HALVATI- THE SECT WHICH  PROCREANTS HUNDREDS OF BRANCHES

Halvati is one of the main sects in Sufi traditions of Islam which procreates many branches in the history spreading all over the world.  It was founded by Omar- Sıraceddin  Halvati in 14th century AD in the region  Azerbaijan and it was called as “ Halvatiyye “ when the founder  has spent much of his time tree bark as representing to be alone. The lovers of this sects have chosen to worship alone and fond of their freedom.  It was expanded Anatolia, Balcan countries, North Africa and the Middle east in 15th century AD and it was brought to Anatolia by Seyyid Yahya Şirvani in the reign of Ottomans.  Halvati sect was known all over the islamic world in a short time and a lot of branches  were arisen from this sect with different names based on the same ritulas with little differences throughout the long history so it has title with “ mother of the sects. “  Different branches in Anatolia and the other places did not cause any problems altough they were practised in  large geographical areas.  One of the most important sheiks was Pir Seyyid Yahya Şirvani who brought Halvati to Anatolia to be loved  and he made a great effort to train some his caliphs-student dervishes- for sending them to different countries & states as pioneers.  The  main philasopy of Halvati is based on the love of Prophet Mohammed’s family and to follow  caliph Ali’s footprints. The love of Mohammed and Ali  grabbed the millions of fans to join Halvati without any hesitation and it was spread all over the islamic  world by day day.  The Halvati sect also was loved by the Ottoman soceity  during the establishment of the state and it became one of the main sects in  especially after Istanbul became the capital of empire in different names so about 15 Ottoman sultans joined either Halavati sect or its branches.  Ottoman sultans consulted some of the famous  Halvati sheiks and scholars during the 16th and 17th centuries AD before the campaings, conquests and important events to get some advice. If anybody wanted to join  Halvati sect in the past, he could apply to the lodge first sitting in front of the sheikh and he used to say the words  in front of everybody “Lâilaheillallah, Allah, Hû, Hakk, Hayy, Kayyûm, Kahhâr “ and was given time to follow seven different stations to complete one by one under the supervision of  his sheikh. One of Halvati branches in Anatolia is known as “ Şabaniyye “  in the north part of the empire  in the province  of Kastamonu  and it was founded by the famous scholar & sage  Sheikh Şaban-ı Vali who enlighten the area with caliphs  for centuries. Sheik Şaban-ı Vali was accepted one of the four spirutal founders of Anatolia and Ottoman empire.  Another important branch of Halvati was Sunbulıye which was founded by Yusuf Sinan Sunbuli in İstanbul at the end of the 15th century AD and it became very famous after the great effort of Mehmet Musluhiddin known as “ Merkez Effendi “ in public by  producing power toothpaste.  Sheikh Merkez Effendi was also the well-known medical doctor in his age as well as the  botanists & pharmacist who was the head of all medical care of the empire. Another famous branch of Halvati sect in 16th century AD was Celvetiyye who was represented by Aziz Mahmud Hudai in Istanbul.  Aziz Mahmud Hudai had a long life & passed away at the age of 99 and gave important advice to six Ottoman sultans during his leardership of Celvetiyye as the sheikh.  The mian branches of Halvati sect are ; Şabaniyye- in north Anatolia, Sünbüliyye and  Celvetiyye-in Istanbul, Ahmediye- in Iraq, Mısrıyye-in Egypt, Uşşakiyye-in the west Anatolia and Cerrahiyye-in Istanbul. Istanbul has become the headquarter of Halvati sect  for about three hundred years under the supervisor of Sunbuliye sheiks located in Kocamustafa pasha district  and the main lodge building called “ Sunbuli Asitanesi “  was  Sunbul Sinan shrine with 29 different district offices all over Istanbul as well having the second lodge building in Zeytinburnu district called as Merkez Effendi today. Halvati ceremony was called as Devran  turning around the center by every dervishes together. Halvati  sect are divided into different branches on Ottoman gravestones and majority of them can be seen in Yusuf Sinan Sunbil and Merkez effendi logde centers in Istanbul.  Halvati crowns on gravestones used to have four main slices respresenting for main stations and one of its branch called  Celvetiyye had 13 slices on the headgear & Uşşakiye had 14 slices.  The Sunbuli crowns both  in Merkez Effendi and Sunbul Sinan  cemeteries in Istanbul  have many sliced  on  its headgears which  represents the famous sect today.