Cults to Saint Elijah in Heterodox Islam and
their relation to Hebrew faith and Christianity
Christians and Jews, are quite aware of the glorious earthly living
of
Saint Elijah also known under the name (Elias).
In the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) as a basis of our Christian
scriptures as well as in our Christian faith, St. Elijah is one of
the most honored saints lived on earth grounded in the same saints
line the new testamental Saint John the Baptist and the old times
God holy man
Enoch
Both of the saints Elihjah and Enoch are known to be the only God
prophets who were taken to heaven alive. The two saints are well
known to be referred in Both the Old Testament and The New
Testament in the Holy Bible.
An interesting not well known fact about the name Elijah is the
name meaning literally translated from Hebrew the name means
"My
God is Yahweh" or Jehovah as we know one of God's names
referred within the Holy Bible.
In the
Qu'ran as
a later book compared to Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) and The Holy
Bible we Christians have.
It appears there are two references in the Holy Quran referring to
the Old Testament Holy man Elias this are the verses number
"37:123–132" and
"6:85"
The two verses as directly translated from Arabic to English says
the following:
Qur'an 37:123–132
Elijah too was one of the Envoys;
When he said to his people, 'Will you not be Godfearing?
Do you call on Baal, and abandon the Best of creators?
God, your Lord, and the Lord of your fathers, the ancients?'
But they cried him lies;
so they will be among the arraigned, except for God's sincere
servants.
And We left for him among the later folk.
'Peace be upon Elijah!'
Even so we recompense the good-doers;
he was among Our believing servants.
Qur'an 6:85
And Zechariah and John and Jesus and Elijah, all in the ranks
of the righteous.
As we see in the Qu'ran Eliajah is considered a high estate prophet
in a similar fashion as we honour him as a great Saint in
Christianity.
We see the quick reference to the Holy Bible chapter
1st and 2nd
Kings , however the verses doesn't gave us a good account on
who Elijah was.
As many muslims consider the Old Testament from the Holy Bible as
one of their Holy Books along with some muslims considering the New
Testament though under a very wild Islamic interpretation, St.
Elijah has a reference in Islamic seems to appear in Islamic faith
under a lot of "hoods".
Therefore Islamic interpretation on the Prophet living and deeds
are varying quite wildly.
There are plenty of places in Turkey as well as in the Arabic World
and even the Balkans that are said as a sacral places where it's
beeing said the prophet has abode or has done a numeous miracles
like for instance under his will some miraculously healing water
has emerged and all kind of mystic stuff alike.
This kind of legends being spread along muslims are quite known and
mostly derive from (heterodox) muslim (Sufi's - see Sufism for a
refence) tradition.
Most of the Holy places indicated by the Islamic Heterodox beliefs
as a place where the saint is said to have either appeared, did
miracles, lived or appeared are the so called
(Tekkes) see my post referring about my going to one of the Tekkes
here in Bulgaria in Obrotishte
It's an interesting fact that the Islamic understanding of the
Prophet and the thousand places around the world that are said the
prophet has appeared at most cases used to be a holy places for
local Christians or used to contain a Church, a chapel, or some
hermit saint that used to inhabit the place during his earhly life
time.
This kind of Christian gathering places were often places with a
name under our Christian Orthodox
Saint - St. Nicholas
It's rather strange that the islamic Sufi cults somehow mistakenly
identified St. Nicholas (the wondermaker) with St. Elijah,
therefore from a Christian Monasteries or a Church (ecclesias) at a
certain time of Christian desolation on that places the past
Christian Holy places has slowly become a places to be honoured by
the muslims.
Often from a Prophet islamic saint Elijah has been known to be a
BABA (most probably this word derives it's meaning from the
Christian ABBAs [ Fathers ] which are considered the first
Christian hermits and saints who lived in the time interval of 1st
to 5th or 6th century after A.D.
Therefore in a similar manner that we Christians ask the saints to
have a prayer intercession to our saints, muslims go to venerate
the BABA Prophet Elijah and believe whatever they ask him he will
do for them.
Even in this days it's a common thing here in Bulgaria that the
veneration to the Elijah BABA turns to be a festival, where people
gather to a spring that is believed to be miraculous or to a local
Tekke and start looking Prophet Elijah's protection or
blessing.
The things with Islam especially with a Heterodox one (which means
non main stream) Islam are quite entangled, therein myths and
legends from various faiths has been implicated in a real odd
manner and a various cult believes has emerged.
Since many of Islam practicing people this days are not quite
religion literate they tend to believe everything they hear, same
thing is also quite true for other faiths like Christian.
In Turkey situation is a bit better since all the Tekkes (Khanqh)
in Turkey were prohibited from the first Turkish president
Mustafa
Kemal Ataturk
However in many other places where muslim population is present
like in the balkanies things are quite chaotic, many Tekkes still
exist until very day.
Almost each one of the Khanqah's is belied to have a burried body
of a BABA or a saint most commonly, saying that it's St. Elijah's
body buried there.
Thus believing muslims often go to this sacral places which used to
be in between the 16th to the 18th century a sacral places for
Sufists.
Sufists used the Tekkes to have their religious believes and ritual
practices.
For more about
Sufism
check out here
There is plenty much I can say about the cults that emerged in
almost inexplainable way to Elijah the Tekkes sufism and the
Heterodox Islam inverted faith beliefs, however I think I've said
the most essential.
If somebody has a special interest on the topic I guess he can read
plenty of information online and get a good idea of the many cults
to the Prophet Elijah and the other baba's (Saints) thought to be
Allah's servants in Islam.
This kind of topic was really interesting one since it gives us a
better glimpse on religion and modern religion cults. Hope it was
an interesting one for you as well.