s area was known as Anatolia. Umar al-Khalwati was known for spending long periods of time meditating in solitude. For this reason, his order was named after the practice of khalwa, "a method of withdrawal or isolation from the world for mystical purposes." Although al-Khalwati is commonly regarded as the founder of the Khalwatiyya, Trimingham has noted that the practices of the order can actually be traced back "to semi-mythical Persian, Kurdish, or Turkish ascetics." Other writers have pointed out that Umar al-Khalwati's teacher, Muhammad b. Nur al-Balisi, was also called "al-Khalwati" because he frequently went into seclusion. Because of this, it has been argued that al-Balisi was actually the originator of the Khalwati order. At any rate, the Khalwatiyya did not become truly organized until the late 15th century and the work of Yahya al-Shirwani al-Bakubi. Al-Shirwani, who died in 1464, is referred to as the second pir (or shaykh) of the Khalwati (with Umar alKhalwati being regarded as the first pir). From his home on the west coast of the Caspian Sea, al-Shirwani soon attracted thousands of followers. He also wrote a book entitled Wird alSattar, the recital of which is required in "most branches of the Khalwatiyya."
Al-Shirwani's disciples moved the base of the Khalwatiyya from the Caspian Sea to the town of Amasya, in central Anatolia. ]From there, the influence of the brotherhood began to spread to other geographic locations. In the late 15th century, Bayazid II, ruler of the Ottoman Empire, became interested in the mystical orders of Sufism. There were several Sufi leaders that Bayazid regularly turned to for advice, including the Khalwati shaykh Chelebi Khalifa. As a result of the Emperor's interest in the order, the teachings of the Khalwatiyya soon spread throughout the Ottoman Empire. However, the Khalwati tariga became less popular during the rulership of Bayazid's successor, Selim I. Selim was not part...