Karabâş-ı Velî’de Nefs Mertebelerinin Seslerle Temsili
The Representation of the Levels of the Self (Marātib al-Nafs) Through Sounds in Ḳarabās̲h̲ Welī
Yazar: Dursun, Ömer
Dergi: Dinbilimleri Akademik Araştırma Dergisi, Vol. 26 No. 1, 2025
Anahtar kelimeler: Sufism ; Tasavvuf ; Sufism,Ḳarabās̲h̲ Welī,Aṭwār al-Sabʿa (Seven Stages),Stages of the Self,Sound Symbolism ; Tasavvuf,Karabâş-ı Velî,Etvâr-ı Seb‘a,Nefs Mertebeleri,Ses Sembolizmi

Etvâr-ı seb‘a öğretisinde insanın manevî gelişimini açıklamak için kullanılan nefs mertebeleri farklı şekillerde yorumlanmıştır. Bu yorumlardan biri, nefs mertebelerinin duyulabilir seslerle ilişkilendirilmesidir. Ancak mücerred bir varlık olan nefsin maddî bir olgu olan sesle nasıl ilişkilendirilebileceği izaha muhtaçtır. Çalışma Karabâş-ı Velî’nin (öl. 1097/1686) nefs mertebelerini hangi esaslara dayanarak belirli seslerle ilişkilendirdiğini metin analizi yöntemiyle incelemektedir. Öncelikle nefs mertebelerinin mahiyeti ve onlara atfedilen ahlâkî nitelikler tespit edilmiştir. Ardından belirtilen niteliklerin ilgili canlıların davranış ve sesleriyle ilişki kurmaya elverişli yönleri değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular nefs mertebeleri ile ses arasındaki ilişkinin fizikî bir süreçten çok sembolik anlatıma dayandığını ve sesin ilgili mertebelerde öne çıkan manevî niteliklerin dış dünyadaki işitilebilir örneklerle açıklanmasına imkân veren temsili bir araç olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Sonuç olarak çalışma nefsin soyut yapısı ile sesin duyulur yönü arasında kurulan ilişkinin Karabâş-ı Velî’nin tasavvuf düşüncesinde nasıl anlam kazandığını göstermekte ve etvâr-ı seb‘a bağlamında ses sembolizmine ilişkin boyutun daha anlaşılır hâle gelmesine katkı sunmaktadır.

In Sufi thought, the tradition of the seven stages (aṭwār al-sabʿa), developed to explain the spiritual progress of the human being, expresses the purification (tazkiyah) and transformation process through which the self (nafs) ascends from lower to higher levels. These levels are classified as the tyrannical self (al-nafs al-ammāra), the regretful self (al-nafs al-lawwāma), the inspired self (al-nafs al-mulhima), the serene self (al-nafs al-muṭmaʾinna), the pleased self (al-nafs al-rāḍiya), the contented self (al-nafs al-mardiyya), and the perfected self (al-nafs al-kāmila), representing the basic stages of al-sayr wa-l-sulūk.Although these levels are associated with symbolic elements such as color, dream, spiritual station, and the stories of the prophets, their relationship with types of sound is almost never mentioned. The Ottoman Ṣūfī Ḳarabās̲h̲ Welī associates the first five stages of the self with the sounds of the cow, the camel, the ram, the sheep, and the human voice. According to the available data, he is the first to put forward this relationship. However, the reasons and semantic foundation of this correspondence have remained largely unexplored.This study examines the possibility of a meaningful relationship between the self, which is a subtle (laṭīf) and immaterial (mujarrad) reality (ḥaqīqah), and sound, which originates from material vibration. By focusing on the moral and psychological characteristics of each level of the self and comparing them with the behavioral features and vocal expressions of the corresponding beings, the representational nature of this analogy is revealed. Based on the principle that the form (ṣūrah) animated by the soul (rūḥ) externalizes a sound in accordance with its inner reality, it was accepted that each level of the self manifests a symbolic voice.The Tyrannical Self: It is driven by bodily desires and pleasure-centered impulses. The cow, which spends most of its time eating and digesting, represents the vitality observed at this level.The Regretful Self: Characterized by self-reproach and fluctuation between sin and repentance. The camel’s rising and falling vocalization reflects this unstable spiritual movement.The Inspired Self: Divine inspirations (ilhām) become manifest in this stage. The ram, obedient and calm within the flock, symbolizes the state of this level.The Serene Self: Inner peace and spiritual tranquility dominate. The soft, balanced sound of the sheep represents the state of submission in spiritual serenity.The Pleased Self: The awareness of unity (jamʿ) is realized, and the self becomes fully content with al-Ḥaqq. The human’s voice, which brings together truths that appear to be opposed to one another, symbolizes this state of jamʿ.Thus, the symbolic sounds attributed to the levels of the self do not signify physical transformation but reveal the inner spiritual journey of the human being through an auditory representation. The study renders a symbolic dimension that has remained implicit in Sufi literature visible and offers an original contribution to understanding al-sayr wa-l-sulūk by connecting immaterial spiritual states and sensible acoustic expressions. Sound-based symbolism allows the modern reader to grasp these experiences not only conceptually but also through sensory perception.