Molla Yegân

Molla Yegân, whose full name was Muhammed bin Muhammed bin Yegân bin Armağan bin Halîl, was originally from Aydın; the year of his birth is unknown. He spent his childhood in Aydın and received his basic education there. Later he went to Bursa, studied religious knowledge under Molla Fenârî, and received his ijāza (license to teach). He taught as a professor at various madrasas in Bursa, and for many years at the madrasa known by his own name, the Molla Yegân Madrasa; he held the offices of chief professor and judge (qādī) of Bursa. According to what is related in the sources, it has also been said that he was the third Shaykh al-Islām of the Ottoman State. He was a scholar much loved and esteemed by Sultan Murad II. He is described as sharp-witted, gentle in temperament, and quite generous; he would invite everyone to his table without distinguishing poor from rich. On his return from the Hajj he met Molla Gürânî, invited him to Bursa, and presented him to the sultan; Molla Gürânî later became the teacher of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. He wrote glosses (hāshiya) on various famous books and authored a work titled "Risāla fī al-Hulla." In addition to his sons Yegânzâde Mehmed Paşa and Yegânzâde Molla Sinâneddîn Yûsuf Bâlî, he trained scholars such as Hızır Bey, the first judge of Istanbul; Karamanlı Küçük Yâkup; İbn al-Hatîb Molla Taceddîn İbrâhim; and Shaykh al-Islām Efdalzâde Hamîdüddîn. Known as one of the leading scholars of his age, Molla Yegân passed away in 1453 (AH 857) and was buried at the school beside the Yıldırım Soup Kitchen (İmâret) in Bursa; today nothing remains of his grave.