The Menzil Community is a branch of the Naqshbandiyya-Khalidiyya

Sufi Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...

order originating in

Adıyaman Adıyaman () is a city in southeastern Turkey. It is the administrative centre of Adıyaman Province and Adıyaman District. Its population is 267,131 (2021). The inhabitants of the city are mostly Turkish and Kurdish. The city was one of the ...

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

. It is named after the village of Menzil in Adıyaman. The movement was founded by Mehmet Rasit Erol, who was noted for his support of the government during the

1980 Turkish coup d'état The 1980 Turkish coup d'état (), headed by Chief of the General Staff General Kenan Evren, was the third coup d'état in the history of the Republic of Turkey, the previous having been the 1960 coup and the 1971 coup by memorandum. During ...

. Following the 1980 military coup, the Menzil Community experienced rapid growth, partly attributed to its reputation as a religious order supportive of the state. The community expanded its presence to cities such as

Ankara Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and List of national capitals by area, the largest capital by area in the world. Located in the Central Anatolia Region, central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5,290,822 in its urban center ( ...

and

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

. Menzil has become one of the largest and fastest-growing religious orders in Turkey, attracting followers from diverse backgrounds, including small business owners, unemployed individuals, and urban middle-class populations. Its growth has been attributed in part to claims and rumors that individuals visiting the community's center were able to overcome negative habits after seeking guidance from the sheikh.

Leaders

* Mehmet Rasit Erol - Founder * Seyyid Abdulhakim el-Hüseyni * Seyyid Muhammed Raşid Erol (? - 22 October 1993) * Abdulbaki Erol (22 October 1993 - 12 July 2023) ''Semerkand'' Group * Seyyid Muhammed Saki Erol (12 July 2023 - Present) ''Serhendi'' Group * Seyyid Muhammed Mübarek Erol (12 July 2023 - Present) ''Semerkand'' Group * Seyyid Muhammed Fettah Erol ( 12 July 2023 - Present) ''Semerkand'' Group

References

{{reflist Naqshbandi order Sufi orders Islam in Turkey Religious organizations based in Turkey Adıyaman Province