Naqshbandi Osmanli Dergah

Osmanli Dergahi

Naksibendi (Naqshbandi) Sufi Zawiya in the Catskill Mountains, New York

The Osmanli Naks-i’bendi Hakkani Dergahi is an Islamic center for the worship of ALLAH. The Dergahi (pronounced der-ga-ha) was built and is maintained according to Islamic principles and practices. In 2003, the Dergah was blessed by the Name of Allah appearing in our pond, spelled out in snow.

We are Muslims. Our faith is Islam. Islam means submitting to God’s Will and accepting that there is no god but ALLAH (the One God) and that Muhammad is the Messenger of ALLAH, peace and blessings upon him, as are Jesus, Moses, Abraham, Noah and Adam, peace be upon them all. Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, is the Seal (last) of the Prophets. Like the majority of Muslims, we are Sunni Muslims.

We are followers of the most distinguished Naks-I’bendi Hakkani Tarikat (sufi order), which traces its traditions directly back to the life-style and teachings of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. Sufism (‘Tasawwuf’, in Arabic) is one of the Islamic sciences. Under the guidance of a Sheykh of the Tarikat, sufism is the way of purifying oneself from bad manners and characteristics in preparation for passing clean to the afterlife. Sufism is the spirituality in Islam. The chain of transmission (of the teachings) is documented through the 40 GrandSheykhs of the Tarikat back to Abu Bakr Siddik, the first companion to whom the Prophet passed the sufi knowledge of the heart.

The Dergah

A sufi center is also known as a Dergah, literally a place of the threshold. This threshold, or doorway, refers to  the Infinite, to the Creator. The sufi center is a place where the followers (murids) try to live as sincere believers serving each other and the one who represents the Holy Prophet, the sheykh and ultimately to serve the Creator. It is a place where they worship, work, and rest together, imitating the lifestyle of the first sufis, the People of the Porch,(Ahli Suffa). They lived an extremely simple lifestyle and their sole aim was to be in association with and in  proximity to the Holy Prophet.  That tradition has continued for over 1,400 years.

The center is open to all- “Come, come whoever you are…ours is a caravan of love”beckons Rumi.  Interestingly,  caravan in Rumi’s original poem is dergah, a sufi center. Our sheykh said, quoting the late wife of our grandsheykh, Hazret  Hajja Ana, “Welcome to those who come, farewell to those who leave.”  There is no compulsion to come, to stay, or to go.

Edeb, Ya Hu!- Have Manners!- is prominent everywhere, reminding all to have and display the best of manners. Good manners is the perfection of faith as it entails wisdom, patience, awareness, and humility.  Manners here refer to the subtle but vital prophetic tradition of putting others before yourself and sharing what you have with others even if it is just a  piece of bread.

Simplicity in lifestyle marks the sufi center, a lifestyle close to nature with very few modern distractions. Followers tend  to the usual responsibilites of a farm, besides cooking and cleaning for each other they also tend sheep,  raise bees,  feed the chickens, milk the cows, train the donkey, walk the dogs, clean after the cats, plant seeds, harvest vegetables,  etc. etc. etc.  Close contact with the natural mountainous surroundings, coupled with close contact with the animals help  to balance the energies in our bodies, recalibrating our physical selves with nature and de-stressing our spirits.  As it  is a farm, work is constant but mostly light, everyone is expected to engage in physical labor especially during the day. It is a common sufic axiom that service to others is more sacred than personal worship.

Every work done at the center has to begin with the holy name of our Creator and must be done with love and sincerity.  Any work done with compulsion or anger is unacceptable.

The usual day begins with the dawn worship and while waiting for the sun to rise the followers share those few holy  moments with the sheykh where he may give a discourse, questions may be asked to him, or he may listen and interpret  dreams.   Dreamwork is an important aspect of a follower’s journey.  Some chose to rest after sunrise, to meditate, or to  start working.  The day continues with work around the farm punctuated with noon and afternoon prayers. All work ceases at  sunset. The followers join the sheykh for the evening prayers, dinner is served and a silent remembrance ceremony is held.  After that tea and sweets are served while the sheykh continues his discourses.   Live classical Ottoman music is played on the oud, poetry often recited and some may choose to whirl. Humor is extremely  important in the center and often the sheykh would joke and laugh with us or at us, to increase our self-awareness.

The year is filled with holy days and nights, festivals, and commemorations and they are observed at the center. Visitors  from all over the world periodically make their visit here, while those who do not live in the center visit during the  weekends.  All desire to associate with the sheykh and other followers and to disassociate themselves from the world.

The job and responsibilites of the sheykh cannot be enumerated or imagined- he heals those with spiritual, psycological,  or emotional illnesses, trains others to help him and prepare us all for the coming events of these End of Times.