"What happened?" Kemal asked.
In the winding alleys of Konya, there lived a master weaver named Kemal. He was a student of Rumi’s Masnavi , but like many, he was tangled in the letter of the law, not the spirit. Every Thursday night, Kemal would gather his family to recite Tahlil Arwah —the sending of blessings and the creed "La ilaha illallah" to the souls of the departed. But he did so with a heavy heart, worrying whether the words "reached" his late father, a harsh man who had never prayed. tahlil arwah rumi
: The practice includes expressions of gratitude to God for the gift of life, consciousness, and the opportunity to reflect on one's spiritual state. "What happened
The session concludes with a comprehensive prayer asking for forgiveness and mercy for the deceased. Every Thursday night, Kemal would gather his family
"Maulana," Kemal cried, "tell me the secret of Tahlil Arwah !"
He told Kemal to do this: "Tonight, instead of reciting the tahlil for your father, sit in silence. Feel the presence of 'Allah' alone. Let every other name—including 'father' and 'Kemal'—dissolve. Then, whisper the tahlil as if God is reciting it to God. For in the end, there is no one to save and no one to be saved. There is only the One."