Conversations: Sufis

Last Sunday I hoped the tram with some friends and headed for the periphery of the city. Istanbul neighborhoods are generally crowded and dirty; this place was no exception. Buried a couple blocks from the tram station is what appears to be a typical family owned restaurant. But things are not often as they appear. A friend stumbled into on this gem of a place a few weeks ago, only to learn that the restaurant is run by a Sufi shiek and his family in order to support the publication of a major Sufi magazine.

All of this becomes more interesting when you know something about Sufis, and minorities more generally, in Turkey. The state officially recognizes three minority groups: Armenians, Jews and Orthodox Christians. Sunni groups receive state assistance (to build mosques for instance) and tax breaks; minority groups also get a few perks. But if you aren't Sunni, Armenian, Jewish or Orthodox, life is hard. Religious orders like the Alevis and Sufis -- aside from being harassed by the State -- have to raise money privately in order to build schools and mosques and none of these private donations are tax deductible. This particular Sufi community turned to kebab sales to raise funds.

Mustafa is my father's age, but looks much older. He invited us to his restaurant, enthusiastic to share his faith -- and kebab -- with strangers. In between inhalations of cigarette smoke, Mustafa ruminated on Sufism and Islam. What impressed me most was this man's love for people. The version of Islam he explained is based entirely on choice, on free will: men and women learn about their faith and eventually choose a specific tarikat, or "school." This choice, according to Mustafa, represents an enlightenment, a self-actualization that happens in a moment but grows for years. Sufis marry across tarikats and encourage their children to seek their own path.

What was really beautiful is the inclusiveness that Mustafa not only preaches but so obviously believes in. Sufis consider their religion the synthesis of a long history of ideas and revelations -- Abraham is as much a part of this development as Buddha (his words!). Of course, Mohamed is the big show, the trunk of this tree. But he is supported by the Prophets of the world's great religions, impossible to sustain without their foundation.

If someone had tried to pull me into an "inter-faith dialogue" a month ago, I would have laughed at them. To be honest, I'm not even comfortable saying that phrase -- inter-faith dialogue -- out loud. In my experience, religious people are generally more interested in preaching than learning. But Mustafa came to us as a teacher, a man without an agenda. A damn fine inter-faith dialoguer.