Amasyalıdır. 1244’de vefât eden ulemâdan İnepazarlı es-Seyyid Hasan Efendi bin el-Hâc Ömer bin Resul’ün mahdûmudur. Amcası es-Seyyid Şâkir Abdullah, Hacı Ahmed Efendizâde es-Seyyid Mustafa, Canikli el-Hâc Mehmed, Şeyhü’l-ulemâ Sipâhi Hâfız Ömer Efendilerden ulûm-ı nakliyye ve akliyyeyi ahz ve ikmâl ederek Canikli el-Hâc Mehmed Efendi’den mücâz oldu.
Sultân Bâyezîd Câmi-i şerîfi’nde tedrîs-i ulûma nasb-ı nefs edib Payaslızâde Hacı Abdülhalîm Efendi’ye dâmâd olarak fazl ve irfânıyla iştihâr etdi. 1258’de [214] ikmâl edilen Kapancızâde el-Hâc Hüseyin Zeki Efendi’nin yaptırdığı medresesi ilk müderrisi oldu.
1264’de Hâcezâdesi ve şerîk-i dersi Caniklizâde el-Hâc Hâfız Mehmed Hilmi Efendi Amasya Müftüsü oldukta müsevvid ve emînü’l-fetvâ oldu. 1273’de Hicâz’a gidip Mekke-i Mükerreme’de eyyâm-ı teşrîkde dâr-ı naîme irtihâl etdi. Cennetü’l-Muallâ’da medfûndur.
Fâzıl, ulûm-ı şer’iyye ve edebiyyede mâhir, edîb, şâir, fünûn-ı akliyyede kâmil, tab’an latîf, cesîm, müşekkel, mehîb bir zât idi. Eş’âr-ı Türkiyye ve Arabiyyesi olduğu mervî ise de bir türlü bulunamadı. Medresenin vakıfnâmesi bunun âsâr-ı bedîasındandır.
Mahdûmları Mustafa, Mehmed Nuri Efendilerdir ki bunlar Molla Haliloğlu el-Hâc Mehmed Ağa’nın kerîmesinden tevellüd etmişlerdi. Mustafa Efendi 1294’de vefât edib oğulları Ahmed, Abdülkerîm Efendilerdir. Kıllı Mehmed Nuri Efendi 1314’de vefât edib oğulları Hasan Tahsin, İsmâil Hakkı Efendilerdir. [215]
Merhûm cesâmet-i bedeniyesiyle beraber tab’an pek latîf idi. Derler ki Müsevvidliğinde bir köylü gelip “Karısını bir kimse emse ne lâzım gelir?” diye sormuş, o da “Hem emersin, hem gömersin. Bir şeycik olmaz!” diye cevap vermişdir. Yine bir gün Gök Medrese’nin önünden geçerken çarşafsız yalnız başörtüsüyle bir kadına tesadüf eder. Kadın bunu görünce kaçınmak için derhal yere oturup arkasını döner. Bu da “Önünden bir hayır görmedik ki arkasından görelim!” diyerek geçip gider.
Merhûm gâyet mütekellim, hüsn-i beyâna mâlik, hazır cevap olduğundan Amasya livâsının aşâr-ı mevkûfesini devlet idâresinden istisnâ etdirmek, mültezimlerin tasallutlarından kurtarmak için 1256’da İstanbul’a gönderilmişti.
Bir risâle şeklinde yazıp “Müzekkiretü’l-Evkâf” adıyla tesmiye etdiği istid’â ve arz-ı hâlini Sultân Abdülmecîd Hân’a takdîm ve şifâhen takrîr ederek istisnâya muvaffak olmuşdu. Bu arz-ı hâli çok aradım. Nihâyet Payaslızâde Eşref Bey birâderimizin ma’rifetiyle elde [216] edilebildi.
Bu arz-ı hâl, sâhib-i tercemenin hattıyla muharrer ve mührüyle mahtûm olup sonunda cereyân eden ahvâli yazıp şöyle anlatıyor:
“Bizzât Rikâb-ı Hümayûna şifâhen takrîr ederek takdîm ve kerametlü pâdişâhımız Pâdişâh-ı Âli-penâh aleyhi avnü’l-ilâh Efendimiz fetih ve kıraat buyurup ondan evkâf-ı hümayûn nâzırına ondan Sadr-ı a’zama ondan Ahkâm-ı Adliyeye ondan meclîs-i mâliyeye naklolunarak muktezâsını icrâya irâde-i aliyyeye taalluk eden Müzekkiretü’l-Evkâf nâm risâlenin sûretidir ki aynıyla tahrîr olundu. Fî 8 Zilhicce, sene 1265. İsmâil”
“Müzekkiretü’l-Evkâf Risâlesi” şudur:
“Bismihî Sübhânehû ve Teâlâ, mütevekkilen aleyhi münîben ileyhi ve hüve hasbî ve ni’me’l-vekîl.
Cenâb-ı cihân-âferîn, Hazret-i Rabbü’l-âlemîn, Hallâk-ı bilâ-muîn-i halîfe-i rûy-ı zemîn, -cellet azametuhû ve natakat bi-hikmetihî kudretihî ve ani’d-denâisi tekaddeset zâtuhû ve mine’n-nakâisi tenezzehe’t sıfâtuhû Rabbimiz Tealâ hazretleri mazhar-ı eltâf-ı [217] “Levlâke levlâk lemâ halektü’l-eflâk”, el-mübeccel bi-tebcîli “Vemâ ersenelnâke”, el-müşerref bi-şerâfeti “İnnâ erselnâke”, el-mübeşşer bi-beşâreti “İnnâ a’taynâke”, Seyyidü’l-kevneyn, Resûlü’s-sakaleyn, ceddü’l-Hasaneyni’l-ahseneyn, hâiz-i şeref-i Kâbe kavseyn, aleyhi envâ’u salavâti “Rabbü’l-maşrikayni ve’l-mağribeyn” Efendimiz Hazretleri hürmetine…
Kıt’a;
جنابك مثل روضات الجنان
و منك ينال غايات األمانى
حللت من المكارم فى ذراها
ففيها انت كالسبع المثانى¹³¹
Müfâd-ı âlîsi cebhe-i behcet-âsârlarında nısf-ı nehârda âfitâb misâli lâmî’ ve mâsiye-i mekârîm-i nisârlarında bedr-i tâb misâli sâtı’ olan Kutb-i dâire-i selâtîn-i zamân, bâis-i asâyiş-i halâik-i cihân, hadimü’l-haremeyni’l-muhteremeyn, hâiz-i şerefü’l-emâneteyni’ş-şerîfeteyn, melce-i enâm, muktedâ-yı hâs ve âm, es-Sultân ibnü’s-Sultân es-Sultân Abdülmecid Hân, dâme mecdühü ilâ-inkırazi’d-deverân, kerâmetlü Pâdişâhımız velîyyü’n-nimetimiz Efendimiz hazretlerinin ömr-i nâzenînlerin add ü şümârdan efzûn ve âmme-i hatâ ve hatardan masûn ve livâ-i zafer-likâsın mansûr ve mülk-i meyâmin-silkin ma’mûr buyurup düşmanân-ı bedhâhânın sefil-ser-nigün ve müdemmer ve makhûr eylesin, Âmîn! Sümme âmîn! Bi-hürmet-i Seyyidi’l-Mürselin [218]
-Mukaddime-
Bu abd-i âciz-i garîbin “إن الغريب ذليل حيثما كان ”¹³² mazmûnunca hisse-i garîbâneme envâ’-ı mezellet ve esnâf-ı hevân ve hakâret isâbet etmiş ise de cenâb-ı Efendim kemâl-i lütuf ve keremlerinden taksîrât-ı ahkarânemi afv buyurup bu kullarını tekdîr eylememeleri niyâz-ı bendegânem idiği ve beyne’l-İslâm kâffe-i mecâlis ve mehâkimde icrâ olunan ahkâm-ı ilâhiyye ve sünen-i Nebeviyye alâ sâhibîha efdâlü’t-tahıyyeye mutabıka olmalı ki kelâm-ı kibriyâdan mevaki-i selâsede sâbit olan, “ َُوَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بم َا أَنْزَلَ ّللا”¹³³ şurûtunun cezâları sademâtından emniyet-i kâmile husûlüyle kâffe-i hükkâm cây-ı necâtda karargîr olalar.
Makâsıd imdi evkâf-ı celîle taht-ı nezâret celîle-i evkâf-ı hümâyûn-ı mülûkânede dâhile olup vâridât-ı hazîne-i celîle-i mâliyeden olmakla taht-ı nezâret-i celîle-i mâliyede dâhile değil iken hazîne-i celîle-i mâliye me’mûrlarının mahsûlât-ı evkâfı ilzâma tasaddî eylemeleri ve ilzâm-ı evkâfın terk ve affı niyâz ve istirhâm olundukda bi’l-ittifâki’l-îrâd adem-i müsâadeye ictimâ’ eylemeleri usûlüne muhâlif ve ahkâm-ı ilâhiyyeden;
nazm-ı celîli hükm-i şerîfine mugâyir [219]¹³⁴“ ”وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْب ر وَالتَقْوَى وََلَ تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى اإلْ ثْم وَالْعُدْوَان görünmüş.
Zîrâ erkân-ı din-i mübîn olan ulemâ ve eimme ve hutabâ ve bi’l-cümle hademe-i şeâir-i İslâmiyyeyi kat’-ı erzâk edib müstehak oldukları vezâifi nâ-müstehakkına sarf olunmak kaziyyesine ittifâk, me’mûrîn olduğumuz bir ve takvâ üzerine ittifâk ve teâvün ve tenâsur şıkkından olmayıp belki menhîyyün anh olduğumuz ism ve udvân üzerine ittifâk ve teâvün ve tenâsur şıkkından olduğu Ulü’l-ebsâra hafî değildir.
Evkâfdan ulemâ ve müderrisîne meşrûtânın tutarından dûn ve noksan-ı fâhiş bedelâtla şuna buna ilzâm olunması Cenâb-ı celle ve âlâ hazretlerinin;
kavl-i kerîmiyle zümre-i ulemâya müsâvâtına ¹³⁵”قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَو ي الَذ ينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَالَذ ينَ َلَ يَعْلَمُون َ“ râzı olmadığı nâdânı belki nâ-sezâ kesânı kadr ve i’tibârda ulemâ üzerine tercîhi müstelzim idiği. Halbuki; “ ”العلماء ورثة األنبياء¹³⁶ hadîs-i şerîfi iktizâsınca kâffe-i enâma enbiyâ-i izâm aleyhim salavâtü’l-Allâm hazerâtına ta’zîm ehemm-i vâcibâttan olduğu misüllü, vereseleri olan ulemâya hürmet umûr-ı lâzimeden idiği hadîs-i şerîfin işâretinden zâhir [220] iken ulemânın kat’-ı erzâk olunmalarına bâise keyfiyyet-i mahsûsa ulemâya hevân ve hakâreti mûcibe olup bu ise nezd-i pâdişâhî lütf-i penâhîde revâ câiz olmayacağı beyne’l-havas ve’l-avâm müsellemdir.
Evkâfdan cevâmi’ ve mesâcid-i şerîfenin vâridâtını bedelât-ı cüz’iyye ile nâ-sezâ kesâne ilzâm edib bedelât-ı mezbûre ta’mîr ve termîmine vâfiye olmamağla cevâmi’ ve mesâcid-i şerîfenin harabına bâdi olacağı, hâlbuki Cenab-ı Hallâk-ı Ezelî’nin; “ َإنَم َا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجد َّللاَم َنْ امَنَ با َّلل ¹³⁸”يَاأَيُّهَا ال ذ ينَ امَنُوا ب اَّللَ وَالْيَوْم اْلْخ ر اعمروا مساجد هللاَ ferman-ı hümâyûnu iktizâsından; “¹³⁷ ”وَالْيَ وْم اْلْخ ر hitâb-ı âlîsi müstefâd olup bu takdîrce cevâmi’ ve mesâcid-i şerîfenin vâridâtını kemâ hüve hakkuhâ îfâ ile i’mârı ve harabdan vikâyesi kâffe-i ehl-i İslâm’a hem ferâizden idiği müstağnin ani’l- beyândır.
İşbu ilzâm-ı evkâf maddesinin affına himmet buyurup kemâ fi’s-sâbık mutasarrıfları taraflarından yahût cânib-i Nezaret-i Celîle-i Evkâf-ı Hümâyûn’dan me’mûr evkâf müdürleri taraflarından ta’şîrîne müsâade-i seniyye ihsân buyurulmasıyla cevâmi’ ve mesâcîd-i şerîfe ve emsâli bikâ’-i hayrât ve muberrâtın harabdan vikâye ve müceddeden ihyâsına ve mutasarrıfların terfîhine bâis olan zevât-ı kirâm sâlîfü’z-zikr ve’l-beyân [221] âyet-i celiletü’ş-şân’ın iktizâsından müstefâd olan emr-i âlîye imtisâl etmiş olmakla işâretinden müstebân olan; “ من ْوَمَن sırrına mahzar olup; “¹³⁹”المؤمنين الكاملين المتصفين باإليمان الحقيقى باهلل واليوم األخر من يعمر مساجد هللا kavl-i şerîfi satevâtından emîn olacakları ¹⁴⁰”أَظْلَمُ م مَنْ مَنَعَ مَسَ اج دَ ّللاَ أَنْ يُذْكَرَ ف يهَا اسْمُهُ وَسَعَى ف ي خَرَاب هَا bî-iştibâhdır.
Kütüb-i fıkhiyye-i mu’teberede Eimme-i Hanefiyye aleyhim rahmetü rabbi’l-beriyye’nin; “شرط الواقف كنص الشارع”¹⁴¹diye tasrîh buyurmalarından müstebân olur ki nusûs-i şâri’â ittibâ’ ve imtisâl vâcib olduğu misüllü şurût-i vâkıfîne ittiba’ ve imtisâl vâcib olacağı, zira şart-ı vâkıfı tebdîl ve tağyîr, nusûs-i şer’iyyeyi tebdîl ve tağyîr misüllü olup, nusûs-i şer’iyyeyi tebdîl - iyâzen billâhi teâlâ- tahrîf-i şer-i şerîfi müstelzim olacağı, bu sûretde ilzâm-ı evkâf maddesi şurût-i vâkıfîni tebdîl ve tağyîrden ibâret olmağın tahrîf-i şer’i şerîfi müstelzim olacağı, hâlbuki ahkâm-ı şeriat-ı Ahmediyye -ala sâhibihâ efdâlü’t-tahiyye ilâ yevmi’l-kıyâm- bâkiye olmağın amme-i ulemâ-i dîn-i mübîn -aleyhim avnü’l-mu’în- üzerlerine belki kâffe-i vükela-i fihâm - aleyhim inâyetü’l-allâm- [222] hazerâtına husûsen kerametlü pâdişâhımız, pâdişâh-ı İslâm, - aleyhi nusretü’s-selâm- Efendimize şeriat-ı mutahharayı tebdîl ve tahrîfden himâye ve vikâye ilzâm-ı levâzım-ı diniyyeden olduğu zâhir ve bâhirdir.
Bidâyeten tesîs-i kavanîn-i Tanzimât-ı Hayriyye’de bade’l-yevm sâye-i merâhim-vâye-i Hazret-i zillûlâhîde kimseye zulüm ve cevr misüllü halât vukū’u câiz olmayıp belki maksûd-i Hazret-i Hilâfet-penâhî -aleyhi avn-i nâmütenâhî- tamîr-i bilâd ve terfîh-i ahvâl-i ibâd kaziyyesinden ibâretdir diye tasrîh ve ol vecihle kâffe-i memâlik-i mahrûsetü’l-mesâlike neşir ve ilân buyurulmuşken işbu madde-i mahsûsa ulemâ ve eimme ve hutabâ ve kâffe-i erkân-ı şeâir-i İslâmiyyeye ve meşrûtiyet üzere evkâfdan vazîfe-hâr olan nice fukarâ ve zuâfaya ve eytâm ve ârâmla özr-i sarih olduğundan mâadâ; “ َ وَأَنَ الْمَسَاجد َ َّلل”¹⁴² nazm-ı celîli mûcibince ihtisâsı Cenâb-ı celle ve alâ hazretlerine olan cevâmi’ ve mesâcîd-i şerîfe ve emsali bikâ’-i hayrât ve muberrâta mûcib-i teâddî olduğu celî ve âşikârdır.
-Hâtime-
Bu kadar bast ve beyândan maksûd-i acizânem -hâşâ sümme hâşâ- Cenâb-ı Efendime ta’lim olmayıp mücerred niyâz ve istirhâmdan ibâret olup Efendimin dahi Kulzûm-i şefkat ve merhametleri [223] tehyîc-i rabbânî ve temvîc-i samedânî birle cûş edib kemâl-i lütuf ve keremlerinden ahvâl-i fakîrânemize merhamet ve re’fet buyurup; “ ”إرحموا ترحموا¹⁴³hadîs-i şerîfi mâ-sadakına kasd-ı muvaffakiyetle; “ ”إن هللا يحب من عباده الرحماء¹⁴⁴ hadîs-i latîfi esrâr-ı من سن فى اإلسالم سنة سيئة كان عليه وزره و وزر من عمل بها من بعده من غيرhafiyyesine mazhar olup; “ أن ينقص من أوزارهم شيئ”¹⁴⁵ hadîs-i şerîfi vaîdinden emîn olmaları olduğu ve istirhâm-ı fakîrânemiz zâhiren kendilerimize tahsîl-i menafî haddelerinde görünür ise de hakîkaten hizmet-i Hazret-i bâri ve hizmet-i Cenâb-ı risâlet-penâhî -aleyhi’s-salâvâtı gayr-i mütenâhî-den ibâret olmağın tahsîl-i rıza-i Hudâ-yı lem yezelî ve rızâ-i Cenâb-ı Peygamberî’den hâlî’ olmayacağı evveliyyât-ı bedîhiyyâttandır.
Elhamdülillâhi evvelen ve âhiren ve’s-salâtü alâ-nebiyyihî bâtınen ve zâhiren ve âlihî tayyiben ve tâhiren ve sahbihi hafiyyen ve câhiren.
حرره احقر الورى خادم الطلبا امساعيل حقى األماصى لني هللا قلبه العاصى “¹⁴⁶
Bu risâle iki uzun sahîfeden ibâret olup birinci sahîfenin arkasında “Hâcezâde Kemâletlü el-Hâc Abdülhalîm Efendi hazretlerine takdîm oluna…” yazılmışdır. Bu risâleyi [224] bana lutfeden Eşref Beyefendi birâderimiz, işte bu Hacı Abdülhalîm Efendi’nin ahfâd-ı kirâmındandır. Bu evkâfın istisnâsı, sonra âkibeti tarihimizin birinci bâbında vekâyi’ kısmında yazılıdır.
In Modern English
He is a native of Amasya. He is the son of İnepazarlı Seyyid Hasan Efendi, one of the scholars, who died in 1244 [1828-29]; Hasan was the son of Hacı Ömer, and Ömer the son of Resul. From his uncle Seyyid Şâkir Abdullah, from Hacı Ahmed Efendizâde Seyyid Mustafa, from Canikli Hacı Mehmed and from Sipâhi Hâfız Ömer Efendi, the head of the scholars, he took and completed the transmitted and the rational sciences, and he received his license (icazet) from Canikli Hacı Mehmed Efendi.
He devoted himself to teaching in the Sultan Bayezid Mosque, married the daughter of Payaslızâde Hacı Abdülhalîm Efendi, and became renowned for his knowledge and learning. He became the first müderris of the madrasa completed in 1258 [1842-43], which Kapancızâde Hacı Hüseyin Zeki Efendi had built.
In 1264 [1847-48], when his teacher's son and fellow student Caniklizâde Hacı Hâfız Mehmed Hilmi Efendi became mufti of Amasya, he became müsevvid and trustee of the fatwas. In 1273 [1857] he went to the Hejaz and passed away in Mecca during the days of teşrik. He is buried in Jannat al-Mu'alla.
He was a learned man, a master of the religious sciences and of literature, a man of letters and a poet, accomplished in the rational sciences, of a gentle nature, large in build, handsome and awe-inspiring. It is reported that he had poems in Turkish and Arabic, but they could not be found in any way. The deed of endowment of the madrasa is among his fine works.
His sons are Mustafa and Mehmed Nuri Efendi, who were born of the daughter of Molla Halîloğlu Hacı Mehmed Ağa. Mustafa Efendi died in 1294 [1877], and his sons are Ahmed and Abdülkerim Efendi. Kıllı Mehmed Nuri Efendi died in 1314 [1896-97], and his sons are Hasan Tahsin and İsmail Hakkı Efendi.
Although the late scholar was heavy in build, he was of a very gentle nature. It is told that during his time as müsevvid a villager came and asked, "What is required if someone suckles at his wife's breast?", and he answered, "You will both command and bury. Nothing will come of it!" Again, one day, as he was passing in front of the Gök Madrasa, he met a woman wearing only a headscarf, without a cloak. When the woman saw him, she at once sat on the ground and turned her back to avoid him. At that he said, "We have seen no good from her front, so let us see it from her back!" and went on his way.
Because the late scholar was a fluent speaker, gifted in expression and quick in reply, he had been sent to Istanbul in 1256 [1840-41] to have the endowed tithes of the sanjak of Amasya exempted from the direct administration of the state and to save them from the pressure of the tax farmers.
He had written his petition and plea in the form of a treatise, which he named "Müzekkiretü'l-Evkâf," presented it to Sultan Abdülmecid Khan and also explained it in person, and had succeeded in obtaining this exemption. I searched for this petition for a long time. At last it could be obtained through the mediation of our brother Payaslızâde Eşref Bey.
This petition is written in the hand of the subject of this biography and sealed with his seal; it records at the end what took place and tells it as follows:
"I presented it in person, explaining it orally before the Imperial Stirrup. Our exalted sovereign, the lofty Padishah, our Lord (may God's help be upon him), opened and read it, and from there it was passed on to the minister of endowments, from him to the grand vizier, from him to the Ahkâm-ı Adliye, and from there to the finance council, and the treatise called Müzekkiretü'l-Evkâf, to which the exalted will attached itself so that its requirement might be carried out, is a copy that has been written out exactly. 8 Zilhicce, year 1265 [1849]. İsmâil"
The "Treatise of Müzekkiretü'l-Evkâf" is as follows:
"In the name of the Glorified and Exalted God; trusting in Him and turning to Him. He is enough for me, and what a good guardian He is."
For the sake of our Lord, the Exalted God, Creator of the worlds, who without any helper created the deputy on earth (may His greatness be exalted, may His power speak with His wisdom, may His essence be holy and free of all faults and His attributes pure of all deficiencies), who is the object of His favors; who is exalted by the saying "Had it not been for you, had it not been for you, I would not have created the heavens"; who is magnified by the verse "We did not send you except..." and has the honor of the verse "We have sent you" and the glad tidings of the verse "We have given you"; the lord of the two worlds, the prophet of humankind and of the jinn, the grandfather of Hasan and Hüseyin, who attained the honor of "two bows' length," named by the expression "Lord of the two easts and the two wests," our Lord, upon whom be all kinds of blessings...
A quatrain:
An Arabic quatrain of four lines in praise of the Prophet; its meaning:
O Prophet, you are like the gardens of Paradise.
All our wishes are fulfilled through you.
You hold the highest of all excellences;
you are like the Seven Oft-Repeated Verses of the Qur'an (the Sura al-Fâtiha).
May God lengthen beyond counting the life of our Lord, our padishah of exalted dignity and our benefactor, Sultan son of Sultan, Sultan Abdülmecid Khan (may his glory last until the end of time), the pole of the circle of the sultans of the age, the cause of the well-being of the people of the world, servant of the two venerable sanctuaries, bearer of the honor of the two noble trusts, refuge of humankind, model for the elect and the common, whose exalted meaning shines on his blessed brow like the sun at noon and glows on the face of his generous deeds like the full moon; may He protect everyone from error and danger, make his victorious banner triumphant and his land, which is accompanied by happiness, prosperous, and may He bring down his ill-wishing enemies headlong, destroyed and humbled. Amen! Then amen! For the sake of the lord of the messengers.
- Introduction -
Although all kinds of humiliation, contempt and degradation have fallen to the lot of this poor stranger of a servant, in keeping with the Arabic saying "A stranger is lowly wherever he is," my Lord, in his full kindness and generosity, may forgive my faults, and I beg that he not rebuke these servants of his. The judgments carried out in all assemblies and courts among Muslims should accord with the divine commands and the sunna of the Prophet, so that complete security may be gained from the shock of the penalties of the conditions in the verse that appears in three places in the word of God, "Whoever does not judge by what God has revealed...", and so that all judges may settle in a place of salvation.
The point is this: although the exalted endowments come under the supervision of the Imperial Ministry of Evkâf and are not among the revenues of the Treasury and do not come under the administration of the Ministry of Finance, the officials of the Treasury attempt to impose the produce of the endowments on others (ilzam), and when a request and plea is made that the imposition on the endowments be abandoned and pardoned, they are united in agreeing not to allow it; this is contrary to procedure and to the divine commands,
and it has also appeared to be contrary to the noble ruling of the exalted verse "Cooperate in righteousness and piety. But do not cooperate in sin and enmity" (Mâide, 5/2).
For to cut off the livelihood of the scholars, the imams, the preachers and all the servants of the symbols of Islam, who are the pillars of the religion, and to agree on spending the stipends they deserve on those who do not deserve them is not agreement, help and solidarity of the kind in righteousness and piety that we have been commanded; it is agreement, help and solidarity of the kind in sin and enmity that we have been forbidden. This is not hidden from those who have insight.
That the endowments impose on one person and another, at prices far below the amount stipulated for scholars and müderrises, with gross shortfalls, requires preferring the ignorant, whom the Exalted God does not accept as equal to the group of scholars according to His command "Say: Are those who know equal to those who do not know?" (Zümer, 39/9), and even the unworthy, over the scholars in esteem and value. Yet according to the hadith "The scholars are the heirs of the prophets," just as respect for the prophets is among the most important obligations for all people, respect for the scholars, who are their heirs, is among the necessary things; this is evident from the indication of the hadith. That being so, this particular circumstance that causes the livelihood of the scholars to be cut off requires looking down on and humiliating the scholars; and this is not fitting for the grace and protection of the padishah, which is accepted among the elect and the common alike.
That the revenues of the mosques and masjids from the endowments be imposed on the unworthy at small prices will cause the mosques and masjids to fall into ruin, because these prices do not suffice for their repair and upkeep. Yet according to the verses of the Creator and Eternal God, "Only those who believe in God and the Last Day maintain the mosques of God" (Tevbe, 9/18) and "O you who believe in God and the Last Day, maintain the mosques of God," it is too clear to need explaining that maintaining the mosques and masjids by paying their revenues in full, and protecting them from ruin, is an obligation for all Muslims.
Those persons who make an effort for the pardon of this matter of imposition on endowments, and who, by the granting of imperial permission, as in the past, for the tithes to be collected by their holders or by the endowment directors appointed by the Imperial Ministry of Evkâf, become the cause of protecting the mosques, masjids and similar works of charity from ruin, of reviving them, and of the comfort of the holders, will have complied with the command that follows from the exalted verse mentioned and explained above. They will receive the secret of the saying understood from the verse, "Those who maintain the mosques of God are the perfect believers marked by faith," and there is no doubt that they will be safe from the harm of the threat of the verse "Who is more unjust than one who prevents the name of God from being mentioned in His mosques and strives for their ruin?" (Bakara, 2/114).
It becomes clear from the explicit statement of the Hanafi imams (may God's mercy be upon them) in the reliable books of jurisprudence, "The condition of the founder is like the text of the lawgiver," that just as obeying the texts of the lawgiver is obligatory, so is obeying the conditions of the founders. For changing and altering the condition of the founder is like changing and altering the legal texts, and changing the legal texts (we seek refuge in God) requires distorting the noble law. In this case, since the imposition on endowments consists of changing and altering the conditions of the founders, it requires distorting the law. Yet since the rulings of the Ahmedian law remain until the Day of Resurrection, it is among the religious duties of all scholars of religion, and indeed of all prudent viziers, and especially of our exalted padishah, the Padishah of Islam, our Lord, to protect and watch over the pure law against being changed and corrupted; this is clear and evident.
At the outset, when the laws of the beneficent Tanzimat were established, it was declared that from then on, under the merciful protection of the Shadow of God, it is not permissible for oppression and injustice to befall anyone, and that the aim of the Caliphate is the prosperity of the lands and the well-being of the servants, and this was announced and published throughout all the protected dominions. Yet this particular provision, quite apart from the clear harm it does to the scholars, imams, preachers and all the people of the symbols of Islam, and to the many poor, weak, orphans and widows who draw stipends from the endowments according to their conditions, is clear and manifest in that it amounts to an encroachment on the mosques, masjids and similar works of charity that belong to God according to the exalted verse "The mosques belong to God" (Cin, 72/18).
- Conclusion -
My aim in setting out and explaining this much is (God forbid, and again God forbid) not to teach my Lord; it is only a plea and a petition. May my Lord's sea of compassion and mercy surge with a divine prompting and a surge from the Eternal, and out of his full kindness and generosity show mercy and compassion to our state; and with the aim of succeeding in the fulfillment of the hadith "Show mercy so that you may be shown mercy," may he receive the secrets of the hadith "God loves those of His servants who are merciful," and be safe from the warning of the hadith "Whoever begins an evil practice in Islam bears its sin and the sin of those who act on it after him, without any reduction in their sins." Although our humble petition may seem on the surface to be for gaining benefits for ourselves, in truth it consists of service to God and service to the Prophet, so it is perfectly plain that it will not lack the pleasure of the Eternal God and the pleasure of the Prophet.
Praise be to God at the first and at the last; and blessings and peace be upon His Prophet, inwardly and outwardly, upon his pure and clean family, and upon his companions, hidden and open.
Arabic signature; its meaning: Written by the lowliest of people, the servant of the students of learning, İsmâil Hakkı Amâsî. May God soften his rebellious heart.
This treatise consists of two long pages; on the back of the first page is written "To be presented to his excellency Hacızâde Kemâletlü Hacı Abdülhalîm Efendi...". Our brother Eşref Beyefendi, who kindly gave me this treatise, is indeed one of the esteemed descendants of this Hacı Abdülhalîm Efendi. The exemption of these endowments and its outcome are written in the section on events in the first part of our history.
Notes and Research
Old Words in the Text
- mahdûm: son
- ulûm-ı nakliyye ve akliyye: the sciences based on transmission (exegesis, hadith, jurisprudence) and those based on reason (logic, theology, philosophy)
- mücâz: one who has received a license, permitted to teach
- müsevvid: the assistant who prepares the drafts of fatwas
- emînü'l-fetvâ: the official who keeps the fatwa records in a muftiate
- eyyâm-ı teşrîk: the three days following the first day of the Feast of Sacrifice
- aşâr-ı mevkûfe: tithes tied to an endowment
- mültezim: a person who contracts for and collects state revenues
- istid'â: petition
- arz-ı hâl: a petition of request presented to the sultan
- ilzâm-ı evkâf: imposing endowment revenues on others or transferring them for a payment
- mutasarrıf: one with the right to benefit from an endowment revenue
- şurût-ı vâkıfîn: the conditions laid down by the founders
His Teaching Posts
In the first volume Hüsameddin counts İnepazarlı Hacı İsmail among the "exceptionally renowned" teachers of Amasya; Caniklizâde Hacı Mehmed, Payaslızâde Hacı Abdülhalîm and a few others are on this list, and their students were still spreading learning at that time. When describing the madrasas, however, the name of İsmail Hakkı appears in several places. He appears as müderris in 1253 at the Osman Çelebi Dârülhadis in the Pirinççi quarter. At the Gök Madrasa in 1266 he became müderris on the death of Abdullah Efendi, and after his own death in 1273 his sons Mustafa and Mehmed Nuri shared the post. It is also written in the madrasa section that he was the first müderris of the Kapancızâde Madrasa. The entry in the seventh volume mentions only the Kapancızâde Madrasa among these; the posts at the Gök Madrasa and the Osman Çelebi Dârülhadis do not appear there.
The joke told in front of the Gök Madrasa is fitting in this respect: İsmail Hakkı also held the post of müderris of that madrasa. The madrasa is attributed to the Seljuk emir Seyfeddin Torumtay; its date of construction is not known with certainty, and it is mentioned in its endowment deed under the name Gökmedrese.
The Kapancızâde Madrasa and the Muvakkithane
According to Hüsameddin, the Kapancızâde Madrasa was built in 1258 by Kapancızâde Hacı Hüseyin Zeki Efendi of Amasya, one of the teachers of the Imperial Divan, who also arranged its endowment. The wooden building rose on the site taken from the Sultan Bayezid woodyard by the order of Sultan Mahmud II, at the northwest end of the Kağnı Market, on the highway, level with the Sultan Bayezid School. When it fell into ruin, its east and north sides were pulled down in 1308 and a building with fourteen shops below and cells above was built; the building burned in 1325, and the site passed out of endowment ownership.
The same benefactor also had a muvakkithane built in the Bayezid Complex. The inscription of the muvakkithane states that the structure was built in 1256 [1840] by Kaptancızâde Hacı Hüseyin Zeki Efendi; the date of the inscription and the 1258 that Hüsameddin gives for the madrasa are two years apart. Another study, relying on Hüsameddin, writes that Hüseyin Zeki Efendi had a library and a fountain built together with the muvakkithane and also endowed his properties. The date 1258 may point to the completion of the construction or to the appointment of the muvakkit; this is an inference. İsmail Efendi, who became muvakkit in the same year, is the person mentioned in the entry on Hacıoğlu İsmail Efendi in this volume.
Müzekkiretü'l-Evkâf
The period in which the treatise appeared is one in which the administration of endowments was being centralized. According to one study, the old financing arrangement based on endowment revenues changed fundamentally with the founding of the Ministry of Evkâf in 1826 and the fiscal arrangement of 1838; endowment revenues were transferred to the central treasury, they were often used to close budget deficits, and the salaries of endowment staff stayed low and were paid irregularly. The complaints in İsmail Hakkı's treatise run in the same direction; but this pairing is an inference, and which revenues of the sanjak of Amasya were at issue could not be verified in a source outside the treatise.
The treatise objects to Treasury officials imposing the produce of endowments on others, and it rests its objection on four grounds: the cutting off of the stipends of scholars and mosque staff, the neglect of the mosques' repair, the violation of the Hanafi principle "the condition of the founder is like the text of the lawgiver," and the promise of justice given by the Tanzimat. The sentence in the text that is given with "olmakla" and describes the relation of the Treasury to the endowments has been read as negative by the sense; the original expression is unclear in this respect.
An inconsistency is seen in the dates. The year in which İsmail Hakkı was sent to Istanbul for the exemption is given as 1256 [1840-41], while the date under the copy of the treatise is 8 Zilhicce 1265 [1849]. The nine years between are not explained in the text. Hüsameddin refers the outcome of the exemption to the section on events in the first part; no record of the exemption could be found in this section in this work, so the extent of the exemption rests only on the account in this entry.
No information about İnepazarlı İsmail Hakkı Efendi himself or his treatise was found in other sources.
Bibliography
Primary sources
- Abdîzâde Hüseyin Hüsâmeddîn Yasar, Amasya Tarihi, Amasya Belediyesi Kültür Yayınları, 2022, vol. 7, p. 328–331. amasya.bel.tr
- Abdîzâde Hüseyin Hüsâmeddîn Yasar, Amasya Tarihi, vol. 1, "Gök Medrese" (p. 296-297), "Dârü'l-Hadîs Medresesi" (p. 289), "Kapancızâde Medresesi" (p. 304-305).
Academic studies
Official sources