Üftade and Hüdai, two great Ottoman Saints

 

An introduction
'Üftade' is a Persian word. It has connotations of 'fallen on hard times', 'tied and dependent' and 'very lovingly fond'. The words 'aciz' (unable, incapable, helpless, destitute), 'zayıf' (weak, feeble, thin, poor' and 'nayıf' (?) can also be used in place of it in speech. In Ottoman times, in the speech of the cultured classes which is called 'Lisan-i-enderun' (Court language) - the word 'Üftade' is seen used in adjectival combination with the word 'afitap' (Persian, aftab - sun) meaning 'kardeş' (brother, sibling), and having connotations of a radiant, alluring and beautiful appearance.]]

The more his 'Üftadeness' increases, the more it becomes impossible, from our narrow perspective and limited understanding, to speak of the spiritual presence and divine philosophy of Hazreti Üftade, close to God, who burnt with the love of the Prophet, and in whom was crystallized a demeanour of love and compassion towards humankind. It is the esteemed souls of such great lovers of God as Hz.Úftade who encourage us to strengthen our understanding and sense of good judgement and who reinforce in us self-control in thought and speech.
Those who are on the Way know that the fire of divine love which kindles in them can melt away their 'nafs'; they experience this and remember God and his Prophet at every heartbeat. In any case, isn't the shortest way to God to fall into this fire of love?
A work called 'Vakıat' (events, dreams or visions) which collects the sayings of Hz. Mehmet Muhyiddin Üftade relating to his profound destiny and mystical knowledge, and the states on the road to God and the mystical way, has been put together by his successor, Hazret Hüdai, the Kadi. There is also a small hymnal, which includes a collection of sermons and some mystical hymns.

Üftade joins Hizir Dede:
After coming to Bursa from Karacabey, where his feet had gotten frostbitten herding sheep, Hızır Dede had begun to live the life of a recluse nearby the old minaret at the Ulu Cami. While taking part in conversations with Hz Haci Bayram Veli, who was on a visit to Emir Sultan, he became his 'halife' (a sheykh's assistant or successor). Around this time, Üftade became the disciple of Hızır Dede.

Uftade, as has been related, spent his time in mystical converse with Sheykh Hızır Dede, but remained in difficult straits up until the Sheykh passed away. Üftade served his Master Hızır Dede for a period of eight years.

Hazret Ismail Hakkı Bursevi, who was one of the 'Pirs' (Master) of the Jelveti order, who lived in Bursa, and was the writer of 'Ruh-ül-Beyan' (Explanation of the Spirit), which is the esoteric explanation of the Koran, while touching upon the above points in his 'Celveti Silsilename' (History of the Jelveti Order), shows Hızır Dede to be Üftade's sheykh, and states that he served him for eight years, but that subsequently Hızır Dede died, and that on this account Üftade was called 'Uwaysi'.

According to what has been recounted by Hazret Aziz Mahmut Hüdai, after the death of Sheykh Hizir Dede, in the course of travelling back and forth twice every day on the mountain road between Bursa and Kaplica, Uftade completed his spiritual journeying in 'istiğrak' (drowning, being immmersed in ecstatic contemplation and beatitude) and his 'kashf/keşf' (spiritual insight, unveiling) was opened.

In the Ulu Cami, on the west side of the ablutions fountain, in a frame hanging on the pillar and the outside door, there is a couplet in Arabic by Üftade in praise of the Ulu Cami.

This couplet says (in Arabic):

            'Ya cami-al kebir veya mecma-al-kibar   Tuba limen yezurüke fil-leyli vennahâr'

This couplet was incribed by one of the famous calligraphers, Šefik, in the year 1277 of the Hejira in the time of Sultan Abdul Aziz, and it says:

            'O Great Mosque (that which gathers/collects the great) or Assembly place of the select (place where the great ones gather)    Joyful tidings to the one who visits you by day and night'

STORIES - Üftade and Aziz Mahmut Hüdai

The first meeting of Üftade and Hüdai, Kadi of Bursa:
In the Hisar District of Bursa there lived a man who one year had resolved to perform the Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj).

But actually it was not in his power to go, and this fact caused him much sorrow.

For several years it continued like this.

Every year when the season for the Pilgrimage came round he was grief stricken.

It was at such times that his relationship with his wife became strained.

As the matter had become public knowledge, the neighbours and relatives decided that Uftade should be informed of the affair. This person went to Uftade, and weeping, told him of his predicament.

'Go to our friend Mehmet Dede the Eskici (* dealer in second hand wares, itinerant buyer of junk, cobbler, rag and bone man, junk dealer)', Uftade said, 'Give him our selaams. He will take you to the Holy Land (Hejaz).'

The man goes to Mehmet Dede the Eskici, gives selaams from Uftade, and reveals his plight.

Mehmet Dede the Eskici took the man who had come to him into his shop and by means of the phenomenom of 'tayyi mekân'(rolling up time and space), conveyed him to the Hejaz.

They performed the sacred duties of the Hajj. Afterwords they met with pilgrims who had come from Bursa.

They bought some presents and then took their leave of them.

Once more by 'tayyi mekkan' they found themselves back in the junk shop.

With Eskici Mehmet Dede's permission, the 'hajji baba' went home, but he wasn't allowed in.  His wife accused him of lying and he was sent away.

The man went to Hazret Aziz Mahmut Hüdai, Bursa's famous kadi (judge) of that time, and sought by legal means to obtain his wife's submission.

The court assembled. Plaintif and defendant were heard. However, because the pilgrims who would be witnesses had not yet come back to Bursa, the Kadi Mahmud Hüdai adjourned the case until their return in order that they could be heard.

According to what is related by popular tradition, when the pilgrims were still on the road, Hüdai, in order to prevent any false testament, went out to meet the pilgrims on the road, and satisfied himself that the event had happened as stated.

At the assembled court, after hearing that the pilgrims had been with the plaintiff at Arafat, he judged that the man's pilgimage had been possible, and that his marriage was not invalidated. The man and his wife went home.

Kadi Hüdai Efendi, by these powerful proofs and convincing explanations, was able to exonerate the Eskici Mehmet Dede from any imputation of falsehood. But although he had acquired this much information he could not at all fathom this event. He thought about this matter all day long. In the course of time his soul became oppressed. Finally he made up his mind. He went to the Eskici Mehmet Dede. But the Eskici Dede said: 'Your 'nasib' (what is allotted to one by God, one's portion) is not from us, it is from Hazreti Uftade. Go and apply to him.'

Kadi Aziz Mahmud Efendi ordered his horse to be prepared. Dressed in his gold embroidered kaftan and his official turban, he mounted his waiting horse, and together with his groom, set out on the road to Uftade. The road to the east of Molla Fenari Mosque is today such that it doesn't seem possible for a horse to go that way. The horse got stuck right up to its pasterns. Kadi Hudai pulled hard on the reins, but it was impossible for the horse to go forward. However much he struggled it couldn't go on. Finally the renowned Kadi with his splendid robes dismounted from the horse. (Today there are still four hoofprints, one worn down, belonging to a horse which was going in the same direction on this steep rocky hillside.) These imprints are ten centimetres in depth, and the foreman who was laying the road paving stones said the hillside wasn't to be broken up, saying the forms (of the imprints) were not to be spoilt and that what occurred here should not be forgotten, and that he hillside was to be left as it was. With his silk kaftan sweeping over the paving stones of Uftade's street, he embarked upon the way to the tekke.

They say that the place where the horse got its hooves stuck was in front of the blessed abode of Uftade's teacher Hızır Dede, and on the same level as the graves of the Üç Kuzular.

The Kadi arrived on foot beneath the tekke to find Uftade,  an old cloak upon his back, hoeing in the field. Beholding Uftade, the Kadi Hüdai mumbled:

'We used to think we were in control of the land, but in whose care is it really?

Uftade glanced at the kadi and understood everything. 'It is a pity, Kadi Efendi,' he said

'You knocked on the wrong door. Here is the door of non-existence. We are the slaves of the gate of non-existence. As for you, you are a person of the door of existence. We two would not be able to get along together.

You have knowledge and learning, fame and honour, wealth and property - yours is a prosperous life. Slaves such as us do not have anything at all other than God.'

Just then, two lines of tears began to flow like strings of pearls from the eyes of Mahmud Hüdai, who said:

'I have abandoned everything I possess outside your door. It is enough for me to be your pupil.'

At this, Hazret Uftade commanded:

'Throw away those clothes, quit your post of Kadi, and go and sell offal. Everday you will take three livers to the Tekke.'

The sheykh's word was decisive. From that day on, the Kadi did not appear at court.

Calling out through the districts of Hisar, Pinarbasi, Yerkapi and Maksem, he sold the livers which he fixed to poles carried over both his shoulders.

On his return to the tekke, the women and children by the stream which defines Uftade's hillside between the ...... (kuzgunluk) and the dergah, made fun of the Kadi calling out his wares.

Sheykh Uftade asked, 'How did the selling go?'

'The children tagging along behind and throwing stones didn't bother me a bit, but coming up the slope, the women's laughter really got to me.'  Describing all this to Uftade he was suddenly moved to exclaim, 'I have abandoned them!"

For four centuries the boundaries of Uftade's district (mahalle) terminate at that street. It is related that several times flash floods have swept down and removed altogether buildings in that street. Nowadays, the stream coming down the mountain scatters pebbles over the roads, and the force of the water often tears up the road surface. There has been a great deal of damage from earthquakes, and fires have been a regular occurrence.

Every Flower does the Zikr of Allah:
Abandoning at a young age the degrees and appointments considered at that time to be the most distinguished, such as being a Kadi, and a Professor (one of the Ulema), Aziz Mahmud Hudai was honoured by receiving spiritual education and guidance from Hz. Uftade. He (Hudai) relates the following story:

One day Aziz Mahmud Hudai went out for a stroll in the countryside with some of his friends. After wandering about for a while on the lower slopes of Aydede, all the dervishes picked bunches of flowers to present to their sheykh. Hz Hudai, however, came before Uftade with a single flower with a broken stem. The holy Master addressed him thus:

'My son, all your friends have brought bunches and bunches of flowers. Do you deem us worthy of only a single broken stemmed flower?'

Aziz Mahmud Hudai responded thus: 'Whatever I offer to my master is little. But, whichever flower I reached out to pick, on hearing it doing the zikr of the majestic God, and singing His praises, I was compelled to withdraw my hand. It was only when I saw that the flower which I brought to you, with its broken stem, wasn't able to do zikr, did I pick it.

This answer, showing such wisdom, pleased Uftade very much. Aziz Mahmud Hudai more and more attained his affection and kind regard.

People in the form of animals: 
One day Hz Uftade was giving instruction to his pupils. His grandson Kutub Ibrahim, who was still just a child, was watching them through the window, and as he looked he began to wail:

'Aaah...look at Grandpa, a herd of animals have gathered around him, and he is trying to teach them.'

On learning of what had happened, Uftade recited over a piece of bread which he made his grandson eat. His grandson, whose 'eye of the heart' was already open at this early age, did not manifest this state (hal) again.

Not by fire of wood, but by the fire of the heart did this water boil:

Aziz Mahmud Hudai had accepted responsibility in the tekke to heat the water each day for his Sheykh's ablutions. When he had been doing this duty for three years, one winter's morning when ice clung to everything, he had dozed off. When he woke up he realised that there wasn't much time before sunrise. By the time he had lit the fire and heated the water, the sun would have risen.

As he picked up the copper kettle, he found himself at the fountain  which adjoins the mosque. He filled the kettle and clasped it to his heart. Holding it tightly he began to do zikr internally. Hu...Hu...Hu.... While Hudai saying the name Hu in this way, Hz. Uftade was preparing to perform his ablutions. He went immediately to his Sheykh's side, and began to pour water for him. But the Sheykh suddenly cried out,

'You've burnt me! It was not with fire of wood, but by the fire of the heart that this water boiled.'

After this Uftade said: 'It is not fitting that there should be two lions in one skin ('post'). Now you are ripe, go to Uskudar and set up your tekke there. Begin in directing people on the way.' and he sent him to Uskudar. Aziz Mahmud Hudai, in as short a time as three years, attained the degree of being a 'murshid' (a spiritual guide, teacher) by means of a discipleship which was dependent on love.

I was busy caulking a hole underneath the boat.
One summer's day a passenger boat was making its way between Yalova and Kartal. The Lodos wind ( a sou'wester, a squall) had whipped up, and the boat began to struggle against the waves. People crowded in front of the closed cabin on the deck. Hearing the boat break down, a whisper spread round and people began to panic. Their excited movements began to unbalance the ship. At that moment the cry of an old woman was heard:

'Travellers... take refuge in Uftade, who watches over you in all your conditions, who helps those servants who are at the sea's mercy and who is the devout and righteous servant of God Most High.'

This heartfelt cry of the old woman was enough to silence the noise and calm the agitation.

In a very short time the waves, which were rising up (and coming) inside, went flat like soapy water which has been frothed up, and the ship resumed its course. In an instant the passengers had gathered around the old woman who related the following story:

One day, while having conversation in the palace  with the regning sultan, Uftade suddenly began to move his arms and legs about, as if taken ill with an epileptic fit. His blessed countenance turned every colour of the rainbow as he exausted himself, clenching his teeth and not saying anything at all. He made movements as though he were plastering over an area with the flat of his right hand.

Seeing his hands become completely black, the Sultan was completely baffled, and he kept asking, 'Has something happened to your hands?'

Finally Uftade answered, 'Tar. My Sultan, I couldn't reply immediately because I have been otherwise occupied.' While he spoke, the contortions of his mimed struggle subsided and his face resumed its natural state. He then explained:  'Five of your subjects, the crew of a fishing boat, were in the Black Sea. Their boat was taking in water, and they cried out to me. I have been busy repairing a hole underneath the boat. I came to the aid of some of the faithful who were on the point of drowning.

The sanctity of the Alisir water from the Fountain of HU.
While they were constructing the 'dergâh' (dervish college) and the holy mosque in what is now Uftadezade Sokak in the Uftade district, Uftade, the physician of love-sick souls, wanted to have a channel made to bring water from the upper reaches of the 'Gökdere' (a stream) in the south west of the area called Aydede. The local inhabitants appeared doubtful as to whether water could flow from Aydede's chestnut covered slopes. Pointing with his staff, the saint showed where the water would come. Because he told those who said 'This stream won't flow through here.' that it 'would become accustomed' (alisir), and because the water did become accustomed to flow, the water which is used today is known by such names as 'Alishir - Alashar - Alashir etc.

Concerning this water, which even today is considered sacred among our people, the following story is related:  It was a hot summer's day, outside the times of prayer. The sheykh efendi, the grandson of Hz. Uftade, was having the dervishes recite the Beautiful Names of God. Suddenly he gave the order to bring water. With the wooden buckets he had indicated to his pupils, he poured water from the Fountain of Hu over the mosque's porphyry marble covered floor.

He continually repeated, in heartfelt supplication, 'May we become cool, and let it be cool everywhere'. This prayer was accepted, and the more that the full buckets which the dervishes brought were emptied onto the floor, the more coolness pervaded the surroundings, and coolness was provided in every district where it was required.