Amasya ulemâsından Kâsım Bey Müderrisi el-Hâc Mustafa Efendi bin Hattât Ahmed Efendi bin Fazlullah Efendi’nin mahdûmudur. Merzifonî el-Hâc Mustafa Efendi’den vesâ’ir ulemâdan ikmâl-i tahsîl edib ders-i âm ve 1113’de pederinin kasr-ı yediyle Kâsım Bey Müderrisi oldu.
1135’de üstâdı Çorumlu Müftü Hâfız es-Seyyid Mehmed Efendi’ye müsevvid ve emînü’l-fetvâ olup müşârün-ileyhin irtihâlinde bir müddet mahkeme kâtibi ba’dehû Amasya sancağı nâibi oldu. [627] Niyâbeti hitâmında yine mahkeme kâtibi ve meclis azâsı olduğu halde 1154’de vefât etdi. Âlim, kâtib, fakîh, ta’lîk-nüvis, nâfizü’l-kelim, vecîh bir zât idi. Oğulları es-Seyyid el-Hâc Mustafa, Ali Efendilerdir. Hacı Mustafa Efendi 1176’da vefât etdi. Oğulları es-Seyyid Feyzullah, Abdüsselam, Ahmed Efendilerdir. Hacı Ali Efendi de 1177’de vefât edib oğulları es-Seyyid Mehmed, Abdurrahman Ağalardır. Mehmed Ağazâde es-Seyyid el-Hâc Mehmed Emin Efendi meşhûrdur.
In Modern English
He was one of the scholars of Amasya. He was the son of Hacı Mustafa Efendi, müderris of the Kâsım Bey Madrasa; Mustafa Efendi was the son of the calligrapher Ahmed Efendi, who was the son of Fazlullah Efendi. After completing his studies under Hacı Mustafa Efendi of Merzifon and other scholars, he received authorization to give public lectures. In 1113 [1701-02], when his father withdrew from office, he became müderris of the Kâsım Bey Madrasa.
In 1135 [1722-23] he became the writer of draft fetvas and the fetva emin (trustee) at the side of his teacher, the mufti Hâfız Seyyid Mehmed Efendi of Çorum; on his teacher's death he served for a time as court clerk, then became nâib (deputy judge) of the Amasya sanjak. At the end of his term as nâib, while again working as court clerk and council member, he died in 1154 [1741-42]. He was a scholar, a clerk, a jurist, a master of the talik script, a man whose word carried weight and who was held in esteem. His sons are Seyyid Hacı Mustafa and Ali Efendis. Hacı Mustafa Efendi died in 1176 [1762-63]; his sons are Seyyid Feyzullah, Abdüsselam and Ahmed Efendis. Hacı Ali Efendi also died, in 1177 [1763-64]; his sons are Seyyid Mehmed and Abdurrahman Ağas. Seyyid Hacı Mehmed Emin Efendi, son of Mehmed Ağa, is a well-known man.
Notes and Research
Old Words in the Text
- ulemâ: scholars
- müderris: teacher who lectures in a madrasa
- hattât: one who writes the beautiful hand, calligrapher
- ders-i âm: authorization to give public lectures
- kasr-ı yed: drawing back the hand, withdrawing from office
- müsevvid: one who writes drafts, that is, who prepares the drafts of fetvas
- emînü'l-fetvâ: official at the mufti's side in charge of recording and safekeeping the fetvas
- irtihâl: death
- nâib: judicial official who stands in for the kadı
- hitâm: coming to an end
- fakîh: scholar of fıkıh (jurisprudence)
- ta'lîk-nüvis: one who writes the talik script
- nâfizü'l-kelim: one whose word carries weight
- vecîh: respected, esteemed
Four Generations of a Scholarly Family
The entry lists four generations of a scholarly family, beginning with Fazlullah Efendi and running to the year 1177. The müderrisship of the Kâsım Bey Madrasa passing from father to son shows this family carrying on the ilmiye profession from generation to generation. The handing over of the müderrisship through the father's withdrawal ("kasr-ı yed") is an example that in the Ottoman ilmiye class the transfer of posts could take place between father and son. The name "Fazlızâde" in the entry's title appears to rest on Fazlullah Efendi at the head of the line.
Ahmed Efendi's career runs from müderrisship to clerkship and deputy judgeship. Writing draft fetvas and serving as fetva emin are clerical tasks carried out at a mufti's side; the court clerkship and the deputy judgeship of the Amasya sanjak that followed are posts within the judicial system. No definite source was found on which building of Amasya the Kâsım Bey Madrasa is.
For the family's later generations the entry gives only death years and names. That Mehmed Emin Efendi, mentioned last, is counted "meşhûr" says that he was known in his own time; no information on him or on the other named persons was found in other sources.
Bibliography
- Abdîzâde Hüseyin Hüsâmeddîn Yasar, Amasya Tarihi, Amasya Belediyesi Kültür Yayınları, 2022, vol. 6, p. 195–195. amasya.bel.tr