Harşena demekle meşhûr Amasya Kal’ası sâkinlerinden Ali Çelebi mahdûmudur. Amasya fuzalâsından Bahşîzâde Yahya, Şeyhü’l-harem Sinan, Ermişli Hoca İbrâhim Efendilerden ikmâl-i tahsîl ederek Sultân Bâyezîd Câmii şerîfinde tûl-i müddet ders-i âm oldu.
Ba’dehû Hakala’da Kâsım Bey, Amasya’da Hızır Paşa, sonra Büyük Ağa demekle meşhûr Hüseyin Ağa medreselerine müderris olup pek çok talebeye icâzet verdi. Ba’dehû talebiyle [90] kal’a-yı bâlâda kâin Dizdâriye müderrisliği ber-vech-i tekâ’üd uhdesine verildi.
Orada Bey Câmii Şeyhi de olup tedrîs ü tezkîr ile iştigâl ederek 1029 senesinde vefât etdi. Fâzıl, muhakkik, usûlî, muttakî bir zât idi. Üstâdının “Tebyînü’l-Mehârim” adlı eserini tahşiye etdiği, kitabının hevâmiş ve ta’likâtından anlaşılır. 985’de Kaya Paşa vakfiyesine şâhid görüldü. İbrâhim bin Ali el-Harşenî diye imzâ kordu.
In Modern English
He was the son of Ali Çelebi, a resident of Amasya Castle, known by the name Harşena. He completed his studies under the Amasya scholars Bahşîzâde Yahya, Şeyhülharem Sinan and Ermişli Hoca İbrâhim Efendi, and for a long time was a public-lecture teacher at the Sultan Bayezid Mosque.
Then he became professor at the Kâsım Bey Madrasa in Hakala, at the Hızır Pasha Madrasa in Amasya, and afterwards at the Hüseyin Agha Madrasa, known as Büyük Ağa, and granted licences (icazet) to a large number of students. Later, of his own wish and in the form of retirement, the professorship of the Dizdâriye Madrasa in the upper castle was given to him.
There, as sheikh of the Bey Mosque as well, he occupied himself with teaching and preaching, and he died in 1029 [1619-20]. He was a man of merit, a researcher, devoted to the science of usûl, and pious. It is understood from the marginal notes of his book that he wrote a gloss (haşiye) on his teacher's work "Tebyînü'l-Mehârim." In 985 [1577-78] he was seen as a witness to the Kaya Pasha waqf deed. He signed as İbrâhim bin Ali el-Harşenî.
Notes and Research
Old Words in the Text
- Harşena: the mountain name of Amasya Castle
- kal'a-yı bâlâ: the upper castle
- dizdâr: castle commander
- icâzet: the certificate of authorization to teach given to a student
- usûlî: devoted to the principles of fiqh, a master of the science of usûl
- tahşiye: writing a haşiye (marginal gloss, commentary) on a book
- hevâmiş ve ta'likât: marginal writings and notes
- vakfiye: the founding document of a waqf
- el-Harşenî: of Harşena
Harşena Castle and the Dizdâriye
Amasya Castle stands on Mount Harşena, which covers the north of the city; in height it is about three hundred metres above the Yeşilırmak. The castle consists of three parts: the Inner City (Hatuniye Quarter), the Maidens' Palace (Kızlar Sarayı) and the Upper Castle. It is reported that Mesud I had the Inner Castle repaired in 1146 and built a mosque, madrasa, bath and palace within it. The part Hüsameddin calls "kal'a-yı bâlâ" is the high section of the castle.
No details could be found in any source other than Hüsameddin about the Dizdâriye Madrasa and the Bey Mosque. İbrâhim Efendi's lessons continued in these buildings inside the castle.
His Teacher's Work
"Tebyînü'l-Mehârim" is a work attributed to Yusuf Sinâneddîn Amâsî (d. 1000/1592), who lies buried in Amasya; one copy of it is kept in the Amasya Beyazıt Provincial Public Library. Şeyhülharem Sinan, whom Hüsameddin mentions among the teachers, may be this person; however, the text does not state this outright, and this is an inference.
The Hakala Kâsım Bey Madrasa
The Kâsım Bey Madrasa in Hakala was built in 1464 by Kâsım Bey, of Prince Bayezid's retinue, and gave instruction until 1827. A building is recorded in the village of Yolpınar in Amasya under the name Kasım Bey Madrasa; it is probable that this is the madrasa in Hakala, but this is an inference.
Bibliography
Primary sources
- Abdîzâde Hüseyin Hüsâmeddîn Yasar, Amasya Tarihi, Amasya Belediyesi Kültür Yayınları, 2022, vol. 6, p. 37–37. amasya.bel.tr
Academic studies
Official sources
Other sources