Nazim Al-Haqqani

Nazim was active both in Turkish and Arabic language contexts. His name was therefore transliterated into English in various ways: Nazim Qibrisi (Turkish: Nazım Kıbrısi), indicating his homeland of Cyprus (Turkish: Kıbrıs), and Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Qubrusi al-Haqqani an-Naqshbandi (Arabic: محمد ناظم عادل القبرصي الحقاني النقشبندي‎). His name al-Haqqani is an honorific name granted by his Sufi teacher Abdullah Fa'izi ad-Daghestani. He has no connection with the Islamic insurgent group known as the Haqqani network.

Shaykh Nazim was born Mehmet Nazım Adil on April 21, 1922 and traced his lineage back to Imam Abdul Qadir Gilani through his paternal Grandfather Shaykh Yesilbas Hussayn al-Qadiri and Mawlana Rumi through his maternal grandfather Shaykh Kaytazzade Mehmet Nazım who he was named after.

During his studies he moved to Istanbul, Turkey, in 1940 to study chemical engineering at Istanbul University. He would later state: "I felt no attraction to modern science; my heart was always drawn to the spiritual sciences."[1]

Nazim returned to Cyprus and began Islamic missionary activity. Whilst there, he came into conflict with the Kemalist governing body of the Turkish community of the island, which in accordance with Kemalist ideology was actively striving to de-Islamize the society. The government had enacted laws forbidding the public performance of the Islamic call to prayer (adhan) in its traditional Arabic form. Regardless, Nazim continued to do so. The conflict was resolved with the coming to power of Adnan Menderes in Turkey, whose government chose a more tolerant approach to Islamic traditions.[1]

Nazim took up residence in Damascus in 1952 to continue his studies with Abdullah, though he continued to spend three months or more each year in his native Cyprus.[1]

International mission

Shaykh Nazim (far right) in prayer with Shaykh Kabbani (left) at an Islamic conference in 1996.

Following the death of Abdullah Fa'izi ad-Daghestani in 1973, Nazim was made his spiritual successor. In 1974, he began to visit Western Europe, traveling every year to London, England, for the month of Ramadan. He gained a large following of spiritual seekers from Western Europe and North America, many of whom converted to Islam after encountering his teaching.[2] From 1980, his lectures on Islam and Sufism were published in English and other European languages.[2]

Nazim's transnational appeal was facilitated by his ability to speak English, Turkish, Arabic, and Greek.[2]

In 1991, Nazim visited the United States for the first time at the invitation of his son-in-law and representative Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani. At that time, he made the first of four nationwide tours.

In 1997, Nazim visited Daghestan, the childhood home of his primary Sufi sheikh, Abdullah Fa'izi ad-Daghestani. He also made several visits to Uzbekistan where he made pilgrimage to the tomb of the eponymous founder of the Naqshbandi Order, Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari.[1]

In 1998, Nazim was the guest of honor at the Second International Islamic Unity Conference, held in Washington, D.C. Later in the same year, he traveled to South Africa, visiting Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban.

Among his students is the British teacher of spirituality, John G. Bennett.[3][4][5]

Nazim was involved in politics. He had close ties with several notable politicians, notably the late president of Turkey, Turgut Ozal,[6] and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktaş.[7] Born just before the fall of the Ottoman Empire, he praised Ottoman history and civilization, contrasting its culture with its successor, the modern-day Republic of Turkey.[8]

Whenever Shaykh Nazim would visit Lebanon, that governor and the prime minister of Lebanon would sit in the Shaykh’s association. Up until today, their families and many of the Lebanese people are his followers.[9]

Sheikh Nazim can be seen addressing multitudes of Turkish people in a stadium whose audience includes the likes of Abdullah Gul, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Necmettin Erbakan. In it he discusses the importance of Islamic values of the Turkish state, discussing how their forefathers were the Ottomans who ruled the country as a caliphate for more than 600 years until its downfall.[10]

In 2011, Sheikh Nazim predicted that a virus would come and plague the entire world, a likely reference to COVID-19.[11]

In 2012, Sheikh Nazim hosted former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf as an honoured guest in his home in Lefke, Cyprus. They exchange gifts and discuss the fact that Musharraf is a part of the Ahl al-Bayt.[12]

He received the Bahauddin adil (Pingat Darjah Kebesaran DKA) from Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak in 2009.[13][14]

In his later years, Nazim was regularly recognized among the world's fifty most influential Muslims in the annual publication, The 500 Most Influential Muslims: he was ranked 49th, 49th, 48th, 45th, and 42nd in the 2009-2013 editions, respectively.[15]

Courtyard of Nazim's Sufi lodge and burial shrine, Lefke, Northern Cyprus.

Nazim had been receiving medical care since April 17, 2014, when he was rushed from his home in Lefke to the Near East University Hospital in North Nicosia, Northern Cyprus, after suffering from respiratory problems. He died on May 7, 2014 (8 Rajab 1435), aged 92.[6]

• Qibrisi, Nazim. 1980. Mercy Oceans: The teachings of Maulana Abdullah al-Faizi ad-Daghestani. n.p.
• Daghistānī, ʻAbd Allāh al-Naqshbandī, and Nazim Haqqani. 1980. Mercy oceans: Winter lectures 1400 H. (1980 A. D.); Book two. Konya, Turkey: Sebat.
• al-Qubrusi, Nazim Adil. 1982. Mercy Oceans' Endless Horizons; Summer lectures from 1981. Konya, Turkei: Sebat Offset Pr.
• al-Qubrusi, Nazim Adil. 1983. Mercy Oceans' Pink Pearls. Konya, Turkei: Sebat Offset Pr.
• Haqqani, Nazim. 1984. Mercy oceans' divine sources: The discourses of our master Sheikh Nazim Al-Qubrusi (Imam ul-Haqqaniyyin). Konya, Turkey: Sebat.
• –––. 1985. Mercy oceans of the heart: the discourses of our master Sheikh Nazim Al-Qubrusi (Imam ul-Haqqaniyyin). [Turkey?]: [s.n.].
• al-Qubrusi, Nazim Adil. 1986. Mercy Oceans Rising Sun. Konya, Turkey: Sebat.
• Haqqani, Nazim. 1987. The secrets behind the secrets behind the secrets. Berlin: Duru.
• al-Qubrusi, Nazim Adil. Toward the Divine Presence: Book one, London Talks, Summer 1984. n.p.n.d.
• Haqqani, Nazim. 1987. Mercy oceans' lovestream: the discourses of our master Sheikh Nazim al-Qubrusi al-Haqqani delivered by the permission of his Grandsheikh Sheikh Abdullah Ad-Daghistani; Selected lectures Summer 1406 A. H. (1986 C. E.); London, Germany, Switzerland. Konya: Sebat.
• Haqqani, Nazim. 1987. Mercy oceans: Serendib edition; Transcript of lectures. Colombo: Council of Thareeqathun Naqshbandhia.
• Al-Qubrusi, Sheikh Nazim Adil. 1988. Mercy Oceans' Hidden Treasures, 2nd ed. Konya, Turkey: Sebat.
• Daghistānī, ʻAbd Allāh al-Naqshbandī, Nazim Haqqani. 1988. The Naqshbandi way: a guidebook for spiritual progress; The spiritual exercises of the Naqshbandi Sufi path according to the instructions of Sultan Ul-Awliya Sheikh Abdullah Ad-Daghistani. Konya, Turkey: Mercy Oceans publications.
• An-Naqshabandi, Sheikh Nazim Adil Al-Haqqani. 1989. Mercy Oceans Saphires from Serendib. Colombo, Sri Lanka: Arafat Publishing House.
• Naqshbandi, Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqani. 1990. From Dunya to Maule: (from here to hereafter). İstanbul: Sebil Yayınevi.
• An-Naqshabandi, Sheikh Nazim Adil Al-Haqqani. 1990. Mercy Oceans' Emeralds of Eden: Lectures of a Sufi Grandsheikh. Colombo, Sri Lanka: Peacock Printers.
• –––. 1992. Natural medicines. London: Ta-Ha.
• Naqshbandi, Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqani. 1994. Mystical secrets of the last days. Los Altos, CA: Haqqani Islamic Trust for New Muslims.
• Haqqani Naqshbandia, Sheikh Nazim al al-. 1994. Keys to paradise. London: Zero Productions.
• Naqshbandi, Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqani. 1994. The divine kingdom. Los Altos, CA: Haqqani Islamic Trust for New Muslims.
• Haqqani, Sheik Nazim. 1995. Natural medicines: traditional Sufi healing methods. London: Zero Productions.
• al-Haqqani, Nazim. 1995. Power oceans of light. London: Zero Publications.
• Naqshbandi, Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqani. 1995. When will peace come to earth?: Oh people, don't waste. London: Zero Productions.
• Haqqani, Nazim. 1996. Secret desires: talks given in 1996 in Germany and Great Britain by a sufi master of our time. London: Zero Productions.
• Naqshbandi, Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqani. 1997. Defending truth: associations with a Sufi master of our time. London: Zero Productions.
• Nāẓim ʻAdl al-Ḥaqqānī, Muḥammad. 1997. Islam the freedom to serve: Suhbats, aphorisms, and stories. Bonndorf im Schwarzwald: Gorski und Spohr.
• al-Haqqani, Sheikh Nazim. 1998. Pure hearts. London: Zero Productions.
• Naqshbandi, Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqani. 1998. Secret desires. London: Healing Hearts / Zero Productions.
• –––. 1998. Star from heaven: talks given in 1995 by a Sufi master of our time in England, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. London: Zero Productions.
• –––. 2002. In the mystic footsteps of saints. 2 vols. Fenton Mich: Naqshbandi Haqqani Sufi Order.
• Al-Haqqani, Shaykh Nazim Adil. 2002-2007. Liberating the soul: a guide for spiritual growth. 6 vols. [S.l.]: Islamic Supreme Council of America.
• Naqshbandi, Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqani, and Muhammad Hisham Kabbani. 2004. Naqshbandi awrad of Mawlana Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqani. Fenton, MI: Islamic Supreme Council of America.
• Naqshbandi, Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqani. 2006. The path to spiritual excellence. Fenton, MI: Islamic Supreme Council of America.
• Naqshbandi, Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqani. 2007. Through the eye of the needle: Counsel for Spiritual Survival in the Last Days. Fenton, Mich: Institute for Spiritual & Cultural Advancement.
• Al-Haqqani, Mawlana Sheikh Nazim, and Hamidah Torres. 2008. Sufi spiritual practices for polishing the mirror in the heart. [Mar de Plata, Argentina]: SereSereS.
• Al-Haqqani, Mawlana Sheikh Nazim. 2008. Love sufi teachings and spiritual practices. Málaga: SereSereS.
• Naqshbandi, Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqani. 2010. The Sufilive series. Fenton, MI: Institute for Spiritual and Cultural Advancement (ISCA).
• Naqshbandi, Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqani, and Muhammad Hisham Kabbani. 2010. Spiritual discourses of Sultan al-Awliya Mawlana Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil Al-Haqqani. Fenton, MI: Institute for Spiritual and Cultural Advancement (ISCA).
• –––. 2010. Breaths from beyond the curtain: spiritual guidance of the Naqshbandi Sufi Masters. Fenton, Mich: Institute for Spiritual and Cultural Advancement.
• Sheikh Nazim, over 2,000 pieces of unique video content: http://saltanat.org/videos.php

• Ron Geaves, The Sufis of Britain: An Exploration of Muslim Identity (Cardiff: Cardiff Academic Press, 2000), pp. 145 – 156
• Ludwig Schleßmann, Sufismus in Deutschland: Deutsche auf dem Weg des mystischen Islam (Cologne: Bo¨hlau, 2003), pp. 43 –136
• Jørgen S. Nielsen, "Transnational Islam and the Integration of Islam in Europe" in Stefano Allievi and Jørgen S Nielsen (eds), Muslim Networks and Transnational Communities in and across Europe (Leiden: Brill, 2003) 28 –51.
• David Damrel, "Aspects of the Naqshbandi-Haqqani Order in America" in Jamal Malik and John R. Hinnells (eds.), Sufism in the West (Abingdon: Routledge, 2006).
• Jørgen S. Nielsen, Mustafa Draper and Galina Yemelianova, "Transnational Sufism: The Haqqaniyya" in Jamal Malik and John R. Hinnells (eds), Sufism in the West (Abingdon: Routledge, 2006), pp. 103– 114.
• Simon Stjernholm, "A Translocal Sufi Movement: Developments among Naqshbandi-Haqqani in London" in Catharina Raudvere and Leif Stenberg (eds), Sufism Today: Heritage and Tradition in the Global Community (London: I.B. Tauris, 2009), pp. 83 – 101.
• Simon Stjernholm, Lovers of Muhammad: A Study of Naqshbandi-Haqqani Sufis in the Twenty-First Century (Lund: Lund University, 2011).