We know them by their tables

In The Book of Embraces, Eduardo Galeano says, "Beliefs that I thought were certain, give way to doubt at breakfast." Beliefs occupy more space in human life than is often assumed, but there is no guarantee that this space will remain secure throughout one's life. The difficult and arduous stages of our life story, its conflicts and voids, often bring us face to face with our beliefs; sometimes, the presence of people with whom we breathe in the same circle of faith can increase the distance between us and that faith, and we may even quietly set our belief aside and withdraw into our own world. These are not things that have never happened; we witness such things happening day by day.

The rift between Cübbeli Ahmet and his community is an example of this. Did it ever cross his mind back in the day that he would have such fights with his community, that those he once called great scholars would implicitly accuse him of "lying" and even expel him, and that he would eventually tell them, "I do not grant my blessing; they have caused great harm to Muslims"? It is likely he did not entertain such thoughts, for Cübbeli was a figure who did not even allow the conflicts and quarrels of the past to be discussed, and who accused those who did of being Shiite or causing discord. That is life; as long as you live, it tests you with your own claims.

Speaking of claims, I would like to continue with one of Cübbeli Ahmet's claims. According to a speech that recently appeared in the press, he mentions an audio recording, claiming that according to this recording, the Prophet of Islam told Mahmut Ustaosmanoğlu, "You are the last perfect guide (mürşid-i kamil)." Details aside, Cübbeli was addressing his former community from this point, saying, "Our guide is the Master (Efendi Hazretleri), we only establish a spiritual bond (rabıta) with him." Since the Prophet supposedly confirmed this (!), Cübbeli was proven right. If the issue is to provide evidence, the greatest evidence had been brought with a "speaking/made-to-speak Prophet"; what more was there for anyone else to say!

Evidence is important, just like history. Because we can trace the footprints of everything happening today in the past. Because history, in this respect, always repeats itself. For example, regarding the subject of our article, it tells us this: if what is to be protected is power, a position, magnificent castles, or large balance sheets, evidence is always waiting to be ordered to be produced; clocks are set according to where it will be ready. And we know how Prophets and even holy books are made to speak for the seizure and protection of those citadels of power we mentioned. In this context, Muslims have also taken their share from history; they have never refrained from making the sacred things they believe in speak for administrative positions, spoils to be seized, properties, and palaces. The existence of thousands of fabricated hadiths is the greatest evidence of this. For those interested, I should mention that the title of the book written by Harun Ünal is "Fabricated Hadiths"; what is striking is that the book is six volumes long. You can imagine the gravity of the situation for yourself.

According to a saying attributed to Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Caliph says: "The Quran is a written book and does not speak for itself; people speak with it, people make it speak, and people derive judgments from it." When a person makes the book they believe in speak, we undoubtedly learn the interpretation of their speech from their life, their experiences, the relationships they are in, and their existence. The meaning given to the holy book by those who stand with the oppressed in exile and in dungeons cannot be the same as the meaning given by those who do not give up their lives in ivory towers, who are always by the side of the rulers, who adopt their language as their own language and their religion as their own religion, and who never utter a sound against their oppression. For, in a way, religion is what one's life is.

Cübbeli's reminder of a Prophet who is claimed to have spoken based on an audio recording is just a continuation of that historical tradition we mentioned. It is quite familiar. Muawiyah, for instance, according to reports, was told and informed by the Prophet in advance that he would become Caliph. In other words, the report is saying, "Doesn't it mean that becoming Caliph is a divine command?" If so, the Caliphate is his right! Let us move on. Let us move on, but let us also remember this information: Muawiyah stayed with the Prophet for two years as a Muslim; before that, he was on the side of the "enemy" along with his father. Yet, behold, it is said that the Prophet told Muawiyah he would be Caliph during those two years. That is what the report says. And it expects us to believe it, of course!

Indeed, what was the Caliph saying? "The Quran does not speak, people make it speak." Whoever is speaking in the name of religion today, or making the prophet or even the book speak, one should look not at what they say, but at what they eat, as Dücane Cündioğlu puts it. Because "what they claim is the assertion, what they eat is the proof." That is why our eyes are on their tables; we will learn the truth from there.