Shaykh Taner Vargonen El Ansari
The passing of a great spiritual teacher
My Sufi spiritual teacher, Shaykh Taner Vargonen El Ansari, who founded the Ansari Qadiri Rifai Tariqa (Sufi order) at the behest of his spiritual teacher, passed away on August 27, 2023 at the age of 81. Here he is with some of his students:
I unfortunately never got to meet Shaykh Taner in person but was received into the AQRT Sufi Order via Zoom. I was never a good “dervish” or student. I struggled with the Islamic focus…though I went in telling them I wasn’t Muslim but more of a Christian (a new agey one at that). This wasn’t an issue to them though. I was welcomed as a member of their spiritual family.
Originally from Turkey, Shaykh Taner was a “grumpy old man” by the time I met him virtually; and I do not mean that as an insult. He was was genuine character, very funny at times, and very sincere and devout. He was direct and did not mince words. He was one of a kind and definitely part of an older world that is passing away but also forward-thinking. He trained his wife Shaykha Muzeyyen to lead the AQRT Sufi order after he passed, making her one of probably only a handful of women leading Sufi orders globally.
You can watch Shaykh Taner and Shaykha Muzeyyen explain Sufim in a YouTube video from 2017:
At one point Shaykh Taner explains why we connect with spiritual teachers: Fighting your nafs (ego) is a science, because your nafs is always very strong and is always going to beat you. You need friends.
I am privileged to have connected with a genuine spiritual teacher in my lifetime, even if it was only for a short period of time on the planet. His passing hit me harder than expected, even though death at his age was not unexpected.
Shaykh’s spirit is still alive and well, and was very strong following his passing, telling me and others to not waste time crying over him, but to focus on our service.
You can read his obituary here.
Shaykh Taner also wrote some books on Sufism and also translated the Quran and works by Abdul Qadir Geylani (Secret of Secrets) and Ahmed er Rifai (Guidance to Mysticism) in the book Grand Masters of Sufism.
Recommended books:
The Sun Will Rise in the West : The Holy Trail (an introduction to Sufism)
Alternative Healing, The Sufi Way
What About My Wood! 101 Sufi Stories
Grand Masters of Sufism
"Fighting your nafs (ego) is a science, because your nafs is always very strong and is always going to beat you. You need friends."... beautiful...and having gone through a pandemic...it resonates with how I feel!