Çilingir Sofrası 17 / Göklerin Ahmet’i, Yerin Muhammed’i (with English subtitles)

0:00Çilingir Sofrası 17 Ahmet of the Heavens, Muhammed of the Earth Translated by Prof.Dr.Nükhet Kardam

0:02So we were talking about Vedanta, ancient Hindu wisdom.

0:06This is the kind of knowledge that has a purpose, an aim.

0:14A purpose is not yet reality. It is not clear. If you inquired, what our intention is,

0:20Our answer would be that it is a utopia.

0:23If it actually existed, it wouldn’t be an aim.

0:27That means our intention is about the future.

0:32It is about turning today into the future.

0:35It is the knowledge of the future.

0:38In other words, it is eschatological.

0:40It is a plan, a design for the future and

0:46about reaching that place through today’s activities.

0:49Reaching that place is about ‘kıble’, ‘kabul edilmek’ which means

0:52there is a mutuality, an acceptance of having reached that place.

0:54We say it is knowledge but it is not rational knowledge because it doesn’t exist yet.

0:58Rational knowledge is knowledge about what exists.

1:03We can measure and experiment with what exists.

1:10Good, but now we are talking about utopia. We say that we have a hope, an expectation

1:16Can we know it, experiment with it? How can we experiment with hope?

1:21I have an idea, I have an ideal.

1:26That ideal will lead me to action.

1:32When I have a purpose, I am led to action.

1:35But can I know that ideal rationally?

1:38Can I measure it?

1:39I can’t because it doesn’t exist yet.

1:42Can I measure it, observe it from the perspective of positive science?

1:51It doesn’t exist yet.

1:53Only what exists is the topic of science.

2:00What should exist is an intellectual topic.

2:04Ratio is the knowledge of what exists.

2:07Entelechy is the knowledge of what should exist.

2:12So what we mean by religion is

2:15an Utopia, an expectation, hope, is dependent on action, and is probable.

2:26Prophet Muhammed’s heavenly name

2:30is Ahmed

2:34His earthly name is Muhammed,

2:37and his name in the hereafter is Mahmud.

2:41But we say Ahmed of the heavens, Muhammed of the Earth,

2:47and Mahmud of the hereafter.

2:50Ahmed of the heavens is his spiritual dimension

2:54There is no doubt about that.

2:59Muhammed of the earth means praiseworthy.

3:03That means his ethics is divine, he is trustworthy,

3:09Therefore, he is praiseworthy and there is no doubt about that.

3:13In fact, even the people of Mecca who did not believe in him

3:17when they were asked about the Prophet said

3:20They have no doubt that he is trustworthy.

3:28Serhan: Even people who did not believe in him still considered him trustworthy.

3:33But the Qur’an says

3:38about the hereafter

3:41Perhaps

3:43You might be allowed to ascend to the station of ‘Mahmud’ in the hereafter.

3:48There is no ‘maybe’ in Ahmed or Muhammed

3:53But for the hereafter, the station of Mahmud (not just Mahmud)

3:59In other words, the praiseworthy station

4:02You might perhaps be allowed to reach it.

4:05Serhan: Mahmud means praiseworthy?

4:06Yes, it comes from the Arabic word ‘hamd’. Ahmed, Mahmud, Muhammed all come from the same root.

4:12One of God’s beautiful names is ‘Hamid’ (praiseworthy)

4:16Some people ask: how come God wants to be praised?

4:21Why would He want to be praised?

4:28How do we understand this?

4:38Positivist and modernist people find this incomprehensible.

4:42However, if we are able to see ourselves through God’s mirror,

4:46what He is saying is this:

4:48Suppose you are playing your guitar.

4:51Play it in a praiseworthy way.

4:55Serhan: Play in the most praiseworthy way.

4:57Yes.

4:58Do it in the most praiseworthy way,

5:00with the best quality.

5:03Serhan: I am not sure if I understand this.

5:05We say that the human being is being manifested in the mirror of God.

5:09What does that mean?

5:12When we talk about God, we are talking in general terms,

5:15not this person not that person.

5:18When we say ‘Muhammed’, we are also talking about general terms.

5:20There is Muhammed from Mecca, but the Reality of Muhammed is general.

5:25It is a Reality that is praiseworthy.

5:28That means, everything you undertake must be praiseworthy,

5:31What does it mean?

5:34Do it as it deserves to be done, with justice.

5:37Give it its due.

5:39You want to be a virtuoso, you must work diligently everyday.

5:44I will do just this much.

5:45No. You haven’t understood the Reality of what you are doing.

5:48Let the Real praise you, not people.

5:51It is about Reality (Haq, name of Allah) praising you.

5:53Become praiseworthy for Haq.

5:55Al-hamdulilahe Raab il-Alameen (Praise be to God, Lord of all worlds)

5:58Let everyone know that you are in service of Reality that everyone acquiesces to.

6:07This is extraordinary.

6:11Everyone will take this and interpret it according to their understanding.

6:15And there is no other way.

6:17What we are saying is there are also those who are at the station of Haqiqat (Reality) and Marifet (Wisdom).

6:22It may not be the way most people understand it.

6:23But you don’t have to convince everyone unless there is a request.

6:26And then you can be of service.

6:31If there is no request, hide yourself.

6:34Don’t get out there and dance for everyone.

6:37You don’t have to explain everything to everyone.

6:43So in Indian Wisdom,

6:47Vedanta,

6:48there is a particular knowledge towards an aim, a purpose.

6:52But we said this is not yet knowledge, it is an expectation or hope.

6:57How does it turn into knowledge?

6:59With action.

7:00The Qur’an says:

7:04Get up and pray (salat) get up and be of service, give your support (zekat).

7:11For example, it is not just about praying to the Prophet, it is about being of service, of support.

7:15Not just pray, but be supportive.

7:20And ‘zekat’ means purification.

7:30Get up, and do what’s needed, and you will be purified.

7:38If you are working on something for the sake of it, for the sake of what is Real, then you will be purified.

7:42This is very important.

7:44Serhan: That also includes losing yourself as you are working on something for the sake of it.

7:48For example, when you play music, there is a moment of tasting it in such a way that there is no sense of time.

7:54You, your instrument, the music, time and place lose its importance.

7:59All merge.

8:01Serhan: When I play my instrument, there is a point where I am not thinking of any of that.

8:06Serhan: There are different layers of meaning here. There is Serhan who is playing

8:13Serhan: There is Serhan who is listening, then

8:16Serhan: There is Serhan who wants to reach a particular goal by playing his instrument.

8:21There is one more Serhan,

8:23the one who is ‘tasting’ the music.

8:30Serhan: There is also Serhan who thinks he is tasting the music.

8:38Serhan: There are many Serhans here.

8:42But after a while, I am wondering why I am even thinking of these

8:46And say to myself, please just focus

8:52on what you are doing, and asking myself what

8:57you are really feeling as you are playing?

9:00Yes, that is the one who ‘tasting’ the music.

9:02Serhan that is ‘tasting’ is worshiping.

9:06That’s what ‘worship’ is about,

9:08Otherwise there is Serhan who wants to be applauded, who wants to entertain and who wants to earn money.

9:18The tasting is the worship.

9:23That’s religion.

9:24Sinan: Once you are in the state of ‘taste’, your audience also gets it.

9:26That’s not important.

9:28But if you are thinking about that, then there is no religion there.

9:32There is a concert.

9:35Religion means you are not doing it for anyone,

9:38solely for your soul.

9:40That’s what we mean doing something for God’s sake.

9:42Saying, let me take this energy and give it to my audience,

9:45there you are still thinking of someone else.

9:47If you didn’t do that, you wouldn’t make money.

9:50You are not worried about anything, just when completely focused on that ‘taste’, that means you have reached your purpose.

9:55Sinan: At that moment, your state is also reflected on your audience.

9:57It is not about your audience. The audience may also get this taste, this energy.

9:59Sinan: It is not about making money but the energy is reflected on the audience.

10:02That’s what I am saying. I am saying going beyond that,

10:07Let’s assume that you are sitting on a beach and you are alone.

10:12You are not playing for anyone just for yourself.

10:16That’s worship.

10:17That’s religion.

10:19Because you are doing it for your soul.

10:21There is no request for your music except by your soul.

10:25Now you have become a servant of God, since you are employing your art (Marifet) for the sake of Hakikat (Reality).

10:30We are not denying that other reasons for playing your music exist.

10:35When we point to a priority, people ask what about all other factors?

10:37Yes of course they exist.

10:40I am putting a lot of effort into it,

10:43I would like other people to appreciate and like my music.

10:47And I am asking for a fee in return.

10:49I have put a lot of effort into it.

10:51And I also pay for someone else’s effort, such as a tailor’s, or a hairdresser’s work.

10:56But I also know this is not ‘religion’.

10:58What I am saying is none of this is ‘religion’. That’s about professionalism. That’s work.

11:01Religion is the taste you have at that moment as you are alone with your soul.

11:04Serhan: Of course, this is not just about my guitar playing.

11:09That is just an example. We can say the same things about the work of a hairdresser.

11:15Yes.

11:18Or for the work of an accountant.

11:20Serhan: my work is just an example.

11:28Yes, all of them are examples. Very good.

11:31Now, for example, a hairdresser may pat your hair.

11:39A friend recounts his experience at the hairdresser.

11:43A dear friend of mine.

11:46The hairdresser pats your hair.

11:50Hairdressers are very important.

11:53Hairdressers are really very important.

11:58The hairdresser massages you

12:00and shows you compassion. You relax.

12:02Sinan: You feel renewed

12:03You relax, you renewed.

12:05Look what are you saying.

12:07There is something more important.

12:10You submit yourself to the hands of the hairdresser and his razor.

12:13You are submitting yourself to a razor.

12:17Will you submit yourself to anyone who holds a razor?

12:21Serhan: your mother and father

12:23You would even think about that.

12:26If your father is a little angry, you might wonder about getting close to him. You might run away.

12:35We have a friend, his name is Mehmet Genc.

12:38He is a good friend.

12:39He says: his hairdresser, pats your hair,

12:41standing behind him,

12:44stands close to his ear and asks:

12:46What kind of haircut do you want?

12:52He is submitted himself to his mercy, and there is this voice coming from behind,

12:55like Can’s voice,

12:57A voice coming from nowhere,

13:00What kind of haircut should it be? Well, it should be this way or that way.

13:08(Laughter) Serhan: We were talking about such serious things a minute ago, and now…

13:14I apologize to our listeners!

13:18Sinan: It is the same thing.

13:19What is really serious is this.

13:28Of course, he is going to do his work, make money, and make sure his clients are happy.

13:32All that is related to his expertise. But there is something that goes beyond all of that.

13:36Is he really getting a ‘taste’ from what he is doing? If he is, then he has ‘religion’ otherwise not.

13:44Serhan: So religion means something that directly touches our soul.

13:52Not touching our mind but our soul.

13:57If it touches your soul, then you have ‘religion’.

14:00Whatever it is you are doing.

14:03Allah eyvallah

14:04Çilingir Sofrası 17 Ahmet of the Heavens, Muhammed of the Earth Translated by Prof.Dr.Nükhet Kardam