The Bektashi Order of Dervishes.
London: Luzac & Company Ltd., 1965. Second Printing. Hardcover. Octavo. 292pp. Original green cloth with gilt titling to spine. B&W frontispiece and 32 plates. Glossary, bibliography, index. An important primary source on the Bektashi Dervish Order of Turkey and the Balkans, examining the beliefs, rituals, practices and history of this Sufi order. The book was first published in 1937 - it's author, John Kinsley Birge (1888-1952) being an American born missionary who spent much of his life in Turkey, where he studied the Bektashis. Table of Contents: Preface Part 1: Chapter 1. Introductory Facts. 1. General Place of Dervish Orders. 2. Place of Bektashi Order in Turkish Life. 3. History of Study of the Bektashi Order. 4. Purpose of this Study. Chapter II. The History Of The Order. A. First Period. 1. Anatolia in the Thirteenth Century. 2. Traditional Life of haji Bektash. 3. Historical Life of Haji Bektash. 4. Early missionaries. 5. Bektashi Poets. B. Second Period. 1. Balim Sultan. 2. Hurufi Doctrines. 3. Shah Ismail. 4. Revolt of the Kalenderoglu. 5. Bektashiism in Albania. 6. Literary Activities. 7. Janissaries. C. Third Period. 1. Growth from 1826 to 1925. 2. Organization. 3. Abolition of all Dervish Orders. 4. Bektashiism To-day Chapter III. Doctrines and Beliefs A. Characteristics Peculiarities 1. Wit. 2. Mysteriousness. B. Beliefs held in Common. 1. Mursit. 2. Four Gateways. 3. Tasavvuf (a) In Experience (b) In Theory (c) Four Elements, Perfect Man (d) Cycle of Existence (e) Sin and Death. C. Doctrines Peculiar to Bektashis 1. Trinity. 2. Ali of Tradition. 3. Doctrinal Significance of Ali. 4. Twelve Imans. 5. Fourteen Pure Innocents. 6. Hurufiism. 7. Bektashi Secret. Chapter IV. Rites and Practices 1. degrees. 2. Devotional practices (a) Ibadet (b) Gulbenk, Terceman (c) Table Blessings (d) Morning and Evening Prayer (e) New Years, Muharrem (f) service of Repentance. 3. Marrige and Funeral Customs. 4. Taboos. 5 Cermony of Initiation, Aynicem. 6. Ethical Life. Chapter V. A Bektashi Catechism. Chapter VI. Relation to other Faiths 1. Village Alevis. 2. Sunni Islam. 3. Shi islam. 4. Shamanism. 5. Neo-Platonism. 6. Christianity. Part II. Supplement I. New Years. Supplement II. Illustrations. Supplement III. Glossary of Terms. Supplement IV. Bibliography 1. Books giving background. (a) Islam, Neo-Platonism and Moslem Mysticism (b) The Turkish and Asiatic Background. 2. The History of the Bektashi Order. (a) Anatolia in the Thirteenth Century (b) origin and First Period (c) Second Period (1) In Turkey (2) In Albania (d) Third Period (1) In Turkey (2) In Albania. 3. Books about Bektashiism in General. (a) Turkish books (b) Attacks on the Bektashis (c) Books in foreign Languages. 4. Beliefs and Doctrines (a) Miscellaneous Books. (b) Divans and Nefes Collections (c) Hurufi Books (d) Caferi and Alevi Doctrines. 5. Rites and Practices. 6. Books of reference. Index List of Illustrations. Edges a little dusty, otherwise a bright, a clean, tight and bright near-Fine copy in near-Fine dust jacket (just a hint of shelf-wear). Item #67304
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