TURKOMANS BETWEEN TWO EMPIRES: THE ... - Bilkent University

scholars and the Shaykhs of the region. Among the Shaykhs of Aleppo, Mevlāna Ahmed
Bekrī and Abdulkerim Halife were the first to realize the danger of Junayd’s movement
for the sunni establishment. They drew the attention of Memluk ruler Cakmak to the
danger. Aşıkpaşazāde’s description here is again quite interesting. He reports that the
two Shaykhs wrote letters to the ruler of Egypt saying that ‘the Deccal has appeared in
your country!’ 579 In Islamic literature Deccal is known as the man who will appear just
before the breaking of doomsday and will diminish the true religious system. He will
have so much great power that no ruler will be able to resist his devastation, but for the
Mehdi, the last savior of human being. What is worth recognizing in our context is that
Deccal has two principal characteristics: one is religious and the other is political. He
will annul the true religious system of God and establish the order of Satan. Meanwhile
he will not achieve these devilish accomplishments only through the spreading of his
religious ideas but also through a social revolution as well. 580
Cakmak immediately dispatched an order to the governor of Aleppo to capture
Junayd. The governor Kanbay al-Hamzavī 581 could not go personally since he was ill,
but he sent one of his commanders. They attacked Junayd’s camp and killed about 70
adherents of Junayd, 25 of whom were disciples of Shaykh Bedreddin but Junayd
managed to escape. He declared that ‘Those who want to meet me will find me in
Canik.’ 582 But Junayd was attacked on his way by Üzeyir-oğlı. He could get rid of this
579 APZ, p. 250.
580 For further information see A. J. Wensinck, “Deccal”, IA, pp. 504-505; Kürşat Demirci, “Deccal”, DIA,
pp. 67-69.
581 Yinanç, p. 243.
582 APZ, p. 250.
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