Published Works
Muktezâ-yı Hayât (Istanbul, 1891)
This work, aimed at secondary education level, was written to address certain deficiencies observed in the field and to serve as “a gift to the children of the homeland.”
Rehber-i Sâlikîn (Istanbul, 1909)
This book, which explains the methods and etiquette of the Sufi order, stands out as one of the first Turkish books to systematically present Sufi issues.
The work provides general knowledge about spiritual journeying (seyrüsülûk) and aims especially to guide practitioners continuing their spiritual path through the Rifâî method.
Tuhfe-i Ken’ân (Istanbul, 1910)
Written during his time in Medina and in the spiritual presence of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), this work contains poetic translations and commentaries of about three hundred and forty hadiths. It also includes a poetic translation of the Arabic poem Kasîde-i Bürde by Imam Bûsîrî, which praises the Prophet. The last section contains prayers, praises, and hymns attributed to Sheikh Abdülkādir-i Geylânî.
Seyyid Ahmed er-Rifâî (Istanbul, 1922)
At the time of its publication, this work was recognized as the most comprehensive study on the subject. Various topics related to Ahmed er-Rifâî were addressed under different headings. The portrait of Ahmed er-Rifâî presented in this book reflects the Sufi matters that Ken’ân Rifâî valued highly.
Mesnevî Hatıraları (Istanbul, 1952)
This is a compilation of notes taken by his son Kâzım Büyükaksoy during Ken’ân Rifâî’s Mesnevî commentaries at the Ümmü Ken’ân Dergâhı between 1908 and 1925.
Şerhli Mesnevî-i Şerif (Istanbul, 1973)
This book is a compilation of notes regarding Ken’ân Rifâî’s commentaries on the first volume of the Mesnevî. It was prepared for publication by comparing notes taken by Ziya Cemal Büyükaksoy, Semiha Cemâl, and Sâmiha Ayverdi, and reviewed by a committee.
Sohbetler (Istanbul, 1991)
Formed from notes taken during Ken’ân Rifâî’s talks. Prepared for publication by Sâmiha Ayverdi, this work offers rich content for those interested in examining Ken’ân Rifâî’s education and training methods. It reveals details of his Sufi views and penetrates both the intellectual and spiritual aspects of the sheikh.
Unpublished Works
Arabic in Forty LessonsWritten in 1901 while in Medina, this work consists of forty lessons. At that time, one of the most criticized aspects of madrasa education was the method used in Arabic classes, which failed to ensure students’ ability to write and speak Arabic despite years of study. With this work, Ken’ân Rifâî aimed to help Turkish people overcome the difficulty of learning and speaking Arabic.
The Revolution of the World
The novel titled La Fin du by author Monde Camilla Flammarion was translated into Turkish by Ken’ân Rifâî as The Revolution of the World. This science fiction novel offers an astonishing and unforgettable vision of the end of the world, almost like an epic history of the future.
Ken’ân Rifâî regarded the astronomer Camilla Flammarion as a believer scientist. It can be said that with this translation, Rifâî aimed to introduce Turkish people to a Western author who maintained a strong stance against positivism.
Mesnevî Talks
This work consists of notes from commentaries on the 2nd and 3rd volumes of the Mesnevî, taken by his students Nazlı Hanım, İfakat Hanım, and possibly Semiha Cemâl Hanım.
Poetry and Musical Aspect
Ken’ân Rifâî, like every servant of God, drew from the overflowing, untamed spring of meaning within himself and first benefited himself and then the region he lived in through various means. He utilized arts that appeal to the human soul such as literature, music, poetry, talks, and dhikr, thereby nourishing his surroundings from his inner spring. Living within the multicultural Ottoman geography, Ken’ân Rifâî expressed the meanings he carried through his works in the fields of tekke music, classical Turkish music, and Western music. It is known that he played the ney (reed flute), violin, and piano. Hundreds of his Sufi poems, composed during his lifetime, continue to be set to music and performed today. Many composers, including his students Zakirbaşı İzzettin Hümâyî Bey, Ümmü Ken’ân Dergâhı Neyzenbaşısı Necip Dede, Muallim Kâzım Bey, and in modern times Cinuçen Tanrıkorur, Yusuf Ömürlü, Mehmet Kemiksiz, Tekin Uğurel, Hâlil Çay, Neyzen Mustafa Hakan Alvan, Neyzen Doğan Ergin, have composed music to his works. Ken’ân Rifâî himself also composed melodies for his own poems. While many compositions are in frequently used maqams such as Uşşak, Hüseynî, Acemâşiran, Hicaz, Nihavend, Segâh, and Hüzzam, he also composed hymns in rare maqams like Büzürg, Dügâh, Şeref-i Hamîdî, Ferahfezâ, Ferahnâk Aşiran, and Rast-ı Cedîd. Additionally, he composed rare works such as praises for Lady Khadijah (Hz. Hatîce annemize).The total number of hymns and songs he wrote is 134. Of these, 74 have been composed in 28 different maqams and published under the title İlâhiyât-ı Ken’ân.
İlâhiyât-ı Ken’ân (Istanbul, 1923)
This work compiles all the hymns and songs written by Ken’ân Rifâî. It includes elegies, praises, supplications, and poems praising the Prophet. Unlike traditional divans, the poems in İlâhiyât-ı Ken’ân are titled. Some maqams that are close to being forgotten are also included. Reminding that the Mesnevî is a poetic Qur’anic commentary and that the Niyâzî-i Mısrî Divanı represents its essence, Rifâî expresses his view about this work by saying, “We also created its essence in İlâhiyât-ı Ken’ân.”
In his memoirs, Ken’ân Rifâî taught his students the piano version of the Kasîde-i Bürde composed in the Rast maqam to help them love the city of Medina. His only son, Hafız Mevlidhan Kâzım Büyükaksoy, known as the last representative of palace-style Mevlid recitals, is known to have taken lessons from one of the most famous gazel and kaside singers of the time, Hafız Sâmi, and to have attended the tekke himself. There are also master's and doctoral theses about respected figures raised from this tekke such as İzzetin Hümâyî Bey, Yusuf Ömürlü, Muallim Kâzım Uz, and Salâhî Dede. The blessing of Ken’ân Rifâî, who has many works in every art branch belonging to himself and his students, continues both materially and spiritually.
