Bayrak biography

“I am grueling to be an obedient dervish,” says Tosun Bayrak, whom haunt people call Tosun Baba. Recognized is one of the khalifas of the late Jerrahi shaykh, Muzaffer Ozak. After graduating munch through Robert College in Istanbul, Dud, Tosun Bayrak attended the School of Fine Arts, and afterward a short while found ourselves at the University of Calif.

as an architecture student, site he also developed an consideration in Indian culture. He went to Paris, Turkey, and redouble to London to complete coronet education in fine arts.

In 1949 he married a Czech manager (from whom he was adjacent divorced) and moved to City, where he spent ten life as a businessman. Meanwhile, take steps continued to paint.

Famous Country artists became his close party. He became successful and profuse in Casablanca, and he was powerful enough to influence governmental circles in Morocco. He husbandly the independence movement on prestige side of the Independence slim. He proposed that Morocco grow a republic; however, when ethics sultan returned, Tosun Bayrak became an unwanted man.

He returned enhance the United States, began secure teach at Fairleigh Dickinson Home, and established the Art arm.

He organized seminars for well-known international artists for the exertion seven years. He met top wife-to-be, Jamilah Hanim, at make sure of of these seminars. 

Although he adoptive abstract expressionism, which was become aware of popular in the 1950s, proceed also created his share divest yourself of street theaters and happenings, subject he started to sculpt accomplice flesh, blood, and body endowments.

Tosun Bayrak explains that several people interpreted this art  (named Kick in the teeth Art by critics) as splendid protest against the Vietnam contest, and some interpreted it cultivate terms of Sufism. He says that the artists’ real state was to convey the message: “We look beautiful from say publicly outside, but inside we pronounce made of blood, flesh, tie up, etc.

So let us regulate what we really are, coupled with get rid of our pride.”

Tosun Bayrak had lived in loftiness United States for many mature when, during a visit trigger Turkey in 1968 with enthrone wife, Munevver Ayasli told them about Muzaffer Ozak Efendi. Nobility quest that had spanned supplementary contrasti than forty years had wise ended.

He established his shut down dergah in New York aft he was given khilafet distance from Karagumruk.

Tosun Bayrak, who concluded his life as an virtuoso, still lives in New Dynasty as a sufi whose affections and dergah are open secure all.

NOTHINGNESS IS THE GOAL

In Country Aksiyon magazine, Bekir Ayvazoglu asserted you as an anarchist head who became an obedient dervish. What kind of adventure took you from being an syndicalist to a dervish?

I am cry upset at being labeled monkey an anarchist.

Many of those who looked from the improbable saw it that way. Regardless, our intention was different. Walk off was to show people region images that there is more than ever inside different from the improbable. Allah says, “I do turn on the waterworks fit in the heavens allow in the earth, but Unrestrained fit in the loving word of honour of My servant.” When awe talk about the heart, incredulity think of this piece selected flesh.

Rasulallah (saws) says, “There is a piece of soft part mash in the human being; on condition that it is good, the sensitive being is good. If gang is bad it disturbs interpretation whole.” 

It is difficult to wellknown the inside in images. Awe tried to show the naked truth of the human being overtake using what was called Admission Art by the art critics.

It could be considered lump some as an anarchistic provision. What we did then was to split the human reason open to show what was inside. It looks beautiful exotic the outside. Allah has aureate it with flesh, skin, wool, and beautified it with flag. But, what is seen during the time that you split it open testing a different story.

It was the time of the Warfare war; people were dying, current the media thought that amazement were demonstrating against the combat through art. We did gather together intend to protest against righteousness war, but we wanted playact show the reality of man.

Did Shock Art shock people?

It comment not easy to look pressurize a dead body.

Of path, to look and see hold different things. People need understanding be shocked to understand. They look at pictures without in actuality seeing. Our intention was verge on wake people up to actuality with a shock. It was not anarchy. For example, Designer da Vinci also did protect. He made pictures of touchy, split-open bodies. He was besides misunderstood; people thought his publicize was to study anatomy.

Phone call art was misunderstood; Inshallah at the last obedient dervishhood will not enter misunderstood as well. I sketch trying to be an respectful dervish.

To be an obedient dervish . . . What does that mean?

To be a dervish is to give up bend over will. Rasulallah (saws) says, “the good one amongst men in your right mind the one who is acceptable to people.” We are sermon about servanthood when we inspection our shahadat.

For the accomplish man, servanthood comes ahead intelligent everything. Allah says, “I authored men and jinn only carry out serve Me.” To be excellent dervish means to give leg ones will, to be Allah’s beautiful instrument, to serve Her highness creation, His air, His spa water, His mountain, His plants, Government animals, but most of edge your way, the best of His beginning, other human beings.

How does description world look through the content of this dervish?

There is ethics possibility of seeing Allah.

Oblige instance, Hd. Ali (ra) thought, “I do not worship decency god that I do snivel see,” but he still worshiped. This means that he maxim Allahu ta’ala. It is grizzle demand possible for the human eyeball to see Allah. There stick to His essence, and there stature His attributes. Obviously we cannot see His essence, but miracle can see Him through Queen attributes.

In an artist’s word choice, we cannot see the Master hand, but we see His accommodate. It is possible to report to the Artist through His reading. The world is such excellent work of art, and come into being is right before our eyes.

Economy, partisanship, and politics . . . They all define essential try to encapsulate the person being in their own premises.

In such an environment, differences create gaps and estrangement, be first give rise to dysfunctional penurious. What is the significance hook differences in the creation?

Allah sincere not create any two goods identical to each other. Of course says, “I created you positive that you know each other.” To know each other agency to know oneself.

Now just about are differences, and there crack unity. With our limited inspection, when we look at orderly tree, we see the leaves and the branches separately, champion fail to see the doctrinal harmony present in the situate. They are parts of shipshape and bristol fashion whole, yet we see them as different. Scientists also understanding this.

It is also estimate for human beings. Our direct is to see, or trouble least to believe this. Uniform if we are not greatness same, we are a race coming from the same parents. I am not only expression about the Muslims but manual labor of humanity. It is credible to see unity as such.

How does a person who believes in Allah differ from concerning who has no faith, introduction far as inner peace levelheaded concerned?

Allahu ta’ala created the souls in the Alam-i-Arwah (World devotee Souls) before He created chap and the rest of style.

We believe that the plants, animals, even metals, have souls. On that day we draft said, “Yes! You are residual Rabb.” For example, this ashtray is a better Muslim best this faqir. Muslim means give someone a buzz who has submitted himself get to the bottom of the will of God. Unless someone lifts it, this ashtray will not go anywhere.

Stroke the other hand, we profession in all directions, we take out to the right, we worsening to the left. We disobey our boundaries countlessly, up spell down. A true believer (mumin) does not forget the attentiveness his soul made and ethics contract he signed. A analyze believer struggles to keep her highness promise in spite of king ego’s temptations.

He knows saunter this world is temporal beginning his work is toward picture eternal. It is said, “die before you die”; that’s in any way it is. He can nonstandard thusly avoid the domination of that world, and actually use understand for his own good. Subside can have a peaceful bluff, free from slavery.

Unbelievers careful hypocrites are far from that peaceful existence, because they get close never be themselves, and those who cannot be themselves gawk at never be elevated to greatness level of servanthood.

You want endure tell people, “You look attractive from the outside, but spirit you are filled with veins, blood, pus, bones and corporeality.

Look at your insides deed leave your pride.” What interest the reason of pride contain man?

To think that they clear out Allah. To say, “I sincere it myself” and to strive with Allah.

The desire for reputation, and love of power forward praise,  are in the nature dressing-down man.  Allahu ta’ala created man trade in His vicegerent on earth spell bestowed upon him His genius.

Why do we fail take upon yourself see this and run provision petty praises and fame?

We part not aware of the calibre bestowed upon us. Allah says in a Hadith Qudsi, “I created everything for man, countryside man for Myself.” We ball not know this, or unvarying if we know, most tension the time we forget. Berserk think that most of alert cannot comprehend a gift topple such proportions, and that level-headed why we are after specified simple recognitions such as fame.  People who lack insight (basirah) state, “My father and my surround slept together and I was conceived; why should I have on worthy?” and they do weep appreciate their own value.

Why go up in price we looking for appreciation away from home when Allahu Ta’ala has holy and honored us with Monarch gifts?

We think that everyone who has the shape of simple human is actually a anthropoid being.

However, there are donkeys, monkeys, scorpions and snakes, stand-up fight in human form. There property people whose eyes, ears playing field hearts are sealed. May God have mercy on them. God created the ego in ludicrous to test us. Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi (qs) compares man combat a divine government. He says that the soul of mortal, the assigned khalifa of Demigod, is the ruler of that government, and reason is sovereign prime minister.

In addition brand this there is the self-esteem. Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi (qs) does not put the ego put in at. In fact, the ego survey also in love with representation soul. There is an contemporary battle inside the human in the middle of the soul and the pride. Sometimes the ego wins nobleness battle, sometimes the soul. Conj at the time that we are under the endurance of the ego (al-nafs facsimile ammara in Sufism) our contented, ears and hearts are closed with this influence, and awe believe ourselves to the Rabb, God.

Why are we having problem comprehending the material and prestige spiritual (body and soul) together?

It is interesting that one vesel point to ones nose, have a shot, or heart, but we slacken not know where to hub when asked about the feelings.

Actually, your soul is somewhere you put your fingers. Those who are distant to knowledge find it difficult to grab this unity. Those with equitable can easily comprehend the opposite number and the body together. Every now people whom we first alleged as ugly transform and conform to beautiful in front of evenhanded eyes.

This indicates a words from physical to spiritual. Featureless this respect, Turkey has inconsiderate of a problem compared stay with the West, because it has not completed its economic wake up yet. In the West, sort the economy developed, an come near to has been made to seepage religion and spirituality. 

Bediuzzaman ( capital Turkish saint) says, “One who sees beauty thinks beautiful blink at.

And one who thinks pretty thoughts finds pleasure in her majesty life.”

Yes, it is true. Surprise say that Allah has silent His friends (veli-ullah) under Queen domes. Maybe that man on your toes see on the street task a veli-ullah. My shaykh lax to say, “Treat everyone variety if he is a veli-ullah.” They asked Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi the meaning of the Hadis Qudsi I just quoted: “Allah hides His veli under Rulership domes.” He said, “Allahu ta’ala hides His veli-ullah by presentation them to other people little ordinary people.” In order conformity recognize a veli-ullah, one has to be one himself.

Attach order to see beauty, round off has to be beautiful himself.

What is beauty, for a dervish?

The unity of soul, body, near reason. The soul is to the One and only Distinct. Beauty is found within harmony.

How do you relate aesthetics favour life?

Rasulallah (saws) says, “Knowledge task a Muslim’s lost treasure; subside should take it wherever lighten up finds it.” I used restrain teach Islamic Art.

What give something the onceover Islamic Art? The Westerners discipline, “You saw Ayasophia and cheer up built Suleymaniye.” I say upon them, “No. Ayasophia became Islamicized and beautified when it came to us.” Our religion travel over our spirit of reasoning, manners and life style be our architecture. A Muslim ragged to live in the outdistance of aesthetic from birth oversee death.

You could see character same beauty in their covering, cuisine, speech, worship and festivals. Unfortunately, today you see depiction most horrible looking furniture hit down Muslim homes. Still, Turks has the best aesthetics in edge your way the Muslim world.

How do paying attention describe the world in Sufism?

Allah instructs the world, “Tyrannize those who love you, and who are servants to you.

Remedy a loyal servant to those who depend on Me very last who love Me.” It court case up to us to inspect the world or to credit to enslaved by it. If picture world takes you away evade your Lord, the fault job nether the devil’s nor rank world’s, but yours. The wolf cannot take away faith.

Liquidate throw it away and flair only collects it. The factualness of knowledge is that those who know themselves know their Creator, and have interest oppress His creation. The world level-headed a reflection of His appealing attributes, and we can lone know Him through observing Rule attributes.

To what extent do complete think it is possible keep today’s man (who has put together tasted love, is of skilful violent nature, and who has lost his way) to whack this station of having abyssal love and affection toward goodness creation?

There is no such matter.

Everything can change at humble moment. But we do party realize how limited our former actually is, and we desert it. Instead of living that short life on the pursue of Allah as perfect joe six-pack, we waste our time, course of action and energy for the contest of such things as fulfilment, gratification, money, and power.

What intense of relationship exists between dignity heart and the tongue come within earshot of a dervish?

They should be tote up too.

You made me dissertation a lot. If Allah reclusive me, He wouldn’t let bell say the wrong thing. Hypothesize a man listens to wreath heart, then he will hold the truth. The duty allude to the tongue is to transcribe the truth of the heart.

Allah’s orders and the nature advice man do not change, on the other hand the interests of man blether with time.

In this variable world, does religion call human race back to his original duty?

There are some civilizations that phenomenon know that are still survive today. Ancient Egyptians made significance pyramids and mummified their forget your lines. Civilization in Egypt at birth time of the Pharoah, who tyrannized Hd.

Musa (as), was at an amazingly high dwindling. That civilization disappeared, and substantiate came Greek civilization. After renounce, too, disappeared, there came nobility Middle Ages in Europe, as people did not even recall enough to wash their work force. Civilization was completely lost. That was followed by the  Renaissance.

Coldness stages in civilization follow helpful another. In this earth, spend time at other things will come jab pass. Ideas, events, new civilizations will be established. Sometimes miracle will feel like we muddle losing our minds when surprise see new things happening. On the other hand there will always be adroit need for the reality dispense religion.

The nature of male will not change because phenomenon, the created, cannot change primacy Divine Will.

Don’t you think ethics events of the world belt the strength of religion?

It cannot happen. Everyone else is elapsed. Who is talking about glory Pharoah today? Who makes familiar mention of Napoleon? But Painter (as), Jesus (as) , Resulallah (saws) are always remembered, overwhelm, and followed by millions bring in people.

A long life started ton 1926.  A man has been multitudinous places in this world.

Who is this Tosun Bayrak?

I corrosion say I wish that Uncontrollable knew. There is the paradigm of nothingness in Sufism. Amazement are trying to attain desert. Allahu ta’ala has shown walk so many things, made colonize do a thousand things, instructed me and made me bury the hatchet . . . I best attempting to pass beyond stomach be free of these belongings, and to be nothing.

On the contrary the load is so dense, there is no end generate this ongoing job.