Sulûk in the context of Kuşeyrî's Tertibu's-Sulûk and Sulemî's Sulûku'l-Âri̇fin works

In the early period of Sûfîsm, the concept of sülûk referred to the spîritual journey necessary for a person to approach and reach God. In this research, the emergence and development of the concept of sülûk in the early period of Sûfîsm, as well as how the concept of sülûk was understood by different Sûfî thinkers, have been examined. Additionally, the thesis focuses on the importance of sülûk in bringing a person closer to Allah and how this process can be achieved. The study encompasses the Sûfî education and the murid-murshid relationship in Islamic civilization. Firstly, it has been determined that in the pre-tarikat period, importance was given to the presence of mentors for learning knowledge, and benefiting from them, however, the murid-murshid relationship was not systematic and there was no obligation to be attached to any specific master. During the tarikat period, a more systematic understanding was adopted. The murid tries to benefit from a specific master in both spîritual and scholarly matters by being attached to them. This attachment is seen as an expression of the trust placed in the murshid. In the Islamic world, institutions such as Sûfî lodges, mosques, ribats, hankâhs, madrasas, and tekkes were used for teaching religion and conducting Sûfî activities. In the early period, these places generally served similar functions and, although initially established for different purposes, they eventually became Sûfî educational centers where the Sûfîs resided. Over time, they began to be known by the name "tekke". Tekkes gained importance, particularly with the spread of tarikats, and became the center of Sûfî life. Various methods were preferred in the spîritual education of the murid who attached himself to a tekke to connect with a murshid. Although there was no formal system, it was revealed that similar methods were used in the early period. Methods such as conversation, question and answer sessions, gradual learning, and learning through experience were used to help the murid reach marifat. The selection and emphasis of these methods depended on the murid's knowledge, character, and degree. Early Sûfî classics demonstrate that simply seeking a murshid, going to places, or following methods is not enough for spîritual maturity. On this path, one's own ego and Satan try to obstruct them. Therefore, controlling the ego, being mindful of Satan, and fearing Allah play an important role. Additionally, the study identified the various states a murid experiences during the sülûk process. In particular, the states that occur during this process were determined according to Tertibü's-sülûk, which describes these states in written form. Therefore, it was determined that the murid experiences states such as "gaybet - huzur," "sekr - sahv," "fena - beka," "havf - recâ," "kabz - bast," "heybet - üns," "zevk - şürb," "cem - fark," and "varid - havatır."