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A Digital Atlas of Sacred Geography

Saints

1113 records · Page 46/47

Remembered in Jumada al-Awwal

Saints whose death anniversary falls this Hijri month (sourced).

Saint

Molla Yegân

Hanafī jurist of fiqh and walī (saint)

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.

BursaDied 857 AHView
Saint

Molla Hüsrev

Hanafī jurist of fiqh, third Ottoman Shaykh al-Islām, walī (saint)

Molla Hüsrev, whose real name was Muhammed bin Feramuz, was born in the village of Kargın between Sivas and Tokat; the year of his birth is unknown. Because he grew up with his brother-in-law Hüsrev Bey, he was called "Hüsrev's relative by marriage," and in time he became known by the name "Molla Hüsrev." After studying religious knowledge under Burhâneddîn Haydar Hirevî and other scholars of his age, he taught as a professor (müderris) at the Şâh Melik and Çelebî madrasas in Edirne. In 1429 (AH 832) he was appointed to the office of qādī al-ʿaskar (chief military judge) and continued in this duty during the reign of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. During the developments concerning the throne of Sultan Murad II, he chose to go to Manisa in order to accompany Prince Mehmed; when the Conqueror ascended the throne again, he returned to Istanbul and was appointed to the judgeships of Galata and Üsküdar and to the professorship of Hagia Sophia. In 1460 (AH 865) he was appointed to the office of Shaykh al-Islām and carried out this duty for twenty years. He is described as a man of medium height, with a thick beard, imposing in bearing and possessed of humility; he loved solitude, swept his own room, and lit his own lamp. The Conqueror esteemed him, saying "the Abū Hanīfa of our age." A valuable scholar of fiqh who trained many students and was also a poet, Molla Hüsrev made it his habit to write two pages every day, and left behind many fine works in his own handwriting. His most important work is the Durar al-Hukkām, which was taught as a textbook in the Ottoman madrasas. He passed away in 1480 (AH 885) in Istanbul; after his funeral prayer was performed at the Fâtih Mosque, he was taken to Bursa and buried in the garden of the madrasa he himself had built, to the east of Emir Sultan's grave.

BursaDied 885 AHView
Saint

Molla Hayâlî

Şemseddîn; scholar of the Hanafi school and saint

The scholar whose real name was Ahmed bin Mûsâ er-Rûmî, known by the epithet Şemseddîn and the pen name (mahlas) Molla Hayâlî, was born in the Hijri year 852 (1448 CE) in İznik and passed away in the Hijri year 886 (1481 CE) at the age of thirty-three. He was a scholar of the Hanafi school and a saint who was raised in the era of Fâtih Sultan Mehmed (Mehmed the Conqueror). He received his first education from his father, who was a qadi; he became a student of the professor (mudarris) Hızır Bey at the Bursa Sultâniyyesi, served as his assistant, and married Hızır Bey's daughter. After serving as a professor at various madrasas, he was appointed to the Filibe (Plovdiv) Madrasa, and then by Sultan Fâtih to the İznik Madrasa; in this appointment, the fact that he had gained fame through the gloss (hâşiye) he wrote on the Şerh-i Akâid was influential. He was a person of slight build who studied a great deal, ate little, and was so ascetic (zühd) that he would eat only once a day. He distinguished himself among his peers with his comprehension in the rational sciences; it is related that Hocazâde, the famous scholar of the age, refrained from entering into a scholarly debate (münâzara) with him. Belonging to the Zeyniyye branch in Sufism, he advanced along this path by means of his master Shaykh Abdürrahîm Merzifonî; he had been given the duty of dhikr at the Yeni Câmi (New Mosque) in Edirne. He composed poetry in three languages: Arabic, Persian, and Turkish. His most famous work is the Şerh-i Akâid Hâşiyesi, which was regarded as acceptable even among high-ranking scholars. His grave is in Bursa, near the Zeynîler cemetery; its present well-maintained state was provided by Hacı Ali Efendi, one of the close associates of Sultan Abdülhamid II.

BursaDied 886 AHView
Saint

Molla Fenârî

Şemsüddîn; the first Shaykh al-Islam of the Ottoman State

Molla Fenârî, whose real name was Muhammed, his father being Hamza, and who is referred to with the epithets Rûmî and Fenârî, is known by the title Şemsüddîn. He was born in the Hijri year 751 (1350 CE) in the village of Fener, and passed away in the month of Rajab of the Hijri year 834 (1431 CE) in Bursa. He learned the path of Sufism from his father; he took lessons from scholars such as Alâüddîn Esved, Cemâleddîn Aksarâyî, and Hamîdüddîn-i Kayserî. For the sake of knowledge he went to Egypt and studied fiqh under Kemâleddîn-i Bâbertî. After serving as a professor (mudarris) in Bursa, he went to Konya, where he married and had children who grew up to become scholars. In Bursa he met Somuncu Baba (Hâmid-i Aksarâyî) and received spiritual grace (feyz) from him; it is related that, being affected by Somuncu Baba's exegesis of the Fatiha at the opening of the Great Mosque (Ulu Câmi), he wished to become his student. Belonging to the Zeyniyye path in Sufism, Molla Fenârî earned his livelihood through silk-making (kazzâzlık) and lived modestly. In the Hijri year 828 (1424) he was appointed by Sultan Murad II as the first Shaykh al-Islam, and he held this office for six years. The sources relate that in a certain lawsuit he rejected the testimony of Sultan Yıldırım Bayezid on the grounds that he did not meet the conditions of being a witness, whereupon the sultan had a mosque built and began attending the congregation. In Bursa, Jerusalem, and other places he left behind many charitable works such as masjids, schools of hadith (dârülhadîs), and madrasas; it is stated that more than ten thousand books remained at the time of his death. He has numerous works, foremost among them Ayn-ül-A'yân, Füsûl-ül-Bedâyi', and Misbâh-ul-Üns.

BursaDied 834 AHView
Saint

Molla Ayas

Professor (mudarris) and scholar

The dates of Molla Ayas's birth and death are not known with certainty; the sources indicate that it is understood he passed away in the second half of the fifteenth century. He began his pursuit of knowledge by taking lessons from Mehmed Çelebi, the son of the qadi of Ayasoluk, and at that time he studied together with Hocazâde Muslihuddîn Bursavî. He was appointed by Sultan Murad II to the duty of tutoring the prince Mehmed, who would later become Fâtih Sultan Mehmed (Mehmed the Conqueror). Afterward he advanced his learning as a student of Tâcüddîn İbrâhim Karamânî. He spent the greater part of his life in Bursa and passed away there. The sources state that it is surmised he was buried in the Zeynîler cemetery; for this reason there is no definite information about the exact place of his burial. It is related that throughout his scholarly life he trained many students, and even covered the living expenses of his students himself. It is noted that he wrote glosses (hâşiye) on various books and made corrections (tashih) on texts, and that he also gave counsel to the people, directing them toward religious knowledge. Although detailed biographical records about him are limited, he is remembered as a scholar who contributed to the scholarly and guidance (irshad) activities of his era.

BursaView
Saint

Molla Arab

Scholar, preacher, and mufti

Molla Arab, whose full name was Muhammed bin Ömer bin Hamza, was born in Antakya; his date of birth is unknown. His grandfather, who was from Transoxiana (Mâverâünnehir), was a student of the famous scholar Teftâzânî. Receiving his first education from his family, he learned fiqh from his father, and the principles of fiqh (usûl-i fiqh) and the Arabic sciences from his uncles. To advance his studies, he went to Tabriz and took lessons from Mevlânâ Mürîd; afterward he visited Aleppo, Jerusalem, and Mecca. In Egypt he attended the lessons of Imam Süyûtî and received his certification (icâzah) in the science of hadith. He served as preacher and mufti in the presence of the Circassian sultan Kayıtbay, to whom he presented his work on fiqh titled "Nihâyet-ül-Fürû." Upon the invitation of Sultan Bayezid II, he went to Istanbul and presented the works "Tehzîb-üş-Şemâil" and "Hidâyet-ül-İbâd"; he took part in the conquest of Modon, encouraging the soldiers. In Aleppo he occupied himself with preaching and Quranic exegesis (tafsir) for three years. During the reign of Yavuz Sultan Selim, he wrote a work titled "Es-Sedâd fî Fedâil-il-Cihâd" and participated in the Chaldiran campaign. In 1526 he was present at the Hungarian (Engürüs) campaign of Kanûnî Sultan Süleymân (Suleiman the Magnificent). He later settled in Bursa, where he authored various works and earned his livelihood through trade; it is related that with his powerful memory he was without peer, especially in the books of hadith. He passed away in the Hijri year 938 (1532 CE) in Bursa and was buried on the qibla side of the city, in the quarter named after him, the Molla Arab quarter. The great mosque he had begun was not yet completed at the time of his death; his grave is visited by those who love him.

BursaDied 938 AHView
Saint

Miskâlî Efendi

One of the saints of Bursa

Miskâlî Efendi, whose real name was Muhammed, was one of the saints of Bursa and passed away in the Hijri year 1017 (1608 CE). According to the sources, in his youth he was occupied with playing music, but later he turned to the path of Sufism and strove to discipline his lower self. It is related that during this period of spiritual struggle he ate and drank extremely little, sometimes contenting himself with a few crumbs of bread, and at times even went for days without eating anything at all. He advanced along the Naqshbandi path by attending the discourses of Shaykh Şâmî Efendi. It is related that he played an important role in improving the condition of the people of Mudanya and was a means of turning the local populace toward worship and obedience. He attached no value to the goods and comforts of the world, and he would refuse and turn down offers of assistance coming from wealthy people. The sources also relate a karama (miracle) attributed to him: a person named Mustafa Efendi recounted that in his dream Miskâlî Efendi woke him up saying, "Get up from here, O heedless one!", and when he awoke, a piece of stone fell from the ceiling exactly onto the spot where his head had been. This account appears in the sources as a narration pointing to his spiritual state.

BursaDied 1017 AHView
Saint

Lütfullah Efendi

Saint (velî); the third deputy (halife) of Emir Sultan

Lütfullah Efendi (El-Evvel) was born in Karaman; the date of his birth is not known. He was the son of Fakîh Abdullah Efendi and is the third deputy (halife) of Emir Sultan. He went to Gallipoli to acquire learning; there he became a student of Sheikh Bedreddîn Efendi, and advancing on the path of sufism he received the succession (hilâfet) from his master. For thirty-one years he explained to people the commands and prohibitions of Islam, and trained a great number of students. He had two daughters and two sons named Abdurrahmân and Abdülganî; he married one of his daughters to Dâvûd Efendi. After his death, Dâvûd Efendi again succeeded him in his place. Various legends (menkıbe) are related about him in the sources: it is recounted that while he was performing the prayer in the presence of one of his learned (dânişmend) students he undertook a spiritual journey, and that upon returning he said, 'I traveled the distance between west and east, but I could not find a single awakened person.' It is likewise related that Lütfullah Efendi, seeing that his words had no effect, said, 'My words had no effect upon you, but they had an effect upon this stone,' whereupon the large stone in front of the lectern broke into pieces; and that when he became filled with wrath in the face of a student who denied sainthood (vilâyet) and miraculous grace (kerâmet), his blessed head rose up as far as the ceiling of the lodge. The muezzin of the mosque also recounted that for forty years he always found him in a state of worship. He died in the year 1488 (AH 894), at the end of the month of Muharram, on a Friday before the evening prayer. He was buried in the garden of the Emir Sultan Mosque.

BursaDied 894 AHView
Saint

Lâmiî Çelebi

Scholar, saint, poet; 'Câmî-i Rûm'

This personage, whose real name was Mahmûd and who became famous under the name 'Lâmiî Çelebi', was born in the year 1472 (AH 877) in Bursa. He is known as a scholar, saint, and poet; on account of his proficiency in learning and literature he was called 'Câmî-i Rûm'. His father was Osman Çelebi, treasury defterdar of Sultan Bayezid II, and his mother was Dilşâd Hâtun. His grandfather was the famous artist Nakkâş Ali Paşa, who made the interior ornamentation of the Yeşil Câmi (Green Mosque) and the Yeşil Türbe (Green Tomb). He learned Quranic exegesis (tefsir), hadith, and jurisprudence (fıkıh) from Molla Ehâveyn and Molla Muhammed bin Hasanzâde; in sufism he became affiliated with Seyyid Emîr Ahmed Çelebi in Istanbul. He translated into Turkish Mevlânâ Câmî's works entitled 'Nefehât-ül-Üns' and 'Şevâhid-ün-Nübüvve'; he translated Fettâh Nişâbûrî's 'Hüsn-i Dil' and presented it to Yavuz Sultan Selim. Among his other works are Şeref-ül-İnsan, Resâil, Risâle-i Tasavvuf, Münâzarât-i Behâr ü Şitâ, Şerh-i Dibâce-i Gülistan, Münşeât-i Mekâtip, İbretnâme, Mevlid-ir-Resûl, Maktel-i İmâm Hüseyin, Şem'u Pervâne, Gûy ü Çevgân, Ferhatnâme, Lügât-ı Manzûme, and Dîvân-ı Eş'ar. In 1512 he established an endowment (vakıf) of four thousand akçe. According to the sources, Sheikh Rüstem Halîfe, when his eye was aching, found healing through the advice of a person he met on the road (whom he regarded as Hızır) to recite the Mu'avvizeteyn in the last rak'ahs of the emphasized sunnah prayers; and Lâmiî Çelebi, acting in the same way, healed his own eye. He died in the year 1531 (AH 938) in Bursa. He was buried in the courtyard of the masjid that his grandfather Nakkâş Ali had built; on his grave, of which today only the headstone remains, there is the inscription in intricate thuluth script 'El-merhûm Şeyh Lâmiî bin Osman' (The late Sheikh Lâmiî son of Osman).

BursaDied 938 AHView
Saint

Kutbüddîn İznîkî

Saint (velî), scholar

An Ottoman scholar and Sufi; he is known for the catechetical and mystical books he wrote in Turkish. From a record of his son Mehmed İznîkî it is understood that he was born at Niğde and later migrated to İznik. He studied under such important teachers as Niksârî Hasan Paşa. His father's name was Mehmed. He studied under various teachers, among them the Ottoman vizier Niksârî Hasan Paşa. He completed his study of the Şerh-i Metâli' in 1393. He kept a lodge at İznik and carried on his Sufi activity there. He met Timur during the latter's Anatolian campaign and, it is related, persuaded him against bloodshed; he also undertook diplomatic functions between Îsâ Çelebi and Timur. He died on 8 Dhu al-Qa'da 821 (7 December 1418) at İznik. His Works — 1. Tefsîrü'l-Kur'ân. In Arabic; no complete copy is known. 2. Mukaddime. A Turkish catechism. 3. Râhatü'l-kulûb. A Turkish work in which theology, jurisprudence and Sufism are treated together. 4. Telfîkāt. Written with the aim of removing the contradictions among hadiths. 5. Risâle fî hakkı devrâni's-sûfiyye. His Tomb and Complex — Over his grave stands a four-cornered, domed tomb; the Şeyh Kutbüddin Mosque adjoining it is a fifteenth-century building; the patron of neither is known with certainty. According to the source he was buried in his own lodge.

BursaDied 818 AHView
Saint

İsmâil Hakkı Bursevî

Exegete, sufi, Celvetî sheikh

İsmâil Hakkı Bursevî was born on a Monday in the year 1652 (AH 1063) in Aydos. His father Mustafa Efendi, who was from Istanbul, had settled in the town of Aydos after a fire that broke out in 1650. While he was still three years old he was entrusted to Seyyid Atpazarlı Osman Fadlî Efendi; at the age of seven he lost his mother. At the age of ten he went to Edirne and came under the upbringing of Abdülbâkî Efendi, and for seven years he received lessons in morphology, syntax, logic, rhetoric, jurisprudence (fıkıh), theology (kelâm), Quranic exegesis (tefsir), and hadith. In 1674 he received his diploma (icazet) from his master Osman Fadlî Efendi. He was appointed to Bursa as a deputy (halîfe); he preached and gave counsel in Skopje for ten years. In 1685 he went to Bursa, and then to Famagusta. In 1695, upon the invitation of Sultan Mustafa II, he went to Edirne and joined the army in the campaign against Austria. Twenty-eight years after the death of his master, he went to Damascus to stay for three years, then moved to Üsküdar for three years. In 1722 he returned to Bursa and had the Câmi-i Muhammedî lodge built. Besides the Islamic sciences, he became renowned in the field of sufism; he composed more than a hundred works—according to some sources around one hundred and six—of which sixty are in Turkish. Among his principal works are the four-volume Tefsir-i Rûh-ul-Beyân, the two-volume Şerh-i Muhammediyye, the two-volume Şerh-i Mesnevî, Şerh-i Pendi Attar, Şerh-i Bostan, Kitâb-ül-Kebîr, Silsile-i Nâme-i Celvetî, and the Dîvân. The page also relates his counsels concerning how those who commit sins deceive themselves. He died at the age of seventy-six, in the year 1725 (AH 1137). His grave is located behind the mihrab of the Câmi-i Muhammedî which he himself had built.

BursaDied 1137 AHView
Saint

Hocazâde

Ottoman scholar of the era of Mehmed the Conqueror

Hocazâde, whose real name was Mustafa bin Yûsuf bin Sâlih, was born in Bursa; the date of his birth is not known. He is counted among the leading Ottoman scholars of the era of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. His father, a merchant possessing great wealth, opposed his son's choosing the path of learning and gave him only one akçe a day. For this reason the young Hocazâde, having no money to buy books, would purchase the cheapest paper and study by writing out his lessons himself. He studied methodology (usûl), rhetoric (meânî), and eloquence (beyân) under Kâdı Ayasuluğ; he learned the rational and transmitted sciences with Hızır Bey bin Celâl. Hızır Bey appointed him as assistant teacher (muid), after which he was appointed kadi of Kestel. He taught for six years at the Esediyye Medrese in Bursa, and during this period he examined the Şerh-i Mevâkıf from beginning to end and memorized it. When he heard of the affection that Sultan Mehmed showed to scholars, he set out; he covered his travel expenses with eight hundred akçe borrowed from one of his students. In the discussions he held with Molla Seyyid Ali and Molla Zeyrek in the imperial tent, he demonstrated his scholarly superiority and gained esteem. He held the offices of military judge (kazasker) of Edirne, mufti of Istanbul and İznik, and professor (müderris); he taught at the Bursa Sultaniye and Istanbul Sahn-ı Semân medreses. He was reconciled with his father, who came to Edirne to visit his son who had become a kazasker, after the great banquet he gave. Toward the end of his life both his feet and his right hand were paralyzed; he was able to write with his left hand, and in this condition, by order of Bayezid II, he was writing a gloss (hâşiye) on the Şerh-i Mevâkıf. He took pride in being a professor rather than in holding office. According to the sources, when Fâtih asked Ali Kuşçu, 'How did you find Hocazâde?', he replied, 'He has no equal in Rum or in Persia,' and the sultan said, 'He has no peer even among the Arabs.'

BursaDied 893 AHView
Saint

Hasan Can

Saint (Velî); the boon companion and conversation companion of Yavuz Sultan Selîm Han

Hasan Can is a saint who is remembered in the sources as the close conversation companion and boon companion (nedîm) of Yavuz Sultan Selîm Han. His father was the hâfız Mehmed Efendi, who was known for his beautiful, melodious (dâvûdî) voice and who, after being present in the assemblies of the Akkoyunlu rulers, was brought to Istanbul by Sultan Selîm. Thanks to this closeness, Hasan Can too was raised in the palace and became one of the sultan's closest friends. He witnessed the important events of the sultanate; he was present at events such as the Battle of Çaldıran against Shah İsmâil (1514), the conquest of Egypt, and the sultan's final illness. He took part in the private services of the palace, participated in campaigns and administrative affairs, and became the keeper of the sultan's secrets. He witnessed the death of Yavuz Sultan Selîm and, in his final moments, carried out the duty of reciting the Holy Qur'an. Later, during the reign of Kânûnî Sultan Süleymân, he taught various sciences in the Enderûn (the palace school). Many incidents concerning his spiritual perspicacity (firâsa) and trustworthiness are related in the sources. He died in Bursa in the year 1567 (AH 974). He was the father of Şeyhülislâm Hoca Sâdeddîn Efendi, the author of the Tâcü't-Tevârih.

BursaDied 974 AHView
Saint

Geyikli Baba

One of the Ottoman saints; Geyikli Baba

Geyikli Baba is remembered in the sources as one of the Ottoman saints of the era of Orhan Gâzî. It is related that he received spiritual grace (fayz) from Shaykh Abü'l-Vefâ in Baghdad and learned the religious sciences from Baba İlyas Horasânî. After being trained in both the outward (zâhirî) and inward (bâtınî) sciences, he came to Anatolia and acted together with the Ottoman warriors (gâzîs) for the spread of Islam. According to tradition, because he mounted a deer during the conquest of Bursa and fought in the front ranks with his sixty-okka sword, he came to be known by the name 'Geyikli' (the one with the deer). Later he withdrew to Keşiş (Ulu) Mountain, founded a lodge (tekke) there, and, without descending to the city, gave spiritual guidance to those who came to visit him. According to what is related in the sources, when Orhan Gâzî invited him to a feast, he at first declined coyly, saying 'dervishes are people of the heart,' then came to the palace, planted a branch he had brought from his lodge, and, reciting the 24th verse of the chapter of Ibrâhîm, gave the glad tidings that the dynasty would grow and serve Islam. When the lands of İnegöl and its surroundings were offered to him, in order to preserve his humility he accepted only a small woodland plot. He raised many students; after his death, a shrine was built over his grave by Orhan Gâzî, and a mosque and lodge were added later. Near it, a village was founded by the name of 'Baba Sultan.' The complex (külliye) was restored after 1950 (AH 1369).

BursaView
Saint

Eşrefoğlu Rûmî

One of the great saints, poet; Eşrefzâde-i Rûmî, Abdullah-ı Rûmî

Eşrefoğlu Rûmî, whose real name was Abdullah, is remembered in the sources as one of the great saints and poets. His father was Eşref, who emigrated from Egypt and settled in İznik; he himself was born in İznik. After studying the first religious sciences in the madrasas of İznik, he continued his education in Bursa at the madrasa built by Çelebi Mehmed; he became proficient in Qur'anic exegesis (tafsir), hadith, and jurisprudence (fiqh). After meeting Abdal Mehmed in Bursa, he turned to Sufism, was for a time present in the gatherings of Emîr Sultan, then became a student of Hacı Bayrâm-ı Velî in Ankara, serving him for eleven years, and married his teacher's daughter Hayrünnisâ. Later he went to Hama and entered a forty-day spiritual retreat (khalwa) with Shaykh Hüseyin Hamevî, a descendant of Abdülkâdir Geylânî; he received his license (ijâza) and became a deputy (khalifa) in the Qâdirî path. Returning to İznik, he lived for a time in seclusion, and after becoming known he withdrew to the mountains; his first student established a lodge (dergâh) at Pınarbaşı. Students gathered around him from Bursa, Istanbul, and the surrounding provinces, and the Grand Vizier Mahmûd Pasha also became attached to him. He appointed Abdürrahîm-i Tırsî as his deputy and married him to his daughter Züleyhâ. He left behind many works such as Müzekkin-Nüfûs, Tarîkatnâme, and the Dîvân; the poem 'Come to Repentance' (Tövbeye Gel) in his Dîvân is famous. Various miracles attributed to him are related in the sources. He died in İznik in the year 1484 (AH 889), and his shrine is in İznik.

BursaDied 889 AHView
Saint

Eskici Mehmed Dede

Saint (Velî), one of the saints of Anatolia

Eskici Mehmed Dede is a personage who is remembered in the sources as one of the saints of Anatolia and who lived in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. He was originally from Amasya; after completing his first education there, he came to Bursa. Because he was engaged in the trade of cotton cloth, he became known by the nickname 'Eskici' (the rag-and-cloth dealer). In Bursa he attended the gatherings of Abdülmü'min Efendi, became his student, and advanced on the path of Sufism; later he married the granddaughter of Abdülmü'min Efendi. Although at the beginning he set trade aside for worship and seclusion, in order to provide for his family's livelihood he returned to commerce again with the understanding that 'the one who works is a beloved servant of God.' Although he was among the well-known cloth merchants of Bursa, he did not become attached to worldly wealth and distributed his earnings to the poor. According to what is related in the sources, his spiritual aid reached a poor person who desired to go on pilgrimage, and this event was influential in the Bursa judge (kadi) Azîz Mahmûd Hüdâyî leaving his post and becoming a student of Muhammad Üftâde. It is also related that the worm-infested rice of the merchant Akkaşzâde Seyyid Abdurrahmân Efendi was set right after Mehmed Dede's words, 'Send us some pilaf.' His date of death, according to the abjad chronogram derived from the verse 'Eskici Dede has departed from the worn-out world and given up his soul,' is the year 1028 (1619).

BursaDied 1028 AHView
Saint

Ebdal Murad

One of the saints of Bursa; one of the forty abdals who took part in the conquest of Bursa

Ebdal Murad is remembered as one of the saints of Bursa. His name was Murad, and it is stated that he was born in Khorasan. It is related that he was one of the forty abdals who came from Bukhara to Bursa before its conquest and who were called 'lovers of the Truth (Haqq).' His dates of birth and death are not known with certainty; it is recorded only that he died after the conquest of Bursa. It is recounted that during Orhan Gazi's conquest of Bursa he was among the warriors (mücahid) at his side, that during the conquest he undertook the task of watching over the fortress of Bursa, and that he rendered material and spiritual aid to Sultan Orhan Gazi. According to the sources, he always carried with him a wooden sword four cubits (arşın) in length; to those who saw this and mocked, saying 'what kind of sword is this,' he would reply, 'You do not know how sharp it is.' It is likewise narrated that with this wooden sword he displayed remarkable feats of heroism in the battles, and even cleaved a piece of rock in two. These legends (menkıbe) are conveyed in a measured manner. It is related that after the war ended and Bursa was conquered, he withdrew to his lodge (tekke) at the foot of Keşiş Dağı (Mount Uludağ). It is stated that his grave is located on the mountainside of Bursa, above the Alacahırka quarter, on a commanding hilltop.

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Saint

Dede Halife

One of the sixteenth-century Ottoman scholars; a scholar of exegesis (tafsir) and jurisprudence (fiqh)

Dede Halife is one of the famous Ottoman scholars who lived in the sixteenth century. It is stated that in his youth he occupied himself with trade and leather tanning (tanning craft), that until the age of twenty he was not engaged in learning and had not attended the discourse of any person of knowledge. It is related that while he was tanning leather in Amasya, he was taken to a garden to host a mufti who had come to the city; and that there, upon hearing the words the mufti spoke about him, he experienced a powerful transformation toward seeking knowledge. According to the sources, it is recounted that he approached the mufti and expressed his desire to learn, and that while praying he placed his face upon the ground and passed into a state of ecstasy. It is stated that under the mufti's guidance he began the pursuit of knowledge and advanced with great diligence. In Bursa he worked as a teaching assistant (muid) under Professor Sinanüddin at the Sultan Murad Madrasa; thereafter he served as a professor for a long time in various madrasas. He finally retired from the Süleyman Pasha Madrasa in İznik and was given the office of mufti. It is recorded that he possessed deep knowledge in the sciences of exegesis and jurisprudence; that he wrote a gloss (hashiya) on a commentary of one of Taftazani's works; and that he also had a poem (manzuma) on jurisprudence and treatises on various sciences. It is stated that he died in 1565 (973 AH).

BursaDied 973 AHView
Saint

Davud-i Kayseri

The first professor (müderris) of the Ottomans; a scholar and saint, with the title Şerefüddin

Davud-i Kayseri is one of the scholars and saints who flourished during the founding period of the Ottoman State. His real name was Davud ibn Mahmud ibn Muhammad, and his title was Şerefüddin; he became famous under the name Davud-i Kayseri. Although his date of birth is not known with certainty, the sources estimate that he was born in Kayseri between the years 1258 (656 AH) and 1261 (659 AH). After receiving his early education in Kayseri and its surroundings, he went to Cairo, where he stayed three or four years and studied hadith, exegesis (tafsir), and the other sciences. He then went to the city of Sava in Iran, joined the disciples of Kemalüddin Kaşani, and attained high degrees on the path of Sufism. Davud-i Kayseri was appointed as the first professor (müderris) of the Orhaniye Madrasa built by the Ottoman Sultan Orhan Gazi; it is stated that he taught there until his death and trained many scholars. The source text records his views to the effect that all beings in the universe are the manifestation and reflection of the names and attributes of God Almighty; it is conveyed that, stating that everything in nature is composed of atoms and molecules, he is associated with a doctrine that explains the essence of existence through energy and the transformation of energy. It is stated that his death occurred in 1350 (751 AH). Regarding the place of his burial, the sources convey differing information: according to one account he was buried opposite the Çandarlı Halil Pasha Mosque, at the place today called Çınardibi; while some sources have related that he is buried in Kayseri.

BursaDied 751 AHView
Saint

Davud-i Halveti

One of the Khalwati saints who flourished in Mudurnu

Davud-i Halveti is remembered as one of the saints who flourished in Mudurnu during the Ottoman period. He was the son of a man named Ali Bey and is also known in the sources by the names 'Uzun Davud' (Davud the Tall) and 'Davud-i Mudurni.' He received his training on the path of Sufism under Sheikh Habib, one of the foremost disciples of Sayyid Yahya-i Shirvani, a great figure of the Khalwati order; it is stated that by attending his discourses he attained the lofty gnostic stations of Sufism. It is related that he was a man of divine attraction (majdhub). Upon the request of İsfendiyaroğlu Kızıl Ahmed that he write a work on the 'dawa'ir-i hamsa' (the five circles), he is recorded to have composed and sent his book titled Gülşen-i Tevhid, in which he expounded the states of divine attraction (jazba) and spiritual wayfaring (suluk) in Sufism through Arabic and Turkish poems. According to the sources, certain states have been attributed to him: it is recounted that in a waterless steppe a majdhub dervish, namely Sheikh Süleyman, hurled into the air the water-filled ewer in his hand, and the moment the ewer fell to the ground the suffocating hot weather passed. It is likewise narrated that a person who was mute from birth had his tongue loosened after Sheikh Davud prayed and recited over his mouth. These accounts are conveyed in a dignified and measured manner, without passing any definitive judgment. It is stated that Davud-i Halveti died in 1507 (913 AH) in Mudurnu.

BursaDied 913 AHView
Saint

Çandarlı Kara Halil Hayreddin Pasha

One of the first viziers and chief military judges (kazasker) of the Ottomans, a Hanafi scholar of jurisprudence and a saint

Çandarlı Kara Halil Hayreddin Pasha is remembered as one of the first viziers and judges of the Ottoman State, a scholar of jurisprudence belonging to the Hanafi school, and a saint. His real name was Halil ibn Ali. It is stated that he was born in the village of Cendere in Sivrihisar, today part of Eskişehir, and that he took the epithet Çandarlı from this region. His date of birth is unknown. From a young age he studied under the scholars of his time; it is related that he was a relative of Sheikh Edebali, the father-in-law of Osman Gazi, and that he took part in the akhi organization that was influential in the foundation of the Ottoman State. He was trained at the Orhaniye Madrasa, which Orhan Gazi established in İznik, alongside teachers such as Davud-i Kayseri, Tacüddin Kürdi, and Alaüddin Esved. One day, upon his leading the prayer as imam in the presence of Orhan Gazi, he won the sultan's favor and was presented to him by his teacher Alaüddin-i Esved. He served successively as the judge (kadı) of Bilecik, İznik, and Bursa. During the reign of Murad-ı Hüdavendigar, he was the first to be appointed to the office of chief military judge (kazasker), which was instituted for the first time in the Ottoman State. He played an important role in the organization of the young state; he took part in the establishment of a regular military structure, in the formation of the infantry and cavalry units known as yaya and müsellem, and, together with Molla Rüstem, in the founding of the financial organization. Later he became vizier with the title Hayreddin Pasha and conducted administrative, financial, and military affairs together. In 1385 he set out on campaign to Rumelia at the head of the army, captured Karaferye, Serres, and Salonika, and entered Thessaly and Manastır. He fell ill at Vardar Yenice and was transferred to Serres, where he died in 1387 (789 AH). It is recorded that he was known for his knowledge, piety, humility, and generosity; that he had mosques and public kitchens (imaret) built in Serres, İznik, and Gallipoli; and that he also wrote a commentary on Qazwini's work titled Talhis al-Miftah.

BursaDied 789 AHView
Saint

Bahri Dede

Among the renowned of the saints

Bahri Dede is a personage counted among the renowned of the saints. He was born in Edirne and was raised there. His date of birth is unknown, and the sources record that he died in Bursa in the year 1566 (AH 974). He received his early education in his birthplace, Edirne, and learned the religious sciences from the scholars of his time. On the path of Sufism he was trained by adopting the way of Hazret-i İbrâhim Edhem, and it is related that he attained maturity on this path. He began the duty of spiritual guidance (irşad) first at the Kovacı Dede Lodge; there he was charged with the task of explaining the right path to people and guiding them. Later he came to Bursa and guided the people at the Murâdiye Lodge, continuing his service at this lodge. According to the sources, he is remembered as a personage whose discourses were greatly influential and whose prayers were accepted; it is stated that he left a profound spiritual effect upon those around him. The sources also speak of the wonders (kerâmet) attributed to him, and it is related that he took part in the Sigetvar (Szigetvár) campaign and was present in that campaign. Spending his life in learning, spiritual guidance, and the cultivation of the heart, Bahri Dede became known as a saint beloved by those around him, both for his scholarly accumulation and for his mystical state. The line of his life, extending from Edirne to Bursa, makes him a figure uniting two important centers of learning and spiritual culture of the Ottomans. His grave is in his zâviye (small lodge) in Bursa and is a place of visitation. In this respect he is remembered as one of the saints associated with the lodge tradition in the spiritual geography of Bursa. Information about his life has been recorded in the biographical sources of the Ottoman period.

BursaDied 974 AHView
Saint

Alâeddîn Ali Fenârî

Scholar and saint; bearing the epithet Alâeddîn; in poetry he used the pen name "Gammî"

Alâeddîn Ali Fenârî was among the great scholars and saints raised in the Ottoman State, and he was among the descendants of Şemseddîn Fenârî (Molla Fenârî). His name was Ali bin Yûsuf Bâlî bin Şemseddîn Muhammed Fenârî. He was the child of Molla Yûsuf, the son of Molla Fenârî, the first Şeyhülislâm of the Ottoman State. His epithet was Alâeddîn, and he was called "Fenârî" in relation to his grandfather. He was born and raised in Bursa, within a deep-rooted family of learning; his date of birth is unknown. In keeping with the family tradition he turned toward learning, and to advance his knowledge he went to Iran and deepened his studies. Upon his return to his homeland he undertook scholarly and administrative duties, occupied himself with teaching, and raised students. While on the one hand he stood out with his identity as a man of learning, on the other he was known for his mystical inclination. Fenârî, who also had a literary aspect, took an interest in poetry and used the pen name "Gammî" in his verses. According to the sources, he was a respected personage who continued the scholarly legacy of his grandfather Molla Fenârî and represented that legacy. It is related that he died in Bursa toward the end of the year 1497 (AH 903). He was buried beside the grave of his grandfather Molla Fenârî; thus he was laid to rest around the tomb in Bursa where the elders of the family are interred, and, as in life so after his death, he is remembered beside his grandfather. As a member of the Fenârî family, which raised men of learning across three generations, he is counted among the representatives of this family's deep-rooted place in Ottoman intellectual and spiritual life. His life and works have been recorded in detail in numerous Ottoman and Islamic biographical sources.

BursaDied 903 AHView
Saint

Alâeddîn Ali Esved Karahisârî

Saint (Velî), jurist of the Hanafî school; known by the epithet "Kara Hoca"

Alâeddîn Ali Esved Karahisârî, known among the people by the epithet "Kara Hoca," was a saint and a jurist (fıkıh scholar) of the Hanafî school. His real name was Ali bin Ömer. He received his early education in Karahisar and then went to Iran to advance his learning. There he deepened his studies by taking lessons from scholars nourished by the scholarly tradition of Fahreddîn er-Râzî. When he returned to his homeland, he was appointed by the Ottoman Sultan of the time, Orhan Gâzi, as a preacher (vaiz) to a mosque in İznik. Later, upon the death of Molla Tâceddîn, the vacated post was given to him, and he was promoted to a professorship (müderris) in the medrese. Among the students he raised were persons who later became prominent judges (kadıs) and statesmen of the Ottoman State; among them are counted the famous Şeyhülislâm Şemseddîn Fenârî and the vizier Çandarlı Kara Halîl. In this respect he became an important teacher who nourished the administrative and scholarly cadres of the state in the early Ottoman period. According to an incident related in the sources, Orhan Gâzi visited Kara Hoca in person in order to request a capable student who could serve him as a judge-counselor (kadı-müşavir); this incident is significant in showing the esteem his scholarly authority held at the level of the state. Thus, through both his personal scholarly accumulation and the students he raised, he held a determining place in the formative period of the Ottoman scholarly tradition. With these qualities he is regarded as one of the scholars who played a role in the rooting of Hanafî jurisprudence and the medrese tradition in Ottoman lands in Anatolia. He died in the year 1397 (AH 800) and was interred in his tomb in the Şerefzâde quarter of İznik. His life and scholarly personality have been recorded in many biographical and historical sources of the Ottoman period.

BursaDied 800 AHView