conflict with the Kemalist governing body of the Turkish community of the island, which in accordance with Kemalist ideology was actively striving to de-Islamize the society. The government had enacted laws forbidding the public performance of the Islamic call to prayer (adhan) in its traditional Arabic form. Regardless, Nazim continued to do so. The conflict was resolved with the coming to power of Adnan Menderes in Turkey, whose government chose a more tolerant approach to Islamic traditions. Nazim took up residence in Damascus in 1952 to continue his studies with Abdullah, though he continued to spend three months or more each year in his native Cyprus. Following the death of Abdullah Fa'izi ad-Daghestani in 1973, Nazim was made his spiritual successor. In 1974, he began to visit Western Europe, traveling every year to London, England, for the month of Ramadan. He gained a large following of spiritual seekers from Western Europe and North America, many of whom converted to Islam after encountering his teaching. From 1980, his lectures on Islam and Sufism were published in English and other European languages. Nazim's transnational appeal was facilitated by his ability to speak English, Turkish, Arabic, and Greek. In his later years, Nazim was regularly recognized among the world's fifty most influential Muslims in the annual publication, The 500 Most Influential Muslims: he was ranked 42nd in the 2013/2014 edition. Notable students and followers of Al-Haqqani include John G. Bennett, the British author on spirituality, and Rank Nazeer Ahmed, the Indian Muslim scholar and legislator. Political opinions Nazim was involved in politics. He had close ties with several notable politicians, notably the late president of Turkey, Turgut Özal, and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktaş. Born just before the fall of the Ottoman Empire, he praised Ottoman history and civilization, contrasting its culture with its successor, the modern-day Republic of Turkey. Shaykh Nazim can be seen addressing multitudes of Turkish people in a stadium whose audience includes the likes of Abdullah Gül, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Necmettin Erbakan. In it he discusses the importance of Islamic values of the Turkish state, discussing how their forefathers were the Ottomans who ruled the country as a caliphate for more than 600 years until its downfall. Death Nazim had been receiving medical care since April 17, 2014, when he was rushed from his home in Lefke to the Near East University Hospital in North Nicosia, Northern