It wouldn’t be wrong if we say that the most interesting, significant perhaps the most colourful aspects in a human’s life are his bonds and the traditions which he grasps firmly.

The individuals have  bonds ( which vary from person to person) and the regions, districts have traditions ( which vary from place to place).  Here, it is not possible to transfer (to write down)   all the documents in relation with this  subject.  Therefore, I won’t go too deep, because as you will notice I will be examining the matter from the point of mysticism/sufism and  try to point out  its main structure with  its basic findings.

As you know, these concepts have  rather negative influences on us and it is not possible to say the opposite.

In summary,  the bonds can be described as the things/ the obsessions  in which the individual is interested and  which he cannot give up.

If, it is necessary to give an example for this, then the most significant one will be  the kinship ties that are  formed beyond one’s free will.

The gene factor is the only answer we can give to the question why the blood relationships  are  so intense and why they  always have the same intensity.  Moreover, the transfer among  the genes forms the attraction.    

It is not possible for a person to reach his essence without breaking his bonds  and without cutting off his relations with the material life (the material world).   It is useless even to dream of such a thing.

This is the reason why in the Koran al Karim, in the 12th verse of  the Chapter of Taha it has been said to Hz.Moses ‘’Take off  both  your shoes’’.  This means that the person in servitude chosen by Allah should set himself free from the the bonds of  love for  this world and the akhirat/ the after life realm.  

When we look at the matter from this point we  say that in a way Ibn-i Arabi is right in his words ‘’Science is ruled by  the known’’.

Whoever says the opposite he either is not truly aware of  the matter (could not perceive the essence of  the subject) or he has lots of bonds.

I am not one of those people who think that these bonds can be broken off   without combat.  I think that if, under normal conditions they can be broken off  without much effort, then in the following  stages new bonds can be formed.

When the bonds are accumulated and form groups, then the traditions come out.  In every place the origin of  the traditions have always been the values of  the past that are special to every region. During the course of  time, in the various stages  these values get repeated, become more intense  and they get shaped (thus making up the traditions.)   In every community,  the people were forced  to obey these (values)  and in this manner  the special bonds and traditions of  the  communities  were formed.  Actually, when we look back from where we are now it is possible to select them.

For example, the traditions of the citiziens of  the city  A may not match  the traditions of  the citizens of  the city B.

When things are like this, then the human being has the  right to choose from all over the country. So, some of  the traditions can be  accepted and some may be refused. 

As far as I can remember,  I had once witnessed the celebrations of  Hıdrellez (the day of the spring feast named after the ancient prophet Hz.Hızır/Elijah) in the İzmir region.  As a matter of fact,  all over the country celebrations take place on this special day and people take part in them. However I have not seen such a joy especially in İstanbul.  This joyful event (in İzmir) had lasted until midnight and in short it was so nice that it wasn’t easy to describe it. 

At that time I had asked myself the question ‘’Why do we, the citizens of Istanbul deprive ourselves from experiencing such joyful moments and togetherness and do not take into consideration the  traditions and not care about them?’’

Moreover, this form of tradition is not harmful and it does not establish a bond. It is  nice, but synthetic.

On the other hand there are some traditions which are totally a disaster. They do not care about the human life and the freedom.   The murders that take place for the sake of  tradition  in the Southeast and the East show openly that the traditions of   the tribes are put forth and protected in a totally distorted manner. It is of no use to deny these facts. Actually, the tribal relations based on kinship ties make the traditions more widespread. 

Meanwhile,  it wouldn’t be wrong if we express that there are traditions about which the humans are unaware.  The reason is that every community learns things from the communities that have come before (existed in the past).   This is actually a historical rule of  the tradition.

However, in time, the way in perceiving the things represented by the traditions can get changed completely.  This exceptional situation is in relation with the subjects I have defined above, namely  ‘’breaking the bonds’’ and  the desire  to be ‘’one’s own self’’’. 

Therefore,  it is obvious that in the believers and possessors of Allah the traditions cannot be continuous (cannot go on forever) and keep the minds busy.

When we look at the life styles of  those who accept this,  can understand the matter more clearly, and I wish deeply to get rid of  all my bonds and the useless traditions which will be  a burden for me,  which are no good for me and pray my Rabb for this.

May you remain with love and may you be entrusted to Allah.