Ilahis – The Sacred Songs of Sufism
Ilahis are Sufi sacred songs that are a means by which the culture of Sufism has been handed down orally throughout generations. These poems set to music are sung before, during, or after zikr, most often as an additional layer that is heard above the chanting of the names of Allah. In their poetic lyrics, ilahis carry the philosophy of Sufism, express blessings upon the Pirs and Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and convey stories about them. Before writing and printing were commonplace in society, the philosophy of Sufism was retained in these ilahis. To this day the preservation of ilahis is important to Sufis, especially in Turkey among Bektashis, Mevlevis, Qadiris and Rifais.
The ilahis presented below are typically sung during the AQRT zikr ceremony. As befitting the origins of the AQRT, they are in Turkish, and are sung here by Shaykh Taner Ansari and Shaykha Muzeyyen Ansari.
Pronunciation Guide
Some Turkish letters are not found in English; some common sounds are represented with a different letter. The sounds of the letters are in bold type.
ı (as in aşık) – England, pencil
i (as in iki) – see
ü (as in güzel) – dew
ö (as in döner) – girl
ay (as in hay) – aye, pie
ey (as in ney) – say
ç (as in hiç) – chair
c (as in canım) – just
ğ (as in doğum)– silent, but lengthens preceding vowel
ş (as in şeyh) – she
Ilahis
Yüzün Nuru Hüdadır (Zikr: La ilaha illallah)Poet: Seyid Imadeddin
Nesimi, late 14th century, Azeri-Turkish
Yüzün nuru Hüdadır ya Muhammed
Sana canlar fedadır ya Muhammed (2x)
Abu Bekri görenler olur aşık
Ömer dahi uladır ya Muhammed (2x)
Bu resmile okur Kur’ani Osman
Hilim kanı hayadır ya Muhammed (2x)
Bu dünyada eden küffara gaza
Ali el Mürtezadır ya Muhammed (2x)
Nesimi ümmeti eyle şefaat
Kapında bir gedadır ya Muhammed (2x)
Your face is the light of Allah, O Muhammad
I want to die for you, O Muhammad
Those who see Abu Bakr fall in love
Even Umar is a sage, O Muhammad
The dignity of Uthman is the Qur’an
His identity is good manners, O Muhammad
In this world the one who fights unbelievers is
Ali Al Murtaza (the chosen one), O Muhammad
Intercede for the followers of Nesimi
He is a servant at your door, O Muhammad
Seyreyleyip Yandım (Zikr: La ilaha illallah)
Poet: Fehmi
Seyreyleyip yandım mah cemaline Allah Allah (2x)
Nur kundak içinde yatar Muhammed (2x)
Canımın cananısın ya Muhammed
Kokuları benzer cennetin gülüne Allah Allah (2x)
Nur kundak içinde yatar Muhammed
Canımın cananısın ya Muhammed (2x)
Her iki cihanın şefaat kanı Allah Allah (2x)
Güzellikte geçmiş Yusuf Kenanı (2x)
Enbiyalar Evliyalar Sultanı Allah Allah (2x)
Nur kundak içinde yatar Muhammed
Canımın cananısın ya Muhammed (2x)
Kevser dudakların bilmem ne söyler Allah Allah (2x)
Hulusı kalb ile hakkı zikreyler (2x)
Daha küçük iken ümmetini diler Allah Allah (2x)
Nur kundak içinde yatar Muhammed
Canımın cananısın ya Muhammed (2x)
Bildim o’dur iki cihanın serveri Allah Allah (2x)
Allah’ın Habibi son peygamberi (2x)
O’dur yerin göğün şemsi kameri Allah Allah (2x)
Nur kundak içinde yatar Muhammed
Canımın cananısın ya Muhammed (2x)
Fehmi der ki candan cananımız var Allah Allah (2x)
Peygamberi ahir zamanımız var (2x)
Yürekler derdine dermanımız var Allah Allah (2x)
Nur kundak içinde yatar Muhammed
Canımın cananısın ya Muhammed (2x)
I watched your moonlike face and burned, Allah Allah
Muhammad lies in a cradle of light
You are the heart of my heart, O Muhammad
His fragrance is the rose of paradise, Allah Allah
Muhammad lies in a cradle of light
You are the heart of my heart, O Muhammad
He is the intercessor of both worlds, Allah Allah
His beauty surpasses Joseph of Canan
He is the king of messengers and saints, Allah Allah
Muhammad lies in a cradle of light
You are the heart of my heart, O Muhammad
Your Kevser lips, I don’t know what to say, Allah Allah
They do zikr of Allah with a sincere heart
Even when he was young, he asked Allah for his followers, Allah Allah
Muhammad lies in a cradle of light
You are the heart of my heart, O Muhammad
I came to know that he is the prince of both worlds, Allah Allah
Allah’s lover and His last Prophet
He is the sun and moon of earth and space, Allah Allah
Muhammad lies in a cradle of light
You are the heart of my heart, O Muhammad
Fehmi says that we have heart from heart, Allah Allah
We have the Prophet of the last epoch
We have the cure for sickness of the heart, Allah Allah
Muhammad lies in a cradle of light
You are the heart of my heart, O Muhammad
Abdül Kadir’ul Geylani (Zikr: La ilaha illallah)
Poet: Hz. Muhammad Bahauddin Shah Naqshband was a 14th century Central Asian Sufi saint, after whom the Naqshbandi order takes its name.
Abdül Kadir’ül Geylani
Zül tasri fil ekvani
Ya Mevla ya ferda anhü
Rıdwana ala rıdwani
Lebbeyna hü müznadana
Şahitna lehül bürhana
Vezdütna bihi kana
Celallahü zül ihsani
Abdül Kadir’ül Geylani
Zül tasri fil ekvani
Ya Mevla ya ferda anhü
Rıdwana ala rıdwani
El Kutbül veliyül eşheb
Vel Gavsüs türabül mezhep
Fed hullı hamahü veşreb
Min hamrin şefa wal hali
Abdül Kadir’ül Geylani
Zül tasri fil ekvani
Ya Mevla ya ferda anhü
Rıdwana ala rıdwani
Ya Rabbi bi Muhyidini
Vel Ali madad temkini
Et felli Bahauddini
Vel Abdü şefa vel hali
Abdül Kadir’ül Geylani
Zül tasri fil ekvani
Ya Mevla ya ferda anhü
Rıdwana ala rıdwani
Translation pending
Güzel Aşik Cevrimizi (Zikr: Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah)
Poet: Shaykh Muhyiddin Ansari, Pir of the Ansari Qadiri Rifai Tariqa, was born in Bagdad. Hz. Muhyiddin’s Urs (Death Day) was January 9, 1978. Shaykh Muhyiddin Ansari was a WWI war veteran, musician, teacher, and wrote ilahis, both words and music. Shaykh Muhyiddin Ansari is our Beloved Shaykh Taner Ansari’s teacher.
Güzel aşık cevrimizi
Çekemezsin demedim mi
Bu bir rıza lokmasıdır
Yiyemezsin demedim mi
Yemeyenler kalır naçar
Gözlerinden kanlar saçar
Bu bir demdir gelir geçer
Doyamazsın demedim mi
Çıkalım meydan yerine
Varalım Ali sırrına
Canı başı hak yoluna
Koyamazsın demedim mi
Pir Sultan Ali şahımız
Hakka ulaşır rahımız
Oniki imam penahımız
Uyamazsın demedim mi
Demedim mi demedim mi
Öleceksin demedim mi
Ben ettikçe sana pendi
Sen eyledin bana fendi
Ya Rab bana sen kul kerem
Derviş’anı et muhterem
Dünyada ve ukbada sem
Rezil rusva eyleme sen
Vasfı lisan seninledir
Vasf edemem gönül seni
Nutku beyan seninledir
Vasf edemem gönül seni
Beautiful lover, you cannot
Put up with our trouble, didn’t I say so?
This is a bite of the food of contentment
You cannot eat it, didn’t I say so?
The ones who cannot eat stay desperate
They spill tears of blood from their eyes
This is a moment that comes and goes
You cannot get your fill, didn’t I say so?
Let’s get into the playing field
Let’s reach the secret of Ali
You can’t put your head and heart in the
Path of Haqq, didn’t I say so
Pir Sultan Ali is our king
Our path reaches to Haqq
The twelve Imams are our refuge
You can’t follow them, didn’t I say so?
Didn’t I say so, didn’t I say so?
Didn’t I say you are going to die?
As I tried to trap you,
You tricked me.
O Allah, be generous to me.
Bless the dervishes
In this world and in the hereafter,
O Allah, don’t shame us.
The tongue of expression is with you
I cannot express you, O heart.
The power of speech is with you
I cannot explain you, O heart.
Cani Dilden Fani (Zikr: Hayy)
Poet: Qadiri Shaykh Ismail Fakirullah (1657-1734)
(Repeat each line 2x)
Canı dilden fani kıldın akibet
İkisin virane kıldın akibet
Şol canın zincirin tahrik eyleyip
Sen beni divane kıldın akibet
Hamrin vahdetten içirip tablim ey
Ruhumu peymane kıldın akibet
Dane iken bağı bostan eyledin
Daneyi yüz dane kıldın akibet
Daneyi aciz idim ben ziri hak
Haki pür kaşane kıldın akibet
Ey Fakirullah bu hakkı bendemi
Vasılı canana kıldın akibet
My fate, you ended this life in my heart
You ruined both of them, O my fate
You tempted the chain of this heart
And then you made me crazy, O my fate
You made me drink the wine of unity, O my drum player
You made my soul a wineglass, O my fate
When it was only a grain, you made it a garden
You made a hundred grains from one grain, O my fate
I was a weak grain, the lowest creation of the Tr
You made this earth a mansion, O my fate
O Fakirullah, is this the service of the Truth?
You ruined my chance of uniting with my lover, O my fate
Can Yine Bülbül Oldu (Zikr: Allah Hayy, Ya Qayyum)
Poet: Muhammad Niyazi al-Misri, 17th century Sufi poet, born in Malatya, Turkey, and founder of the Halveti Misri Tariqa.
(Repeat each verse 2x)
Can yine bülbül oldu
Har açıldı gül oldu
Göz kulak oldu her yer
Her ne ki var O oldu
Gönül ol bahre daldı
Dilim tutuldu kaldı
Girdim anın zikrine
Azalarım dil oldu
Ferhat bugün ben oldum
Varlık dağını deldim
Şirin’ime varmağa
Her canibim yol oldu
O yandı çün nari aşk
Kaynadı ebharı aşk
Her bir yana çağlayıp
Aktı gözüm sel oldu
Geç ak ile kareden
Halkı çıkar aradan
Niyazi dön buradan
Durma sana gel oldu
My heart became a nightingale again
Fire blossomed and became a rose
Everywhere became eyes and ears
Whatever there is became Him
My heart dove into that sea
My tongue was tied, couldn’t say anything
I got into His zikr
All my senses became heart
I became Ferhat* this day
I cut through the mountain of Being
To reach my Shirin
HAll directions became roads for me
He got burned with the fire of love
Boiled the sea of love
Gushing forth in all directions
My tears flowed and flooded
Forget all these writings
Get the created out of the way
Niyazi, turn back from here
Don’t stop, it is an invitation for you
*Refers to the love story of Ferhat and Shirin. Shirin’s father decreed that Ferhat could marry his daughter, but to do so he had to bring water to their village which lay surrounded by moutains. Ferhat had to cut through the mountains to open channels though which the water would run to the village. He did this for his beloved.
Mevlam Nurdan Yaratmiş (Zikr: Hayy)
Poet: Yunus Emre (d. 1320?), called “the greatest folk poet in Islam.” Taptuk Emre, a Bektashi Shaykh, was Yunus’s guide on the Path.
Repeat each line and refrain 2x)
Mevlam nurdan yaratmış, Adını Muhammedin
Aleme rahmet saçmış, Canını Muhammedin
Hak La ilaha illallah La ilaha illallah
Dünya malın tutmamış, Hiç emanet atmamış
Terzi gelip biçmemiş, Donunu Muhammedin
Hak La ilaha illallah La ilaha illallah
Tanrımın aslanım Ali, Sağında Muhammedin
Hasan ile Hüseyin, Solunda Muhammedin
Hak La ilaha illallah La ilaha illallah
Yunus Dedem aşklıdır, Eksik midir miskindir
Kim yemezse mahrumdur, Hanını Muhamm
Hak La ilaha illallah La ilaha illallah
Mawla created from Nur, the name of Muhammad
He spread mercy over the world, the life of Muhammad
Truth, there is no god but God
He hasn’t kept any material belongings in the world
Tailor didn’t come and cut his cloth, He returned what is trusted in him
Truth, there is no god but God
Ali the Lion of Allah, On the right of Muhammad
Hassan and Hussein, On the left of Muhammad
Truth, there is no god but God
Yunus Dedem is with love, He is incomplete; he is love
Whoever doesn’t get the nourishment of Muhammad, he is incomplete
Truth, there is no god but God
İki Kere Ghaws Oldu (Zikr: Allah Hayy, Ya Qayyum)
Poet: Shaykh Muhyiddin Ansari, Pir of the Ansari Qadiri Rifai Tariqa, was born in Bagdad. Hz. Muhyiddin’s Urs (Death Day) was January 9, 1978. Shaykh Muhyiddin Ansari was a WWI war veteran, musician, teacher, and wrote ilahis, both words and music. Shaykh Muhyiddin Ansari is our Beloved Shaykh Taner Ansari’s teacher.
İki kere Ghaws oldu
Cihan üniyle doldu
Ali’den nasip aldı
Ya Rüfai Şeyhen lillah
Muhammed şefiimiz
Ali’dir penahımız
Abdül Kadir Pirimiz
Rüfai şerefimiz
Pirim huzura vardı
Divanda el bağladı
Muhammed elin verdi
Ebül alemeyn Şeyhen lillah
Muhammed şefiimiz
Ali’dir penahımız
Abdül Kadir Pirimiz
Rüfai şerefimiz
Muhyi kapunda kıtmir*
El açıp niyaz diler
İhvan muhtacı himmet
Pirim Şeyhen lillah
Muhammed şefiimiz
Ali’dir penahımız
Abdül Kadir Pirimiz
Rüfai şerefimiz
He became qutb twice
The world filled with his fame
He got his share from Ali
O Rifa’i, Shaykh of Allah
Muhammad is our intercessor
Ali is our protector
Abdul Qadir is our Pir
Rifa’i is our honor
My Pir went into the presence
He folded his arms
Muhammad gave his hand
Father of two banners is a Shaykh of Allah
Muhammad is our intercessor
Ali is our protector
Abdul Qadir is our Pir
Rifa’i is our honor
Muhyiddin is a dog at your door
He opens his hands and asks forgiveness
The followers are needy of your blessing
My Pir is a Shaykh of Allah
Muhammad is our intercessor
Ali is our protector
Abdul Qadir is our Pir
Rifa’i is our honor
*Kitmir was the name of the dog that accompanied the young men in the Cave of the Seven Sleepers
Bütün Evren Semah Döner (Zikr: Ya Wadud, Ya Salaam (Ya Jami))
Poet: Hudai
(Repeat each verse 2x)
Bütün evren semah döner
Aşkına güneşler yanar
Aslına varmaktır hüner
Beş vakitle avunmayız
Canan bizim canımızdır
Teni bizim tenimizdir
Sevgi bizim dinimizdir
Başka dine inanmayız
Hüdaiyim hüdamız var
Dost elinden bademiz var
Muhabbetten gıdamız var
Ölüm ölür biz ölmeyiz
The whole universe turns in Sema
To Your Love, suns burn
The skill is to be able to go back to your origins
We will not be pacified with only praying 5 times a day
The Beloved is our Life, the Beloved is our Loved
Allah lives in us, we live in Allah
Love is our religion
We don’t believe in any other
My name is Hudai, we have God
We have nourishment from our Friend’s Hand
We have nourishment from Love
Death dies, we don’t die
Haci Bektaş (Zikr: Ya Wadud, Ya Salaam (Ya Jami))
Poet: Kul Himmet, 16th century Alevi-Bektashi
Gece gündüz hayaline döndüğüm
Bir gece rüyama gir Hacı Bektaş
Günahkarım günahkarden bezerim
Özüm dara çektim gör Hacı Bektaş (2x)
Yandı bu kulunun nedir çaresi
Yine dost elinde bunun dermanı
Bulunmaz dertlere derman olası
Bu kulun bendini sar Hacı Bektaş (2x)
Yahyi bulut olup göğe ağarsın
Yahyi yağmur olup yere yağarsın
Ay mısın, gün müsün? Gökte doğarsın
Ilgıt ılgıt esen, Yel Hacı Bektaş (2x)
Daima Kul Himmet eder niyazi
Pir Sultan yolundan ayırma bizi
Şol Mahşer gününde isteriz sizi
Muhammed önünde can Hacı Bektaş (2x)
Night and day whom I turn to
Come visit me one night in my dream, O Haci Bektaş
I am a sinner who is tired of sinning
I took myself to the hanging tree, see Haci Bektaş
I am burning up, what is the cure?
The healing is in the hands of the Beloved
O the cure for incurable problems
Please wrap the wound of this servant, O Haci Bektaş
O life giver, as a cloud, you ascend in the sky
O life giver, you become rain and descend to earth
Are you the Moon, are you the Sun? You shine in the sky
You are the breeze that cools, O Haci Bektaş
Kul Himmet always does the supplication
Please don’t take us away from the path of Pir Sultan
We ask for you on the Day of Judgment
In the presence of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), life, Haci Bektaş
Seni Ben Severim (Zikr: Hu)
Poet: Yunus Emre (d. 1320?), called “the greatest folk poet in Islam.” Taptuk Emre, a Bektashi Shaykh, was Yunus’s guide on the Path.
(Repeat each line 2x)
Seni ben severim candan içeru
Yolun vardır bu erkandan içeru
Şeriat tarikat yoludur varana
Hakikat marifet andan içeru
Süleyman kuş dili bilir dediler
Süleyman var Süleymandan içeru
Beni bana sorma bende değilim
Bir ben vardır bende benden içeru
Kesildi takatım dizde derman yok
Bu ne mezhep imiş dinden içeru
Yunusun gözleri hundur açılmaz
Kapunda kul var Sultandan içeru
I love You more deeply than my life
You are a Path deeper than this path
Shariat is a path of Tariqat for those who reach
Haqqiqat and Marifet are deeper than that
They say Solomon spoke the language of the birds
There is a Solomon deeper than Solomon
Don’t ask me about me, I am not with me
There is a me deeper than me
I am weak, there is no power left in my knees
What kind of a sect is this, deeper than religion?
WThe eyes of Yunus are closed, not open
There is a servant at your door deeper than the sultan
Hizmetini Edemedim (Zikr: Hu)
Poet: Shaykh Muhyiddin Ansari, Pir of the Ansari Qadiri Rifai Tariqa, was born in Bagdad. Hz. Muhyiddin’s Urs (Death Day) was January 9, 1978. Shaykh Muhyiddin Ansari was a WWI war veteran, musician, teacher, and wrote ilahis, both words and music. Shaykh Muhyiddin Ansari is our Beloved Shaykh Taner Ansari’s teacher.
Hizmetini edemedim
Himmetini alamadım
Aşk oduna yanamadım
Yandır Şeyhim kül olayım illallah Hu
Aşk oduna ben yanayım illallah Hu
Selatullah selamullah aleyke ya Rasulullah
Abdül Kadir Şeyhen lillah illallah Hu
Selatullah selamullah aleyke ya Habib Allah
Ya Rüfai Şeyhen lillah illallah Hu
Yüzüm kare kalbim kare
Böyle hizmet ettim sana
Eyle şefaat sen bana
Yandır Şeyhim kül olayım illallah Hu
Aşk oduna ben yanayım illallah Hu
Selatullah selamullah aleyke ya Rasulullah
Ya Mevlana Şeyhen lillah illallah Hu
Selatullah selamullah aleyke ya Habib Allah
Ya Hacı Bektaş Şeyhen lillah illallah Hu
Bana himmet daim eyle
Kare kalbim cila eyle
Hizmetinde daim eyle
Yandır Şeyhim kül olayım illallah Hu
Aşk oduna ben yanayım illallah Hu
Selatullah selamullah aleyke ya Rasulullah
Ya Nakşbandi Şeyhen lillah illallah Hu
Selatullah selamullah aleyke ya Habib Allah
Ya Al-Alawi Şeyhen lillah illallah Hu
İhvanınla niyazdayız
Rahmatinle sıratdayız
La tak netu himmet bize
Yandır Şeyhim kül olayım illallah Hu
Aşk oduna ben yanayım illallah Hu
Selatullah selamullah aleyke ya Rasulullah
Ya Ansari Şeyhen lillah illallah Hu
Selatullah selamullah aleyke ya Habib Allah
Ya Taner Ansari Şeyhen lillah illallah Hu
Selatullah selamullah aleyke ya Habib Allah
Shaykha Muzeyyen Şeyhen lillah illallah Hu
I couldn’t do your service
I couldn’t get your blessing
I couldn’t burn in the fire of love
O my Shaykh, let me be ashes, illallah Hu
Let me burn in the fire of Love illallah Hu
May peace and blessing be on you, O Messenger of Allah
Abdul Qadir is a Shaykh of Allah illallah Hu
May peace & blessing be on you, Beloved of Allah
Rifa’i is a Shaykh of Allah illallah Hu
My face is black, my heart is black
This is how I served you
Please intercede for me
O my Shaykh, let me be ashes, illallah Hu
Let me burn in the fire of Love illallah Hu
May peace and blessing be on you, O Messenger of Allah
Mevlana Rumi is a Shaykh of Allah illallah Hu
May peace & blessing be on you, Beloved of Allah
Hajji Bektash is a Shaykh of Allah illallah Hu
Continue sending your blessings on me
Open up my black heart
Keep me constant in your service
O my Shaykh, let me be ashes, illallah Hu
Let me burn in the fire of Love illallah Hu
May peace and blessing be on you, O Messenger of Allah
Naqshbandi is a Shaykh of Allah illallah Hu
May peace & blessing be on you, Beloved of Allah
Al Alawi is a Shaykh of Allah illallah Hu
With your dervishes we are before you
With your mercy we are at the bridge on the path
Don’t lose hope, give us Your blessing
O my Shaykh, let me be ashes, illallah Hu
Let me burn in the fire of Love illallah Hu
May peace and blessing be on you, O Messenger of Allah
Muhyiddin Ansari is a Shaykh of Allah illallah Hu
May peace & blessing be on you, Beloved of Allah
Taner Ansari is a Shaykh of Allah illallah Hu
May peace and blessing be on you, Beloved of Allah
Shaykha Muzeyyen is a Shaykh of Allah illallah Hu