The concepts of sekr and sahv in sufism

Similar to any other spirititual disciplines, the essence of sûfîsm (tasavvuf) is the practices and experienced cases. A Sâlik (a person that follows sûfîsm ecole) experiences a bunch of cases and incidents that Allah the Almighty bestows him during the seyr ü sülûk which is a training process for sûfîsm. With practices based on individual experiences, sûfîsm engendered a unique language, terminology and concept world. The Sûfîs (pl. of mutasavvıf) endorsed these terms and their connotations with reference to ayah (verses of the Holy Qur'an) and to ehadis (pl. for hadis, i.e: maxims, adages and sentences quoted from prophet Mohammad), and they wrote books defining them. This study examines the concepts of sekr (being drunk, drunkard) and sahv (soberness, shaking off drunkenness) both of which are frequently used in sûfîstic books. Three stages formed this study. Firstly, pre-eminent sûfîstic books were reviewed in order to understand how the sûfîs of pre-instutionalization-period considered these terms and concepts. Secondly, the references of sekr and sahv in the ayah and ehadis were examined within sûfîstic approach. Finally, sûfîs' considerations and understandings for these concepts and terms were written. Key Words: Sûfîsm, cult, Sekr, Sahv, Bayezid-i Bistami, Cüneyd-i Bağdâdî.