Karabash Veli and his work entitled Tarikatnama (Text and analysis)

During the seventeenth century, which is commonly referred to as the "Period of Stagnation" in the Ottoman Empire, Tarīqatnāma was authored by Karabaş Velî, the head of a branch of the Halvetiyya order, which was the most widespread Sufi order of the time. This work discusses the fundamental pillars of Islam through the spiritual journey of a disciple (murīd), beginning from the level of the common people (ʿawām), proceeding through the elite (khawāss), and ultimately reaching the elect of the elect (akhas al-khawāss). This study aims to transcribe and examine Tarīqatnāma, one of the significant contributions of Karabaş Velî to the Sufi literature. Four different manuscripts of the work were compared, and its main themes were analyzed. The study offers an opportunity to understand and convey the perspectives of Karabaş Velî, who, both in his writings and life, emphasized the balance between Sharīʿa and Sufism. The first chapter provides a brief overview of Karabaş Velî's life, his works, Sufi views, and the branch of the order known as Karabashiyya. The second chapter presents the transcription of Tarīqatnāma into the modern Turkish alphabet, based on selected manuscript copies. The third chapter analyzes the transcribed text in the context of Karabaş Velî's spiritual system and thought. The study concludes with a general evaluation.