ISLAMIC PUBLISHING

The Holy Qur’an statutes that:
“And let there arise from among you a community inviting to good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. It is they who have found salvation.” (Al-i Imran, 3:104)
And after that our Lord make this sentence:
And who could be better of speech than he who calls [his fellow-men] unto God, and does what is just and right, and says, “Verily, I am of those who have surrendered themselves to God”?
This was the attitude of our Beloved and Blessed Prophet who embarked upon his duty of tabligh with great fervour and a deep feeling of responsibility. Only a handful of people believed him. Most of his relatives and clans remained fiercely opposed. The assaults, torture, injustice and abuse, however, did nothing to hold the Prophet back from the call.
After his departure to the hereafter his companions took the flag of guidance and carried it to the four corners of the world. They went on journeys of guidance and teaching all the way to Samarkand, China, Kairouan and deep into Africa. And by this way due to their blessed efforts we can now still live as Muslims. But this is from them a legacy that we’ve to transmit to the coming generations. And for that the most important and valuable way is to be a “guiding light” as was our prophet, his companions and those who follow them after that. Tabligh and promoting good amongst society also gain value according to the times in which they are conducted. Our times have become an age of ignorance which the Prophet foretold in his hadith explaining the trials and tribulations towards the end of times.
In this book our guide Sheikh Osman Nuri Topbaş provide us examples to be this one guiding light with the full conviction that He who sees the light does not turn back to return to the darkness but want to see more light.

This book that you carry in your hand is a humble but important step in attempting to describe the model of the insan-i kamil (the perfected human being). The Murshid-i Kamil these blessed people who have transcended time, are representatives of prophetic guidance and good behaviour. That is, they are models for those who did not have the honour of seeing the prophet r or his Companions y whose guidance is worthy of being followed. Their guidance and advice reflect the words and counsel of the Messenger of Allah. Just like the moon takes its light from the sun, the Friends of Allah are like mirrors that reflect the beauty of the prophetic character. This is why those who observe their state and behaviour with a gentle and loving heart will witness the subtle manifestations of prophetic character. The Golden Chain is a current of spiritual energy that has linked itself to an invisible line of love and that has reached us today, transferred from heart to heart. The lives of these Perfect Guides, their ‘sayr u suluk’ of having passed through their spiritual training and being given the duty of guiding others, are filled with lessons from which we can take heed, whether it be from periods in which they were in training or when they were training others. To take heed from their stories, to listen to their wise advice, to deeply contemplate on their profound states will undoubtedly benefit our correct understanding of aspects of Islam such as zuhd (abstention), ihsan, khushu(deep reverence), taqwa (God-consciousness), rabbaniyya (godliness), ruhaniyyah (spirituality), that is, in short TASAWWUF.

This book in your end has been written to express our endless praise and thanks to Allah U who brought us into existence from nothing and rendered us with being part of the community of the most beloved Messenger Muhammad Mustafa who revived hearts by leading humankind out of the darkness of the era of ignorance by teaching and spreading the luminous atmosphere of Islam and built a civilisation of virtue. More praise are due to our Almighty lord Allah U for having transmit us by the intermediate of our beloved Prophet the last book as a divine gift. With this mind we have compiled this humble book as a summary of various articles previously penned with the aim of reflecting on our love for Allah U and His Messenger.

This book try to draw attention to relevant criteria of the Shariah as a declaration of the vital need for Tasawwuf. By doing that the author Cheikh Osman Nuri Topbaş hoca efendi tried to clarify the state of our heart, which should be as servants of Allah in our interactions with our Lord, and define the most proper way to interact with one’s guide for those who set out on the spiritual journey training under such guides. He has also tried to bring attention to the fact that overstepping the limits of love and connection can lead one to bigotry and extremes, thus warning of certain dangers that can lead one to lose their foothold.