This is the Final Chapter, O My Life (Book)

This is the Final Chapter, O My Life (Bu Son Fasıldır Ey Ömrüm) is a work authored by Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kara and published by Dergâh Publications in February 2024. The book examines how Sufi culture was preserved in Republican-era Türkiye and the contributions of the period’s important figures to this culture. In this work, which consists of articles and studies, Mustafa Kara addresses the trajectory of Sufism and its key figures during the Republican period.

Subject Summary

The book investigates how Sufi culture was maintained after the closure of Sufi lodges and the prohibition of Sufi orders in 1925. Mustafa Kara emphasizes that Sufism was kept alive through various figures during this period. The work discusses significant figures such as Nurettin Topçu and the Hareket circle, who entered the world of Sufism through the spiritual guidance of the Naqshbandi sheikh Abdülaziz Bekkine and developed a new intellectual language with their philosophical culture. Also included in the work are figures like Ahmed Avni Konuk, who commented on Fusus al-Hikam in the years when the Sufi lodges were closed; Sabri Ülgener, who related Sufi lodge psychology to the business world; and Abdülbaki Gölpınarlı, known for his thesis on the Melami order.

Themes

• Sufism in the Republican Period: The book examines how Sufi culture was preserved following the closure of Sufi lodges and the prohibition of Sufi orders in the early years of the Republic.
• The Modernization of Sufism: The transformation that Sufism underwent during the modernization process and how this transformation was guided by key figures are addressed.
• The Relationship Between Sufism and Philosophy: The interaction between Sufism and philosophical thought, and how this interaction created a new intellectual language, is discussed.

Narration and Style

Mustafa Kara adopts an academic language and a methodological approach to provide a detailed examination of how Sufi culture was preserved in the Republican era. The work offers an in-depth analysis of the fields of history, sociology, and Sufism.