Nazim Al-Haqqani Explained

Honorific Prefix:Mawláná Shaykh
Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqani
Birth Name:Mehmet Nâzım Âdil
Birth Date:21 April 1922
Death Place:North Nicosia, Northern Cyprus
Birth Place:Larnaca, British Cyprus
Occupation:Former leader of the Naqshbandi Haqqani Sufi Order
Predecessor:Shaykh Abdullah ad-Daghistani

Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil Al-Qubrusi Al-Haqqani (born Mehmet Nâzım Âdil; 21 April 1922  - 7 May 2014) (Turkish: Şeyh Muhammed Nâzım Âdil El-Kıbrısî Hakkanî), commonly known as Shaykh Nazim (Turkish: Şeyh Nâzım), was a Turkish Cypriot Sunni Muslim imam and one of the most influential members of the Haqqani stream of the Naqshbandi order (tariqa) of Sunni Islam.

Names

Shaykh Nazim was active both in Turkish and Arabic language contexts. His name was therefore transliterated into English in various ways: Nazim al-Qubrusi), indicating his homeland of Cyprus, and Muhammad Nazım 'Adil al-Qubrusi al-Haqqani an-Naqshbandi (Arabic: محمد ناظم عادل القبرصي الحقاني النقشبندي). His name al-Haqqani is an honorific name granted by his Sufi teacher Shaykh Abdullah Fa'izi ad-Daghestani. He has no connection with the Islamic insurgent group known as the Haqqani network.

Early life

Shaykh Nazim was born Mehmet Nâzım Âdil on April 21, 1922, and traced his lineage back to Imam Abdul Qadir Gilani through his paternal Grandfather Shaykh Yesilbas Hussayn al-Qadiri and Mawláná Rumi through his maternal grandfather Shaykh Kaytazzâde Mehmet Nâzım who he was named after.[1]

During his studies he moved to Istanbul, Turkey, in 1940 to study chemical engineering at Istanbul University. He would later state: "I felt no attraction to modern science; my heart was always drawn to the spiritual sciences."[2]

Studies in Sharia' and Sufism

Shaykh Nazim studied Classical Arabic and Islamic Jurisprudence (fiqh) in Istanbul, Turkey under Jamal al-Din al-Alsuni (d. 1955 CE/1375 AH) and received an ijaza (permission to teach) in these subjects from him. He was initiated in Naqshbandi Sufism by Sulayman Arzarumi (d. 1948 CE/1368 AH), who eventually directed him to Damascus, Syria, to continue his studies with his destined sheikh. He left Istanbul and arrived in Syria in 1944.[2]

Nazim continued his studies in Aleppo, Hama, and Homs in Syria. In Homs, he studied at the madrasa adjoining the burial shrine and mosque of Muhammad's companion, Khalid ibn al-Walid. There, he received further ijazas in Hanafi jurisprudence (fiqh) from Muhammad 'Ali' Ayoun al-Soud and Abdul Jalil Murad.

Following the end of the unrest in the region due to World War II, Nazim was able to enter Damascus in 1945. There, he met Abdullah Fa'izi ad-Daghestani, and they exchanged the Sufi oath of mutual allegiance (bay'ah). He trained him well in Naqshbandi Sufi path. Nazim would consider Abdullah as his primary spiritual director (murshid) until the latter's death in 1973.

Islamic missionary activity

Nazim returned to Cyprus and began Islamic missionary activity. Whilst there, he came into conflict with the Kemalist governing body of the Turkish community of the island, which in accordance with Kemalist ideology was actively striving to de-Islamize the society. The government had enacted laws forbidding the public performance of the Islamic call to prayer (adhan) in its traditional Arabic form. Regardless, Nazim continued to do so. The conflict was resolved with the coming to power of Adnan Menderes in Turkey, whose government chose a more tolerant approach to Islamic traditions.[3] [4]

Nazim took up residence in Damascus in 1952 to continue his studies with Abdullah, though he continued to spend three months or more each year in his native Cyprus.[5]

Following the death of Abdullah Fa'izi ad-Daghestani in 1973, Nazim was made his spiritual successor. In 1974, he began to visit Western Europe, traveling every year to London, England, for the month of Ramadan. He gained a large following of spiritual seekers from Western Europe and North America, many of whom converted to Islam after encountering his teaching.[6] From 1980, his lectures on Islam and Sufism were published in English and other European languages.

Nazim's transnational appeal was facilitated by his ability to speak English, Turkish, Arabic, and Greek.

In his later years, Nazim was regularly recognized among the world's fifty most influential Muslims in the annual publication, The 500 Most Influential Muslims: he was ranked 42nd in the 2013/2014 edition.[7]

Notable students and followers of Al-Haqqani include John G. Bennett, the British author on spirituality,[8] [9] [10] and Rank Nazeer Ahmed, the Indian Muslim scholar and legislator.[11] Also he had ties with prominent scholars such as Habib Ali al-Jifri, Habib Umar, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Shaykh Habib Kadhim al Saqqaf.

Political opinions

Nazim was involved in politics. He had close ties with several notable politicians, notably the late president of Turkey, Turgut Özal, and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktaş.[12] Born just before the fall of the Ottoman Empire, he praised Ottoman history and civilization, contrasting its culture with its successor, the modern-day Republic of Turkey.[13]

Shaykh Nazim can be seen addressing multitudes of Islamists in a conference of the Welfare Party whose audience includes the likes of Abdullah Gül, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Necmettin Erbakan in Antwerp, Belgium in 1994. In it he discusses the importance of Islamic values and praises the Ottoman Caliphate.[14]

Death

Nazim had been receiving medical care since April 17, 2014, when he was rushed from his home in Lefke to the Near East University Hospital in North Nicosia, Northern Cyprus, after suffering from respiratory problems. He died on May 7, 2014 (8 Rajab 1435), aged 92.[15]

Shaykh Nazim was succeeded by his eldest son, Shaykh Mehmet 'Adil ar-Rabbani, as the 41st leader of the Naqshbandi Tariqa.

Published works

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Book: Speaking for Islam: Religious Authorities in Muslim Societies . 978-90-04-14949-6 . Krämer . Gudrun . Schmidtke . Sabine . 2006 . BRILL .
  2. Web site: 2013-12-21 . Sheikh Nazim Al-Haqqani . 2024-02-24 . Sufi Path of Love . nl.
  3. Web site: Şeyh Nazım Kıbrısi kimdir? . 2022-06-13 . T24 . Turkish . 2014-05-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140511083243/http://t24.com.tr/haber/seyh-nazim-kibrisi-kimdir,257802 . live .
  4. Web site: 2014-05-07 . Şeyh Nazım Kıbrısi Vefat Etti . 2022-06-13 . Haberler . tr.
  5. Web site: Maulana Sheikh Nazim . 2022-06-13 . sufismus-online.de . 2022-07-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220706040016/http://www.sufismus-online.de/MaulanaSheikhNazim . dead .
  6. Book: Böttcher, Annabelle. Religious Authority in Transnational Sufi Networks: Shaykh Nazim al-Qubrusi al-Haqqani al-Naqshbandi. Krämer. Gudrun. Schmidte. Sabine. Speaking for Islam: Religious Authorities in Muslim Societies. 2006. Brill. Leiden. 241–268. 900414949X. November 24, 2014.
  7. Book: Abdallah . Schleifer . The Muslim 500: The 500 Most Influential Muslims, 2013/2014 . 2014 . 17 February 2021 . The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre . 9789957635343 . 891729721 . 26 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201126034635/https://themuslim500.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/TheMuslim500-2013-low.pdf . live .
  8. Web site: Hasan Lutfi Shushud . 2015-08-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150924035045/http://www.innertraditions.com/Contributor.jmdx?action=displayDetail&id=1888 . 2015-09-24 . dead .
  9. Web site: Sufizentrum Braunschweig - John G. Bennett. www.sufi-braunschweig.de. 2022-08-04. 2022-10-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20221004235124/https://www.sufi-braunschweig.de/John-G-.--Bennett.htm. live.
  10. Web site: Shaykh Muhammad Nazim al-Haqqani - obituary. The Daily Telegraph. 12 May 2014 . 2015-12-13. 2015-11-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20151125214711/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10825296/Shaykh-Muhammad-Nazim-al-Haqqani-obituary.html. live.
  11. Book: Nazeer Ahmed. The Qur'an: An English Translation. 2011. Xlibris Corporation. 9781469135229. 119.
  12. Web site: Sheikh Nazim Al-Haqqani. December 21, 2013. August 4, 2022. August 4, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220804174625/https://sufipathoflove.com/sheikh-nazim/. live.
  13. Nazim al-Haqqani, Magnificence . Saltanat: The Majesty and Magnificence of Islam, vol. 9, #8. December 2011.
  14. "Shaykh Nazim. Abdullah Gul. Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Necmettin Erbakan"
  15. Web site: Islamic scholar Shaykh Nazım dies at the age of 92 - Türkiye News. Hürriyet Daily News. 7 May 2014. 4 August 2022. 4 August 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220804174649/https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/islamic-scholar-shaykh-nazim-dies-at-the-age-of-92-66109. live.

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