Amasya vâlisi Şehzâde Sultân Ahmed’in musâhib ve mu’allimi Çakal Kadızâde Şemseddîn Ahmed Efendi bin Bedreddîn Mahmûd Çelebi mahdûmudur. 915’de Amasya’da doğdu. 918’de pederi ile beraber Tire’ye gitdi. Orada neşv ü nemâ bulup sonra Bursa’ya geldi. Ulûm ve fünûnu tahsîl ederek dârü’l-emânî olan İstanbul’a rihlet etdi. [434]
Hâce-i Sultânî Hayreddîn Efendi’ye intisâb ve mülâzemet ederek 949’da yirmi beş akçe ile Kepengci Sinan Medresesi’ne müderris oldu. Tedrîs-i ulûm esnâsında rüyâda kendisini irşâd eden Atik Alî Paşa Zâviyesi şeyhi Ramazân Efendi’ye intisâb etdi.
951’de terk-i tedrîs ü ifâde ederek mezkûr zâviye hücerâtından birinde ikâmet ve Şeyh Ramazân Efendi’ye teslîm-i zaman-ı irâde etdi. Lâkin Şeyh Efendi mûmâileyhin tamâmıyla terk-i tedrîs etmesini muvâfık görmediğinden Atik Alî Paşa Câmii şerîfinde talebe-i ulûma tedrîs ve ifâde-i fünûn ederek zikr ü tevhîd ile iştiğal eyledi.
963’de Şeyh Ramazân Efendi’nin dâr-ı kudse intikâlinde Atik Alî Paşa Zâviyesi şeyhi oldu ise de ba’zı dedikodulara binâen bu zâviye meşîhatından çekildi. Altı ay sonra ba’zı ricâl-i ilmiyenin ricâsı ile Kurşunlu Türbe Zâviyesi şeyhi oldu.
Burada fevkalâde iştihâr ederek ba’zı ahvâl ü akvâli muhâlif tıbâ-ı meşâyih ve ulemâ olup ta’n ü teşnî’a [435] uğradı. Fakat muhâlif görünen ahvâl ve akvâlini izâh ederek fâzılâne ve sûfîyâne cevablar verdi.
Ahvâl-i umûmiyyesinde aşk ve istiğrâk-ı muhabbet galebe olduğundan serhûş demekle iştihâr etdi. 980 senesi zilka’desinde dâr-ı kûdse irtihâl edib Sultân Selîm semtinde vâki’ Kurşunlu Türbe Zâviyesi sahasında medfûndur.
Nev’îzâde Atâyî Efendi “Zeyl-i Şakâyık”da diyor ki: Azîz-i merkûm fihrist-i mesâ’il-i ulûm, ferîde-i silk-i efrâd, rükn-i rekîn-i makâm-ı evtâd, çeşme-sâr-ı feyzle cebel-i şâmih, kadem-i kerâmetle imâd-ı râsih, hil’at-i teşrîf-i şühûdî-tırâz vecd ü hâl ile hâlî ve câme-i yeknâ-yı vücûdu mühre-fersâye-i fenâ ile bâlî, kesîrü’l-mücâhede ve’l-ibâde, azîmü’r-riyâzet ve’z-zehâdet, ecânibden mütecânib, erbâb-ı dünyâdan hârib, müddet-i ömründe devr-i ebvâb-ı mîr u vezîr bilmez ve serv-i âzâd-ı makâm-ı istiğnâ olup kimseye ser-fürû’ kılmaz da’vetlerini ahsen-i vücûh üzere redd ve sadâkât u hediyyelerinden deriçe-i iltifâtı seddetmek mu’tâdları idi. [436]
Bu denlü istiğna ile vakt-i intikâllerinde sekiz bin nakd-i filori ve on bin dînâr ile mukavvem muhallefât zuhur-i mahz-kerâmet ve âsâr-ı kimyâ-yı velâyet idi ki karar-dâde-i ehl i’tibâr idi. Sâfinât-ı ciyâde mâ’il ve rahş-ı burâk-seyr-i sarsar-şitâbe şifte-dil olup dâ’imâ bir tavîle-semend-i bî-mânend-i merbıt-ı murâbat-ı mehbıtlarında bend olup serhâd gâzîlerine ihdâ etmek de’b-i kerîmleri idi.
Nakt-i vakt-i ömr-i âzîzi ruh gibi tecerrüd ile güzâr edib kayd-ı bend-i iyâl pây-i himmetlerine ıkâl olmamışdı. Cezbe-i azîme sâhibi olup nazarları gûh-endâz ve te’sîr-i kelâm-ı dil-pezîri ahen-güdâz idi. Ta’bîr-i rüyâda hod Yûsuf-i Sânî ve nokta-i sırr-ı süveydânın nakş-hânı idi.
Merhûmun kerâmet-i mahsûsâsından ki telkînine hâzır oldukları mevtâ-yı müslîmîne tavr-ı ma’hûd üzere telkîn eylediklerinde muhâtabalarını istimâ’ edenler meyyitin hâl-i hayâtında olan sadâ ve edâsını ta’yîn ederler imiş. Bu husûs için meşâyîh-ı asr deriçe-i dehân-ı dahli bâz ü zebân ta’nı dırâz eyledikde meclis-i nazmın kâse-gerdân-ı bezmi ve arsa-i fazlın çapük süvâr-ı rezmî Mevlânâ Âzmi Efendi bu beyti hûb demişdir. [437]
Cihân halkı şu denlü münkir olmuşdur kerâmete
Nedir bu vaz-ı münker dir eger mevtâyı söyletsen
Hasan Çelebi “Tezkîretü’ş-şu’arâ”sında yazıldığı üzere merhûm evâ’il-i hâllerinde Pirûze Alî Bâlî derler bir civânın âşık-ı şikeste-i bâlî olmuş, bunun için şi’rinde “Cevherî” tahallüs etmişdi. Civân-ı mezbûr hatt-ı izârı zâhir olduğu esnâda vefât etmiş olduğundan firâkına tehammül edemez bir hale gelmişti.
Bir gece rü’yâsında mahbûb-ı dil-firîbini görür. Senden ayrılalı aklım perîşândır. Ya cânımı al, yahud bana bir nişân ver diye istirhâm eder. Civân-ı mezkûr ayağı tozundan bir mikdâr bir kâğıda koyup verir. Bu sende yadigârım olsun der. Kendisi de bunu kemâl-i minnetle alıp sarığının arasında saklar. Uykudan uyanınca o tozu kağıt içinde sarığının arasında bulur.
Bu toz sarığında mahfûz oldukca hâlî kesb-i safvet etmiş, yârânına bu mâcerâyı naklederken sarığının arasından bu tozu çıkarıp göstermişdir. Bu vakı’adan [438] sonra sevdâ-yı mâsivâ hâtırlarından meslûb ve cezbe-i âşk-ı mahbûb-ı hakîkî kallâb-ı kalb-i muhabbet-i üslûb olup refîk-i tevfîk ile pey ender-pey şahrâh sülûk-i tayyetmişler idi.
Sûfiyye tarîkine girdikten sonra İlhâmî mahlasını kabûl ederek eş’âr ve ilâhiyyâtı vardır. Bu matla’ cevhergân-ı irfân ve ab-ı gevher feyz-resânlarıdır: Kuddise sirruhû¹⁸⁷
İlm-i ahfâ ögretir âşıklarına ol dehân
Ânın içündür seven olur sini gözden nihân
In Modern English
He is the son of Çakal Kadızâde Şemseddîn Ahmed Efendi, companion and teacher of Prince Sultan Ahmed, governor of Amasya, and grandson of Bedreddîn Mahmûd Çelebi. He was born in Amasya in 915 [1509-10]. In 918 [1512-13] he went to Tire with his father. After growing up there he came to Bursa. Having studied the religious and natural sciences, he went to Istanbul, the abode of safety.
He attached himself as an apprentice to Hayreddîn Efendi, the Sultan's teacher, and in 949 [1542-43] became a müderris at the Kepengci Sinan Madrasa at twenty-five akçe. While teaching he attached himself to Ramazân Efendi, sheikh of the Atik Ali Pasha Zawiya, who had guided him in a dream.
In 951 [1544-45] he gave up teaching and instruction and began to stay in one of the cells of the said zawiya, surrendering his will to Sheikh Ramazân Efendi. But since the Sheikh did not think it fitting that he give up teaching entirely, he taught students of the sciences at the Atik Ali Pasha Mosque and taught the sciences there, also occupying himself with dhikr and tawhid.
In 963 [1555-56], on the death of Sheikh Ramazân Efendi, he became sheikh of the Atik Ali Pasha Zawiya; but because of some gossip he withdrew from the sheikhship of this zawiya. Six months later, at the request of some men of learning, he became sheikh of the Kurşunlu Tomb Zawiya.
Here he gained great fame; because some of his states and words ran counter to the temperament of sheikhs and scholars, he was criticized and rebuked. But he explained the states and words that seemed contrary and gave answers worthy of a scholar and a Sufi.
Since absorption in love and affection prevailed in his general condition, he became known as "serhoş" (intoxicated). In the month of Zilkade of the year 980 [1573] he died and was buried in the grounds of the Kurşunlu Tomb Zawiya in the Sultan Selim district.
Nev'îzâde Atâyî Efendi says in the Zeyl-i Şakâyık: The said saint was an index of the questions of the sciences, the unique pearl on the string of dervishes, the firm pillar of the station of the evtâd (the high rank of the saints). A lofty mountain from which springs of grace flow, an immovable support through the footstep of miracles. A robe of honour embroidered with witnessing (seeing the truth) adorned him with ecstasy and spiritual state; his unique garment of being had been worn thin by the polishing stone of annihilation. He was rich in striving and worship, and in great austerity and renunciation (giving up the world); he shunned strangers and kept away from the people of the world. In all his life he never learned to go round the doors of emirs and viziers; he was the free cypress of the station of istiğnâ (needing no one) and bowed his head to no one. It was his custom to refuse invitations in the finest manner and to close the window of favour to alms and gifts.
Despite such self-sufficiency, it came to light that at his death he left an estate worth eight thousand gold florins and ten thousand dinars; this was the work of the alchemy of miracle and sainthood, and a fact accepted by men of standing. He was fond of noble horses; he had given his heart to horses swift as the wind and Burak-paced, and at his hitching place there was always a unique, tall bay horse, and it was his generous custom to present these to the frontier ghazis.
He spent the precious time of his dear life like a spirit, stripped of everything; the chain of family ties had not wound around the foot of his aspiration. He was a man of great rapture; his gaze was gûh-endâz, and the effect of his heart-pleasing speech was of the kind that melts iron. In the interpretation of dreams he was a second Yûsuf, and a painter of the point of mystery in the heart.
One of the late man's special miracles is this: when they recited the talqin over a Muslim dead man, whom they attended, in the customary way, those who listened to what they said would recognize the voice and manner the dead man had in his lifetime. When the sheikhs of the age opened their mouths and let their tongues run on this matter, Mevlânâ Âzmî Efendi, the cupbearer-in-chief of the assembly of poetry and nimble horseman of the field of virtue, composed this fine couplet.
The people of the world have become such deniers of miracles
That if you made the dead speak they would say "what an ugly state this is"
According to what is written in Hasan Çelebi's Tezkîretü'ş-şu'arâ, at the beginning of his career the late man had fallen, a lover with a broken wing, for a youth called Pirûze Ali Bâlî, and for this reason used the pen name "Cevherî" in his poetry. The said youth had died just when down was appearing on his cheeks, and he became unable to bear the separation.
One night in a dream he sees his heart-ravishing beloved. "My mind has been in disorder since I parted from you. Either take my life, or give me a trace of you," he pleads. The youth puts a little of the dust of his foot on a piece of paper and gives it, saying, "Let this be my keepsake with you." He takes it with great gratitude and hides it in the folds of his turban. When he wakes from sleep he finds that dust in the paper in the folds of his turban.
As long as this dust was kept in his turban his state gained purity; when he told this adventure to his friends, he took the dust out of his turban and showed it. After this event the passion for things other than God was torn out of their hearts; the rapture of love for the true Beloved became a force turning the heart to the way of love, and taking God's help as companion they crossed, one after another, the high road of the Sufi path.
After entering the Sufi way he took the pen name İlhâmî; he has poems and hymns. This matla' (opening couplet) is the product of the jewellers of gnosis and of the pearl-water that brings grace: may God sanctify his secret.
That mouth teaches its lovers the hidden knowledge
That is why the lover keeps you hidden from the eye
Notes and Research
Old Words in the Text
- musâhib: companion in conversation
- mülâzemet: serving as an apprentice to a teacher while waiting to enter a madrasa post
- zâviye: a small lodge where orders and dervishes gather
- meşîhat: the sheikhship
- serhûş: drunk; here, beside oneself with divine love
- telkîn: the recitation, as the dead are laid in the grave, of words that recall the faith
- kerâmet: a state of a saint regarded as extraordinary
- istiğnâ: needing no one, wealth of the heart
- riyâzet, zühd: hardship undertaken to discipline the self; renunciation of the world
- cezbe: rapture, being carried away by divine attraction
- mahlas, tahallüs: the pen name a poet uses in his verse
- matla': the opening couplet of a ghazal
- mevtâ: the dead
Sarhoş Bâlî Efendi in Other Sources
An encyclopedia entry describes, in all likelihood, the same person as "Sarhoş Bâlî Efendi", giving the date of death as 980 [1573]. According to this entry, Bâlî Efendi was born in Tire, and his father was Kadı Birgivîzâde Muhyiddin Efendi, tutor of Ahmed, son of Bayezid II; he taught at the Kepenekçi Madrasa in Istanbul, then attached himself to Ramazan Efendi and became sheikh of the Ali Pasha Lodge in Istanbul, and was buried in the cemetery of the Altuncuzâde Lodge in Lâleli. He used the pen name "Cevherî" in his poems and has no divan. Âşık Çelebi attributes the nickname "Sarhoş" to his excessive fondness for drink and entertainment, while Hasan Çelebi attributes it to his being beside himself with divine love. The wide space given to him in the Zeyl-i Şekâik and the biographical dictionaries shows that he was famous in his day.
There are a few differences between Hüsameddin and this source. Hüsameddin writes that he was born in Amasya and gives his father's name as Şemseddîn Ahmed; the encyclopedia gives Tire as the birthplace and Muhyiddin as the father's name. Hüsameddin places his grave in the grounds of the "Kurşunlu Tomb Zawiya in the Sultan Selim district"; the encyclopedia writes the cemetery of the Altuncuzâde Lodge in Lâleli. Whether these two places are in the same neighbourhood could not be learned from the sources. Whether the differences arise from two different men or from differing traditions cannot be said with certainty. The date of death, the pen name, the order, and the sheikhships at the Atik Ali Pasha and Ali Pasha lodges coincide; for this reason the two have been assumed to be the same person. This is an inference.
Sheikh Ramazan Efendi
The encyclopedia names the Ramazan Efendi to whom Bâlî Efendi attached himself as the founder of the Ramazâniyye branch of the Halvetî order. But the founder of this branch, Mahfî Ramazan Efendi, is recorded as born in 1542 and dead in 1616; he cannot be the same person as the Sheikh Ramazan whom Hüsameddin reports dead in 963 [1555-56]. In Hüsameddin's record Ramazan Efendi is the sheikh of the Atik Ali Pasha Zawiya in Istanbul. This contradiction may have arisen from a confusion in the sources; no firm judgment could be reached.
The Kurşunlu Zawiya
A "Kurşunlu Mosque" in the Kal'a-i Zîr Quarter of Amasya appears in endowment records; the income of a village was transferred to this mosque. Its relation to what Hüsameddin calls the "Kurşunlu Tomb Zawiya" is not stated in the source. The phrase "Sultan Selim district" in the text suggests that the zawiya may be in Istanbul; this is an inference. No source was found on the present state of the zawiya or the grave.
Sources in the Text
Hüsameddin uses Nev'îzâde Atâyî's Zeyl-i Şakâyık and Hasan Çelebi's biographical dictionary. Atâyî was born in Istanbul in 1583, and with this work, finished in 1634, he wrote a supplement to Taşköprizâde's eş-Şekâik covering 1558-1634. Âzmî Efendi's couplet and the story of Pirûze Ali Bâlî belong to the narrative of the text itself; they could not be verified in other sources. In İlhâmî's second couplet the word "sini" is ambiguous as read; the meaning "you" in the rendering is a guess. The word "bâlî" in Atâyî's text means worn out and may be a play on the person's name; this too is an inference. Compound expressions that are hard to follow in the rendering (e.g. "gûh-endâz", the sentence about the horses) are given with approximate equivalents.
Bibliography
Primary sources
- Abdîzâde Hüseyin Hüsâmeddîn Yasar, Amasya Tarihi, Amasya Belediyesi Kültür Yayınları, 2022, vol. 7, p. 394–395. amasya.bel.tr
Academic studies
- Nihat Azamat, "Bâlî Efendi, Sarhoş", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 1992, https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/bali-efendi-sarhos
- Mehmet Cemal Öztürk, "Ramazan Efendi, Mahfî", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 2007, https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/ramazan-efendi-mahfi
- Haluk İpekten, "Atâî, Nev'îzâde", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, 1991, https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/atai-nevizade
- Murat Alandağlı, "Hurufat Kayıtlarında Amasya Zaviyeleri", Turkish Studies, 19/1, 2024, p. 1–27.