The Holy Line of Prophet Muhammad(s): SAYYIDS

The Holy Line of Prophet Muhammad (saas): SAYYIDS
HARUN YAHYA

Sayyid is the title given in Islamic culture to people descended from Hassan (ra), grandson of our Prophet (saas) through his daughter Fatima (ra). Previously, individuals descended from Husayn (ra), the Prophet’s (saas) other grandson, were also considered sayyids. Later, however, these people began to be known as sharifs. Today, this distinction has all but disappeared. The lines of both of the Prophet’s (saas) blessed grandsons are referred to as sayyid in the Muslim world.
The Arabic word “sayyid” corresponds to the English words “lord, chief, or leader.” In the Hadith, the term is used in the sense of “tribal chief or eminent members of a community.” Sayyids are also known as “habib,” “emir,” or “mir” in various Islamic lands. The great Islamic scholars Imam al-Bukhari and al-Tirmidhi say that this title was first used by the Prophet (saas) in reference to Hassan (ra). Rasul al-Akram says that when sitting on the pulpit one day, he pointed to Hassan (ra) in one of the rows and said: “This [grand]son of mine is a sayyid. It is to be hoped that through him Allah will establish peace between two Muslim sects.” (al-Bukhari, Sulh, 9; Fada’il al-Ashab, 22; Tirmidhi, Manaqib, 31) In another hadith, our Prophet (saas) said: “Hassan and Husayn are the two sayyids of the young people of Paradise.” (Tirmidhi, Manasik, 31)
Prophet Muhammad (saas) also imparted the glad tidings that the blessed Mahdi (as), who will appear in the End Times and who is awaited with great joy and expectation by all Muslims, will also be descended from him:
“We are the sayyids of the people of Paradise, the sons of Abd al-Muttalib. Me, Hamza, Ali, Jaffar, Hassan, Husayn, and the Mahdi.” (Ibn Majah, 34)
Muslims Have Always Treated the Sayyids with Great Love and Respect
Muslims have always extended the love and affection they feel for the Prophet (saas) to the sayyids. Due to their deep love for Prophet’s (saas) family, Muslims have always held the descendants of his grandchildren in the highest regard. Sayyids have enjoyed a privileged position in worldly treatment in almost all Islamic countries, and efforts have been made to bestow various advantages on them.
The most obvious proof of this is how, in the past, special bodies were concerned with their affairs and that the person at the head of these institutions (the naqib al-ashraf) was regarded as having one of the highest ranks.
How Did the Sayyids Spread to Different Lands?
In the age of the Four Rightly Guided Caliphs, Muslims traveled to many lands to spread the message of Islamic moral precepts. These missionary journeys intensified considerably during the time of Umar (ra) and Uthman (ra). There were many sayyids among those who set out to spread the Qur’an’s moral values to humanity. They generally settled in the regions to which they traveled and assimilated with the local inhabitants.
However, like other Muslim emigrants, the great majority of the sayyids who emigrated left Arabia because of the strict policies of the Umayyads, who assumed power after the age of the Four Rightly Guided Caliphs.
Following the martyrdom of Hassan (ra) and Husayn (ra), their migration accelerated still further, to places within the Islamic state’s borders of the time: the Maghreb (Morocco), the Caucasus, Transoxiana, Khurasan, Tabaristan, and Yemen. Thanks to this migration, many dynasties were founded, such as the Idrisids in Morocco, the Sulaymanis in Yemen and the Zaydis, in Iran.
Many sayyids took up residence in the Mongol and Turkish states and assimilated with the local peoples. Sometimes they even took their places among the founders of other states, such as the Nogay dynasty, which established itself in the Caucasus.
The Sayyids Also Migrated to Turkey
As the sole heir of the Ottoman Empire, the longest-lived and largest Turkish Islamic state, Turkey is one of the countries most intensively settled by sayyids. Today, they live in many parts of the country, but especially in Ankara, Siirt, Sanliurfa, Erzurum, Elazig, Erzincan, Adana, and Igdir. The majority of them settled in Anatolia during the first sayyid migrations. However, the migratory trend to Turkish lands continued. During the Ottoman-Russian and Russian-Caucasian wars in particular, many sayyids living among the Caucasians migrated and settled in central Anatolia. Among them was the family of Ömer Bey, the grandfather of Harun Yahya, whose works inspire the subject matter of our magazine.
The origins of Beslen Arslan Kasayev, Ömer Bey’s grandfather, go back to the Nogay dynasty. This family is also known as the Arslanogullari (the sons of Arslan) and is one of the twenty-one sayyid families whose names appear in a document prepared for the Caucasus governorship in 1827. In 1902, the family left the Caucasus and settled in Bala, a town in Ankara province. (*)
Sayyid families were known to and recognized by the people in the regions where they lived. These families constituted a community, recognizing and acting as guarantors for one another.
*Photocopy of an original document dated 17 July 1827 in the Russian Federation Stavropol Federal Archive. Archive No. 48, Vol. 2, File No. 853.
Information concerning the surnames and family members of the Nogay sayyids living in the Kara Nogay and Yediskul region.

Family Members
NAME AND FAMILY
Male
Female
1. Nugay Kaplanov and family
4
3
2. Yusuf Ali Aysoltanov and family
2
5
3. Beslen Arslan Kasayev and family
2
4
4. Han Muhambet Ismailov and family
3
-
5. Muhambet Kantemirov and family
8
9
6. Mengligirey Tilenchiyev and family
3
-
7. Yanseyit Abdullayev and family
2
4
8. Gazý Ýnal Batýrburzayev and family
5
7
9. Hayati Ahmetov and family
3
3
10. Nemin Yasenbi Adjiyev and family
8
5
11. Alibey Mamayev and family
3
3
12. Musousov and family
2
3
13. Alibek Soltanaliyev and family
4
-
14. Bekmurza Karamurzayev and family
3
2
15. Aslangirey Temirhanov and family
3
3
16. Alibey Temirov and family
2
3
17. Ali Mamayev and family
3
1
18. Beymurza Isterekov and family
4
3
19. Tausultan Temirhanov and family
7
-
20. Mamay Arslanov and family
1
-
21. Magomet Utepov and family
3
3
Total number of individuals
75
61

Photocopy of an original document dated 17 July, 1827, in the Russian Federation Stavropol Federal Archive. Archive No. 48, Vol. 2, File No. 853.
This historical document contains details of the identities and families of the Nogay sayyids living in the Kara Nogay and Yediskul regions. The record concerning Beslen Arslan, the grand grandfather of Harun Yahya and his family appear under No. 3 in the list. Harun Yahya’s grandfather, Ömer Bey, was born in the Caucasus and settled in the Ankara township of Bala in 1902. Ömer Bey’s father was Haci Yusuf, and Haci Yusuf’s father is Beslen Arslan (Kasayev) recorded as a sayyid in the Russian archive.

The Esteem Attached to the Sayyids in Turkish Islamic Culture
Soldiers were viewed as the most respected and prominent individuals in Turkish Islamic states. Officials and the public regarded the sayyids as members of the military class and held them in high esteem. The state exempted them from all tithes and taxes, and awarded them pensions so they would not have to suffer any financial difficulty.
On occasion, local officials acted irregularly and attempted to extract taxes from sayyids and sharifs. However, the central authorities forestalled such actions. Many firmans (decrees) of the Sultans directed that the Prophet’s (saas) descendants should not be mistreated and that they should be treated with the highest respect. Many Ottoman historians, such as Evliya Celebi, said that the sayyids were generally modest and had the kind of moral values that made them reluctant to make their status obvious. Over the course of time, however, individuals did emerge who sought to profit from the status of being a sayyid.
Today, sayyids live dispersed over many parts of Turkey, especially in such cities as Ankara, Siirt, Sanliurfa, Erzurum, Elazig, Erzincan, Adana, and Igdir.
As the number of these false sayyids (known as “mutasayyid”) increased, the Ottoman Empire took steps to prevent the serious decline in its tax revenues and to protect the rank of sayyid. Detailed inquiries were carried out into everyone claiming to be a sayyid. An institution known as the naqib al-ashraf was set up to record and preserve the pedigrees and genealogies of the sayyids and the sharifs. This body was first set up during the reign of Sultan Celebi Mehmet, dissolved in the time of Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror, and then reestablished during the reign of Sultan Beyazid II.
Special officials, known as “naib” (the name given to representatives of the naqib al-ashraf, who lived in Istanbul and was regarded as chief of the sayyids) were appointed to provinces to expose false sayyids. These officials maintained inspection records, based on existing evidence of sayyid status. These records would make it easy for the central authority to determine whether any of the individuals pretending to sayyid rank were real sayyids. The head of this institution occupied an important place at the Ottoman court. On a sultan’s accession to the throne, he would be the first to declare his loyalty to the sultan. During official Ottoman state ceremonies, he would open the ceremony with a prayer when the sultan left the reception room and sat on the throne.
At both the coronation and other official state ceremonies, the sultan would rise to his feet out of respect when congratulated by the naqib al-ashraf. Titles unique to this person were employed in official correspondence.
After this person, the sayyids’ most important leaders were people who bore the title “alamdar” (standard-bearer), who left the palace together with the army during campaigns and carried the “Standard of the Prophet.” The naqib al-ashraf and other sayyids and sharifs would participate in the standard ceremonies by reciting the takbir and reciting prayers for the Prophet (saas) on the departure and return of the Standard of the Prophet.
Most of the sayyids living in Anatolia were members of the ulama (religious scholar) class and served as imams, scribes, religious judges, local registration officials, and madrassah instructors.
Under the Ottomans, it was enough for one’s paternal line to extend back to Prophet Muhammad (saas) in order to be regarded as a sayyid. It was also considered possible to be a sayyid through the maternal line alone, which was not common in other Islamic states. Under the Ottoman Empire, sayyids who were the descendants of the Family of Abbas (the line of the uncle of the Prophet [saas]) were also held in high regard.

REFERENCE:
1- Y.N. Kusheva, T.H. Kumikova (collectors), Kabartay-Russian Relations in the XVI-XVII Centuries: Documents and Correspondence, vol. 1, (Moscow: 1957).

Giving in the Way of Allah is a Defining Characteristic of Muslims

Giving in the Way of Allah (Infaq) is a Defining Characteristic of Muslims HARUN YAHYA There is a most important truth revealed in the verse “You will not attain true goodness until you give of what you love,” (Surah Al ‘Imran, 92) One of the most basic qualities that leads people to “goodness” in the true sense is “altruism.” The word itself means the willing and immediate renunciation of things a person possesses, loves and values. It means being prepared when necessary to undergo all kinds of difficulty and trouble for the values one believes in or those whom one loves, and to do all in one’s power on their behalf with enthusiasm, determination and will. It means being able to renounce one’s own interests when faced with a choice between them and the values one upholds and the people one loves and to make all kinds of material and other sacrifices for their sake. However, human passions have been created with a predisposition towards poor moral values such as selfishness and egotism. Unless properly trained, these selfish emotions come to completely dominate a person’s moral framework. Such a person thinks mainly of himself rather than of anyone else. He always wants the best, the most attractive, the most perfect of everything for himself. Yet he also expects everyone else to demonstrate understanding and self-sacrifice. Whenever he encounters any difficulty he expects those around him to undergo risks and inconvenience for him, and to support him even to the extent of foregoing their own interests. He desires to protect his own wishes and interests and to ensure his own ease and comfort. In an adverse situation a person may be able to renounce many things he values – in the name of protecting his or her interests and preventing any harm from coming to him. Allah has revealed this excessive selfishness in the human spirit in the Qur’an: Truly man was created headstrong – desperate when bad things happen, begrudging when good things come. (Surat al-Ma‘arij, 19-21) It is possible to free one’s spirit from this weakness by understanding faith and living by the moral values of the Qur’an. Someone who understands the truths revealed in the Qur’an and the moral conception commanded by Allah will achieve a state of morality capable of exhibiting altruism at any moment of his life. That is because in the verse “It is the people who are safe-guarded from the avarice of their own selves who are successful” (Surat at-Taghabun, 64), Allah has revealed that it is safeguarding their desires from this vice that will lead people to salvation in this world and the next. Allah has created the human conscience in order for people to protect their passions from evil and to attain the kind of moral values beloved of Him. The voice of that conscience shows people the way to avoid all forms of wickedness and to attain what is good. The deep love and powerful fear of Allah in the heart of a true believer prevents him from being vanquished by the wickedness of his desires. Knowing that the true purpose behind his existence in the life of this world is to attain Allah’s approval, such a person seeks to spend every moment of his life behaving in such a way that will be pleasing to Allah. He knows that the life of this world is but short, and that a person must strive for the eternal life of the Hereafter. He never forgets that all the interests he obtains here are transitory, after which he will have to render account to Allah. He knows that those who seek to ensure their own desires and interests in the life of this world, instead of seeking Allah’s approval, mercy and Paradise, may be rewarded with eternal suffering in the Hereafter. On the other hand, Allah will recompense altruistic moral values with goodness and beauty in this world and by eternal, incomparable blessings in the next. In the Qur’an, Allah imparts these glad tidings to people who behave morally, Those who do good will have the best and more! Neither dust nor debasement will darken their faces. They are the Companions of the Garden, remaining in it timelessly, for ever. (Surah Yunus, 26) So Allah gave them the reward of the world and the best reward of the Hereafter. Allah loves good-doers. (Surah Al ‘Imran, 148) ... If anyone desires the reward of the world, We will give him some of it. If anyone desires the reward of the Hereafter, We will give him some of it. We will recompense the thankful. (Surah Al ‘Imran, 145) When one thinks of self-sacrifice, however, what comes to mind should not be solely giving away part of one’s material possessions, that part which represents more than one actually needs for oneself. Self-sacrifice is a way of life that stems from strength of faith and dominates a believer’s entire life. This spirit of altruism needs to be present within a sensitivity of conscience to everything going on around a person. Altrusim means a person seeking to feel himself responsible on every matter, from social problems to the oppressed, persecuted, starving and needy people all over the world, and striving to find a solution to them. It is the employment of one’s reason and conscience at the highest possible level, without ever saying, “There are plenty of people with the means and resources to resolve all these issues, so let them do it.” It means those with a “vestige of good,” as revealed in the verse: “Would that there had been more people with a vestige of good among the generations of those who came before you, who forbade corruption in the Earth, other than the few among them whom We saved. Those who did wrong gladly pursued the life of luxury that they were given and were evildoers” (Surah Hud, 116), Muslims who believe, who listen to the voice of their consciences and fear Allah, acting in the knowledge of their responsibilities. When we look at the events experienced by Muslims throughout the course of history we see that they have always been able to overcome troubles and diffculties in this way. Beginning with the Prophet Muhammad (saas), made a role model for all humanity by Allah, and his companions, Muslims have always lived this moral framework in the best manner possible and have been a means whereby, with their superior solidarity and instances of self-sacrifice, Islam and the moral values of the Qur’an have spread all over the world. The superior moral values and generosity of the Prophet (saas) are revealed thus in the hadiths: * The Prophet (saas) was the most generous of people in auspicious deeds. The Prophet (saas) was more generous even than the wind blowing from the direction of good. * He never said “I do not possess such” when asked for something and never begrudged anything asked of him. * Abu Zerr told me the following: “Son of my brother! I went to the Prophet’s (saas) side. Taking my hand, he said, ‘Abu Zerr! Even if I had as much gold and silver as Mount Uhud I would wish to spend it in the way of Allah, leaving not a farthing behind’.” The Prophet (saas), the finest role model for Muslims with his superior moral values, encouraged the faithful to be generous in these words during a sermon: * In one of his sermons, after giving thanks to Allah he [The Prophet Muhammad (saas)] said: “O People! Know that Allah has chosen Islam for you as your religion. Adorn your Islam with generosity and pleasing moral values. I wish you to know that generosity is a heavenly tree, with its roots in Paradise and its branches in this world. Those of you who have generosity will adhere to one of those branches, and that branch will carry him to Paradise. As for parsimoniousness, that is a tree with its roots in Hell and its branches in this world. Whoever clings to one of those branches by being parsimonious, it will carry him to Hell.” Later the Prophet (saas) again said, “Be generous in the way of Allah.” The companions of the Prophet (saas) who were ready to unquestioningly give up their goods and lives in order to gain the approval of Allah exhibited great examples of self-sacrifice throughout their lives. Since they possessed a sure and certain belief in Allah and the Hereafter they never regarded giving in the way of Allah (infaq) as representing any kind of loss; on the contrary, they saw it as an important opportunity to gain the love of and closeness to Allah. As revealed by Allah in the verse: “And how is it with you that you do not give in the way of Allah,when the inheritance of the heavens and the Earth belongs to Allah? Those of you who gave and fought before the Victory are not the same as those who gave and fought afterwards. They are higher in rank. But to each of them Allah has promised the Best. Allah is aware of what you do.” (Surat al-Hadid, 10), those who sacrificed their property in times of difficulty acted in the knowledge of the value of that action in the sight of Allah. Therefore, all Muslims must take these superior moral values of our Prophet (saas) and his companions as role models for themselves, and must compete with one another to help those in need. It must never be forgotten that self-sacrifice performed with true sincerity is most valued in the sight of our Lord and a marvellous opportunity for Muslims who seek to attain the infinite blessings of Paradise. “To purchase the works of Harun Yahya, please visit www.bookglobal.net.”