A matchless ‘Sultan of Spirituality’ who gave up all his wealth and worldly positions in order to enter the spiritual life and who guided the sultans of this world

Osman Nuri Topbaş

He was one of the prominent walis (friends of Allah) of Istanbul in the Ottoman period. His real name was Mahmud. The name “Hüdayi” and attribute “Aziz” were given to him later in his life. He was from the lineage of Junaid al-Baghdadi and was one of the descendants of the Prophet (pbuh).

He was born in the town Koçhisar and was raised up in Sivrihisar.

He was a sultan of the hearts who lived along life which almost lasted a century and his life spanned through the reigns of eight Ottoman sultans. In his time, he became the source of spiritual power for the Muslims by means of his books, sermons, preachings, and admonitions.     

Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi, who had a glorious recognition in the fields of Islamic sciences, Sufism, and literature has an extraordinary place among the guides of spirituality. He was one of the rare personalities who was able to carry out the valuable activities of spiritual guidance and services with the same love, enthusiasm, and excitement that Sheikh Edebali had demonstrated in the early days of the Ottoman Empire. Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi who acted with sincerity, cordiality and perseverance for the sake of Allah became a friend of the Truth, loved both by the sultans and the public because of his external and internal capabilities.

In a period that the Ottoman Empire started to slowly go into a stagnation from their earlier rise towards progress, Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi, on the one hand, spent great effort to help the sultans to be just, zealous, and spiritually vigorous, and on the other hand like a gentle doctor, tried to heal the spiritual wounds of both statesmen and common people who felt suffocated from the disorder. This is why almost everybody tried to attend his many activities such as his preachings, sermons, guidance, and services; his lodge became a place of bliss and spirituality.

His period really coincides with a time of suffering whereby happiness and sadness followed each other. This was because the gradually increasing turmoil that deeply shook the political and social structure started to take effect in this period.

Hüdayi who invited people to the truth and to the call of the Truth through the consoling breath of Sufism in such a turbulent period, turned his lodge into a different form compared to the other lodges. So much so that, his lodge became the only place of refuge for the statesmen who were deposed from their seats and for the people who escaped from the anarchy emerging in society. In this respect, Sheikh Hüdayi’s lodge, in a way, turned into a safe and an immune place where harm could not reach. It can be said that no dervish lodge in the Ottoman land was as respected and esteemed as that of Hüdayi’s.

We should also deal with what the state of Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi was and pay special attention to how he achieved his unique abilities and qualifications. This is because the method that perfected him is an exceptional example for those who walk on the same path.

* * *

Sheikh Hüdayi not only received a serious scholarly education but also molded his spiritual world by adhering to Sufi training. Due to his efforts and diligence, he became an assistant to his teacher Nazirzade who paid special attention to him in the madrasa. In the following years, he worked together with his teacher Nazirzade as a judge (qādi) in various offices. Eventually they were appointed to the office of qadi in the city of Bursa. His teacher became the head qādi and he became a teacher in the madrasa of Ferhadiye, in addition to his position as the assistant qādi at the Court of Atik Mosque.

His complete adherence to Sufism and attainment of the knowledge of Allah (ma‘rifatullah) coincide with those days. This took place as follows,

Despite all kinds of scholarly competence and worldly position, qadi Hüdayi at the time was just a regular qādi among many qādis. One day, a different case that he had never seen until that day was brought to his court. A woman whose eyes were overflowing with tears came to his court to file a complaint about her husband. She told Qādi Mahmud,

“- O Qādi! Every year my husband intends to go to pilgrimage, but cannot go because of poverty. This year, he again wants to go to pilgrimage. He even said, “If I cannot go to pilgrimage this year, I will divorce you.” Then, he disappeared towards the feast of sacrifice. Five or six days later, he appeared and started to claim that he had gone and performed pilgrimage. How can this be possible? O qādi! I want to be divorced from this liar!...”

In order to investigate the woman’s claims, Qādi Mahmud brought the man to the court and asked him whether or not his wife’s claims were true. The man responded saying,

“- O qādi! Everything my wife says is true, but everything I say is true as well. You should know that I went and performed pilgrimage. I even met with some pilgrims from Bursa in those sacred lands and entrusted them some gifts to bring here.”

Qādi Mahmud was baffled and so he asked,

“- How can this be possible?”

The poor man started to tell him what had happened,

“- Sir, when I understood that I will not be able to perform pilgrimage this year the same way that I was not able to do it in the previous years, I went to Eskici Mehmet Dede in a sad state. He held my hand and told me to close my eyes. When I opened my eyes, I was in the Ka’bah.”

Saying that it was impossible, the qādi who never heard such an incident in his life did not accept the man’ statement.  Upon this, the poor man who was still under the influence of the spiritual sacred places naively but meaningfully responded,

“O qādi! The devil who is the enemy of Allah, the Almighty, can travel around the world in a moment, why is it not possible for a friend of Allah to go to the Ka’bah in a moment?”

Qādi Mahmud found this response very meaningful and decided to postpone his verdict till the return of the pilgrims of Bursa. When the pilgrims of Bursa returned, he learned what had really happened due to his investigation and was forced to dismiss the case in great surprise and astonishment. However, he started to feel puzzled and confused. His soul and will were flowing into a kind of spiritual drunkenness. When he was thinking about what he could do about this, his heart got an inspiration and he immediately went to Eskici Mehmet Dede. He wanted to adhere to his Sufi path in order to dive into the sea of the truths and secrets. However, Eskici Dede said,

“- O qādi! You share is not here with us, it is with Sheikh Üftade, the perfect Sufi Master of this time.” Then, Judge Mahmud went to Sheikh Üftada’s lodge with the same intention. However, when he got close to the lodge, the feet of his horse got stuck between some rocks. He got down from his horse and went to the lodge on foot. He asked the Sheikh to let him to be his disciple.

When Sheikh Üftade saw Mahmud the famous qādi of Bursa in splendid robes, he did not accept his request at once and wanted to test his sincerity and intentions. So he said,

“- O qādi, leave! You lead a pompous life in wealth and fame, whereas this gate is the gate of poverty. Wasn’t the feet of your horse stuck between the rocks because it did not want to come here?” Then, he walked towards the gate of the lodge. 

Qādi Mahmud, who was wandering in the valley of bewilderment, on the one hand, because of the sheikh’s statement and on the other hand, because of the clear wonders he saw, realized the truth. His decision was certain. This was because adhering to such a gate (the Sheikh) was necessary for him to reach Allah by overcoming the obstacle of the inner self. Due to this he immediately ran after the sheikh, caught up with him and bowed his head down, and said,

“- O master! I am in a bewilderment, as if I am falling into a bottomless pit. Please help me. Honor this poor man by allowing him to be your disciple.”

Upon this Sheikh Uftada smiled and laid down three conditions whereby he would accept him to his Sufi training; to quit his positions as qādi and college instructor, to distribute all his wealth and property to the needy, and to discipline himself by going through strict ascetic austerities.  All of this was necessary for him to know and discipline his soul. When Qādi Mahmud sincerely submitted himself to the commands of the Sheikh, Sheikh Uftada accepted him among his disciples.

After that, he was commanded to put on his robe and sell liver on the streets of Bursa in order to cleanse the density in his heart, in other words, in order to destroy Qādi Mahmud’s pride, conceit, and self-admiration, which existed in his heart. He was also given the task to clean the restrooms of the lodge.

Qādi Mahmud who came to the presence of Sheikh Uftada in full submission and sincerity obeyed the commands of his master. He gave up all worldly relations feeding his inner self. By sincerely submitting himself to the commands of his master, he made great achievements in a very short time. So much so that he did not even care when people saw him selling liver in his qādi robe and said,

“- Perhaps our Qādi lost his mind,” or

“- Poor man! It seems that he was able to give up the post of qadi, but could not give up the robe.” However, he did his best to fulfill the orders of his master.

In this way, he started to improve very fast towards spiritual maturity. He gradually gained a very valuable place in the heart of his master.

The story of erasing the last traces of existence in his inner self is very famous:

One day when Qādi Mahmud was busy with cleaning the restrooms, he heard the voice of a town crier coming from outside,

“- O people! Hear me! Hear me! A new judge is coming to our city.”

Just then, his inner self created a big wave of misgivings and he said to himself:

“- Well, a new judge is coming to my place! O poor Mahmud! You have given up such an honorable profession and started to clean up toilets. Tell us! What have you gained for so many years?” 

In the face of dangerous disobedience of his soul, Qādi Mahmud quickly pulled himself together and remembered his master. Since he had promised his master that he would fulfill the orders required from him. he immediately gave up his misgivings and responded to the very dangerous misgivings of his soul,

“- O Mahmud! Haven’t you promised your master that you would surrender your inner self? Did you forget your promise? Look at yourself!”

However, Qādi Mahmud became extremely sad because of what had happened to him that responding to the deceptions of his inner self by just reprimanding it did not calm down the regret and sadness in his heart. He immediately threw the broom he was holding and decided to clean the toilets by his beard as a punishment to his inner self. Just then, his master Uftada appeared at the door. He smiled at Qādi Mahmud and talked to him kindly,

“- My Son Mahmud! You know that the beard is a blessed tradition of our Prophet (pbuh)” and prevented him to clean the floor by his beard. Then he said,

“- My dear son Mahmud! The purpose of the services that I gave on your special Sufi training (sayru suluk) was to help you pass onto this spiritual state. Praise be to Allah who succeeded you on this path. From now on, your task is to prepare and pour my ablution water.”

Qādi Mahmud also worked very hard to fulfill this duty. Every morning without a slack, he prepared his master’s ablution water and helped him perform ablution.

Sheikh Hüdayi even minimized benefiting from the lawful on his path to discipline his inner self by practicing strict ascetic austerities and thus succeeded to strengthen his soul by submitting his heart completely to Allah.

* * *

One-day Sheikh Uftada went with his disciples for a conversation in the prairie. Upon his request, all the dervishes walked around the best places of the prairie and brought a bouquet of flowers for their master. However, qadi Mahmud had in his hand only one dead flower with a broken stem. After other disciples happily offered their master the flowers they collected, Qādi Mahmud bowed his head down and offered Sheikh Uftada the dead and broken flower he had.

Under the curious looks of other disciples, Uftada asked him,

“- My dear son Mahmud! Everyone brought bouquets of flowers. Why did you bring one dead flower with broken stem?”

Qādi Mahmud lowered his head in a well-mannered behavior and replied,

“- Master! It is not enough, no matter how much I offer you. However, to whichever flower I extended my hand to pick up, I heard it remembering the Lord saying “Allah, Allah.” I could not find it in my heart to stop their remembrances of Allah. I did not have a choice but to bring this dead flower which could not continue its remembrance.”

Being very happy with this beautiful and meaningful response, Sheikh Ufdata said,

“- Hüdayi! Hüdayi! My dear son! From now on, let your name be Hüdayi! O Hüdayi! It seems that only you have benefited from this prairie trip.”

Thus, qādi Mahmud became Hüdayi because he became acquainted with the divine secrets in the universe. It was as if the universe was turned into a book opening its secret to him.

Qādi Mahmud who was called Hüdayi from that time onwards also started to be known as Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi, adding the attribute “Aziz” to his name as a respect of his high spiritual state.

* * *

Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi became the head disciple of Skeikh Uftada within three years which was a very short period of time. After a while, Sheikh Uftada sent him to the town of Sivrihisar as his successor (khalifa). Sheikh Hüdayi who served there for a while returned to Bursa as a result of getting a spiritual sign. He heartily served his master Uftada who was breathing his last breaths of his life. One day Sheikh Uftada who was very pleased by Hüdayi’s services prayed saying,

“- My dear son! May Sultans walk on your path.”

After the death of his master Uftada, Sheikh Hüdayi moved to Istanbul due to the mediation of the Sheikhulislam Hoca Sadeddin Efendi.

In a short time, the lodge he founded in the district of Üsküdar turned into a school of spirituality and wisdom addressing people from all layers of society. He attracted the favors and attention of the sultans. He had the sultans join among his dervishes. Especially Murad Han III, Ahmed Han I, Osman Han II and Murad Han IV were honored to be in his close teaching circles. Sheikh Hüdayi attended the Murad Han IV’s ceremony of the girding sword and, as it was the tradition, personally girded Umar (r.a.)’s sword to the new sultan in the tomb of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari.

* * *

In the years when Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi moved to Istanbul, Murad Han III was reigning the Ottoman sultanate. This sultan at that time was easily influenced by those around him due to his extensive trust in them and due to the comfort afforded to him and was thus deceived both by the greatness and magnificence of the Ottoman state as well as by his youth and strength. This was why some deficiencies were naturally experienced by him. Sheikh Hüdayi who recognized this weakness assumed the task, which no one could even dare to do, i.e. the task of guiding the Sultan. He wrote letters guiding Sultan Murad Han III to the Truth and reality. The fact that his letters sometimes had a soft and sometimes harsh language is very remarkable to show how qualified, influential, and skilled he was in the task of guidance. Because it was impossible for the people who did not have high spiritual state to carry on this task and make such warnings due to Murad III’s intrepidity.

The incident of interpreting a dream which constituted the first ring of the chain of relationship between Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi and Sultan Ahmed I is well known. Sultan Ahmed I whose respect and ties with Sheikh Hüdayi increased with this interpretation of dream was attached to him so much that he wrote poems resembling the poems of Hüdayi.

The guidance of Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi who had a great share from the knowledge of the Prophet Joseph’s knowledge of interpretation of dreams to the sultans by using this skill and the accuracy of his interpretations are the manifestations of his qualification and capacity in this respect.

One day Sultan Ahmed Han sent a valuable gift to his master Hüdayi whom he loved very much. However, Sheikh Hüdayi did not accept the gift. Upon this, because the gift had already been taken out of his charge, Sultan Ahmed sent the gift to another Sufi master of the time, Abdulmecit Sivasi. In a visit made on the occasion of Abdulmecit Sivasi’s acceptance of Sultan’s gift, the Sultan said,

“- Dear Master! I sent this gift to Sheikh Hüdayi before. He did not accept it, but you did.” Sheikh Sivasi who understood the subtlety hidden in this statement said to him,

“- My sultan! Sheikh Hüdayi is the phoenix who does not debase himself by tending to carrion.”

The Sultan, who was pleased with this answer, visited Sheikh Hüdayi a couple of days later and told him,

“- My dear master! Sheikh Abdulmecid Efendi accepted the gift that you have not accepted.” Sheikh Hüdayi smiled and said,

“- My dear sultan! Sheikh Abdulmecid Efendi is an ocean. Dropping a single drop of filth of masiwa (everything other than Allah) into an ocean would not blemish its purity.”

This incident shows the love and respect of the two great friends of Allah to each other and especially Sheikh Hüdayi’s perfection. Sheikh Hüdayi who was close to the sultans because of his task to provide them spiritual guidance was extremely contended in his material relationships. This was because the material gifts which had the danger to harm his spirituality by increasing his inclination and love for the world could become an obstacle before his activities of spiritual guidance. Even though he sometimes observed the tradition that accepting the sultans’ gifts was also regarded a gift, he used those gifts in building his lodge, providing services to the dervishes, and the services of the endowment he founded. In some other times, he sent back the gifts offered to him.

* * *

Sheikh Hüdayi who maintained his ties with Sultan Genç Osman II after Sultan Ahmed Han I also strived hard to guide this young and excited sultan to the right direction. Sultan Genç Osman was an idealistic sultan who realized that the Ottoman state entered a period of stagnation and planned new moves to stop the dire situation of the state. Then he decided to perform pilgrimage. None of the sultans until then had personally performed this act of worship, but rather sent a substitute on their behalf. Because the journey to go and come back from pilgrimage used to take about a year and the skeikhulislams did not permit the sultans to disrupt the order of the state for such a long time.

Sheikh Hüdayi who knew the wisdom behind this matter very well did not approve of Sultan Genç Osman changing the long established tradition by deciding to go to pilgrimage, so he warned him and tried to dissuade him. However, because of his youth and inexperience, the Sultan did not give up his desire and took action to realize his intention despite all the warnings of Sheikh Hüdayi and by this manifesting weakness in his submission. In conclusion, his attempt caused serious disturbance among the janissary corps. With the provocations of some mischief makers, the Sultan’s pilgrimage visit was perceived as that sultan’s aim was to gather an army in the Hejaz and abolish the janissary corps with this army. The chief rebels who wanted to prevent the Sultan’s move provoked their followers and committed the heinous crime infamously known in history as “haila or the tragedy.”

This incident sorrowfully manifested the significance of Sheikh Hüdayi’s insistent spiritual warning filled with secrets. 

* * *

Because Sultan Murad Han IV, who ascended the throne upon Sultan Genç Osman’s martyrdom, was very young when he became a sultan, he was under the control of his mother and some statesmen. Due to this situation, Sultan Murad Han would sometimes feel suffocated, visit Sheikh Hüdayi’s lodge to freshen up his soul and get ready for the following days. One day Sultan Murad Han who made these visits in accordance with the measures of sincere dervishes took his tutor (lala) with him. When they arrived at the door of the lodge, they softly knocked on it. When a dervish asked from inside,

“- Who is it?” Sultan’s tutor immediately responded,

“- The sultan of seven climates, the sultan, son of the sultan Murad Han the forth is presently honored.” Immediately inform your sheikh.”

The dervish replied,

“- This is not the gate of sultanate” and did not open the door. Sultan Murad Han smiled at his tutor’s situation and said,

“- My dear tutor! This gate is the gate of servanthood and heart” and knocked at the door again. To the question that was directed from inside, he replied with good manners,

“- Tell the master, his servant Murad is here.”

Upon this the door was opened and they were invited inside.

Sheik Hüdayi, who was in his old age at the time, paid unique attention to Sultan Murad Han in order to help him reach perfection by all kinds of qualifications.

As a result of this special treatment and various guidance, Sultan Murad Han everyday materially and spiritually improved, gained experience, and spiritual stages. He reached to a level that he could shoulder great cases. By the measure he took when it was necessary, he achieved order in the army and among public and saved the state which faced collapse from great calamities.

* * *

One of the famous extraordinary states of Sheik Hüdayi was his trip from Uskudar to the European side of Istanbul by getting on his boat together with a couple of his disciples in a very stormy weather when the fishers did not dare to sail. The path Sheikh Hüdayi sailed between Uskudar and Sarayburnu is known even today as “Hüdayi Yolu (The Path of Hüdayi).” Fishers who know this path follow it in strong storms. This is one of Sheik Hüdayi’s extraordinary manifestation, which has survived until this day. In fact, it is remarkable that the public boat services in the windy weathers of southwester could only be provided between Uskudar and Eminonu districts.

* * *

 Even though Sheik Hüdayi said,

“You have given up the offices of judge and mudarris for the Divine’ sake

Save us from the torments of existence by granting us Your meeting.”

After adhering to the Sufi path, he continued his job of preaching in accordance with his master’s order. Moreover, just like all the other great Sufis before him, he continued to give hadith and tafsir classes. All this because at the beginning he had been willing to give it all up and disciplined his inner self instead.

* * *

Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi who continued his spiritual teachings and guidance by his poems left works of poetry enlightening and influencing the souls after him. He has several poems which are composed and sung with pleasure even today.

In one of those poems, Sheikh Hüdayi expresses the matter of removing everything other than Allah and leaving only Allah in the heart as follows,

Why should I deal with this world,

I only need Allah

I need nothing else,

I only need Allah

Man of the world (are in pursuit of) this world

Man of the next world (are in pursuit of) the next world

Each one of them (are in pursuit of) a separate love

I only need Allah,

Sheikh Hüdayi follows the path of Yunus Emre in his poems and molds the hearts by spirituality. He warns the servants of Allah about the deceptiveness and mortality of this world.

As seen above, Sheikh Hüdayi who spread his services over a wide area and successfully carried them out happily passed on in 1628 by impressing an inerasable seal to his and following ages and by leaving many works, followers, and foundation.

May Allah show His mercy upon him.

* * *

Some of Sheikh Hüdayi’s practices are still valid today and there are many examples for this. Let us give an instance which can provide both a lesson and information:

It was 1975. It was about the time of noon prayer. A heavyset and bright faced young man came to the tomb of Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi. He incidentally met Muharrem Efendi, the imam of the mosque and asked,

“- Sir! I came to see Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi. How can I see him? Is he here right now?” the imam who was surprised by this question said,

“- My dear son! Yes, Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi is here.” The young man who heard that the Sheikh was there happily said,

“- Please help me to meet him.”

The Imam who could not understand what the young man meant repeated that the tomb was right there,

“- My son! Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi is right there.”

The young man too repeated his request,

“- Then, help me to meet him. I want to meet with him.”

Muharrem Efendi who still could not understand the young man’s request, he asked to solve the matter,

“- My dear son! Do you know Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi?”

The young man whose heart was as pure as his face was surprised why this man was beating around the bush and did not want him to meet with Mahmud Hüdayi and said,

“I know Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi very well. He invited me here. We have made an appointment to meet here. He knows that I will be here.”

Upon this, Muharrem Efendi finally understood that there was a different and secret aspect of the matter and asked in wonder,

“- My dear son! How did you make an appointment?”

The young man started to tell,

“- Sir! I was in the special forces who parachuted to Cyprus during the 1974 Cyprus Military Operation. We parachuted at a time when our land forces attacked from the sea and the Greek from the side of Beşparmak Mountains. However, it was windy day and every one of us dispersed around. I landed among the enemy forces. I was in a wooded area and under fire from both sides like hell. Just at a time when I was in confusion and did not know what to do, a tall old man with bright face appeared. He looked at me smiling and said,

“- My dear son! This is enemy lines. What are you doing here? Why did you come here alone?” I told him,

“- O old man! I did not come here willingly. The wind blew me here.” Bright faced old man moved his head slowly and said,

“- I also came here to fight. I was sent here before you. I know this place very well. From which unit are you? Let me take you to them.” Together we set out to my unit under heavy artillery shots. That blessed man was so relaxed that as if he was walking on the road. All of his states made me more confused. He asked me several questions like what my name was, where I was from, etc. After I gave answers to his questions, I asked him with surprise,

“- O old man! Who are you?”

He said,

“- My son! People call me Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi.” I then said,

“- O old man! You made me a great favor. If I can return my homeland safe and sound, I would like to visit you in return of your favor. Would you give me your address?”

This nice faced old man told me as an address only,

“- My son! When you come Uskudar, ask anybody you meet. They will show me where I am.”

Meanwhile we came to my unit. I kissed the old man’s hand with the feeling of gratitude and respect. We said goodbye to each other and then I went to my commander.

When my commander saw me safe and sound in front of him, he was very surprised. He amazingly asked how I could save myself from the fire zone and said,

“How did you come here?” I told him,

“- I was brought by an old and kind man.”

After the war was over, I returned to my hometown. However, I have never forgotten the goodness of Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi so I finally got ready and came to Uskudar to visit him and pay my gratitude. People to who I asked directed me to this place saying,

“He is a blessed man.”

Meanwhile the young man took a deep breath and repeated his request to Muharrem Efendi,

“- Sir! This was how I met Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi. Now please let me to meet him!”

Muharrem Efendi who learned the details of the matter was very influenced from this spiritual scene he witnessed. For a while, he could not say anything to the young man who was looking at him with begging eyes. He then pulled himself together and stutteringly only said,

“- My son! Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi is not a person who is alive today. He was a friend of Allah who lived between the years of 1543 and 1628. It seems he invited you here to recite a Fatiha. Here is his tomb.”

When the believing and loyal young man heard these words, he was very touched by the facts he learned. In the place that he came with the hope to see the man to whom he owed his life, he could only find the tomb of this friend of Allah. He was just beginning to understand the spiritual experience he had lived in the turmoil of the war and his eyes overflowed with tears. He closed his face with his hands and cried for a while.

The imam of the Hüdayi Mosque was also crying.

How nicely this incident manifests the spiritual disposal that Allah bestows upon the servants He loves. This is an example for the spiritual aid of Allah to His friends who has lived since the time of our beloved Prophet (pbuh).

It should not be forgotten that the absolute doer of such acts is Allah the Almighty. His help to His servants has taken place until today both by means of His angels and through His righteous servants.

* * *

How beautiful and meaningful is the following prayer of Sheikh Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi made upon the request of Sultan Ahmed I,s ,

“Dear Lord! Those who are on our path until the Judgment Day, those who love us, and those who visit us when we are alive, and those who visit our grave after our death and read Fatiha when passing by our tomb are ours… May those who are with us not drown at sea, may they not suffer poverty in their old age, may they not pass away without saving their faith, may they know when they will die and may they be informed about it and may their death not be as that of drowning at sea.”

All scholars and friends of Allah tell us that this prayer has been accepted by Allah and those who follow Hüdayi’s path did not die by drowning at sea and were able to tell people about the time of their death towards the end of their lives.