Nef Foundation Kenan Rifai International Sufi Culture Research Centre https://nefkrcenter.org/en/ Tue, 22 Jul 2025 15:50:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://nefkrcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/favicon-150x150.png Nef Foundation Kenan Rifai International Sufi Culture Research Centre https://nefkrcenter.org/en/ 32 32 Adana https://nefkrcenter.org/en/adana-memories/ https://nefkrcenter.org/en/adana-memories/#respond Tue, 22 Jul 2025 15:49:36 +0000 https://nefkrcenter.org/adana/

At a young age, Kenan Rifai was appointed as the Director of Education in Adana, where he accelerated his reformist work in education. During his tenure in Adana, he traveled to towns and villages such as Mut, Silifke, Anamur and Gülnar to raise public awareness and create opportunities to build schools. His hardworking and idealistic attitude inspired the people around him.

“When I arrived in Adana, ten teachers appeared before me in tattered clothes and told me that they had not been paid for ten months. I immediately convened the Education Council, explained the situation and asked for a solution. We dismissed a person who was receiving 2000 kuruş per month unnecessarily in my office. Those who resented this situation filed a libel petition.”

Kenan Rifai’s years in Adana at Maarift are an important period that shows his determination in education, his determination to overcome difficulties and his honesty. These lessons, both in his personal and professional life, laid the foundation for his success in his later years.

During his tenure in Adana, he experienced another difficult moment. One night, lost in the ruins of Anamur, he could not find his way in the harsh nature and let his horse loose. The horse brings him safely back to the city under cover of night.

]]> https://nefkrcenter.org/en/adana-memories/feed/ 0 Love for Homeland https://nefkrcenter.org/en/love-for-homeland/ https://nefkrcenter.org/en/love-for-homeland/#respond Fri, 18 Jul 2025 16:01:28 +0000 https://nefkrcenter.org/love-for-homeland/

With the outbreak of the 93 War, life in Plovdiv and its environs undergoes a profound transformation. This difficult period leads Kenan Rifâî to decide to migrate to Istanbul with his family. For the young Kenan, this migration is not only a change of location, but also a new beginning in his spiritual journey.

During a visit to Plovdiv, Kenan Rifâî gets off at the first stop of the train and kisses the earth when he returns to his homeland. This memory is a clear expression of his deep love for his homeland and his devotion to his roots. The influence of Namik Kemal, the patriotic poet raised in Thrace, is visible on Kenan from his young age. This love and devotion leaves deep traces on his soul.

Hatice Cenan Hanım’s divine love has always been a guide in young Kenan’s spiritual journey. In Kenan Rifai’s poems, the concept of homeland can be read as multi-layered in a way that expresses both the departure from Rumelia and the coming to the world by breaking away from the divine unity, the realm of souls:

“I broke away from the homeland of souls and came with hisran
I came with Suzi derûn hem nâle vü efgan
They banned me from love âh, love burned me,
Hasretkeş-i cân, firkat ü nâlãn I came with.”

]]> https://nefkrcenter.org/en/love-for-homeland/feed/ 0 Conversation with Nature: The Story of the Willow and the Caterpillars https://nefkrcenter.org/en/conversation-with-nature-the-story-of-the-willow-and-the-caterpillars/ https://nefkrcenter.org/en/conversation-with-nature-the-story-of-the-willow-and-the-caterpillars/#respond Mon, 14 Jul 2025 12:35:01 +0000 https://nefkrcenter.org/conversation-with-nature-the-story-of-the-willow-and-the-caterpillars/

One of the most endearing anecdotes that shows Ken’an Rifâî’s sensitivity to nature and his being an environmentally conscious Sufi is an incident that happened in his house in Bostancı. Ken’an Rifâî loved the willow tree that stood opposite the window where he always sat. The willow tree is almost like a friend to him.
One day, this willow tree was attacked by caterpillars and lost most of its leaves. Realizing the situation, Ken’an Rifâî called his disciples and said:

“Today I faced a difficult problem. My neighbor, the willow tree, complained to me and said: ‘What kind of a neighbor are you that you never help me? Look, caterpillars are eating my leaves. At this rate, I will soon wither away.” I replied: “Before passing judgment on a matter, it is necessary to listen to both sides. Let’s listen to the caterpillars and see what they say.’ The caterpillars also have a point. They say: ‘We were shown this tree to provide us with our sustenance, we opened our eyes to the world here, what should we do, should we not provide our sustenance and die?’ Now I am torn between the two. I wonder which side is right, what do you say about this?”

Upon this incident, there is a discussion with the students for a while. Some justify the caterpillars, others the willow tree. At that moment, someone opening the window to change the air in the room shouts excitedly: The caterpillars on the willow tree are descending from the trunk of the tree in a long migratory caravan, heading towards the empty field next door.

Ken’an Rifâî draws profound lessons from this event about the balance of nature and the struggle for life of every living thing. This balance between the willow tree and the caterpillars creates an important opportunity to teach his students respect for nature and all living things.

]]> https://nefkrcenter.org/en/conversation-with-nature-the-story-of-the-willow-and-the-caterpillars/feed/ 0 From his days at Galatasaray https://nefkrcenter.org/en/from-his-days-at-galatasaray/ https://nefkrcenter.org/en/from-his-days-at-galatasaray/#respond Mon, 14 Jul 2025 12:34:30 +0000 https://nefkrcenter.org/from-his-days-at-galatasaray/

Kenan Rifai was a Galatasaray High School student who spent his childhood and youth with great vigor and joy, and was as notable for his mischief as for his intelligence. This little nine-year-old student is known among his friends for being a handful. Even unauthorized trips, being locked up in the school’s prison and being deprived of recess cannot stop his mischief.

According to an anecdote, his French teacher Monsieur Dubois cannot resist Kenan’s mischief and puts him under his lectern. But even here, little Kenan does not behave; he writes his number in chalk on his teacher’s pants. Another day, in the drawing class, he draws a caricature of Karaca Pasha and writes “Karaca Pasha” under it. This draws the attention of the serious and authoritarian minister, but instead of punishing him, he takes him home and has his wife give him chocolates.

]]> https://nefkrcenter.org/en/from-his-days-at-galatasaray/feed/ 0 Cherno’s Loyalty https://nefkrcenter.org/en/chernos-loyalty/ https://nefkrcenter.org/en/chernos-loyalty/#respond Mon, 14 Jul 2025 12:11:39 +0000 https://nefkrcenter.org/chernos-loyalty/

Ken’an Rifâî spent his childhood years on his grandfather Hacı Hasan Bey’s farm in Plovdiv, surrounded by nature and the peaceful blessings of those days. This rich natural and family environment left deep traces in his spiritual world. In his conversations, he often included his memories of these days.

According to an anecdote, there was a loyal dog named “Çerno” in his family’s house. Over time, as Cherno had puppies and multiplied, he would be left on the street. One day, when there was a threat to Plovdiv, Ken’an Rifâî’s father had to leave for Istanbul, while his mother stayed in Plovdiv. Every night, Cherno would gather her puppies and stand guard around the house, showing her loyalty.

In recounting this memory, Ken’an Rifâî emphasizes that loyalty is not a trait that can only be found in animals, and that the true human virtue is love. “Loyalty can also be found in animals. But love is unique to human beings. Even a dog can sacrifice its life for its master, but to be full of love is unique to human beings.”

This anecdote shows how Ken’an Rifâî distinguished between the concepts of loyalty and love and how he glorified human values. In his spiritual guidance, although loyalty is an important virtue, true humanity is to be full of love.

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