The Görgü Cem: The Alevi Rite of Accountability Explained

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Judgement and questioning

In Anatolian Alevism there is a system called “El ele, el Hakka” (“hand in hand, the hand to God”). In this system the ocaks (holy lineages) who are seyyid-i saadet and Evladı Resul (descendants of the Messenger) gave their ikrar to one another and kissed one another’s hands. The other tribes (aşiret), who are talips, also determined their mürşid, their pir and their rehber through this system. In this way everyone’s mürşid, pir and rehber would come to the village every year and carry out the görgü and the questioning (sorgu) of his own talips.

But times and conditions have changed; we can say that in these circumstances there are hardly any dedes left who check on the condition of their talips every year and carry out the ikrar rite, the görgü rite and the düşkünlük rite. It may even be said that these bonds of ikrar have largely disappeared. Of course there are those, even if they are a minority, who maintain these bonds of ikrar. We remember them with respect. They can carry out these rites with their own dedes. For the rest, the majority – communities whose bonds of ikrar have been severed and who have lost one another – we have the following suggestion: in the spirit of “Gönül kalsın, yol kalmasın” (better that a heart remain hurt than that the path be lost), there is no objection to their surrendering, in the area where they live, to an Evladı Resul dede whom they know and who they know performs these rites, and becoming talips of the path and being “seen” by him.

In the musahiplik rite we briefly explained that the word “biat” (oath of allegiance) in the Qur’an corresponds in Alevi terminology to “ikrar”.

What does biat mean? It means to believe, to have faith and to remain bound for ever, and to give one’s word that one will remain faithful to all the commands and to the right path that has been shown.

The first biat (ikrar)

That the souls of the jinn, fairies and angels created from air and fire gathered before God, recognised the oneness of God, accepted it and gave their ikrar is called “Elestübezm, Kaalü-Beli” (after Qur’an 7:172: “Am I not your Lord?” – “Yes indeed!”). This act is called the first “biat”.

The second biat (ikrar)

God wished to make the children of Adam (Âdemoğlu), whom He made His deputy, sovereign over the universe He had created. To this end He first created Adam (Âdem Aleyhisselam) from earth.

Verse 5 of Surat al-Hajj (Hac): “God commanded the angels and the jinn to prostrate (secde – biat) before Adam, whom He had created most beautifully.”

That, in accordance with verses 33 and 34 of Surat al-Baqarah, the angels and the jinn accepted Adam as God’s deputy and prostrated before Adam is called the “second biat”. This second “biat” (ikrar) forms the fundamental philosophy of the Alevi faith.

The biat never remained bound to Adam. Biat was given three times to Hazrat Muhammad: the first biat of Aqaba (Akabe), the second biat of Aqaba and, thirdly, the biat of Hudaybiyyah (Hüdeybiye) – events that prove the continuity of the biat. That the biat was given to Hazrat Muhammad and after him to those worthy of it is clearly expressed in the Holy Qur’an as follows:

Verse 35 of Surat al-Ma’idah (Maide): “O believers! Fear God and seek a way (delil, a means) to reach Him. Strive (cihat) in His way so that you may be saved.”

Verse 23 of Surat ash-Shura (Şura): “O My beloved! Say: For this true religion that I have brought you I ask no reward of you. I ask only and solely for your devotion (your biat) to my Ehl-i Beyt.”

Alevis of this faith therefore believe that by binding themselves to a mature pir descended from the Prophet’s line they are on the right path.

The biats given to Hazrat Muhammad

The first biat of Aqaba

It took place at night in Mecca in the year 621 of the Christian era. Seven women and five men took part. All of them had already become Muslims. Because of the large number of women this event was called “Biatun Nisa” (the biat of the women). On this matter verse 12 of Surat al-Mumtahanah (Mümtahine) gave the following command: “O My beloved! When believing women come to you to give you their biat, on condition that they associate nothing with God, do not steal, do not commit adultery, do not kill their children, do not claim another’s child as their own, do not slander their husbands and do not disobey you in what is right, then accept them. Ask God’s forgiveness for them. Truly, God is forgiving and merciful.”

The second biat of Aqaba

It took place at night in Medina in the year 622 of the Christian era. Forty-eight people took part in this biat. So that the biat would be orderly, twelve of them were chosen to serve as nakip (representatives). All those who took part in the biat were believers (mümin) and Muslims. In this biat the majority were men. Here verse 10 of Surat al-Fath (Fetih) came down: “O Muhammad! Truly, those who bow before you and give you their hands are regarded as bowing before God and giving their hands to Him. The hand of God is above their hands. Whoever goes back on this word (ikrar) he has given goes back only to his own detriment. Whoever fulfils the word he has given to God, God will grant him great bounty.” In this biat the tevella and teberra oath was also sworn. The twelve services in our rites, the holding of our cems at night and similar rules derive from the rite of this second biat.

The third biat: the biat of Hudaybiyyah

In the year 628 of the Christian era Hazrat Muhammad went to Mecca to visit the Kaaba. Abu Sufyan’s army would not let Hazrat Muhammad into Mecca. Hazrat Muhammad then encamped near Mecca at a place called “Hudaybiyyah” (Hüdeybiye). He sent an envoy to Abu Sufyan to tell him that they would only visit the Kaaba and then turn back and leave. But Abu Sufyan did not permit this. They lost a great deal of time sending envoys to one another. Finally Hazrat Muhammad sent Osman (Uthman), a relative of Abu Sufyan who was not yet caliph, as envoy. When Osman did not return for a few days, some negative rumours began among the people around Hazrat Muhammad.

In order not to give room to these negative developments, Hazrat Muhammad took the biat of the people there by having them swear that they would stand together for ever, in war and in peace. This means an ikrar, a giving of one’s word. This biat was taken at Hudaybiyyah under the sidre tree (lote tree). In this biat taken under the tree, a branch of the tree was used instead of the hand. For this reason this biat is called the “Secere’i Rıdvan Biatı” (the biat of good pleasure under the tree). In this biat, too, the “tevella-teberra” oath was sworn. 1,524 people took part in this biat, and it took place by day. All those who took part were men. After this event verse 19 of Surat al-Fath came down. This verse says: “O Muhammad! Truly, God was well pleased with the believers when they bowed before you and gave you their hands under the tree. He knew what was in their hearts, gave them security and granted them a near victory and abundant spoils which they will take. God is mighty. God is all-wise.”

The “görgü with the tarık” (the ritual staff) that our dedes use in the görgü rite is a rule that derives from this biat. This biat given to Hazrat Muhammad is also called the “third biat”. In order to prevent the visits of the followers of the Ehl-i Beyt, who visited this sanctified sidre tree every year on the same day, the second caliph Omar had the tree uprooted and removed. He had the soil worked so that its location became unrecognisable. I leave the interpretation to my readers.

According to the Alevi faith, the first biat is: to give one’s ikrar in the musahiplik rite and become a talip. The second biat is: that those who have become talips give their ikrar in the görgü rite, have themselves judged and are cleared.

Görgü: “Dying before death”

Musahip couples who have given their ikrar in the musahip rite, sworn the tevella-teberra oath and committed themselves as talips to the straight path (tarik-i müstakim) apply again, after some time and if they so wish, of their own accord to the same pir and say: “We wish to be seen and cleared.” This means having oneself judged and questioned, of one’s own wish and will, within the community one lives with. In the Alevi faith this event means “dying before death” (ölmeden evvel ölmek). According to our faith it means: whomever among the people we live with we have harmed or wronged, knowingly or unknowingly, we make good the damage they have suffered, if there is any. It means mending wounded hearts; asking everyone’s forgiveness, promising not to do it again, and obtaining their consent. It is also worth saying the following: the talip who has passed through the musahiplik rite and the görgü rite has already given his account in this world. He does not want to go before God carrying the unsettled rights of fellow human beings (kul hakkı). He wants to go completely clean.

For in the Alevi faith, after God, the human being stands at the highest level. The human ability to comprehend, to think, to develop and to create is the quality that exalts the human being. That is why the fundamental aim is to give people happiness, to respect people and to strive for the good of humanity. To serve the human being is to serve God (Hak). All four holy books command that human beings should be useful to one another and do good, and they reward it. They punish human beings harming and doing evil to one another. A beautiful saying of Imam Ali expresses this very clearly: “If the servant is not content with the servant, God is not content with the servant.” This thought is the main foundation of our faith.

In Alevi terminology this is called the people’s court (halk mahkemesi) in the görgü rite. Its most progressive aspect is that a person has himself judged and questioned of his own free will. This system, which is applied in no legal system today and which we cannot imagine ever being applied, was again brought forth by this erkân of ours in which we believe. What deserves admiration is the setting up of these courts, the system of carrying out the penalties, and the fact that the accused himself makes the request and the procedure is carried out. The day will come when this system will be an indispensable one. The rules laid down by those who founded this system and kept it alive to this day cannot be applied even in the most modern legal system today, or no system can be established for applying them. If you think about it, one must bow with respect before the gravestones of those who founded this erkân 14 centuries ago and of those who have kept it alive to this day. There is nothing more to be said. Let us return to our own subject, the görgü rite.

Couples who gave the ikrar of musahiplik a few years earlier, swore the tevella-teberra oath, swore that they would be masters of their hand, their tongue and their loins, and committed themselves as talips to the path of Muhammad and Ali, keep themselves under control during this intervening time. They try not to make a mistake and unjustly usurp anyone’s rights. They strive not to break the heart of a neighbour or of any other soul. They try to cleanse themselves of bad habits such as lying, backbiting, rancour, greed and hostility, so that they can enter the görgü rite through the door of the tarikat, have themselves judged and be cleared.

The musahip couples who have made this preparation first come together, the four souls, and question themselves among themselves. If in this self-questioning they become convinced that they will be cleared, they then go to the pir who previously conducted their musahiplik rite – that is, to their own dede – and apply to him. If that pir has passed on to God (Hakk’a göçmüş) and there is a pir who has taken his place, they apply to him.

If there is no such pir, they find the dede who served as their rehber in the musahiplik rite and apply to him. Whoever the pir they apply to may be, in order to conduct the görgü and judgement rite he must himself have been “seen” and cleared and must possess, in terms of knowledge and experience, the qualities to sit in that sacred seat. The pir who combines these qualities and will conduct the rite hands over the talips who have come to surrender to him to be judged and cleared to the dede who served as rehber in the musahiplik rite, so that he may examine them and make enquiries. If that rehber has passed on to God or has gone to a distant country and it is impossible for him to come, the pir may give this task to another dede of the Evladı Resul lineage whom he trusts and who can fulfil the duty of rehber. He also instructs him to examine the talips handed over to him.

Preparations for conducting the görgü rite

In the musahiplik rite one gives one’s ikrar to the path and becomes a talip. In the görgü rite those who have become talips have themselves judged and cleared before the community. In the musahiplik rite, unless something extraordinary has happened, the rehber does not take the candidates to third parties. The congregation gathered in the cemevi is asked. In the görgü rite the rehber takes the talips to those who have a claim on them and obtains their forgiveness (helallık). The rights of the other door-neighbours are asked of the congregation gathered for the cem.

The rehber, taking the pir with him, together places the talips handed over to him in the dar, first in the house of one of the musahips or in his own house. He counsels them, saying: “Step into the dar and speak the truth, declare your sins. If you have taken anything, give it back; if you have spilled anything, fill it up again; if you have broken anything, mend it; if you have made anyone weep, make them laugh. Since the day you gave your ikrar and became talips, have you hurt the heart of a friend? What is on your tongue belongs to us, what is in your heart belongs to you. If you wish to be judged and cleared on the path of Hak, Muhammad and Ali, you are obliged to tell everything, the known and the unknown. For whoever lies in this dar, on this path, there is no remedy – know this. This path of ours is a chickpea of iron, a shirt of fire. It means giving one’s account before one dies. Do not come, do not come; do not turn back, do not turn back – the one who comes gives his goods, the one who turns back gives his life.”

According to the Alevi faith, there is no remedy for whoever lies in this dar. The talips who stand in the dar to be judged and cleared know that no lie is told in this dar. They believe that their sins will be forgiven if they confess all their known and unknown wrongs and obtain everyone’s consent for these wrongs. That is why, in that irfan meydanı, before the pir, they confess both what has been known until then and the unknown things that have remained secret with them. This first questioning takes place among the pir, the rehber, the mürşid and the mature people who have been “seen” and cleared. For no one knows what the talip will confess in this meydan. Even the gravest offence meets with no criticism among the mature congregation (ehl-i kâmil). There is no gossip. Precisely because he has confessed, he is met with appreciation. The talip who confesses his offence names the person against whom he has offended as he tells of it.

The council of pirs takes this talip to that door and asks the person who has been wronged for forgiveness. If there has been material damage, they have him pay for it and obtain that person’s consent. So what the most modern law in the world has not yet been able to do – our faith and our path have been continuing this system for 14 centuries. This system removes the evil that has been done and brings friendship, peace and brotherly living among people. The same procedure is carried out for both musahips. All problems are resolved during the first questioning. The people who come to the congregation at the time of the görgü are also asked about the rights of door-neighbours, and any small grievances are cleared away.

So far we have considered how and in what way the offences committed by talips who wish to be seen are removed. Let us now also look at the reverse side of offences and mistakes between people. One of the musahip couples who wish to be seen and cleared may have been wronged, insulted or had his property seized by another person or persons. For this reason the musahips who are to be seen, although they are in the right, are on bad terms with those persons, offended and not speaking to them. During the first questioning, while in the dar, they must tell of this too – let us suppose we have accepted what they told. Let us look at how the rehber and the pir must act in such a situation.

If the person or persons who committed this wrong live in the same neighbourhood or are relatives, if they are people of the same surroundings and the same community who have long lived together and will continue to live together from now on, then in such a situation the rehber himself goes to those persons. He talks with them too, and he listens to them too. He tells them that the person they have wronged is now about to enter the görgü rite in order to be seen and cleared before the community. The rehber says: “Even if he himself bears no fault whatsoever in the matter between you, according to our faith it is impossible for him to enter this path while on bad terms with you.”

“Therefore we must reconcile you and remove this estrangement as well,” he explains. If there is a serious matter, he takes them and brings them to the house where the musahips are. There he places them all together in the dar again and has them speak face to face. If it is a matter such as hurtful gossip, he has the side found to be in the wrong apologise to the side that is in the right, and reconciles them. If the musahip who is about to be seen has suffered material damage, the other side is asked to make good the damage. If the other side does not have the means to make good this damage, the soul who is preparing, of his own wish and will, to give his account before death must give up this claim and be reconciled. If the wrong done is not material but a slander or a matter of honour, and the other side, although still in the wrong, stubbornly insists on not being reconciled and offends the standing of the pir and rehber who have come to its door, then that unjust person is given a certain period of time and is excluded from the community.

If the pir and the rehber become convinced that the musahips who wish to be seen are in the right, and if they have no other difficulty, they do not hold them back from their path. In other words, their being judged and seen is not obstructed. If the other side that committed the wrong does not hold the Alevi faith but has another, foreign faith, one goes to their door in just the same way. Our Alevi faith is explained and they too are advised to be reconciled. If the outsider who committed the wrong does not wish to be reconciled, and it is clear that the musahips’ side is in the right, then this and similar events are no obstacle to the musahips being judged and seen.

If any offence previously committed by the musahip couples who wish, of their own wish and will, to have themselves judged and cleared comes to light, they are made to swear and repent before the community that they will not commit the same offence again. Deterrent penalties from which the community will benefit are also imposed. These penalties are imposed in keeping with the time, the circumstances and the means of the community. We will deal with this system of penalties at length in the düşkünlük rite.

If there are penalties imposed during the questioning among the pirs and mature people, or if, during the “cem rite” to be held one day later, someone complains about the couples who are to be seen, the penalties to be imposed at that point are decided together with the community and carried out before the community.

Conducting the görgü rite

On the day the cem of the görgü rite is held, there is no difference whatsoever from the worship cem in the preparations, from the performance of the twelve services to the “uniting” of the cem (cemin birlenmesi). The preliminary services are carried out exactly as in the first rite (in the worship cem) and in the musahiplik rite.

The tarikat ablution (tarikat abdesti) is taken in the same way in all rites, and the prayers do not change either. After the rehber has finished this service, he cuts out, in just the same way, for the musahip couples he will bring before the pir, the collarless shirt of cambric – which does not exist in the musahiplik rite and which is used for the deceased at death – and dresses them in it. The rehber himself also puts one on. As in the musahiplik rite, he girds them (kemerbest) and ties the tığbent (ritual neck-scarf) around their necks. Using the same procedure as in the musahiplik rite, they go to the front of the door of the cemevi. By this time the dede sitting in the seat of the pir (pir makamı) has also finished all the services, has “united” the cem, has said the first supplication (münacat) and is waiting for the rehber to come.

The rehber says to the kapıcı (doorkeeper) standing at the door of the cemevi: “Hüü erenler, there are musahip couples who wish to be judged and cleared on the path of Hak, Muhammad and Ali; is there permission (destur) to enter?” The kapıcı says “Allah eyvallah” and opens the door. He tells the gözcü (watchman) to inform the seat of the pir. The gözcü comes before the pir and informs the pir, saying: “Hayır, himmet, my pir (goodness and blessing, my pir), musahip couples who have come to be judged and cleared are waiting at the door. If you give your blessing, they wish to come before you.”

The post dede (the dede seated on the post, the sheepskin seat of honour), the pir, says: “Hüü erenler, marifete, edep erkân mümine nişan” (Hu, O erenler! To gnosis – good manners and erkân are the mark of the believer). If among the musahips who are coming there is an elderly person learned in the path or an Evladı Resul, he has the congregation stand up. If there is no such person, he signals to the congregation to sit kneeling in a respectful posture (dizde kıyam).

The rehber bows in reverence (niyaz) to the right side of the threshold, saying, “Allah, Muhammed Ya Ali!” He says, “Destur Ya Allah!” (With permission, O God!), steps inside with his right foot and so enters the cemevi. Behind the rehber the musahips also enter one by one in the same way. Together, behind the door, they take up the dar posture that signifies surrender: feet “sealed”, heads bowed forward; the rehber and the canlar (men) with the right hand over the heart and the left hand hanging down, the bacılar (women) with both hands crossed over the breast so that the fingertips reach the shoulders – in the peymanca position.

The rehber says: “Hüü erenler! Hand on the ground, face to the earth, innermost self in the dar, on the path of Hak, Muhammad and Ali, in the square of the erenler, before the pir divanı. The soul as sacrifice, the body as interpreter, with the pledge to be a friend to the friend of the Ehl-i Beyt and an enemy to its enemy. Barefoot, bareheaded, with their goods and possessions, with their sacrifices of ram and lamb, they wish to surrender to God, to be flayed like Nesimi, hanged like Mansur and freed from the burden of the world like Fazlı. Is there permission to beg the pir for his blessing (himmet)?”

In response the pir says: “May your coming be blessed, may Hak, Muhammad and Ali be your helpers! May your efforts on the path by which you came and in the dar in which you stand not be in vain! May He admit you to the ranks of the erenler and saints who remember God (zikir) night and day, whose mouths are full of prayer, who have repented and slain their nefis, and grant you to behold their countenance!” This answer means that permission has been given. The rehber and the musahips who are to be judged say “Allah eyvallah” and bow in reverence (niyaz) to their hands. To come before the pir, the rehber will approach giving the tarikat greeting four times.

The four tarikat greetings

1. First greeting: The rehber says “Esselamu Aleyküm Ey Şeriat Erenleri” (Peace be upon you, O erenler of the sharia); all together they take one step forward and again take up the same dar posture. In response to these tarikat greetings the pir answers each time: “Aleyküm Selam (And upon you be peace), O you who wish to surrender to God.”
2. Second greeting: The rehber says “Esselamu Aleyküm Ey Tarikat Derviş’leri” (Peace be upon you, O dervishes of the tarikat), and they come one more step forward. The pir returns the greeting in the same way.
3. Third greeting: The rehber says “Esselamu Aleyküm Ey Marifet Kâmilleri” (Peace be upon you, O perfected ones of marifet, gnosis), and they come one more step forward. The pir again returns the greeting in the same way.
4. Fourth greeting: The rehber says “Esselamu Aleyküm Ey Hakikat Pirleri” (Peace be upon you, O pirs of hakikat, the Truth), and they arrive on the prayer rug (seccade) spread out earlier with a prayer. Because with this last greeting they have come onto the post of God (Hak postu) to which they have surrendered, the pir will say: “Aleyküm Selam, O you who have surrendered to God to gain God’s good pleasure.” For during the first greetings they were still coming; at the last greeting they had come onto the post of God to which they surrendered. The answer given will express that they have surrendered.

Having given the tarikat greetings, while standing in the dar on the görgü prayer rug before the pir, the rehber again asks for the following blessing in order to hand over to the pir the musahips he has brought:

The rehber: “Hüü erenler, hayır himmet (goodness and blessing)! By the command of God, according to the proclamation of the Holy Qur’an, on the path of Hak, Muhammad and Ali, in the square of the erenler, before the pir divanı, the soul as sacrifice, the body as interpreter. With the pledge to be a friend to the friend of the Ehl-i Beyt and an enemy to its enemy. To enter the straight path (tarik-i müstakim) that Muhammad Mustafa, the Seal of the Prophets (Hatemül Enbiya), and Ali al-Murtaza, the Shah of Velayet, left to us as a legacy in the Cem of the Forty (Kırklar Cemi). Their innermost selves in the dar, their faces to the earth, they have laid their heads on this path with their possessions, their goods and their lives. Repenting, four musahip souls who wish to be judged and cleared beg the beneficent blessing of the pir. Allah eyvallah, the blessing comes from the pir. Gerçeğe hüü! (To the Truth – Hu!)” Then, bending forward a little in the dar, they wait for the counsel and the gülbank the pir will give.

The pir first recites a salavat (blessing upon the Prophet). After that he says: “O travellers on the path of the tarikat! Verse 16 of Surat Qaf (Kaaf) in the Holy Qur’an says: ‘Truly, We created the human being. We know what his soul (nefis) whispers to him. We are nearer to him than his jugular vein.’ Verses 17 and 18 of the same sura: ‘On his right and on his left sit two angels who write down his every action.’ Verse 19: ‘O child of Adam! The death that you have always feared and fled from will come one day.’ Verse 20: ‘The trumpet (sur) is blown. That is the day that was promised.’ Verse 21: ‘Every soul will come with a guide (rehber) and a witness.’ Verse 22: ‘By Him, truly you were heedless of this. Now We have lifted the veil of heedlessness from you; today you will see all the truths.’ Verse 23: ‘The angel at his side will say: This is the record of the one beside me.’

Verse 112 of Surat at-Tawbah: ‘O Muhammad! Good tidings to the believers who turn to God in repentance, who serve Him, who praise Him, who strive in His way, who bow and prostrate, who enjoin what is right and forbid what is evil, and who keep the laws of God.’ Verse 119: ‘O you who believe! Fear God and be with the truthful.’

O travellers on the path of the tarikat! The proclamation of the Holy Qur’an is plain to see. God sees and knows everything you do and everything you think. That He is nearer to you than your jugular vein means that He makes His dwelling in the hearts of His believing servants. The statement that every servant will be brought before Him with his witness and his forerunner – his guide, the pir, the rehber and the mürşid – means in the Alevi faith binding oneself to a pir and being guided (irşat). So the path by which you came and the dar in which you stand are the command of the Qur’an.

The signs that God manifests Himself in the human being (Âdem)

In the Alevi faith we believe that God (Hak) manifests Himself (tecelli) in the human being (Âdem). What are the signs that God manifests Himself in the human being?” With these words the pir begins to question the rehber.

• Pir: “What is on his head?” Rehber: “Crown and sovereignty (taç ile devlet).”
• Pir: “What is in his ear?” Rehber: “Şepperi şüpper.”
• Pir: “What is on his tongue?” Rehber: “Ruby and jewel (lalu gevher).”
• Pir: “What is on his face?” Rehber: “The light of God (Hakk’ın nuru).”
• Pir: “What is in his brow?” Rehber: “The pen of divine power (kalemi kudret).”
• Pir: “What is in his eye?” Rehber: “The light of God (ışığı Hak).”
• Pir: “What is in his nose?” Rehber: “Musk and ambergris (miski amber).”
• Pir: “What is in his heart?” Rehber: “The dwelling place of God (mekânı Hak).”
• Pir: “What is at his waist?” Rehber: “The girdle (kemeribest).”
• Pir: “What is in his hand?” Rehber: “The Five of Al-i Aba (pençeyi Ali aba – the five of the cloak, the Ehl-i Beyt).”
• Pir: “What is in his knee?” Rehber: “Prostration before God (secdeyi Hak).”
• Pir: “What is in his foot?” Rehber: “The way-station of Muhammad (menzili Muhammed).”

After these signs of God in the human being have been declared, the rehber says, “Hayır himmet, my pir,” and alone bows in reverence to the post of the pir. He places the ends of the tığbents in the pir’s hand.

The pir conducts the rite

The pir says: “Hak laa ilahe ilallah, Hak birsin Muhammed’e Resulullah, Ali-yen Veli’yullah, Ehli Beyt-i Keremullah, Mürşidi Kâmilullah, şefaat kıl Ya Resulullah!” (God – there is no god but God; God, You are One, Muhammad is the Messenger of God, Ali is the friend of God, the Ehl-i Beyt is the grace of God, the perfect mürşid is from God; O Messenger of God, intercede for us!). He unties the tığbents from the necks of the musahips who are to be seen and recites the “tevella-teberra” gülbank:

“Bismi Şah Allah, Allah! May your tevella and your teberra be recorded with God, may your tevella be pure and your face bright (ak)! May the girdles bound around your waists, which are the sign of tevella, be the girdle of ikrar that the angel Gabriel (Cebrail Aleyhisselam) bound around the waist of Hazrat Muhammad! May they be the girdles bound from the turban cloth (imame) of Hazrat Muhammad that was divided into forty pieces in the Cem of the Forty! May your effort not be in vain, may your service be accepted at the threshold of exalted God! Gerçeğe Hüü Mümine ya Ali! (To the Truth – Hu; to the believer – O Ali!)” He ties the tığbents around their waists and so girds them (kemeribest) a second time.

After this girding, the rehber asks the pir for his beneficent blessing. They bow in reverence to the ground and sit kneeling together in the dar of Nesimi. The rehber bows once more and comes out from the front. Behind the male musahips, in the middle, he likewise sits kneeling and waits with his right hand on the back of one musahip and his other hand on the back of the other musahip.

The pir’s counsel

The pir says: “O travellers on the path of the tarikat! Do not come, do not come; do not turn back, do not turn back – the one who comes gives his goods, the one who turns back gives his life. There is no worship with hypocrisy, no obedience with associating partners with God (şirk). This path is a chickpea of iron, a shirt of fire. If you have spilled anything, fill it up again; if you have made anyone weep, make them laugh. If you have destroyed anything, rebuild it. Do not lie, do not eat what is forbidden (haram), do not commit adultery. Do not take what you did not put down with your own hand. Do not say ‘I saw’ about what you did not see with your eyes. Do not say ‘I heard’ about what you did not hear. Do not betray what has been entrusted to you. Do not cheat in weighing. Do not touch the rights of orphans. Do not bear false witness. Do not leave the rights of fellow human beings (kul hakkı) upon you. Give your account before you die, so that you may go before the gathering of Judgement Day (mahşer) with an open brow and a bright face. If the servant is content with the servant, God is content with the servant – know this. Repent of what you have done.

See what verse 118 of Surat al-Baqarah says: ‘However wide the world may be, when the sinner’s soul oppresses him, if he repents from the heart, his repentance is accepted.’

O you who have become talips of the straight path (tarik-i müstakim)! This path of ours that you have entered is hard and arduous. But despite all its difficulties, our rites, which as yet have no equal or match in creating a clean society, are our finest values. These beautiful rites of ours, which value human rights and show the way to a humane life, are the Creator’s one expectation of every servant He has created.”

Obtaining the consent of the congregation

The pir turns to the congregation and says: “O erenler of the cem! Our four musahip souls – their apologies on their tongues, their sins in their hands – who have come to become talips of the path of Hak, Muhammad and Ali, of the divan of the Twelve Imams and of the erkân of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (Cafer-i Sadık), and who wish to attain the mystery of ‘Mutu Kalbe Ente Mutu’ (dying before death), have come to the door of consent (rıza kapısı) of this irfan meydanı to win hearts. If there is anyone among you with a claim, to whom they owe something, who has been insulted or hurt, let everyone ask for his right in this irfan meydanı. Speak up, come forward; let those with a claim present their claim.” If someone with a claim comes forward from the congregation, the pir listens to him. He listens to the musahip soul accused of the offence and, if necessary, to the witnesses. He asks the congregation, and together, again according to the gravity of the offence, a deterrent penalty that benefits the community is imposed.

If there is no one with a claim, let everyone give their consent so that the erkân of Hak, Muhammad and Ali may proceed: “O congregation, how do you know these souls?” If the congregation as a whole says, “We know them as good, we are content, may God also be content with them,” there is no problem. If anyone comes forward as a plaintiff, the pir resolves that problem too in that meydan. Peace is made without fail, forgiveness (helallık) is obtained, and the görgü continues.

See what verses 280 and 281 of Surat al-Baqarah say about this owing and being owed. Verse 280: ‘If the debtor is in difficulty, grant him time until things are easier for him. If he is in no position to pay, know that it is better for you to forgive the debt.’ Verse 281: ‘Fear the day when you will return to God, when everyone will be paid in full what he has earned, without being wronged.’ This means: if the sum to be collected does not put the creditor in hardship, and the person who is to pay has no means of paying, then forgiving it is best of all and a meritorious deed (sevap).

The pir says: “O travellers on the path of the tarikat! The path by which you came is the path of God. Where you stand is the court of God (Hak divanı). God gave your body its soul, He gave your heart its faith. Step into the dar, speak the truth, declare your sins. What is on your tongue belongs to us, what is in your heart belongs to you; what is known we have learned, and we have obtained consent. What is unknown, you and exalted God know. If such a burden is on your back, lay it down in this square of God, so that we may make the raw (ham) pure (has). We will hand you over to yourselves and to God. Act so that your effort is not in vain and you do not go before the divine court empty-handed and with a blackened face.” After this the pir recites a salavat aloud. Then he has them swear the oath. The musahip souls who have given their ikrar say “Allah eyvallah” in answer to each question and bow in reverence (niyaz) towards their right shoulder. This means: I affirm it with my tongue, believe it with my heart and accept it.

The oath

• The pir: “Bismi Şah Allah, Allah! O travellers on the path of God! From the day your musahiplik was bound until today, have you remained faithful to your covenant? Are you faithful to the ikrar you gave?” Those being seen: “Allah eyvallah!”
• The pir: “O travellers on the path of God! Do you believe and affirm that God is One, that Hazrat Muhammad is the true Prophet and that Imam Ali is the friend of God (Veliyullah)?” Those being seen: “Allah eyvallah!”
• The pir: “O travellers on the path of God! Are the command (buyruk) of the mürşid, the breath (nefes) of the pir and the word (nutuk) of the rehber true?” Those being seen: “Allah eyvallah!”
• The pir: “O travellers on the path of God! Are the Four Gates and Forty Stations (Dört Kapı Kırk Makam) true?” Those being seen: “Allah eyvallah!”
• The pir: “O travellers on the path of God! Are the Holy Qur’an and the Buyruk of Imam Jafar true?” Those being seen: “Allah eyvallah!”
• The pir: “O travellers on the path of God! Do you believe in the Ehl-i Beyt and in the imamate of the Twelve Imams of their line?” Those being seen: “Allah eyvallah!”
• The pir: “O travellers on the path of God! Are the Muharram fast and the mourning (yas, matem) true?” Those being seen: “Allah eyvallah!”
• The pir: “O travellers on the path of God! Do you believe in loving the one who loves Muhammad, Ali and the Ehl-i Beyt – ‘tevella’ – and in not loving the one who does not love them – ‘teberra’?” Those being seen: “Allah eyvallah!”
• The pir: “O travellers on the path of God! Are the 48 Fridays (48 Cuma) true?” Those being seen: “Allah eyvallah!”

The pir says: “O travellers on the path of God! The path you walk is the path of Muhammad and Ali; the dar in which you stand is the dar of Mansur. If you repent from the heart in this dar, your repentance will be accepted. See, the shared meaning of verse 112 of Surat at-Tawbah and verse 8 of Surat at-Tahrim (Tahrim) commands the following: ‘O you who believe! If you repent from the heart and turn to God – God is forgiving. He covers all your evil deeds and forgives them.’”

Repentance and surrender

The pir recites a salavat, recites a tevhit (declaration of God’s oneness) and then says, “You will repent together with me,” and begins: “Bismi Şah Allah, Allah! Tövbe günahımıza estağfurullah, elimizle, dilimizle, belimizle işlediğimiz günahlarımıza tövbe estağfurullah. Kalbimizle, cemi azamızla işlediğimiz günahlarımıza tövbe estağfurullah. İsyanımıza tövbe estağfurullah.” (In the name of the Shah, Allah, Allah! Repentance for our sin, I ask God’s forgiveness; for the sins we have committed with our hand, our tongue and our loins – repentance, I ask God’s forgiveness. For the sins we have committed with our heart and all our limbs – repentance, I ask God’s forgiveness. For our rebellion – repentance, I ask God’s forgiveness.) In this way he leads them in repentance.

The pir says: “O erenler of the cem! Are you, for God’s sake, witnesses to the covenant and pledge (aht-ı peyman) and to the ikrar of our souls who, in this square of the erenler, before the pir divanı, following this sacred command, wish to give their account before the Day of Judgement comes, and who have given their ikrar and sworn an oath to the path of Hak, Muhammad and Ali with their goods, their lives and all they have?” The congregation says, “We are witnesses, may God also be witness.” The pir replies, “May God also be content with you.”

The pir asks the congregation this three times. After that he says: “Ber cemali Muhammed, kemali İmam Hasan, İmam Hüseyin, Ali-yel Muhammed’e verelim salavat” (Upon the beauty of Muhammad, the perfection of Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn, and the family of Muhammad, let us recite the salavat), and together with the congregation recites the salavat: “Allahumme salli ala seyidine Muhammed ve ala Ali seyidine Muhammed” (O God, bless our master Muhammad and the family of our master Muhammad).

The musahips who are to be seen, while kneeling before the pir, bow in reverence to the ground and bend forward into the position of prostration (secde). With his right hand the pir takes the right hand of the eldest musahip at the very front. With his left hand the talip takes hold of the hem of the pir’s robe. This is called “Destideman Teslimi İman” (grasping the hem – surrender of faith). It means surrendering with all one’s being. While in prostration before the pir, the talip recites this quatrain, which expresses that they have surrendered:

Can-ı dilden bel bağladım evliya erkânına
Hamdülillah gene durdum pirin divanına
El- aman sığındım Erenler lütfu ihsanına
Bu yolda canım kurban pirimin fermanına
Allah eyvallah, nefes pirdendir.

With all my heart I have bound myself to the rite of the saints,
praise be to God, once more I stand before the pir’s divan.
Mercy! I have taken refuge in the grace and bounty of the erenler,
on this path my life is a sacrifice to my pir’s command.
Allah eyvallah, the breath (nefes) comes from the pir.

After the talip has recited this quatrain, the pir again recites a salavat and then says “Vela Havle Vela Kuvvete, İlla BillaH Ali-Yul Azim” (There is no power and no strength save in God, the Most High, the Most Great) and raises the talips from prostration. The musahip souls, having risen from prostration, greet one another and ask each other’s forgiveness with this sentence: “We have eaten and drunk together, stopped and moved on together – grant me release of your rights in the hereafter (ahiret hakkınızı helal edin).” In this way they have obtained forgiveness from one another.

The covering with the shroud and the gülbank

The musahips who have been seen, the four souls side by side, prostrate before the pir in such a way that they lay their heads on the pir’s knee. For the counsel given they say “Allah eyvallah”, for the prayer that will be said “Allah, Allah”, and they wait in prostration.

The pir takes the shroud cloth (kefen) prepared beside him, recites the tekbir three times and covers them with it. Reciting a tekbir, he lays an unused bar of soap and an unused pair of scissors on top of the shroud. He places his right hand on the middle of the back of the musahip at the front. First he recites verses of the Holy Qur’an and the following gülbank.

Verse 10 of Surat al-Fath: “O Muhammad! Truly, those who bow before you and give you their hands are regarded as bowing before God and giving their hands to Him. The hand of God is above their hands. Whoever goes back on this word he has given goes back only to his own detriment. For the one who fulfils the word he has given to God and stands by his ikrar there is a great recompense and reward.” Verses 18 and 19: “God was well pleased with those who gave you their hands and their biat under the tree. Because He knew the true faith in their hearts, He sent down patience and security upon them. He will reward them with spoils they will take in the near future.”

Verse 33 of Surat an-Nisa: “Of the property left to you by your parents and your near relatives, We have made each of you an heir. Give their share also to those with whom you have sworn an oath (to whom you have given ikrar and become musahip). God is witness over all things.” The pir again recites a salavat and then continues to recite the following gülbank.

“Bismi Şah Allah, Allah! O my exalted God, who created the earths and the heavens! For the sake of the honour of Gabriel, Michael (Mikail), Israfil and Azrael (Azrail) – peace be upon them – bless the resting places of the martyrs who lie at rest and make their hereafter good! For the sake of the honour of Adam, the chosen one of God, Noah, the one saved by God, Abraham, the friend of God, Ishmael, the one submitted to God, Moses, who spoke with God, Jesus, the spirit of God, Muhammad, the beloved of God, Ali, the friend of God, the Ehl-i Beyt, the grace of God, and the perfect mürşid of God, forgive them the mistakes and sins they have committed until now! Accept their repentance, O my Lord! Do not withhold from them the beneficent blessing and the pure gaze (sefa-yı nazar) of the Three, the Five, the Seven, the Twelve Imams, the Fourteen Pure Innocents, the Seventeen Kemerbest and the Forty, O my Lord!

Esselatu vesselamu aleyke ya Muhammed Mustafa.
Esselatu vesselemu aleyke ya Ali-yun Veli’yullah.
Esselatu vesselamu aleyke ya Hatice-tül Kibriya.
Esselatu vesselamu aleyke ya Fatima-tül Zöhre.
Esselatu vesselamu aleyke ya Hasan-ul Müçteba.
Esselatu vesselamu aleyke ya Hüseyin-i deşti Kerbela.
Esselatu vesselamu aleyke ya İmam Zeynel’i aba.
Esselatu vesselamu aleyke ya Muhammed Bakır Baha.
Esselatu vesselamu aleyke ya İmam Caferi Sadık.
Esselatu vesselamu aleyke ya Musa’yı Kazım.
Esselatu vesselamu aleyke ya İmam Rıza.
Esselatu vesselamu aleyke ya Muhammed Taki.
Esselatu vesselamu aleyke ya Ali-yel el Naki.
Esselatu vesselamu aleyke ya İmam Hasan-ül Askeri.
Esselatu vesselamu aleyke ya Mehdi Sahibi Zaman.
Esselatu vesselamu aleyke ya Hünkâr Hacı Bektaş Veli.

Blessings and peace be upon you, O Muhammad Mustafa.
Blessings and peace be upon you, O Ali, friend of God.
Blessings and peace be upon you, O Khadija (Hatice), the exalted.
Blessings and peace be upon you, O Fatima, the radiant (Zöhre).
Blessings and peace be upon you, O Hasan, the chosen (Müçteba).
Blessings and peace be upon you, O Husayn of the plain of Karbala.
Blessings and peace be upon you, O Imam Zayn al-Abidin.
Blessings and peace be upon you, O Muhammad al-Baqir.
Blessings and peace be upon you, O Imam Jafar al-Sadiq.
Blessings and peace be upon you, O Musa al-Kazim.
Blessings and peace be upon you, O Imam Rıza.
Blessings and peace be upon you, O Muhammad al-Taqi.
Blessings and peace be upon you, O Ali al-Naqi.
Blessings and peace be upon you, O Imam Hasan al-Askari.
Blessings and peace be upon you, O Mahdi, Lord of the Age (Sahib-i Zaman).
Blessings and peace be upon you, O Hünkâr Hacı Bektaş Veli.

Alla hu Ekber, Alla hu Ekber, Alla hu Ekber, laa ilahe ilallah valla hu Ekber, Alla hu Ekber velillahil hamd. Hak laa ilahe ilallah Muhammed’e Resul ullah Ali ’yen Veli-yullah, şefaat kıl ya Resulullah. Edrikni ya Ali, edrikni ya Ali, edrikni ya Ali! (God is greatest, God is greatest, God is greatest, there is no god but God, and God is greatest, God is greatest, and to God belongs all praise. God – there is no god but God, Muhammad is the Messenger of God, Ali is the friend of God; O Messenger of God, intercede for us. Come to my aid, O Ali, come to my aid, O Ali, come to my aid, O Ali!) On the path by which you came, in the dar in which you stand, in the pir’s square in which you have prostrated, may exalted God not let your efforts be in vain! May He not separate you from the ranks and the countenance of the Ehl-i Beyt! Ber cemali Muhammed, kemali İmam Hasan, İmam Hüseyin, Ali ’yün Muhammed’e verelim candan salavat. Allahumme salli ala seyidine Muhammed ve ala Ali seyidine Muhammed (Upon the beauty of Muhammad, the perfection of Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn, and the family of Muhammad, let us recite the salavat from the heart. O God, bless our master Muhammad and the family of our master Muhammad),” he says, and continues:

“Elif – Allah, Mim – Muhammad, Cim – Gabriel (Cebrail), Be – Imam Ali! From the Forty has come down the path of the erkân of this faith. The mystery of the Ehl-i Beyt has become obligatory (farz) for the believer. O my exalted God! May the light of Muhammad and Ali be granted to these souls. The state is the state of the erenler, the path is the path of the erenler; be not heedless, O believers, it is the master’s hand that comes. Crown and sovereignty, the girdle – in truth be dust (türap); on the path of God I know God, I see God. I receive permission (destur) from the Shah of Velayet.”

The pir says “Ya Allah, ya Muhammed, ya Ali!”, strikes the middle of the back of the first musahip at the front with his right hand and strokes it upwards towards the head. He strikes and strokes the back of all the musahips in the same way, three times each. The bacılar (women) are touched very lightly.

After all the musahips have passed through this rite, the pir says: “Lafeta illa Ali, la Seyfe illa Zülfikar, dergâhı bariye kayıt olsun, yatan şehitler uyansın!” (There is no youth but Ali, no sword but Dhulfiqar (Zülfikar); may it be recorded at the threshold of the Creator, may the martyrs who lie at rest awaken!). Again reciting a salavat, he gathers up the shroud from over them. The talips who have been seen bow in reverence to the pir and remain kneeling in the dar of Nesimi.

The pir says: “O talip! Exalted God gave your body its soul, gave you a tongue to speak, eyes to see, ears to hear, hands to hold and feet to walk. Step into the dar, speak the truth: what did you see, what did you hear?” The talips answer: “We saw the countenance of God, we heard the word of God.”

The pir says: “O talip! May your miraç (ascension) be blessed, may your ikrar be auspicious! We took you from yourself and now hand you back to yourself. Be master of yourself. Remain faithful to your ikrar.” At once the rehber comes and goes ahead of the musahip couples. Beginning with the pir, they bow in reverence and greet all the participants of the cem. Everyone congratulates them, saying, “May your miraç be blessed, may your coming be auspicious.” After the greetings are over, they stand once more in the dar together with the rehber. The rehber recites the following tercüme (chanted prayer).

“Erkânım Cafer’idir yolum Muhammed Ali
Pirimiz üstadımız Hünkâr Hacı Bektaş Veli
Hak deyip el bağladık ikrar verdik bu yola
Mürşidim oldu Muhammed Rehberimdir Murtaza
Hizmetimiz tamam oldu ver Pirim bize dua
Allah eyvallah nefes pirdendir.”

“My erkân is that of Jafar, my path is Muhammad and Ali,
our pir and master is Hünkâr Hacı Bektaş Veli.
Saying ‘Hak’ we folded our hands and gave our ikrar to this path,
Muhammad became my mürşid, my rehber is Murtaza (Ali).
Our service is complete; my pir, give us your prayer.
Allah eyvallah, the breath comes from the pir.”

The prayer given by the pir: “Allah, Allah! May your service be accepted! May Hak, Muhammad and Ali be your helpers! May Hızır be your companion on the road! May your efforts not be in vain! May you find intercession through your service! You have given your ikrar to this straight path (tarik-i müstakim) of Muhammad and Ali and become talips. May Hak, Muhammad and Ali give no sickness to your bodies and no sorrow to your hearts! May He make your end good! May He not let you go astray and fall, may He not separate you from truthfulness and from the right path! May He not make you dependent on the ignoble! May He grant what your tongue asks and what your heart desires! May the tongue be from us, the breath from the pir and the help from God! Gerçeğe hüü mümine ya Ali!”

The sacrifice, the end of the cem and the following morning

In the old village rites, the sacrificial animals were brought alive onto the meydan at this point. But as we stated in the musahiplik rite, if the place where the cem is held is suitable, the sacrifice rite (kurban erkânı) is carried out exactly as written in the musahiplik rite; there is no change in the tekbirs and prayers. If it is not suitable, the sacrificial animals are slaughtered the day before by the rehber or the pir with the tekbir. So that the rite may be properly fulfilled in the cem, the cooked meat is brought in. The pir again recites the tekbir and the prayer over it. After the sacrifice services are finished, the pir continues with the worship section of the cem he had earlier “united”.

The musahip couples who have passed through the görgü, without taking off their collarless shirts, worship together kneeling in the dar of Nesimi in the front circle until the cem is over. Having finished the cem and opened its “seal”, the pir again takes the talips who have been seen, still wearing the collarless shirts, into the dar of Mansur. Reciting the following gülbank, he removes the collarless shirts from them.

The pir recites a tekbir and a salavat: “May your miraç be blessed, may your pilgrimage (hac) be accepted, may your coming be auspicious! On the path of Hak, Muhammad and Ali, in the square of the erenler, before the pir divanı, you have been judged and questioned. May exalted God not judge and question you again! May He accept your repentance! May He forgive your sins! May your efforts not be in vain! May exalted God, the Creator of the universe, grant what your tongue asks and what your heart desires! Gerçeğe hüü mümine ya Ali!” So he speaks, and removes the collarless shirts.

The worship section of the cem has ended, the collarless shirts have been removed, and now it is time for the lokmas (blessed food offerings) to be eaten. The lokmas and sacrifices are eaten according to the same procedure as written in the musahiplik rite, and the dede gives the prayer over the meal (sofra duası). After that a prayer is given for those who performed the services (hizmet sahipleri). Now the cem is over. The dede says “Durana, gidene koysuz gıybet siz baş yastığa koyanın demine hüü” (To the one who stays and the one who goes, without backbiting – Hu to the breath of the one who lays his head on the pillow) and allows everyone to go home. With this the rite also comes to an end.

The next morning the musahips who have been seen prepare a meal from the meat of the rite’s sacrifice. They invite the pir, the mürşid and the rehber there, or they go to the house where the pir is staying and prepare the meal there. The pir gives each of the canlar and bacılar who have been seen a morsel (lokma) of the sacrificial meat and gives them the following counsel:

The pir says: “My children! From today on, in your daily life, in your sitting and rising and in your relations with people, you must be more patient and more careful. In the community you must be an example on the side of goodness. At this door of the tarikat you must educate yourselves and open an irfan meydanı at the door of marifet. Even in jest you must not attempt a lie. You have repented of what you have done until today. You have given your ikrar not to do it from now on. Wretched is the state of those who give an ikrar and do not stand by their ikrar. Whoever shows no loyalty to his covenant turns against himself. May Hak, Muhammad and Ali be your helpers! May He not separate you from truthfulness and from the right path! May He grant your hearts patience and abundance of faith! You musahips must hasten to one another’s aid even more than before. You must strive not to fall short in respect and love for one another. You must guard against saying hurtful words to one another. You must protect one another always and everywhere. For according to God’s command you are closer to one another than siblings of one mother and one father. So that I may see you in an even better state at this time next year, I entrust you to yourselves and to God.” Thus he counsels them. The souls who have been seen and the musahips who have given their ikrar, as our path requires, take in their hands the gift (lokma) for the pir, the mürşid and the rehber, in the amount they deem fitting and their means allow. Together with the other people in the house, they place their innermost selves in the dar, receive their prayers and present their gift. In this way this rite, too, is completed.

Source: Seyit Derviş Tur, Erkânname – Aleviliğin İslam Yorumu ve Alevi Erkânları (The Islamic Interpretation of Alevism and the Alevi Rites), expanded 3rd edition (ISBN 975-6791-52-7).

Translated from the Turkish original by Seyit Derviş Tur.