A Digital Atlas of Sacred Geography
1177 records · Page 48/50
Mawlana Jalal al-Din Muhammad b. Baha al-Din Walad
Mystic, scholar and poet born in Balkh (1207); his family migrated to Anatolia and settled in Konya. His meeting with Shams of Tabriz transformed his life. His works, foremost the Mathnawi and the Divan-i Kabir, are summits of Sufi literature. He died in Konya in 1273 and is regarded as the patron of the Mevlevi tradition.
One of the saints of Bursa
Veli Şemseddîn was one of the saints of Bursa, and the name of his father was Mûsâ. On the path of Sufism, he was brought up as a student of Hoca Hasan Efendi, one of the caliphs (halife) of His Holiness Emir Sultan. In the sources he is mentioned as a virtuous person who was a knower of God (ârif), a worshipper (âbid), an ascetic (zâhid), possessed of scrupulous piety (verâ), and who acted upon his knowledge. He spent his life in preaching and giving counsel, and by this means he enabled many people to benefit from him. The author of the Şakâyık-ı Nu'mâniyye relates that he saw a book written in his own handwriting; that in this book there were subtle meanings concerning the exegesis (tefsîr) and interpretation (te'vîl) of the Holy Qur'an and concerning the sayings of the great masters of Sufism; and from this he concludes that he was a scholar possessing both exoteric and esoteric sciences. According to a legend attributed to him in the sources, he gave the glad tidings that a child who had been neglected by his father would in the future reach very high ranks; it is related that this sign later came to pass, and that the person in question (Hocazâde) rose to the offices of Imperial Tutor (Muallim-i Sultânî) and military judge (kâdıasker). Veli Şemseddîn had a masjid built in Bursa and, passing away in 1470 (AH 875), was buried beside this masjid. The masjid he had built later came to be known by the name of the Velî Şemseddîn masjid. It is also stated in the sources that there is a grave attributed to him in Balıkesir as well.
The Sovereign's sheikh (Hünkâr sheikh), a sayyid
Vânî Mehmed Efendi, known as the Sovereign's sheikh (Hünkâr sheikh), was a sayyid descended from the lineage of our Prophet. He was originally from the town of Hoşab (Güzelsu) in Van; his father was Vânî Bistâm Efendi; his date of birth is not known in the sources. He began his first education in Van, then traveled through the principal centers of learning of the East such as Gence (Ganja), Karabağ (Karabakh), and Tebriz (Tabriz); he learned the Sufi knowledge of the Halvetî (Khalwatî) path from Nûreddîn Şirvânî. He gained depth in the sciences of exegesis (tefsîr), hadith, jurisprudence (fıkıh), and history, and excelled in literature and rhetoric (belâgat). Settling in Erzurum, he gave sermons and counsel in the mosques. When he became known there, his name reached Istanbul thanks to his conversations with the grand vizier Köprülüzâde Fâzıl Ahmed Paşa. By the order of Pâdişâh Mehmed Han IV he was summoned to Istanbul; he became the tutor of the sultan (the Hünkâr sheikh) and the first pulpit preacher of the New Mosque (Yeni Câmii), and he also served as tutor to Şehzâde (Prince) Mustafa. His sermons received great esteem; he was known for his asceticism and piety. It is related in the sources that he took part, together with the Şeyhülislâm, during the interrogation of Sabatay Sevi (Sabbatai Zevi), who claimed to be the Messiah, at a council convened in Edirne. In 1683 he joined the Second Vienna Campaign under the command of Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Paşa as the army sheikh; after the campaign he was sent to the village of Kestel near Bursa. On the Bosphorus he had a mosque and a madrasa built at Vaniköy, which is called by his name, and in Kestel as well he had a large mosque and a school built. He authored works such as Arâis-ül-Kur'ân and Hülâsât-üt-Tefâsîr. He passed away in 1685 (AH 1096) in the village of Kestel, and was buried there at the entrance of the mosque that he himself had had built.
One of the saints of Bursa, the grandson of Üftâde
Üftâdezâde Kutub İbrâhim Efendi was one of the saints who lived in Bursa, and was the grandson of the great saint His Holiness Üftâde. He was born in 1606 (AH 1015). His father, Mustafa Efendi, served as sheikh at the lodge (dergâh) of his grandfather Üftâde, and passed away in 1608. Kutub İbrâhim Efendi attained maturity on the path of Sufism in the conversations of Azîz Mahmûd Hüdâyî, and received the caliphate (hilâfet) from him. According to the narration, one day his grandfather Üftâde told Hüdâyî that one of his own descendants would become his student and would attain the secret of truth (hakikat) through him, thus foretelling that his grandson would reach this station. It is also related that when Kutub İbrâhim Efendi, having received the caliphate, was returning to Bursa and asked Hüdâyî when he might come to visit, Hüdâyî replied: 'We have waited until this time for your service.' When he arrived in Bursa in 1628, he received the news of the passing of Azîz Mahmûd Hüdâyî. Thereafter he occupied himself for more than fifty years with raising students at his grandfather's lodge (zâviye), and he expounded the right path to people. It is related in the sources that years after his passing, when the tomb-keeper (türbedâr) and the mosque imam saw him in their dreams, his grave was opened, a pleasant fragrance spread from within, and his shroud was found undecayed. He passed away in 1678 (AH 1089); in accordance with his testament he was buried outside the tomb of His Holiness Üftâde. A chronogram was composed for his death with the verse: 'The Pole of the Age departed to Paradise in [one thousand and] eighty-nine.'
One of the saints of Bursa, the teacher of Azîz Mahmûd Hüdâyî
Üftâde, whose real name was Muhammed, was born in 1490 (AH 895) in Bursa; his father was Manyaslı Mehmed Efendi. He is counted among the great saints who lived in the era of Süleymân the Magnificent (Kânûnî Sultan Süleymân). At a young age he was set to work alongside a silk merchant; when within a short time he lost both his master and his father, he took on the support of his family at an early age, and in his free time he studied the exoteric sciences in the madrasas of Bursa. In later years he served as muezzin at the Ulu Mosque (Great Mosque) and as imam at the Doğan Bey Mosque; after a dream, he began preaching and giving counsel at the Emîr Buhârî Mosque. In the sources he is described as a tall person, with a compassionate gaze, always smiling, who broke no one's heart, who did not retaliate against insult; he was known for his devotion to worship. On the path of Sufism, he was a student of Karacabeyli Hızır Dede for eight years. His most famous student, Azîz Mahmûd Hüdâyî, compiled his conversations in his work titled 'Vâkı'ât'; according to the narration, Üftâde had Hüdâyî, who was the kadi (judge) of Bursa, leave the judgeship and perform services that disciplined the carnal self, and after three years he granted him his license (icâzet). Many miracles are related in the sources as attributed to Üftâde: events such as the rescue of a ship in a stormy sea, the finding of grapes in the winter season, and the return home through prayer of a youth who had been imprisoned unjustly are among these. He passed away in 1581 (AH 989) in Bursa; he was buried in the garden of the mosque that he himself had had built during his lifetime, and a tomb was constructed over his grave.
Saintly dervishes who came from Bukhara
Üç Kuzular (The Three Lambs) is a community made up of three persons who are mentioned in the sources as saintly dervishes who came from Bukhara to Bursa. The names of these three persons are Sheikh Safiyyüddîn, Sheikh Muhammed, and Açıkbaş Sheikh Ali. According to what is related, all three of them would mostly attend the conversation assemblies of His Holiness Emir Sultan and would benefit from his knowledge and wisdom. Although detailed information about their lives is not found in the sources, it is related that throughout their lives they lived together and did not part from one another. This togetherness continued even after their passing; all three were buried in the same place. It is stated that their tombs are located in the Üçkuzular quarter in Bursa, and that this is a place of visitation. There is no detailed legend or account of miracles attributed to them in the sources; rather, they are remembered as saintly dervishes who were brought up around Emir Sultan, lived together, and passed away together. The fact that the quarter where they were buried is called by their name may be regarded as a reflection of the mark they left on the spiritual geography of Bursa.
One of the saints of Bursa
Tokatlı Hayreddin Efendi is one of the saints of Bursa. His father was from Tokat and married in Edirne, and Hayreddin Efendi was born in Edirne. His date of birth is not stated in the source, and he died in Bursa in 1608 (AH 1017). After studying for a while, he went to Bursa, where he served as a muîd—that is, an assistant müderris (instructor)—at the Murâdiye Medrese. He became a student of Şeyh Osman Efendi, the successor (caliph) of Şâbân Efendi of Kastamonu, and was trained on the path of Sufism. Later he received an ijâza from Karamânî Efendi, the successor of Yiğitbaşı Efendi, one of the great saints of the Halvetiyye path, and became his successor. In Bursa he resided in the Murâdiye quarter near the Bahri Dede Lodge (Zâviye), occupying himself with obedience and worship; he continued to attend the gatherings of Kâsım Efendi in İnegöl and received an ijâza from this figure as well. After this, for a long time he guided people at the lodge next to the Ahmed Paşa Fenârî Mosque in Bursa, taught them Islam, and was a means for their adherence to the religion. He died while continuing this service. According to the sources, when his coffin was taken from his lodge and being carried to the Câmi-i kebîr (Grand Mosque), he himself was seen, staff in hand, following his own coffin behind the congregation.
One of the saints of Bursa
Tezveren Dede is one of the saints of Bursa. It is stated on the source page that there is no information about his life or the period in which he lived. It is recorded that his tomb is in the Kuzgunluk quarter of Bursa and that it is visited today. Apart from this, the source contains no information about his date of birth and death, his family, his scholarly or spiritual life, his students, or any legend attributed to him.
One of the Anatolian saints
The name of this figure, one of the Anatolian saints, is İbrâhim bin Bahşî, and his epithet is Tâcüddîn. His date of birth is unknown, and he died in Bursa in 1467 (AH 872). He was originally from the village of Demirciler in Manavgat; his father was known as Fakîh Bahşî. He carried out his education in Eğridir, learning the exoteric sciences of his time from Pîrî Halîfe, the son-in-law of the Şeyhülislâm. When Pîrî Halîfe heard that his own teacher had settled in Konya, he took Tâcüddîn İbrâhim along with him to visit him; thus Tâcüddîn İbrâhim found himself in the service and company of Abdüllatîf Makdisî and attained his favor. When Pîrî Halîfe asked permission to return to Eğridir, upon his teacher Abdüllatîf Makdisî's request that they leave Tâcüddîn İbrâhim with him, Tâcüddîn İbrâhim did not part from his teacher, and later, when his teacher settled in Bursa, he went there together with him. Owing to this devotion he attained spiritual ranks and rose to the station of training students. After the death of Abdüllatîf Makdisî in 1461 (AH 866), he took his place and enjoined good and forbade evil among the people; he purchased the surroundings of his teacher's grave and had a lodge, a mosque and a bathhouse built there. According to the sources, one of those who loved him, Bostancı Dede, relates that one day they could not find him at his lodge and, after a long search, found him occupied with worship on a mountain within a forest; Çanakçı Dede, for his part, relates that one night he carried a hundred and ten vessels of food to his students, which shows that many people there learned knowledge and good manners. Veliyyüddînzâde Ahmed Paşa praised him, calling him the trustee of the treasury of spiritual secrets and the ornament of the garden of lights.
One of the Anatolian saints of the Ottoman period
Şeyh Ahmed Efendi is one of the saints who flourished in Anatolia during the time of the Ottomans, and he belonged to the path of Emîr Sultan. His father was a man named Abdurrahmân Efendi. His date of birth is unknown; he died in Bursa in 1529 (AH 935). He received his education according to the method of his era, attended the gatherings of learned and saintly figures, and—especially deepening himself in the sciences of tafsir and fiqh—became both a scholar and an exalted saint. He preached and gave counsel to the people in Yenişehir of Rumelia, went to the Hijaz to perform the duty of the hajj, and visited the noble grave of our Prophet. According to the sources, while going on the hajj together with his father, when the time of prayer arrived at the Maqâm Ibrâhim, a person who suddenly appeared became imam and led the prayer; after the prayer, Ahmed Efendi shook hands with this person and asked for his prayer, and later expressed his joy by saying that he had been honored with meeting the qutb of the age. After returning from the hajj, upon the death of his father Abdurrahmân Efendi, he took his place at the lodge of Emîr Sultan, and for five years trained students and explained to the people the commandments and prohibitions of Islam. Before his death, he left his student İbrâhim Efendi as his successor (caliph) in his place. Tall, fair-complexioned and of slender body, Ahmed Efendi attached no importance to worldly possessions, worshipped much, and occupied himself with asceticism and spiritual struggle. He kept up his litanies (virds) regardless of travel, winter or rain, slept very little at night, and spent most of his days fasting. His sermons were very moving; when he ascended the pulpit, many of the congregation would weep.
Author of the Mevlid, poet and Sufi mystic
Süleymân Çelebi is a figure known as the author of the famous Mevlid ode written in Turkish. He was born in Bursa. Although there is no definite record of his date of birth, it has been concluded that he was born in 1351 (AH 752), based on the information that he completed his Mevlid in 1409 (AH 812) at the age of sixty and that he died in 1422 (AH 825). He was the son of Ahmed Pasha, one of the viziers of Sultan Murad Han the First, and the grandson of Şeyh Mahmûd Efendi. He received his education in Bursa from the leading scholars of his time. During the reign of Sultan Yıldırım Bâyezîd, he served as imam of the Imperial Council (Dîvân-ı hümâyûn); he then became imam of the mosque built by the sultan, and was later appointed chief imam of the Ulu Câmi (Grand Mosque). According to the sources, during his time as imam, a Persian preacher made an erroneous interpretation claiming that there was no difference of superiority among the prophets, and this was corrected by one of the congregation on the basis of the Quranic verses; this event deeply affected Süleymân Çelebi, and following it he composed his famous Mevlid-i Şerîf. In his work he expounded the creed of the Ahl al-Sunna and explained the virtues of our Prophet. The Mevlid consists of the sections of munâcaat (supplication), velâdet (birth), risâlet (prophethood), mîraç (ascension), rıhlet (departure) and duâ (prayer). Beginning his words with the name of Allah the Exalted, the author relates the transmission of the light from Adam (peace be upon him) down to our Prophet, the moment of his birth, and the event of the mîraç. The work was arranged in the aruz meter, in the form of an ode; with its plain, mature language possessing compositional integrity, it has been admired even by the divan poets.
One of the saints (evliyâ) of Bursa, a person of miraculous gifts (karāma)
Rüstem Halîfe Bursevî was from the district of Göynük in the province of Bolu and is among the saints who lived in Bursa; the year of his birth is unknown. He is remembered as a man belonging to the path of Sufism and possessing miraculous gifts (karāma). Rüstem Halîfe, who was at first occupied with trade, later became a student of Shaykh Hacı Halîfe of Kastamonu and entered the path of Sufism. He was someone who ate and drank little, was content with little, lived constantly in a state of spiritual austerity (riyāza), and occupied himself ceaselessly with reciting the Qurʾān. According to what is related in the sources, in a legend recounted by Lâmiî Çelebi, Rüstem Halîfe, who suffered from pain in his eyes, met a young man; it was understood that this young man was Khidr (peace be upon him). The young man advised him to recite the Muʿawwizatayn sūras in the last two rakʿas of the emphasized supererogatory (sunna muʾakkada) prayers, whereupon Rüstem Halîfe was cured. He passed away in 1511 (AH 917). His grave is in Bursa, within the citadel, at Orta Pazar, in the vicinity of the Nakkâş Ali Mosque, beside the grave of Osman Çelebi.
One of the saints (walīs) of Anatolia
Pîr Emir Sultan, whose real name was Mehmed, is among the saints of Anatolia; his place and year of birth, as well as his place and year of death, are unknown. Coming from the region of Bukhara, he settled in Bursa in 1495 (AH 900) and declared that he was a relative of Emir Sultan. A lodge (dergâh) was built for him in the Mûsâ Baba quarter, and there he began to train students. According to what is related in the sources, many wonders (karāmāt) attributed to him are recounted. In one of them, when his guests asked where they could perform ablution, Pîr Emir pointed with his staff to the western side of the mosque; although those who came there found no water at first, after he said "follow me" they saw water flowing. Again it is related that the feet of a soldier who entered his tomb and stepped upon the grave while uttering evil words withered, and the area was declared forbidden to those soldiers. In another account, it is conveyed that a warden who disrespected the grave saw Pîr Emir in his dream and was warned, and passed away shortly afterward. It is also among the things related that, while the imam of the mosque was sleeping with his feet stretched out toward the tomb, in his dream a person turned his feet around and warned him. After his death he was buried in the garden of his own tomb.
Ottoman scholar and walī (saint)
Muslihuddîn Tavîl is among the Ottoman scholars and saints. He was born in Küre, in the district of Kastamonu; the year of his birth is unknown, and he passed away in the early sixteenth century. After studying the rational and transmitted sciences under the scholars of his time, he turned to Sufism. Becoming a student of Shaykh İlâhî, he received spiritual blessing (fayd) from him and attained high stations on the path of Sufism. He sent a letter to Sultan Bayezid II, admonishing him concerning oppression and innovations (bidʿa). According to what is related in the sources, in a recollection conveyed in Taşköprüzâde's work the Shaqāʾiq, it is recounted that the imposing appearance of Muslihuddîn Tavîl left a lasting impression upon a person who had seen him in childhood. After his death he was buried in Bursa, beside the grave of Shaykh Tâceddîn Efendi.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
Saint (velî), scholar
This personage, whose real name was Muhammed bin Muhammed and who was known by the epithet Kutbüddîn and the attribution Alaşarlı, is counted among the foremost of the saints (evliya). The date of his birth is not stated in the sources. The principal places he lived were Tabriz, Maragha, and Shirvan. After his pilgrimage journey he went to Egypt, from there crossed over to Anatolia, and met Kara Yusuf Bey, the ruler of Ganja. Later he settled in İznik and occupied himself with worship and the training of students. He was a student of Muhammed Harezmî. In addition to the works he composed in Turkish entitled 'Râhat-ül-kulûb' and 'Mukaddimet-üs-salât', he has a work of Quranic exegesis (tefsir) and other works. According to the sources, a legend (menkıbe) concerning the withdrawal of Timur Khan's army from Anatolia is attributed to him. There are two separate accounts regarding his death: according to one account he died in the year 1415 (AH 818) in İznik, while according to another account he died in 1418. His noble grave (kabr-i şerîf) is in İznik.
