THE 16TH CENTURY POET SILISTRELI SÎRÎ AND HIS MATHNAWI “HILYETU’L-ISLAM”

Abstract

Although the 16th century is known as the glorious era of the Ottomans, it does not necessarily imply that peace and tranquility prevailed throughout all Ottoman territories. Indeed, especially in the second half of this century, significant conflicts and wars occurred, particularly along the eastern borders. Due to various reasons, the Sultan of the period, Murad III (reigned 1574-1595), issued a campaign order in 1578, and consequently, military units from various parts of the state were dispatched to the eastern borders to participate in the Eastern Campaign. Among the Ottoman military units, there were also individuals interested in poetry and literature. The poet known by the pen name Sîrî, who is the focus of this study, was one of the names who participated in this campaign and was essentially a cavalryman. Sîrî, whose real name is Ali, according to his own statement, is originally from Silistra. Sîrî, who participated in the Eastern Campaign of the Ottomans, tragically lost all four of his children during the campaign. Understanding the temporariness of the world upon these losses, the poet hoped to be remembered favorably by composing a work called “Hilyetü’l-Islam.” One of the reasons for writing Hilyetü’l-Islam was also to respond to the increasing Shiite propaganda. While the sections of faith, Islam, and beneficence, which form the first parts of the mesnevi, essentially deal with the basic concepts of Islamic belief and worship, these parts serve as a response to the Alevi propaganda perceived by the poet as Rafidi. In these sections, Sîrî frequently criticizes the Rafidi Kızılbash by addressing them directly. The aforementioned Hilyetü’l-Islam, whose only copy discovered so far is in mesnevi verse form, was completed in 1580. In this encyclopedic mesnevi, various topics are covered, ranging from religion to trade, from governance to military matters, from craftsmanship to marriage. The mesnevi, appearing as an incomplete copy, consists of approximately 4864 verses in its current form. In this study, the Hilyetü’l-Islam mesnevi, which has not been subject to a previous study, will be examined in terms of form and content, and an attempt will be made to present the life story of the poet, Silistreli Sîrî Ali. © 2024 Ankara Haci Bayram Veli University. All rights reserved.