for kicking a stone to the side of the road, rather than putting it there gently. He died in 1973, having nominated Nazim to be his successor as head of the order.
Nazim's message and practice were of universal love; he condemned sectarianism and terrorism, describing humankind as one family, and the earth as our mother. He was often "the Sufi other Sufis went to"; but he worked with, and taught, people from diverse backgrounds. To many, he was simply a spiritual grandfather, who, with his kindness, cups of tea and insight, helped people make sense of their lives.
His wife, Amina (or Anne), a Russian writer and spiritual teacher, died in 2004. He is survived by two sons, Mehmet and Bahauddin, and two daughters, Nazihe and Rukiye. Mehmet succeeds him as head of the Sufi branch*.
~Written by Athar Yawar for "The Guardian"
August 14th, 2014
*It is not unusual for a Sufi Shaykh to leave this world with more than one successor, and in fact, that is what Mawlana Shaykh Nazim did when he also left for us as one of his main successors, his Son-in-Law and longtime companion, Shaykh Muhammad Hisham al-Qabbani who was born in Tripoli, Lebanon and now resides in Michigan with his Family.
FROM SHAYKH NAZIM'S SAYINGS:
"Bismillahi r-Rahmani r-Rahim. O People! Complaints are the measure of one's character, good or bad. As much as your complaining is little, few bad characteristics are left with you. When you finish all your complaining, you are healthy! This is an important point, because a good-character person has patience, which means they have real faith. Whenever you are not patient you are not in faith, and zero faith means no good character. Think on it."
"There are three big snakes that harm human beings: to be intolerant and impatient with the people around you; to be habituated to something you cannot leave; and to be controlled by your ego."
"To achieve dunya (the world) is humiliation, and to achieve the next life is honor. I am amazed at those who prefer humiliation to honor."
"If Allah, Almighty and Exalted, opened the Essence of His Divine Love, everyone on earth would die from that love."
"God said, 'Whoever will be patient with Us will reach Us.'"
"God Almighty did not create us except to taste the sweetness of being created; to taste love and happiness. Why do we reject this and choose a meaningless existence?"
"If fear of God is grounded in the heart, the tongue will never speak what is of no purpose."
"A seeker should be someone who has left himself and connected his heart with the Divine Presence. He stands in His Presence performing his obligations while visualizing the Divine with his heart. God's Light has burned his heart giving him a thirst for the nectar of roses, and withdrawing the curtains from his eyes, allowing him to see His Lord. If he opens his mouth it is by order of the Divine Presence. If he moves it is by the order of God, and if he becomes tranquil it is by the action of the Divine Attributes. He is in the Divine Presence and with God."
"The Sufi is the one who keeps the obligations that God has conveyed by the Holy Prophet (ﷺ ), and strives to raise himself to the state of Perfected Character, which is the Knowledge of God, Almighty and Exalted."
Shaykh Nazim, who has died aged 92, was an influential spiritual teacher and head of a branch of the Naqshbandi order of Sunni Islamic Sufism. He led about 300 Sufi centres in more than 30 countries as diverse as Chile and Japan; his followers ranged from heads of state to the homeless and troubled people in search of solace.
The spiritual training of Sufism is intended to help people to love, honour, understand, and be true to themselves and others. Shaykh Nazim taught that Sufi ways were universal, and his methods were grounded in everyday living.
I first visited him in 2009 as an anthropologist interested in healing. He used naturopathic and psychological methods to treat physical and mental illness, but was primarily regarded as a spiritual healer. Intrigued, I returned. I stayed with him several times, and came to regard him as the kindest of people and the best of friends.
Anyone, from any background, was welcome to stay with Shaykh Nazim at his base in Cyprus, and be fed and sheltered among the cats and the orange groves. Spiritual healing could sometimes be quite painful, as people confronted their hidden fears and selfishness, but most participants I spoke to felt that self-knowledge allowed them to live more complete and rewarding lives.
Nazim Adil was born in Larnaca. Both his grandfathers were spiritual teachers. His mother, Khadijeh, was a descendant of the Sufi poet Rumi. His father, Adil, was a civil servant. Nazim took a degree in chemical engineering from Istanbul University, and was invited to study for a doctorate; but his main interest was in spirituality. He studied and became a shaykh, or teacher, in several Sufi orders, before travelling to Damascus, where he met his spiritual master, Grandshaykh Abdullah.
Abdullah was known for his inspired simplicity: he taught love and respect for all things, and once reprimanded Nazim for kicking a stone to the side of the road, rather than putting it there gently. He died in 1973, having nominated Nazim to be his successor as head of the order.
Nazim's message and practice were of universal love; he condemned sectarianism and terrorism, describing humankind as one family, and the earth as our mother. He was often "the Sufi other Sufis went to"; but he worked with, and taught, people from diverse backgrounds. To many, he was simply a spiritual grandfather, who, with his kindness, cups of tea and insight, helped people make sense of their lives.
His wife, Amina (or Anne), a Russian writer and spiritual teacher, died in 2004. He is survived by two sons, Mehmet and Bahauddin, and two daughters, Nazihe and Rukiye. Mehmet succeeds him as head of the Sufi branch*.
~Written by Athar Yawar for "The Guardian"
August 14th, 2014
*It is not unusual for a Sufi Shaykh to leave this world with more than one successor, and in fact, that is what Mawlana Shaykh Nazim did when he also left for us as one of his main successors, his Son-in-Law and longtime companion, Shaykh Muhammad Hisham al-Qabbani who was born in Tripoli, Lebanon and now resides in Michigan with his Family.
FROM SHAYKH NAZIM'S SAYINGS:
"Bismillahi r-Rahmani r-Rahim. O People! Complaints are the measure of one's character, good or bad. As much as your complaining is little, few bad characteristics are left with you. When you finish all your complaining, you are healthy! This is an important point, because a good-character person has patience, which means they have real faith. Whenever you are not patient you are not in faith, and zero faith means no good character. Think on it."
"There are three big snakes that harm human beings: to be intolerant and impatient with the people around you; to be habituated to something you cannot leave; and to be controlled by your ego."
"To achieve dunya (the world) is humiliation, and to achieve the next life is honor. I am amazed at those who prefer humiliation to honor."
"If Allah, Almighty and Exalted, opened the Essence of His Divine Love, everyone on earth would die from that love."
"God said, 'Whoever will be patient with Us will reach Us.'"
"God Almighty did not create us except to taste the sweetness of being created; to taste love and happiness. Why do we reject this and choose a meaningless existence?"
"If fear of God is grounded in the heart, the tongue will never speak what is of no purpose."
"A seeker should be someone who has left himself and connected his heart with the Divine Presence. He stands in His Presence performing his obligations while visualizing the Divine with his heart. God's Light has burned his heart giving him a thirst for the nectar of roses, and withdrawing the curtains from his eyes, allowing him to see His Lord. If he opens his mouth it is by order of the Divine Presence. If he moves it is by the order of God, and if he becomes tranquil it is by the action of the Divine Attributes. He is in the Divine Presence and with God."
"The Sufi is the one who keeps the obligations that God has conveyed by the Holy Prophet (ﷺ ), and strives to raise himself to the state of Perfected Character, which is the Knowledge of God, Almighty and Exalted."
﷽
Shaykh Nazim, who has died aged 92, was an influential spiritual teacher and head of a branch of the Naqshbandi order of Sunni Islamic Sufism. He led about 300 Sufi centres in more than 30 countries as diverse as Chile and Japan; his followers ranged from heads of state to the homeless and troubled people in search of solace.
The spiritual training of Sufism is intended to help people to love, honour, understand, and be true to themselves and others. Shaykh Nazim taught that Sufi ways were universal, and his methods were grounded in everyday living.
I first visited him in 2009 as an anthropologist interested in healing. He used naturopathic and psychological methods to treat physical and mental illness, but was primarily regarded as a spiritual healer. Intrigued, I returned. I stayed with him several times, and came to regard him as the kindest of people and the best of friends.
Anyone, from any background, was welcome to stay with Shaykh Nazim at his base in Cyprus, and be fed and sheltered among the cats and the orange groves. Spiritual healing could sometimes be quite painful, as people confronted their hidden fears and selfishness, but most participants I spoke to felt that self-knowledge allowed them to live more complete and rewarding lives.
Nazim Adil was born in Larnaca. Both his grandfathers were spiritual teachers. His mother, Khadijeh, was a descendant of the Sufi poet Rumi. His father, Adil, was a civil servant. Nazim took a degree in chemical engineering from Istanbul University, and was invited to study for a doctorate; but his main interest was in spirituality. He studied and became a shaykh, or teacher, in several Sufi orders, before travelling to Damascus, where he met his spiritual master, Grandshaykh Abdullah.
Abdullah was known for his inspired simplicity: he taught love and respect for all things, and once reprimanded Nazim for kicking a stone to the side of the road, rather than putting it there gently. He died in 1973, having nominated Nazim to be his successor as head of the order.
Nazim's message and practice were of universal love; he condemned sectarianism and terrorism, describing humankind as one family, and the earth as our mother. He was often "the Sufi other Sufis went to"; but he worked with, and taught, people from diverse backgrounds. To many, he was simply a spiritual grandfather, who, with his kindness, cups of tea and insight, helped people make sense of their lives.
His wife, Amina (or Anne), a Russian writer and spiritual teacher, died in 2004. He is survived by two sons, Mehmet and Bahauddin, and two daughters, Nazihe and Rukiye. Mehmet succeeds him as head of the Sufi branch*.
~Written by Athar Yawar for "The Guardian"
August 14th, 2014
*It is not unusual for a Sufi Shaykh to leave this world with more than one successor, and in fact, that is what Mawlana Shaykh Nazim did when he also left for us as one of his main successors, his Son-in-Law and longtime companion, Shaykh Muhammad Hisham al-Qabbani who was born in Tripoli, Lebanon and now resides in Michigan with his Family.
FROM SHAYKH NAZIM'S SAYINGS:
"Bismillahi r-Rahmani r-Rahim. O People! Complaints are the measure of one's character, good or bad. As much as your complaining is little, few bad characteristics are left with you. When you finish all your complaining, you are healthy! This is an important point, because a good-character person has patience, which means they have real faith. Whenever you are not patient you are not in faith, and zero faith means no good character. Think on it."
"There are three big snakes that harm human beings: to be intolerant and impatient with the people around you; to be habituated to something you cannot leave; and to be controlled by your ego."
"To achieve dunya (the world) is humiliation, and to achieve the next life is honor. I am amazed at those who prefer humiliation to honor."
"If Allah, Almighty and Exalted, opened the Essence of His Divine Love, everyone on earth would die from that love."
"God said, 'Whoever will be patient with Us will reach Us.'"
"God Almighty did not create us except to taste the sweetness of being created; to taste love and happiness. Why do we reject this and choose a meaningless existence?"
"If fear of God is grounded in the heart, the tongue will never speak what is of no purpose."
"A seeker should be someone who has left himself and connected his heart with the Divine Presence. He stands in His Presence performing his obligations while visualizing the Divine with his heart. God's Light has burned his heart giving him a thirst for the nectar of roses, and withdrawing the curtains from his eyes, allowing him to see His Lord. If he opens his mouth it is by order of the Divine Presence. If he moves it is by the order of God, and if he becomes tranquil it is by the action of the Divine Attributes. He is in the Divine Presence and with God."
"The Sufi is the one who keeps the obligations that God has conveyed by the Holy Prophet (ﷺ ), and strives to raise himself to the state of Perfected Character, which is the Knowledge of God, Almighty and Exalted."
Shaykh Nazim, who has died aged 92, was an influential spiritual teacher and head of a branch of the Naqshbandi order of Sunni Islamic Sufism. He led about 300 Sufi centres in more than 30 countries as diverse as Chile and Japan; his followers ranged from heads of state to the homeless and troubled people in search of solace.
The spiritual training of Sufism is intended to help people to love, honour, understand, and be true to themselves and others. Shaykh Nazim taught that Sufi ways were universal, and his methods were grounded in everyday living.
I first visited him in 2009 as an anthropologist interested in healing. He used naturopathic and psychological methods to treat physical and mental illness, but was primarily regarded as a spiritual healer. Intrigued, I returned. I stayed with him several times, and came to regard him as the kindest of people and the best of friends.
Anyone, from any background, was welcome to stay with Shaykh Nazim at his base in Cyprus, and be fed and sheltered among the cats and the orange groves. Spiritual healing could sometimes be quite painful, as people confronted their hidden fears and selfishness, but most participants I spoke to felt that self-knowledge allowed them to live more complete and rewarding lives.
Nazim Adil was born in Larnaca. Both his grandfathers were spiritual teachers. His mother, Khadijeh, was a descendant of the Sufi poet Rumi. His father, Adil, was a civil servant. Nazim took a degree in chemical engineering from Istanbul University, and was invited to study for a doctorate; but his main interest was in spirituality. He studied and became a shaykh, or teacher, in several Sufi orders, before travelling to Damascus, where he met his spiritual master, Grandshaykh Abdullah.
Abdullah was known for his inspired simplicity: he taught love and respect for all things, and once reprimanded Nazim for kicking a stone to the side of the road, rather than putting it there gently. He died in 1973, having nominated Nazim to be his successor as head of the order.
Nazim's message and practice were of universal love; he condemned sectarianism and terrorism, describing humankind as one family, and the earth as our mother. He was often "the Sufi other Sufis went to"; but he worked with, and taught, people from diverse backgrounds. To many, he was simply a spiritual grandfather, who, with his kindness, cups of tea and insight, helped people make sense of their lives.
His wife, Amina (or Anne), a Russian writer and spiritual teacher, died in 2004. He is survived by two sons, Mehmet and Bahauddin, and two daughters, Nazihe and Rukiye. Mehmet succeeds him as head of the Sufi branch*.
~Written by Athar Yawar for "The Guardian"
August 14th, 2014
*It is not unusual for a Sufi Shaykh to leave this world with more than one successor, and in fact, that is what Mawlana Shaykh Nazim did when he also left for us as one of his main successors, his Son-in-Law and longtime companion, Shaykh Muhammad Hisham al-Qabbani who was born in Tripoli, Lebanon and now resides in Michigan with his Family.
FROM SHAYKH NAZIM'S SAYINGS:
"Bismillahi r-Rahmani r-Rahim. O People! Complaints are the measure of one's character, good or bad. As much as your complaining is little, few bad characteristics are left with you. When you finish all your complaining, you are healthy! This is an important point, because a good-character person has patience, which means they have real faith. Whenever you are not patient you are not in faith, and zero faith means no good character. Think on it."
"There are three big snakes that harm human beings: to be intolerant and impatient with the people around you; to be habituated to something you cannot leave; and to be controlled by your ego."
"To achieve dunya (the world) is humiliation, and to achieve the next life is honor. I am amazed at those who prefer humiliation to honor."
"If Allah, Almighty and Exalted, opened the Essence of His Divine Love, everyone on earth would die from that love."
"God said, 'Whoever will be patient with Us will reach Us.'"
"God Almighty did not create us except to taste the sweetness of being created; to taste love and happiness. Why do we reject this and choose a meaningless existence?"
"If fear of God is grounded in the heart, the tongue will never speak what is of no purpose."
"A seeker should be someone who has left himself and connected his heart with the Divine Presence. He stands in His Presence performing his obligations while visualizing the Divine with his heart. God's Light has burned his heart giving him a thirst for the nectar of roses, and withdrawing the curtains from his eyes, allowing him to see His Lord. If he opens his mouth it is by order of the Divine Presence. If he moves it is by the order of God, and if he becomes tranquil it is by the action of the Divine Attributes. He is in the Divine Presence and with God."
"The Sufi is the one who keeps the obligations that God has conveyed by the Holy Prophet (ﷺ ), and strives to raise himself to the state of Perfected Character, which is the Knowledge of God, Almighty and Exalted."
Gravesite Details
The grave or "maqam" is on the grounds of the Naqshbandi Sufi Dergah established by Mawlana Shaykh Nazim. Visitors from all over the world are welcome!
