Gülbank

Gülbank is a term denoting oral prayer texts recited during the ritual practices and cem ceremonies of the Alevi-Bektashi belief and cultural tradition. Although the word has Persian origins and literally means “rose voice,” in Turkish usage it refers collectively to prayers, takbirs, and invocations recited aloud and in unison. The act of reciting a gülbank is expressed as “gülbank çekmek”.

Within Sufi practices, gülbank is an oral form of expression comprising structured prayer texts arranged in a specific order. These texts contain recurring patterns and formulaic phrases. Rhythm and melody play a crucial role in their delivery. The presence of repetitions and standardized expressions in gülbank texts facilitates memorization and transmission within oral culture.

Gülbank texts are oral compositions intended for supplication, invocation, petition, and turning toward God. These texts are typically recited by religious leaders on behalf of the community and completed with the participatory responses of the congregation. The call-and-response nature of gülbank performance underscores its communal and collective character.

The symbolic references in gülbank texts are rooted in historically significant events accepted as central to the belief tradition. These references express a shared collective memory within the community.

Gülbanks are predominantly performed by religious leaders. In the Alevi-Bektashi tradition, this role is fulfilled by dedes. The person reciting a gülbank must possess sufficient knowledge, be recognized as belonging to the traditional spiritual lineage, and be deemed legitimate by the community.

^{Gülbank (Generated by Artificial Intelligence)}

Gülbank texts generally consist of three main structural parts: introduction, prayer, and conclusion. The texts typically begin with formulaic phrases such as “Allah Allah İllallah”, “Allah Allah Eyvallah”, or “Bism-i Şah Allah Allah”.^【1】

Following the introduction, sentences indicating the purpose of the ritual are recited, followed by the longest section: classical prayer phrases. In the concluding phase, the reciter invokes the Prophet Muhammad, Hz. Ali (or the first four caliphs upon whom the spiritual lineage is based), and the leading sheikhs of the order, seeking divine grace and assistance. The prayer section constitutes the longest part of the text and exhibits features of rhyme, internal assonance, and melodic delivery. The texts follow a poetic structure. The conclusion ends with the phrase "Demine devranına hû diyelim", and is completed when the listeners respond aloud, prolonging the syllable "hû" as long as their breath allows.^【3】

Participation styles vary according to tradition; Mevlevi followers listen in silence until the final "hû", which they join in unison. In the Alevi tradition, muhibs and dervishes stand during the prayer with hands in the position of supplication. Those standing press their feet into the ground, while those seated touch their fingertips to the floor and prostrate themselves, participating throughout the gülbank with rhythmic repetition of "Allah Allah". In other orders, dervishes also participate by reciting "Allah Allah" while in prostration.^【4】

Gülbanks are not merely prayer texts but also oral expressions with social and cultural functions. They articulate the verbal components of cem rituals, serving as communal invocations and supplications. They contribute to the transmission of values and behavioral patterns within the belief system.

Another function of gülbanks is the transmission of cultural knowledge. In communities with limited literacy, gülbank texts play a vital role in orally conveying religious knowledge and behavioral norms. In this regard, gülbanks also serve an educational function.

^{Gülbank Tradition in the Janissary Corps (Generated by Artificial Intelligence)}

The tradition of reciting gülbank was integrated into the military, religious, and social ceremonies of the Janissary Corps. Within the Ottoman military structure, the Janissaries were distinguished not only by their combat strength but also by their ceremonial and ritual practices. Gülbanks were recognized as prayer texts recited for the well-being and success of the army during Janissary ceremonies.

The practice of gülbank recitation was especially performed during morning and evening rituals. Dervishes participated in these ceremonies, with the most senior dervish leading the procession before the Janissary agha’s horse, repeatedly chanting “kerîm Allah”, while other dervishes responded with “hû”. This practice was known as “cemâat-i hû-keşân.”^【5】

In certain ceremonies, head cooks and sergeants also performed the gülbank recitation. Among the Janissary cooks, one of the three most senior head cooks would stand upon the gülbank stone during the ceremony held at the Et Meydanı, reciting the gülbank in his capacity as meydan şeyhi. This practice was part of the ritual arrangements preceding the delivery of meat from butchers.^【6】

Janissary gülbanks differed from other ceremonial prayers by beginning with the basmala and concluding with the Fatiha. It was also customary for the mehterbaşı to recite a gülbank at the end of the mehter performance, exemplifying the fusion of military musical expression with devotional practice.^【7】

^{Gülbank Prayer in the Cem Ritual (Generated by Artificial Intelligence)}

Gülbanks are integral to the oral components of the Alevi-Bektashi cem ritual. Within the structured stages of the cem, each phase is accompanied by specific practices and corresponding oral expressions. Traditional gülbank texts are employed at the initiation of the ritual, during the performance of services, and at its completion, demonstrating their systematic integration into the cem ceremony.

The cem ritual consists of stages known as “hizmet.” The meaning of these services is articulated through gülbanks, creating unity between ritual action and verbal expression. The hizmet stages follow a defined hierarchy and order; each ceremony—such as kurban, lokma, çerağ, naming, circumcision, aşure, and Nevruz—has its own distinct gülbank repertoire.

Gülbanks are texts that persist within oral culture. They are transmitted from generation to generation primarily through oral recitation rather than written records. The repetitive, formulaic phrases and rhythmic delivery patterns facilitate their memorization and preservation within oral traditions.

Within the context of oral culture, gülbanks are not merely prayer texts but also a form of oral expression that carries cultural knowledge. Values, behavioral norms, and religious references accepted within the belief system are recalled and reinforced through gülbanks.

The continuous recitation of gülbanks during the cem ritual ensures their vitality within oral tradition. Each performance renews the gülbank, functioning as one of the mechanisms of transmission in oral culture.

The figures referenced in Alevi-Bektashi gülbanks point to specific temporal moments and sacred spaces. This establishes a symbolic connection between the community and these spaces. Even when physically separated from their sacred sites, the community symbolically re-creates them, sustaining this bond. In this context, the cem ritual can be understood as the reconstitution of sacred space.

The commemorative figures in gülbank texts link time and space to religious experience, enabling the re-remembering of sacred events believed to have occurred in the past during the ritual.

^{Gülbank Practice among the Janissaries (Generated by Artificial Intelligence)}

The tradition of gülbank recitation spread throughout Ottoman society through tekkes and Sufi circles. It was practiced in ceremonies marking birth, naming, circumcision, initiation into a Sufi order, marriage, and funeral rites. The gülbank tradition is found within the Mevleviyye, Bektashiyye, and Halvetiyye orders. It was also practiced during Janissary ceremonies, mehter performances, and oil wrestling matches.^【8】

Gülbanks enable community members to connect with their past and cultivate a sense of identity through shared experiences. This process contributes to the continuity of tradition and the preservation of communal identity.

Gülbank texts are generally composed in Turkish, though some Sufi traditions include Arabic phrases.^【9】 The texts feature linguistic arrangements that approach poetic structure, with rhythmic, melodic, and rhyming qualities. The gülbank repertoire includes both lengthy compositions and brief examples consisting of only a few sentences. The texts are predominantly anonymous.

An example of a Mevlevi gülbank recited after the invocation of the divine names is provided below:

“Vakt-i şerîf hayrola, hayırlar fethola, şerler defola, Allahü azîmüşşân ism-i zâtının nûru ile kalbimizi pür-nûr eyleye. Demler safâlar ziyâde ola. Dem-i Hazret-i Mevlânâ, sırr-ı Şems-i Tebrîzî, kerem-i İmâm-ı Alî, hû diyelim hûûû!” ^【10】

An example of a gülbank recited during the Alevi sofra ritual is provided below:

Bismillah
Bismi Şâh Allah Allah.
Elhamdülillah, Elhamdülillah, Elhamdülillah.
Nimet-i Celil, Bereket-i Halil. Bu gitti ganisi gele.
Hakk Muhammed Ali bereketin vere, yedirenlere nur-u iman ola, yiyenlere cennet taamı ola, gittiği yerler gam gussa görmeye.
Kazanıp getirenlere, pişip kotaranlara hayr-i hasenat, aşk-u şevk ola. Hizmet sahipleri hizmetlerinden şefaat bula. Hakk, Muhammed, Ali, Pirimiz Hünkâr Hacı Bektâş Velî destgirimiz ve şefaatçimiz ola. İki cihanda yüzlerimiz ak, imanlarımız pâk ola. Göçenlerimize rahmet ve mağfiret ola, On iki İmam, On dört Ma‘sum-ı Pâk, On yedi Kemerbest efendilerimizin katarlarından, didarlarından ayırmaya. Cümlemizi vecümle bendengâh-ı Ehl-i Beyt-i cehennem nazarından, zalimin zulmünden, kabir azabından emin ve muhafaza eyliye.
Didarı ile mükafatlandıra. Dertlerimize derman, hastalarımıza şifa, borçlarımıza hayırlı eda’lar ihsan eyliye. Yurdumuzu, milletimizi üstün eyliye. Varlığımızı, birliğimizi, dirliğimizi sonsuz eyliye. Dar-ı bekâ olmuş ehl-i imanı rahmeti ile gani kıla. Lokma hakkına. Evliya keremine, cömertler cemine, erenler demine Hû.^【11】

Although the terms “terceman” and “gülbank” are sometimes used interchangeably, they differ functionally. Terceman texts may be recited individually in personal contexts, whereas gülbanks are primarily performed collectively within structured ritual settings. While some terceman texts have known authors, gülbanks are overwhelmingly anonymous.