Sünbül Sinan, who was born in Merzifon/Amasya/Turkey and the founder of Sünbüliyye branch of Khalwatiyya tradition, is one of the important sûfî figures in the period of Ottoman Empire. He is a supporter of the arguments about dance and fortune in the Ottoman era. In this regard, he published several works. His another publication is Risala fî Bayan al-Atwar al-Sabʻa. He addresses the hirarchies of sayr-u suluk in this epistle. The conception of al-Atwar al-Sab’a (seven stages) has also an important place in Khalwatiyya and there are epistles written on this issue. One of these epistles is Sunbul Efendi’s epistle. When discussing and explaining the subject, he used both Quran verses and hadiths. The hadith understanding and utilizing of sûfîs is different than the understanding of hadith narrators. Sûfîs sometimes might not behave mildly when finding narratives that approve their teachings and understandings. In this paper, we address, discuss, and analyze the content of this epistle, the hadith understanding of sûfîs, and the hadiths that Sunbul Efendi used to ground his understanding of atwar sab’a, and thereby, we aim to determine if the statements considered as hadiths in the epistle are real or not. Additionally, we aim to assess the certainty, indication, and meaning of the statements considered as evidence and hadith in detail regarding the understanding of atwar al-sab’a, it is aimed to contribute to the studies in the field of hadith and mysticism.
Summary
Sunbul Sinan Efendi (d. 936/1529), who was born in Amasya / Merzifon and was the founder of the Sunbuliyye branch of the Khalwatiyya tradition, is one of the essential Sufistic personalities of the Ottoman period. He is a leading supporter of the Sufi dance (raqs) and Sufi whirling (dawran) discussions in the Ottoman period. In addition to the works he has been copyrighted in this subject, one of his essential works is Risala fî Bayan al-Atwar al-Sabʻa. In this epistle of Sunbul Efendi, he discusses sayr and suluk (path) in Sufism. The understanding of al-Atwar al-Sabʻa (seven stages) also has an essential place in the Khalwatis, and epistles concerning this issue were written. The epistle of Sunbul Efendi is one of them.
Sunbul Sinan has given place more verses and hadiths in grounding his nafs stages in his epistles compared to other atwar authors. In his epistle, Sunbul Sinân gave 16 narrations or words he cited as a hadith and referred to as evidence and a basis to justify the order of suluks. As a result of the detections, deductions, and criticisms of the hadith, words, and narrations, among them there are 1 authentic, 1 hasan li ghairihi, 3 weak hadiths in terms of imputation, and the remaining 11 narrations or words consists of words and observations, some of which are not initially hadith, some of which are regarded as fabricated, and some are not involved in the sources. Besides, it is observed that the vast majority of these narrations in the epistle did not exist in the first period hadith and Sufism sources, mostly in the classified and copyrighted sources in the later periods, and some of them were not involved in the sources at all. Hence, it is probable to say that in the early periods, some of the people who are ascetic (zahid), Sufi, and wise, or words that were supposed to have the correct meaning of different cultures and personalities, were reflected in the sources of the next period and conveyed to Sufism by transforming them into hadith. In this regard, a more in-depth research is required on the source of narrations that are effective in Sufism and used as hadith and their conveyance to Sufism.
Sufi's hadith understanding and use of hadith may change from the hadith understanding of the narrator of hadiths. At this point, Sufis can sometimes present a moderate behavior when it comes to narrations that verify their teachings and understanding. Sunbul Sinan's attitude is observed to be similar to the Sufi approach concerning hadith if the use of hadith in epistles and understanding of hadith in general. The author has adopted an approach in presenting the hadiths as evidence, not more than the correctness and certitude of the hadith, but he cares about whether his meaning is relevant in terms of verifying and explaining his teachings.
Sunbul Sinan also made ishari (implied) comments on the words and narrations he presented as hadith. Still, in his ishari interpretations, he abided by the rules inquired in the ishari interpretation, did not eliminate the apparent meaning of the hadiths, nor did he make any interpretations contradicting to the general principles of religion. He sought to ground his nafs hierarchies based on the lafz or ishari meaning of the narrations and words he presented as evidence. Still, it is seen that the naqli (prophecy) evidence given in this subject as hadith are not based on a reliable basis, especially in hadith, and that almost all of them are comprised of weak, unreliable, controversial and problematic words and news. Still, by examining the status of the narrations presented in this epistles, it is not right to reach a conclusion and opinion that there is no religious and scientific basis in the understanding that expresses the nafs stages in the Sufism, or the course of perfection of man as the al-atwar al-sab'a. Because the primary goal of the Qur'an and Sunnah is to enhance man morally, to acquit his nafs, to glorify his soul, and bring it to perfection in the world and the heaven. The primary purpose of Sufism is to help and guide people in fulfilling this goal. It is recognized that Sunbul Sinan, like the Sufis, adopted this aim as a basis in the use of hadith. Sufis gave importance to every word that complied with the purposes of Sufism and whose meaning was relevant in terms of their own teachings and exhibited a lenient attitude for equating the unreliable narrations, criticized in terms of correctness and certitude, as hadith of the Prophet. Still, at this point, it will unquestionably be a more suitable approach for the Sufis to consider the methods and principles of the hadith, and to act with an understanding that prefers correct and consistent narrations rather than problematic narrations in terms of correctness and certitude while grounding the doctrine and understanding of Sufism. Because in the context of verifying the teachings of Sufism, there are adequate verses and correct hadiths, and their correctness does not create a need for problematic narrations. Consequently, the understanding of al-atwar al-sab’a, which has an essential place in sayr and suluk, should be based on the Qur'an and Sunnah axis, by reconsidering the methods and data of the hadith, in the context of more reliable narrations in terms of correctness and certitude. Such new research and studies may create a decrease in the criticisms that will be aimed towards Sufism and will also add to grow and enhance the Sufism understanding based on solid foundations within the context of the Qur'an and Sunnah. As a result, in the article, the nature of his epistle, as well as the understanding of hadiths, the hadiths used by Sunbul Efendi to ground the understanding of al-atwar al-sab’a were evaluated in terms of deduction, criticism, and analysis within the context of hadith science, and the real value of the words presented as hadith in the epistle was sought to put forward.
In the meantime, it was aimed to evaluate the suitability of the hadiths and words presented as evidence to ground the understanding of al-atwar al-sab’a in terms of certitude, implication, and meaning, and to contribute to the studies in the field of hadith and Sufi sciences.
