Chapter structure
- Text № 1 When the Quran was being written down at the Throne of the Merciful
- Text № 1 Kuran yazilirkan arsi rahmanda
- Text № 2 We are among those who say, “Haqq–Muhammad–Ali”
- Text № 2 Hak Muhamet Ali deyenlerdeniz
- Text № 3 The Dervishes, who come saying, “Hû”
- Text № 3 Hü deye deye gelen dervisler
- Text № 4 For the sake of the Seven and the Forty
- Text № 4 Yediler kirklar askina
- Text № 5 In your meydan, Shah Seyyid Ali
- Text № 5 Meydanina senin, Shah Seyyid Ali
- Text № 6 The one I praise to you is Kızıl Deli
- Text № 6 Sana met ettigim Kizildelidir
- Text № 7 The whole world shall be yours
- Text № 7 Bütün dünya sizin olsun
- Text № 8 Carry on again, my Pīr Sultan
- Text № 8 Gel gene Pir Sultanim insan ola gel
- Text № 9 What Muhammad Ali made utmost
- Text № 9 Muhammet Alinin kildigi dava
- Text № 10 At the end of this world the young Mahdī (Redeemer) will come
- Text № 10 Su dünyanin ˹a˺hirinda Mehti sabi gelecek˹tir˺
- Text № 11 I became a man, I got into Adam
- Text № 11 Adem olup geldim ey adem icine
- Text № 12 One is Muhammad, the other one is Ali
- Text № 12 Birisi Muhammet birisi Ali
- Text № 13 From the side of the Qibla, there rose a star
- Text № 13 Kıble tarafından bir yıldız dovdu
- Text № 14 Ah Husein, woe Husein, Imam Hasan Shah Husein!
- Text № 14 Ah Hüseyın vah Hüseyın Imam Hasan sah Hüseyin!
- Text № 15 O Muhammad, O Ali!
- Text № 15 Ya Muhammet ya Ali!
- Text № 16 Ali [will be] the one who unfurls the flag
- Text № 16 Önünce sancaĝın ceken ya Ali
- Text № 17 The crowns in red and green should be put up
- Text № 17 Al yesil tacları kırmızı örüne
- Text № 18 The ones who love Muhammad [and] Ali
- Text № 18 Muhammetle Aliyi candan sevenler
- Acknowledgements
- References
- Footnotes
For Lyubomir Mikov
The
Text № 1 When the Quran was being written down at the Throne of the Merciful
I was in the hands of the Inscriber of Strength/Power.6
When the Candelabrum was being hung up on the divine light’s tebar,7
I was a nightingale on the rosebud.
In the secret speech of Muhammad Ali
I was on his tongue, at every utterance.
The Forty set up a cem11 on the top of the Throne,
The Lord kneaded Adam from clay;14
At that time I was in Adam’s loins.
I have found my seyran,15...is that place,
To those who don’t know his fate, I won’t give even a penny,16
As the food was given, I was by him.
While my forefather Yunus
While he stayed there for forty days and forty nights,
Text № 1 Kuran yazilirkan arsi rahmanda
Kudiret katibinin elinde idim
Kandil asilirken nur tebarinda
Bülbül idim konca gülündeidim.
Kirklarin leckeri asin kaleminde
Muhamet Alinin sir kelaminda
Her söylerken dilinde idim.
Kirklar ars üstüne kurdular cemi
Balciktan yuvurdu mevla Ademi
Ovakit ben Ademin belinde idim.
Seyranim bulmusam asik orasi
Kaderin bilmeyene vermem yarisi
Taham21 verilerken yaninda idim.
Yonuz dedem balik kursana girdigi zaman
Kirk gün rageci durdugu zaman
Alinin zülfikari caldigi zaman
Text № 2 We are among those who say, “Haqq–Muhammad–Ali”
We are among those who say, “[Haqq–]Muhammad–Ali.”
For the eyes of the beholders23 nothing is hidden,
We are of those who say, “Haqq–Muhammad–Ali.”24
The one who calls upon them will not be disregarded,
We are of those who say, “Haqq–Muhammad–Ali.”
We wear red on our foreheads,
As for Predestination, we hold to what Imam Ja‘far said,28
We are of those who say, “Haqq–Muhammad–Ali.”
In the spring, our roses blossom,
And our ways lead to the Haqq,
We are of those who say, “Haqq–Muhammad–Ali.”
My Pīr Sultan
He has set up the rules and the path,
The first is Muhammad, the last is Ali,
Text № 2 Hak Muhamet Ali deyenlerdeniz
Version A
Biz muhamet Ali deyenlerdeniz
Gözlüye gizli olmaz sen ne ararsin
Hak32 muhamet Ali deyenlerdeniz
Mahrum kalmaz anlere cagiran kisi
Atalim yezide merhane tasi
Hak muhamet Ali deyenlerdeniz
Egnimize kirmizilar giyeriz
Katerde imam Cafere uyariz
Hak muhamet Ali deyenlerdeniz
Bahar aylarinda acili33 gülümüz
Haka dogru gider bizim yolumuz
Hak muhamet Ali deyenlerdeniz
Pir Sultanim heyder muhamet Ali
Onlarda kurmustur erkani yolu
Eveli muhamet ahiri Ali
Version B
Biz Muhammet Ali deyenlerdeniz
Gözlüye gizli olmaz sen ne ararsın
Hak Muhammet Ali Diyenlerdeniz
Mahrum kalmaz anlere caĝıran kisi
Atalım Yezide merhana tası
Biz Muhammet Ali deyenlerdeniz
Eĝnimize kırmızılar giyeriz
Katerde imam Cafere uyarız
Hak Muhammet Ali diyenlerdeniz
Bahar aylarında acar gülümüz
Haka doĝru gider bizim yolumuz
Biz Muhammet Ali diyenlerdeniz
Pir Sultanım eyder Muhammet Ali
Onlardir kuranlar erkânı yolu
Evveli Muhammet ahırı Ali
Text № 3 The Dervishes, who come saying, “Hû”
Go dare ask them why they came.
They have set up a place35 on the heaven above,
This devrân36 is ours, saying repeatedly “Hû.”
In the mouths there is a taste of pleasure,
The believer and the one who has submitted [= Muslim
This devrân is ours, saying repeatedly “Hû,”
The angels sat down to eat and drink,
Saying “Hû,” they expiate their sins.
This devrân is ours, saying repeatedly “Hû.”
In
Some recite the salat/h37 [by heart], the others read [it out],
This devrân is ours, saying repeatedly “Hû.”
In the daybreak come the imams and beg,
Some say the salat/h, the others listen,
The angels listen to the ...38 of this believer,
Yunus Emre 39—this is the name of the believer—says
The frost within me [is] the taste, [and] the pleasure,
When saying “Hû,” God’s name is praised.40
Text № 3 Hü deye deye gelen dervisler
Varin sorun onlar niye gelmisler
Caneti41 alaya bir gök kurmuslar
Bu devran bizimdir hüdüyi dize42
Agizlar icinde lezet dadi
Mümün müslüm bu yolu koydu
Bu devran bizimdir hüdayi diye
Oturmus melekler yiyup icerler
Hüdiyince günahlarindan gecerler
Bu devran bizimdir hü deye deye
Sabahin sehirinde43 bülbüler sakir
Kimi sela verir kimisi okur
Bu derman bizimdir hüdiye diye
Sabahin seyrinde imamlar beyler
Kimi sela verir kimisi dinler
Bu mümün edarini44 melekler dinler
Yonuz emre eyder bu mümün adi
Ayazlar icimde lezeti dadi
Hü deyince süvenir tanrinin ati
Text № 4 For the sake of the Seven and the Forty
And I called for the Three Ones,46 for His sake,
I smeared my face on the ground,
To take in his hands those who have fallen,
My heart shall be the Kurban-sacrifice
For the sake of the One, who created us.
This world is a constituted Haqq
God is one and Muhammad is the Haqq
For the sake of the Twelve Imams.50
Come, let us leave behind the worldly / mundane matters,51
And pick out white from black,
For the sake of recited Quran.
My Şah Hatayî,53 let us [go and] get there,
To see [our] sins there,
To sacrifice ourselves with joy,54
Text № 4 Yediler kirklar askina
Version A
Cardim ücler askina57
Yüzümü yerlere sürdüm
Yediler kirklar askina58
Düsmüsleri eline alsin59
Bizi yaradan askina62
Bu dünya kurulu haktir63
Allah bir muhamed haktir65
On iki imamlar askina66
Gelin su haktan gecelim67
Aki kareden secslim68
Okunan kuran askina70
Sahatayim gel varalim71
Ande günahlar görelim72
Hosca canimiz virelim73
[20] Bizi yaradan askina74
Version B
Caĝırdım ücler askına
Yüüzmü yerlere sürüdm
Yedilervkırklar askına.
Düsmüsleri eline alsın
Canim hakka kurban olsun
Bizi yaradan askına
Su dünya kurulu faktır
Allah bir Muhammet haktır
On iki imamlar askına
Gelin su faktan gecelim
Akı karadan secelim
Okuan kuran askına
Sahatayi gel varalım
Ande günahlar görelim
Hosca canımz verelim
Text № 5 In your meydan, Shah Seyyid Ali
Let him search for the secret, there is no doubt77 in you,
The Prophet is still beside the ...80
Including you and the Muslims,
The meydan is yours, Shah Kızıl Deli.
..., the Forty are beloved,81
Those, who smeared their faces and came [to you], have [all] found cure,
The meydan is yours, Shah Kızıl Deli.
The faith of Muhammad granted [its] gift,
From your might should the mountains tremble,
The meydan is yours, Shah Kızıl Deli.
My Yusuf Dede says, the will has always been fulfilled,
My God showed me the secret of the Truth,
Questions to everyone [about]83 the Twelve Imams,
Text № 5 Meydanina senin, Shah Seyyid Ali
Meydanina senin sah seyid Ali
Harasin84 sirri sence yoktur gümanin
Gergahina85 senin sah kizil deli
Midarin yaninda ala hep Rasül
Seni vuis lümanlar86 ile sen dehul
Meydan senindir sah kizil deli
OL yezidin dedi kirklar sertac
Yüz sürüp gelenler buldular ilac
meydan senindir sah kizildeli
Dini muhamet eyledi isan89
Meydan senindir sah kizil deli
Yusuf dedem heyder Hep oldu meram
Siri hakikati gösterdi hüdam
Sorular erkese on iki imam
Text № 6 The one I praise to you is Kızıl Deli
One stayed in Elmalı, the other one here,
Your little sibling took Rumelia,
The one whom I praise to you is Kızıl Deli.93
He did not leave anyone to say, “enough”; he crashed the non-believers,
The one whom I praise to you is Kızıl Deli.
The one who settled in the Kuru plain,97
To the seven areas [and] the four corners, he built98 foundations,
The one whom I praise to you is Kızıl Deli.
The one who came and settled saying, “This is my home,”
The one who cultivated mulberries from a dried out stick,
The one whom I praise to you is Kızıl Deli.
You made ...to the spring of Bali
If you would just see what Yezît100 made to us,
My Pīr Sultan
Text № 6 Sana met ettigim Kizildelidir
Biri elmalida kaldi biri burada104
Kücük kardesin rumelini aldi105
Sana met ettigim kizildelidir106
Hic aman vermedi kufari kirdi107
Gel rum beyleri geriden geldi108
Sana met ittigim kizil delidir109
Kuru yaylasina meskan tutan110
Yedi iklim dört köseye temel yörütü112
Sana met etigim kizil deliyi113
Gelip Meskanim diye cöküp oturan114
Kuru sis ile dut agacin bitiren115
Sana met etigim kizildeliyi117
Bali binarina demyat eyledin118
Görsen yezit bize ne itti eyledi119
Pir Sultanim bunu böyle söyledi120
Text № 7 The whole world shall be yours
One soulmate, one post122 is enough for me.
Silk clothing shall be yours,
One soulmate, one post is enough for me.
They mount horses without [walking on their own] feet/legs,124
They return, having buried [?] in the earth,125
One soulmate, one post is enough for me.
Do you know what should happen?
If I should live for one thousand years,
One soulmate, one post is enough for me.
[Even] if they gave me plenty of the possessions of this world,
[Even] if they made me Sultan,
One soulmate, one post is enough for me.
I have found the infinite Kingdom,
The Death/End came and found you,
Seyyid Seyfi127 found the vow,
Text № 7 Bütün dünya sizin olsun
hatlaz libaz132 sizin olsun
bir dos bir pos yeter bana
ayaksiz ata pi˹nerler˺133
topraga gömüp dönerler
bir dos bir pos yeter bana
Bilirmisin ne olsa˹n?˺134 gerek
bin yil yasar olsam gerek
bir dos bir pos ˹yeter bana˺
Dünyanin malini verilerse
beni sultan iderlerse
bir dos bir pos yeter bana
Sonu yok devlet buldum
hecal136 gelip seni buldu
Seyidi Seyfi iemin137 buldu
Text № 8 Carry on again, my Pīr Sultan
Let’s endow our essence to the Haqq138
In [this] deceitful world which made...139
They set a sofra140 in the meydan saying: “Eat!”
Those [who pledged allegiance to] Yazīd wail when Ali comes;
When a tâlip142 has found his deficiency,
They give him to the hands of the Master, saying: “Bath [him]!”
Mansûr143 was hung on the gibbet for the Haqq,
The Twelve Imams are kept in that place,145
Come on, let’s go to my hazel-eyed dede,148
Let’s prostrate before my Master,149 whose face shines with divine radiance,
Come and answer your Master, saying: “This!”
Carry on laughing in this world, instead of crying,
In each of your steps, carry on finding your “self,”
Carry on again, my Pīr Sultan
[a missing page]
Text № 8 Gel gene Pir Sultanim insan ola gel
Özümüzü haka153 teslim edelim
Desti past eylemis yalan dünyaya154
Meydana sofra yaydilar yideyu155
Inlesir yezitler Ali gelince157
Bir talibin mevsan yerin bulunca158
Veriler ustad eline yu deyu159
Mensur berdar olmus hak icin dara160
Oniki imam tutsan oldayiyere162
Gel varalim hela165 gözlü dedeme
Yüz sürelim ol yüzü nurlu hüdama
Gel pirini sen cevap ver su deyu167
Su dünyada aglamayib güle gel168
Her makaminda sen kendini bula gel169
Gel gene pir Sultanim insan ola gel170
[a missing page]172
Text № 9 What Muhammad Ali made utmost
It’s not the meydan of “the absent,” but the meydan of “the existent.”
Muhammad entreated the Forties,
It’s not the meydan of “the shame,” but the meydan of “the bravery.”
They washed his body without water,
“Did you see trouble?”—they said: “Yes!”
Cover up yourself,173 it’s the meydan of “the secret.”
The places where you go, seek so that you can find,
Hide your secret, so that you shall become righteous,
Be in control of yourself, it’s the meydan of “the achievement.”
What shall I say about the pillars/prescriptions of the Quran?
They boo the lies in this meydan,
It’s not the meydan of “the blind,” it’s the the meydan of “those who see.”
If Abdul Musa Sultan174 is one reputable man,
If the devotees of Ali are the adherents, who are followers,
If he says “Let me reach the intent of the Haqq!”
Text № 9 Muhammet Alinin kildigi dava
Yok meydani degil var meydanidir
Muhammet kirklara niyaz eyledi
Ar meydani degil er meydanidir.
Anler cenazesin susuz yurdular
Deryi gördünmü gördüm dediler177
Ört elin etegin sir meydanidir
Vardigin yerlerde ara bulasin178
Sakla sirrini kim softa olasin179
Cek cevir kendini kâr meydanidir
Ne deyeyim su erkâni kurana
Yuf cekerler bu meydanda yalana
kör meydani degil gör meydanidir
Abdal Musa sultan gerci erise180
Aliyi sevenler muhip yâr ise
Hakkin maksûduna erem derise
Text № 10 At the end of this world the young Mahdī (Redeemer) will come
The Young Mahdī
Don’t trust the deceitful world,
All who come will die.
Don’t consume the Truth forbad,183
Don’t go into bad ways,
Come to repentance, O heedless, repentance.
In the forest (?) flies the heart’s bird,
In Hell, three people
Will never come out but will burn.
One is a fornicator,184 another one is a drunkard,
The [third] one is a beheader.185
The one who prays [for those] in Hell,186
Staying in the Garden of heavens [=Paradise],
Before the divan of the Truth,187
Will dwell [there] for one thousand years.
The real meaning of the poor190 Quran is not known,
I fear that the daybreak and the sundown will not come any more,
Text № 10 Su dünyanin ˹a˺hirinda Mehti sabi gelecek˹tir˺
Mehti sabi gelecek˹tir˺
Inanmayan yalan dünya
Hep gelenler ölecektir
Hakkin haramini ˹y˺ime
Kötü yollara git˹me˺
Töbeye gel ey [Gaf]il töbeye
Evalarda gönül ˹kusu˺
Cehenemde üc kisi
Ic cikmayip yanacaklar
Biri zina biri icimar
Biri celat olacaktir
Cehenemde kilan nemaz
Durur cennet baginda
Bir yil hakin divaninda
Ayak üzre duracaktır.
[20] Camilerde namaz kilin˹maz˺
Garip kuranin hikmeti bilinmez
Korakarim ki ey gün dogup dolanmaz
Töbe gel ey ˹g˺afil töbe.
Text № 11 I became a man, I got into Adam
It doesn’t fall to one’s share inside193 various souls,
While passing by from blood to blood, after becoming the Zebur,194
I dropped by one “blood,” within the “blood.”
Don’t let your horse hop, this is not the [right] square,
The one winding from Suleiman isn’t Suleiman,
There exists a Suleiman within/inside Suleiman.
From the counsel of insight [knowledge?] I became insightful,
I gave one life/soul and I took one life/soul.
This life/soul, I am hiding within the life/soul.
Grant my Hatayî Sultan’s195 harangue right,
Examine yourself to find what your wishes are,
Inside the196 veins, the bone marrow [and] the blood.
Text № 11 Adem olup geldim ey adem icine
Nasip olmaz dürlü candan iceru
Zenbur197 olup kandan kana gecerken
Bir kana ooradum198 kandan iceru
Oynatma atini bu meydan degil
Süleymandan esen Süleyman degil
Süleyman var süleymandan iceru
Irfan meclisinden irfan olmusam
Bir canu veruben bir can almisam
Ol cani saklaram candan iceru
Hatayim sultanin nutkunu hakla
Ne dilegin varsa kendinde yokla
Damardan ilikten kandan iceru
Text № 12 One is Muhammad, the other one is Ali
One is Muhammad, [the other] one is Ali.200
This hour is the one, in which I will sacrifice myself for you,
One is Muhammad, [the other] one is Ali.
Does one man’s wonder ever resemble the other man’s,
One is Muhammad, [the other] one is Ali.
The one, who is bringing the wave [and] letting the seas elate/dilate,
The one, who reunites a companion with his companion,
One is Muhammad, [the other] one is Ali.
The soul’s nightingale doesn’t stop, singing continuously in the cage,
Hide Ali’s secret in the breath,
One is Muhammad, [the other] one is Ali.
Şah Hatayî205 says, the one who is righteous to his essence,
The one, who hides Ali’s secret in the breath,
The one, who keeps guard for the order at As-sirāt,206
Text № 12 Birisi Muhammet birisi Ali
Birisi Muhammet birisi Ali (nakarat)208
O dem benim sana kurban olduĝum
Birisi Muhammet birisi Ali
Zülfikâr yezite zehirden katii
Erin ere uyarmı hic mücizatı
Birisi Muhammet birisi Ali
Dalga gelib deryalara cosuran
Dostu dostuna kavusturan
Birisi Muhammet birisi Ali
Can bülbülü durmaz öter kafeste
Alinin sırrını sakla nefeste
Birisi Muhammet birisi Ali
Sahatayı eyder özün haklayan
Alinin sırrını nefeste saklayan
Sürat köprüsünde nizam bekleyen
Text № 13 From the side of the Qibla, there rose a star
Its light fell on 18,000 worlds,211
On Yezît [and] on believer it stopped,
My Hodja
Saying that Mahdī215 will come, Bilâl [?] calls,
How happy is the one who knows his master.
My Şah216 went out looking around, to his left and to his right,
“Allah, Allah!”—the Ism-i Azâm217 is recited,
There are two rounds in salah/t,218 if you perform it.
Şah Hatayî219 says: “You say, let me get there!”
“Let me get there and become a hadji!”
Go and look around your Şah’s doorstep.
Text № 13 Kıble tarafından bir yıldız dovdu
Yezitte mümünün üstüne durdu
Hocam hayırlısını yazsın kalemin
Bayraklar paralanır turlar223 yolunur
Mehti gelecek deyib bilâl caĝırır
Ne mutlu efendisini bilene
Sahım cıkmıs saĝına soluna bakınır
Allah allah ismi azem okunur
Iki rekât namaz vardır kılana
Sahatayi eyder varayım dersin
Varayımda acı olayım dersin
Dolasıver mürsüdünün esigini.
Text № 14 Ah Husein, woe Husein, Imam Hasan Shah Husein!
“Give us one sip of water,
My blood may thus be religiously permissible to you.”227
Ah Husein, woe Husein, Imam Hasan Shah Husein!228
Yet Yezît besieged him,
Ah Husein, woe Husein, Imam Hasan Shah Husein!
Husein’s arms are bound,
The younger son of Mother Fatma!232
Ah Husein, woe Husein, Imam Hasan Shah Husein!
In Karbala,233 burning furiously,
On his black hair, there glows divine light,
Ah Husein, woe Husein, Imam Hasan Shah Husein!
[At?] the holy stone of Karbala,
His cut off head recites Quran,
Husein, the brother of Hasan,
[According to] the writings of Karbala,
The fighters of Islam died as martyrs,
The boys of Mother Fatma,234
Ah Husein, woe Husein, Imam Hasan Shah Husein!
[25] My Ali Dede speaks thus,
The essence of my eyes burn,
Muhammad’s daughter cries,
Ah Husein, woe Husein, Imam Hasan Shah Husein!
Text № 14 Ah Hüseyın vah Hüseyın Imam Hasan sah Hüseyin!
Bir yudum su verin bize
Kanım helâl olsun size
Ah Hüseyın vah Hüseyın Imam Hasan sah Hüseyin (nakarat)
Yezitler basına üstü
Düldülü kâbeye kactı
Ah Hüseyın vah Hüseyın Imam Hasan sah Hüseyin
Hüseynin kolleri baĝlı
Fatma ananın kücük oĝlu
Ah Hüseyın vah Hüseyın Imam Hasan sah Hüseyin
Kerbelâda cayr icinde
Nur yanar siyah sacında
Ah Hüseyın vah Hüseyın Imam Hasan sah Hüseyin
Kerbelânın ulu tası
kuran okur kesik bası
Huseyn Hasanın kardası
Kerbelânın yazıları
Sehit düstü gazileri
Fatma ananın kuzuları
Ah Hüseyın vah Hüseyın Imam Hasan sah Hüseyin
[25] Ali dedem söyler sözü
Yanıyor didemin özü
Aĝlar Muhammedin kızı
Ah Hüseyın vah Hüseyın Imam Hasan sah Hüseyin
Text № 15 O Muhammad, O Ali!
With [the guidance] of fidelity I came along his way,
The lovers come always along this way,
O Muhammad, O Ali!
You are the divine light in the oil lamp,
In both worlds, [earth and heaven], you are...,
O Muhammad, O Ali!
It is covered with divine light and zin.235
They are also friends of God,
O Muhammad, O Ali!
The end of time will come,
It will be ...
O Muhammad, O Ali!
Avoid ways, of which one lacks knowledge.
Do not deprive Pīr Sultan
[20] O Muhammad, O Ali!
Text № 15 Ya Muhammet ya Ali!
Sıtk ile geldim yolundan
Sevenler hep gelir bu doĝru yoldan
Ya Muhammet ya Ali
Kandil icindeki nursun
Iki cihan serverisin
Ya Muhammet ya Ali
Nur ile zin dolmus üstü
Onlarda tanrının dostu
Ya Muhammet ya Ali
Ahır zeman gelecek
Sam dolu divan olacak
Ya Muhammet ya Ali
Atice Zühre Fatme
Bilmediĝin yola gitme
Pir sultanı mahrum etme
Text № 16 Ali [will be] the one who unfurls the flag
[The beginning of the poem is missing.]
[15] Thirty thousand aspects [is what] the state of ingenuity [is],241
For the Truth Imam Husain [and] Ali.
Ever since Idris242 was speaking in this word,
Calling down for the Twelve Imams,
After the emergence of the Mahdī,243
Text № 16 Önünce sancaĝın ceken ya Ali
[The beginning of the poem is missing.]
[15] Otuzbin suret marifet hali
Hakikata imam Hüseyin Ali
İdriz dahi bu kelâmı deyince
Oniki imamlara niyaz kılınca
Maĝaradan Mehti zuhur olunca
Text № 17 The crowns in red and green should be put up
How graceful it is to visit the companion.
I saluted244 him [and] became supplicant,
How graceful it is to visit the companion.
[S]he has bound his/her sidelock, his/her face resembles a full moon,
You brought us to God like Zibha,245
How
Yusuf from Canaan [is] in the hands of Egypt,
Reflecting light while spinning above the house of God?246
How graceful it is to visit the companion.
For the divine light of “the Source of Pride of the World”247
[in] the house of God,
The crowns in red and green should be put up!
How graceful it is to visit the companion.
O Ismail, direct your invocation to the east,
It will inform you about the Sunna and the religious duty.
To his eye[s]—the longing, to his heart—the offer,
Text № 17 Al yesil tacları kırmızı örüne
Ne keremdir dostu ziyaret etmek
Temennâ eyledim niyazmeth oldum
Ne keremdir dostu ziyaret etmek
Zülfünü kement almıs mehtaptır yüzü
Zibha250 gibi hakka yetirdin bizi
Ne keremdir dostu ziyaret etmek
Mısır ellerinden yusufukenˋan
Beytullah üstünde cerha urup dönen
Ne keremdir dostu ziyaret etmek
Beytullah fahri âlân nuruna
Al yesil tacları kırmızı örüne
Ne keremdir dostu ziyaret etmek
Ey Ismail doĝuya eyle ustazı
Yine o bildirir süneti farzı
Gözzüne251 hızret gönlüne harzı
Ne keremdir dostu ziyaret etmek.
Text № 18 The ones who love Muhammad [and] Ali
Hopefully/Inshallah, they don’t get tired and stranded,
The ones who see the face of Imam Hasan,
Hopefully/Inshallah, they are not deprived from the face of Husain.
The one who surges up and boils from Imam Baqir,
The one who reaches with his justness Imam Ja’far.
[...]253
Text № 18 Muhammetle Aliyi candan sevenler
Yorulupta yolda kalmaz insallah
Imam Hasanın yüzzünü görenler
Hüseyinden mahrum olmaz isallah.
Imam Bakırdan kaynayıp cosan
Sıtkiyle imam Cafere ulasan
Bundan özge yola sapmaz isallah
[...]
Acknowledgements
This paper was prepared with the assistance of Ekin Kilic, Orhan Elmaz and Atilla Erden.
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Footnotes
In his transcription Khasan Karakhiuseinov uses i instead of ı, s instead of ş, c instead of ç, g instead of ğ. Unless otherwise specified, the alternative readings of problematic transcriptions in the present edition of the texts are recommended by Ekin Kilic.
The edition of the texts below follows the following conventions: [ ] indicate conjectural additions in the English translation; ˹ ˺ indicate suggested reconstructions in the transcription of the text.
See the discussion in this volume, Chapter 5. Similar cases have recently been registered in the author’s field research conducted in North-Eastern Bulgaria (Silistra region) with Prof. David Shankland, under the auspices of the Royal Anthropological Institute, London.
On social structure, ritual system and folklore tradition of Alevi (Bektaş and Kizilbaş) communities in the Balkans and elsewhere see Birge (1937), Dressler (2003, 109–154; 2013), Gramatikova (2011; 2015, 7–43), Melikoff (1992; 1998), Mikov (2005; 2007), Norris (1993; 1996, 297–309; 2006), Norton (2001, 168–200), Shankland (2003; 2006), Zheliazkova and Nilsen (2001).
The lexeme arş denotes “the Heavenly / Divine Throne / Footstool,” which is imagined to be residing beyond the highest (traditionally Seventh or Ninth) celestial level. The term al-ʿarsh is attested in Suras al-Aʻrāf [7: 54], at-Tawba [9: 129], Yunus [10:3], etc.; see Netton (1997, 40).
That is, God. Orhan Elmaz suggests: “I was in the hands of the Decreer.”
Unclear.
Unclear.
Reference to the “Assembly of the Forty” (that is, the “Cem of the Forty”), as related in the Buyruk; see Shankland (2003, 80–84).
As pointed out by Dressler, “in the religious worldview of the Alevis and Bektashis, Ali and Muhammad are regarded as complementary symbols representing different aspects of the Truth. While Muhammad represents the ‘outer,’ ‘visible’ (zahiri) and Ali the ‘inner,’ ‘hidden’ (batıni) truth, both are divine manifestations” (Dressler 2003, 131). See also in this connection the discussion in Norris (1993, 96–98, 113) and Gramatikova (2011, 167–169).
Cem—the focal religious ceremony of the members of the Alevi community. See Shankland (2003, 24, 79, 80–81, 85, 97, 121–128, 146–147, 187; 2006, 20, 67–68), Dressler (2003, 116–117); see also Ayni-cem in Norris (1993, xiv).
Muhabbet—among the most important Tarikat rituals; this term may denote an ‘informal drinking gathering’ and ‘collective celebration’ (or ‘collective worship’), but also in colloquial discourse it implies ‘traditional oral communication / interaction.’ In this particular context muhabbet is referring to the verbal interaction between the members of Alevi communities during the (cem) ceremonies, which include drinking and singing nefes, along with performing the semah (var. sema, samah, samāhane, related to the Arabic samā‘) ritual dancing, “which celebrates the passing of the mystical secrets to the Alevis from God through Ali”; see Shankland (2006, 67). Further on the semantic coverage of the term muhabbet see Shankland (2003, 120, 134–135, 140–144; 2006, 119); on samāhane / sema see Norris (1993, xix), Shankland (2003, 79, 128, 142, 143, 158; 2006, 67–68).
Dem—(alcoholic) beverage.
O. Elmaz suggests: “The Lord kneaded Adam from a piece of honey” (since balçık means ‘clay,’ while balcık—‘honey’).
Seyran—‘walk,’ or ‘pious voyage’; see also in this connection seyr [etmek]—‘to stroll, to journey in the spiritual world.’
Literally: “the half of something.”
That is, Jonah.
Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (601–661)—the cousin of the Prophet Muhammad and husband of his daughter Fāṭimah; the father of Ḥasan ibn ‘Ali ibn Abī Ṭālib (624–670) and Ḥusayn ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (626–680). According to Shia doctrine, Alī is venerated as the divinely-designated first imam and as such is placed next to God and Muhammad. See Norris (1993, 86, 96–99, 169–171); Esposito (2003, 15); Asani (2001, 62–63); Crone (2012, 212, 464–465). See also footnotes 10 and 12 above.
Zülfiqar (var. Dhū‘l-Faqār)—the name of the famous sword believed to have been owned by Muhammad and then inherited from him by Ali. There also exists a parallel tradition, according to which the sword descended from heaven. See Zwemer (1939, 28–33); Netton (1997, 71); Dressler (2003, 122, 143, note 56).
The authorship of this poem is attributed to Pīr Sulṭān Abdāl (ca. 1480–1560); praised by the adherents of Alevism / Bektashism as one of “the Seven Revered Ozans” (minstrels), he was a typical representative of the spiritual tradition descending from the tenth-century Sufi intellectual, mystic and martyr Mansur al-Hallaj; see Schimmel (1975, 338), Akbatur (2015, 57–60). Accused by the Ottoman authorities of alleged treasonous relations with the Persian Safawids, Pīr Sulṭān was executed in the city of Sivas, Anatolia. His verses (composed in Turkish) continued to be transmitted orally by generations of minstrels and thus became vital components of Alevi and Bektashi folklore heritage; they were sung accompanied by the saz (bağlama) string musical instrument (conventionally referred to as the “Quran with strings”). The present text represents one such case. A video recording of an authentic performance of this song by an anonymous Alevi singer from the Deliorman area of Bulgaria was made in 2005 by İsmail Engin. It can be found on http://alkislarlayasiyorum.com/m/content/146980/kuran-yazilirken-ars-i-rahmanda-deliorman-alevileri-bulgaristan; see also http://ismail-engin.blogspot.de/2013/09/kuran-yazlrken-ars-rahmanda-ceraglar.html, both accessed April 7, 2017.
Suggested reading: taam (= “food”).
Although in the original transcription of the poem this word means “his,” perhaps the correct reading should be altered to “my.”
Literally “for those with eyes” (courtesy E. Kilic).
“Haqq–Muhammad–Ali”—in Alevi theological tradition, this formulaic exclamation refers to the triune entity that involves: Haqq (= “Divine Truth,” one of the names of Allah as the only One to be worshipped), Muhammad as the messenger, and Ali as the first among the Twelve Imams. As pointed out by a number of scholars, the “idea of Ali and Muhammad being one and identical with God is hidden in the numerical value of the letters forming these names: their sum is 202, a number which is equal to the sum of the letters rā' and bā' forming the word rabb, i.e. Lord, i.e. God” (Jong 1989, 8–9). See also in this connection the discussion in Norris (1993, 94–99); Crone (2012, 473–477).
Yezît —a reference to Yazid I, the Umayyad caliph Yazīd ibn Mu‘āwiya ibn Abī Sufyān (647–683), by whose order Ḥusayn ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib (626–680), the son of Fāṭimah, the youngest daughter of Muhammad was killed (along with other members of the household of the Prophet) at the Battle of Karbala (680). The latter event is considered “a cornerstone of the Shiite founding myth” (Dressler 2003, 121) and as such is being recalled by the Alevi and Bektashi folk singers at their performances during ritual ceremonies of their respective communities. Oral history discretely encapsulates confessional and political dimensions of the Karbala martyrdom narrative and further transforms them into markers not only of ethnic identity but also of political ideology, thus attaining “a trans-historical meaning.” See Dressler (2003, 126–129). Further on the identification of Yazid as the Devil / Satan incarnate see Norris (1993, 99).
Unclear.
Hâl—“bad, poor condition / state.”
E. Kilic suggests: “In ..., we follow Imam Ja‘far.”
Further on the Twelve Imams, see Norris (1993, 169). On the religious movement of the Twelvers (Ithnā ‘Asharīs, Ithnā ‘Ashariyya) see Gibb, Kramers (1961, 188–189); Netton (1997); Peters (1994, 135–142); Rippin (2005, 124–128).
Presented below are two folklorised versions of a poem/song, the authorship of which is attributed to Pīr Sulṭān Abdāl; for other versions, see http://pirsultanabdalsiirleri.blogspot.de/2008/05/sofu-mezhebimi-neden-sorarsin.html, accessed April 7, 2017. The translation in the current edition of the poem is based on version A.
That is, Haqq (or Ḥaḳḳ)—“the Divine Truth” / “the Divine Essence” (referring to Allah); see Gibb, Kramers (1961, 126–127).
Suggested reading: acilir.
In the original Turkish manuscript (see below), the form Hü is used for Hû/Hū, which is “the personal pronoun of the third person, singular masculine, HE, i.e. God, or He is. It occurs in the Quran in this sense, for example Surah 3:1. [...] The word is often used by Sufis in this form [...] ‘O He (who is), O He (who is), O He whom no one knows what He Himself is but Himself.’ Some commentators have supposed the word Hū to stand for the exalted name of God, which [...] is only known to God.” See Hughes (1994, 181).
Literally ‘sky.’
Devrân—‘world’ or ‘time, age’; related to devr, Arabic for ‘spinning,’ ‘circuit.’
Ṣalāt / Ṣalāh— ritual prayer, worship; divine service. The prayers required of Muslims five times daily are considered to be the second pillar of Islam; see Gibb, Kramers (1961, 491–499).
Yūnus Emre (1238–1320)—a renowned Anatolian Turkish poet and Sufi mystic, venerated as a saint. Reportedly, he was a spiritual seeker who was initiated by Haci Bektaş Veli from whom he received his blessing, signified by the breath of the saint; see Soileau (2009, 150–165), Norris (1993, 90).
There are different suggestions about the meaning of this line, and I have adopted O. Elmaz’s translation.
Caneti is the local dialectal form of the standard Turkish word Cennet which is related to the Arabic al-Janna (lit. the Garden), and Jannatu ‘Adn (i.e. Garden of Eden). The form al-Janna “is the most common name by which Paradise is referred to in the Qur’ān” (Netton 1997: 134).
Suggested reading: diye.
Suggested reading: seher.
Unclear; suggested reading: edasını.
Unidentifiable toponym.
That is, “Haqq–Muhammad–Ali.”
Most probably a reference to “the Seven Prophets” (Adam, Idris, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad) who, according to the Sufi doctrine, designate each and every stage of the sevenfold mystical way towards the Divine. This path consists of seven hierarchically designated phases marking the progress of the human soul; each of these seven strata is associated with its equivalent Prophet, who is also linked with his respective Planet-sphere (falak): the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. See the discussion in Norris (1996, 302–303). Significantly, there are also “Seven Revered Ozans” (minstrels) in the Alevi musical tradition: ‘Imad al-Din al-Nasīmī/Nesimi (also known as Seyyid/Seyit İmadeddin/Imadettin Nesîmî/Nesimi) (1369–1417), Şah Hatayi (Shāh Ismāʿil) (1487–1524), Virani Baba (the tomb keeper at the shrine of Ali in Najaf) (sixteenth cent.), Yemini (fifteenth–sixteenth cent.), Fużūlī (Muhammad bin Suleyman) (c. 1494–1556), Pīr Sulṭān Abdāl (sixteenth cent.), and Kul Himmet (sixteenth cent.); see also footnote 20 above.
O. Elmaz suggests: “Come on, let’s pass this Truth/reality.”
Compare this to the Turkish idiomatic expression Zem-zem suyundan (lit. meaning “from the waters of Zem-zem”). The term is obviously referring to the holy well situated within the precincts of the Great Mosque of Mecca (known also as the Well of Zam-zam / Zem-zem). The appellation Zam-zam / Zem-zem (which functions as a toponym designating this most sacred of all Muslim sites) is onomatopoeic, as “the name of the Well in Arabic represents the sound of the water as it rushed out when it was discovered”; see Netton (1997, 263–264). According to some Islamic exegetical narratives, the spring was revealed by Gabriel to Hagar so that Ishmael could be saved, after their expulsion from the household of Abraham / Ibrahim (as in Gen 21: 16–19); see in this connection al-Tabarī’s History of Prophets and Kings (fol. 279) (trans. Brinner 1987, 73–74). In the same source (fols. 282–283) it was further maintained that there existed also an alternative tradition, according to which the wondrous spring was revealed directly to Ishmael, not to his mother:
When Ishmael grew thirsty, he began to scuff at the ground with his heel. Hagar climbed the mountain of al-Safā. At that time the valley was lākh, that is to say, deep, so when she climbed al-Safā and looked down to see whether she could see anything, she saw nothing. So she came down and ran along the valley until she came to al-Marwah. She climbed it but could not see anything from there either. She did that seven times and then came down from al-Marwah to Ishmael, and she found him scuffing the ground with his heel. The spring Zamzam had begun to flow, and she began scraping the ground away from the water with her hand. Wherever some water collected on the ground she scooped it up with her cup and poured it into her waterskin. The Prophet said, “May God have mercy on her! Had she left it be, it would have remained a flowing spring until the Day of Resurrection.” (trans. Brinner 1987, 76–77)
Further on Muslim folk etiological legends concerning the origins of Zem-zem see Gibb, Kramers (1961, 657); Hughes (1994, 701); Badalanova Geller (2008, 28–30, 123–124, notes 131–136).
Şah Hatayi (also spelled as Khatā'ī, which means “sinner” in Persian) is the pen name of Shāh Ismāʿil, or Ismail I (1487–1524), the founder of Safavid Dynasty and an eminent religious leader. He played a significant role in the rise of the Twelver Islam; see Crone (2012, 474–475), as well as Mikov (2005, 17). Among the members of the Alevi / Bektashi community Şah Hatayi was considered one of “the Seven Revered Ozans”; see also footnotes 20 and 47 above.
O. Elmaz suggests: “In order to sacrifice our souls with joy.”
The authorship of this poem (entitled in some sources as “Aşkına”) is attributed to Pīr Sulṭān Abdāl; for other versions see Kaya (2008). Compare also to the version B below.
Vakka is probably a typo; version B (see below) renders this word as hakka.
Sayyid (Seyd / Syed / Sayed / Sayyed / Saiyid / Seyed / Said / Seyyed)—a honorific title bestowed upon the patrilineal descendants of the sons of Muhammad’s daughter Fāṭimah and his son-in-law Ali.
Seyyid Ali Sultan (died c. 1402), also known as Şah Kızıl Deli, or Kızıl Deli Sultan—a dervish / ghazi warrior, a contemporary of Beyazid I, who took part in the conquest of Rumelia (Thrace); see line 10 in this text. His tekke and türbe are situated near Dimetoka (Didymoteicho), and are venerated as holy Alevi and Bektashi sites; see Aver’ianov (2010, 26; 2011, 311–312; 2014, 105–115); Gramatikova (2011, 491–507).
Var. “I have no doubt...”
Tekke—the dervish lodge; see Norris (1993, xx; 2006, 128). Among the members of Alevi and Bektashi communities—“place of worship of a brotherhood, often centered on the grave of a holy man”; see Shankland (2003, 191), Gramatikova (2015, 7–40).
Literally: “red hero.”
Meaning unclear.
Literally: “are the crown on the head.”
Literary: “the ones who love.”
Meaning unclear.
Unclear.
Suggested reading: dergâh.
Suggested reading: müslümanlar (courtesy Atilla Erdens).
Suggested reading: küfa as küffar (courtesy Atilla Erdens).
Suggested reading: Lütfüne.
Suggested reading: ihsan.
Suggested reading: heybet instead of heyet.
Suggested reading: dağlar (courtesy Atilla Erdens).
Ikrar vermek: to declare verbally, to accept; the asseveration given before entering the religious order.
See also the previous poem.
Literally “one hemline full of sand.”
The inhabitants of Rumelia?
Unclear.
A toponym; perhaps referring to the present-day Kuru plain in Northern Turkey, in the Black Sea Region, in the vicinity of the city of Kastamonu.
Literally “brought.”
Otman Baba (c. 1378–1478)—one of the most popular saints venerated among the Muslim heterodox communities in the Balkans. His türbe (tomb) in the present-day Bulgarian village of Teketo has become a pilgrimage site. Further on the vernacular hagiography and folk cult of Otman Baba sее Aleksiev (2005, 69–92, 181–183); Mikov (2005, 39–46; 2007, 41–48); Aver’ianov (2010, 27–28, 30–33, 50; 2011, 310–311); Gramatikova (2011, 417–419, 423, 431, 437–444, 470–471, 526, 534, 537–543).
In other versions reference is made to Otman Baba, but not Pīr Sulṭān Abdāl.
In other versions the refrain contains one more line: Sana meth ettiğim Kızıldeli’dir, Dillerde söylenen Seyyid Ali’dir; see Kökel (2004).
In other versions: Sana meth ettiğim Kızıldeli’dir. Then again, the second part of the refrain (Dillerde söylenen Seyyid Ali’dir) is missing; see Kökel (2004).
In other versions: Sana meth ettiğim Kızıldeli’dir. As above, the second part of the refrain (Dillerde söylenen Seyyid Ali’dir) is missing; see Kökel (2004).
In other versions: Sana meth ettiğim Kızıldeli’dir. As above, the second part of the refrain (Dillerde söylenen Seyyid Ali’dir) is missing; see Kökel (2004).
In other versions: Sana meth ettiğim Kızıldeli’dir. As above, the second part of the refrain (Dillerde söylenen Seyyid Ali’dir) is missing; see Kökel (2004).
The term post (lit. “sheep skin”) is related to a specific Dervish designation of “authority.” As noted by Birge, “it is commonly supposed that there are in the Bektashi meydan twelve posts, each standing symbolically for some great figure in Bektashi history.” See Birge (1937, 178).
For the semantics of the title bay (= a god, or a son of god) and the appellative baga- (divine) in relation to the concept of the divine kingship see Crone (2012, 327–329). The term bay is reflected in the Turskish honorific bey (= rich man, master).
Meaning unclear.
Meaning unclear.
Meaning unclear.
For other versions of this poem, see: https://eksisozluk.com/bir-dost-bir-post-yeter-bana--1353028; http://www.letssingit.com/seyit-nizamoglu-lyrics-bir-dost-bir-post-yeter-bana-r64h3jv, both accessed April 7, 2017. Its authorship is attributed to the celebrated Alevi poet Seyyid Seyfi (= Seyyid Seyfullah), also known as Seyit Nizamoğlu (1520–1601) who was deeply influenced by the charismatic Hurufi / Sufi mystic poet ‘Imad al-Din al-Nasīmī/Nesimi (1369–1417); in fact, the latter is frequently confused with the former. As pointed out by Norris, it was through the poetry of Nesimi (who wrote in Persian, Arabic, and Azeri / Azerbaijani Turkish) “that Hurufi beliefs have spread far and wide among the Muslim communities of Eastern Europe and especially so in the Balkans” (Norris 2006, 37–38). Scholars are inclined to interpret his pen-name as derived from nasīm (= zephyr, breath of wind). Condemned for heresy, he was skinned alive in Aleppo; further on Nesimi’s ideas, poetry and martyrdom see Norris (2006, 32–34, 37–38, 118–121). Actually, a vast corpus of the Alevi / Bektashi poetry is (erroneously) attributed to Nesimi; he was furthermore revered as a spiritual guide by Shāh Ismāʿil Khatai, Pīr Sulṭān Abdāl and others. See in this connection Norris (1993, 200–201, 266–267).
In other versions: butun dunya senin olsun.
Suggested reading: post.
Suggested reading: atlas libas.
Suggested reading: binerler.
Unclear. Suggested reading: -m or –n.
Unclear. Suggested reading: -m or –n.
Suggested reading: ecel.
Suggested reading: yemin.
Meaning unclear.
That is, table.
Meaning unclear.
Tâlip: pupil, follower, neophyte, “often of a specific lineage of holy men (especially Alevi)”; see Shankland (2003, 79, 191).
Mansur El-Hallaj (c. 858–922) was a famous Persian poet, Sufi mystic and martyr; having reportedly proclaimed, Anā al-ḥaqq (meaning “I am the Haqq,” that is, “I am the Truth”), he was accused of blasphemy (for claiming divinity) and was subsequently hung on a gibbet. Further on Mansur El-Hallaj’s ideas see Peters (1994, 339–342); Rippin (2005, 142–143); Crone (2012, 467, 469).
In other version rendered as intizar instead of intiftar; the meaning is unclear.
Meaning unclear.
Al-Ḥusayn (Husain, Hussain or Hussein) ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib (626–680)—the son of Fāṭimah (and thus the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad); the third Imam of Shia Islam. His martyrdom at Karbala is commemorated by the mourning ritual observance of Ashura (the tenth day of the Muslim month of Muharram); further on his sainthood as an emblematic module of Shia identity see Knappert (1985, Vol. 2, 336–344). See also Gibb, Kramers (1961, 142); Norris (1993, 98–99, 169–184, 192); Esposito (2003, 120); Crone (2012, 212, 271, 274, 476, 484). See also footnote 25 above.
Dede—lit. grandfather, ancestor; among the members of the Alevi communities the term is used as a title of respect. It indicates someone’s descendance from a holy lineage. As such, he is regarded as an intercessor between God and man; see Norris (1993, 99). Accordingly, the dede is considered to be “both leader and teacher of Alevi religious tradition and mediator in disputes”; see Shankland (2003, 187).
Not clear—the dede or God?
For other versions of this poem, see http://www.hbvdergisi.gazi.edu.tr/index.php/TKHBVD/article/view/1136/1125, accessed April 7, 2017.
Local dialect rendition of the name Hüseyin.
Suggested reading: ela.
In other versions the final line reads: Gel Âdem olmayan sürerler hoy diye; see Engin (2010, 417).
Lit.: “hand and skirt.”
Abdal Musa Sultan—one of the prominent Alevis of the thirteenth–fourteenth century.
On the other hand, the phrase “Dar meydanı” denotes the place where the disciples declare in front of their leader that they will be in command of their “hands, tongues and loins” (courtesy Atilla Erden).
For other versions, see: https://ismailhakkialtuntas.com/2018/04/12/abdal-musa-sultan-ve-velayetnamesi/; http://www.bachibouzouck.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=825:muhammed-ali-nin-kıldığı-dava, both accessed April 19, 2018.
Mahdī (literally, “the One who is Rightly / Divinely Guided”)—a title used in Islamic eschatology to designate the prophesied redeemer whose coming will herald the termination of the material world and inaugurate the end of time; see Gibb, Kramers (1961, 310–313); Peters (1994, 135–140, 389–392); Netton (1997, 156); Rippin (2005, 126–128, 134–135). See also the discussion in Crone (2012, 20, 63–64, 88–91, 126–138, 221–224, 230–232, 326–342, 465) and Gramatikova (2011, 170). On the concept of the Mahdī as a “Knowing Boy” and the idea of Saviour as a child or youth see Crone (2012, 341–342). Unlike the portraits of the other eleven Imams, his face is either not depicted or is blurred, since it is believed that he did not die but is still present invisibly among the people and monitors the spiritual life of the community.
Iblīs—in Islamic theology this term denotes the Devil (Shayṭān); see Gibb, Kramers (1961, 145–146).
Literally: “Don’t eat haram of the Haqq”; the term harām denotes the category of “prohibited, forbidden,” opposite to ḥalāl (“lawful”).
That is, the one who broke one of the basic rules of conduct: “Be in control of your loins.”
Perhaps a reference to Yazid I, under whose orders Ḥusayn ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib (Muhammad’s grandson) was beheaded at the Battle of Karbala (680); see also footnote 25 above.
Literally: “The one who does salah/t in Hell.”
Literally: “For one year in front of the divan of the Haqq.”
Literally: “Nobody does salah/t in the mosques.”
Var.: neglected.
Suggested reading: dağı taşı.
Var.: “I became a man [and] I joined mankind.” The lexeme adem (= man, but also the name of the first human being, Adam/Adem), may likewise be used to denote “mankind.”
Var.: between.
The Zebur—the Book of Psalms. According to the Surah 17: 55 (Surat Al Isra / The Night Journey), the Zebur was given to David by God: “And your Lord is most knowing of whoever is in the heavens and the earth. And We have made some of the prophets exceed others [in various ways], and to David We gave the Zabur [Psalms].”
Var.: his.
Suggested reading: Zebur (courtesy Atilla Erden).
Suggested reading: uğradım.
The phrase mehil vermek (“to grant an extension”) does not seem logical. Compare some other versions, in which the line reads: Şu dünyada benim gönül verdiğim. On the other hand, there exists an expression (meyil vermek), the meaning of which is synonymous with gönül vermek (= “to set one’s heart on”).
Refrain.
Al-Khiḍr (also spelled as al Khadir, Khader/Khadr, Khidr, Khizr, Khyzer, Qeezr, Qhezr, Qhizyer, Qhezar, Khizar, Xızır, Hızır), or “the green man”—a mysterious wise guide who escorts Moses and his servant during their long journey and interprets to them the hidden logic behind his otherwise strange actions; see Surah 18: 65–82. Further on Oriental traditions regarding al-Khiḍr (with extensive bibliography) see Gibb, Kramers (1961, 232–235).
The hair-narrow bridge (known in Turkish vernacular tradition as Sirat Köprüsü) between this world and the Beyond which every person must pass on the Day of Judgment to enter Paradise; see also Badalanova Geller (2008, 59, 134 note 211).
Cf. another version: http://www.zohreanaforum.com/deyis-ve-nefesler/36818-hz-ali-nefes-duvaz-deyisleri.html, accessed April 7, 2017.
Refrain.
Compare to the form boğaz.
According to some Sufi (Hurufi) concepts, the Universe contains a total of “18,000 worlds”; they are symbolically associated with the 18 opening letters of the first Sura of the Quran (Sūrat al-Fātiḥah, also known as ‘the Mother of the Book’). As noted by Norris, it was through the poetry of Nesimi that the esoteric numerological and apocalyptic concepts of Hurufism—“enshrined, Cabbalistically, within the ‘hidden libretto’ of the Quran”—were “humanized and sensualized” among the popular poets in the Balkans (2006, 34). Thus it is held that “Man’s nature is the very Book of God, hence also is Man’s habitat; his home, his homeland. Man’s face is the Fatiha, the opening Sura of the Quran. Seven signs, which have been inherited from Eve, the ‘Mother of the Book’ are mirrored in the ‘Seven of the Repetition’ (Sab’ al-Mathani), in Holy Writ. The Fatiha opens with 18 letters, which correspond to 18,000 worlds, which are reduced, in their number, to 14 letters, when God, Himself, is substracted from this total” (Norris 2006, 37).
Hodja (Tur. hoca)—from the Persian Khwāja or Khoja (= “master”); initially used as a title of the descendants of the celebrated Sufi teacher Ahmad Kasani (1461–1542).
Literally: the flags have been tailored; that is, the pieces of cloth, from which the banners are to be made, are already cut off from the fabric.
In Turkic traditions tuğ is a pole with circularly arranged horse tail hairs at the top, which is used as a standard. The black-haired banner was a wartime emblem.
Şah Hatayî?
The formulaic expression Ism-i Azâm (= “the most tremendous name”) functions as one of the traditional divine appellations (although it is not listed among the 99 Names of God known as ʾAsmāʾu l-Lāhi l-Ḥusnā). The formulaic expression Ism-i Azâm may also be chanted as a prayer, as implied in this line.
Suggested reading: doğdu.
Suggested reading: şavkı.
Suggested reading: vurdu.
Suggested reading: tuğ (courtesy Atilla Erden).
Two suggested readings: hışmından (courtesy Ekin Kilic), or isminden (courtesy Atilla Erden).
Meaning “you may kill me in allowance.”
Refrain.
Düldül was the name of the grey mule of Muhammad, given by him to Ali; see Netton (1997, 76). Among the Shia Muslims it is held that Ali rode upon her at the Battle of the Camel (656).
That is, Kaʿba (Kaaba)—the most sacred Muslim site; see Gibb, Kramers (1961, 191–198), Rippin (2005, 46–47, 57, 67, 114–116). On the symbolism of Kaʿba (Kaaba) in Islamic mystical traditions see Crone (2012, 474–475, 479).
Literally: “his liver is branded.”
That is, Fāṭimah (c. 605/615–632)—the youngest daughter of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, the wife of Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (601–661), whom Shias regard as the first Imam after Muhammad (see footnote 18 above); she was the mother of Ḥasan ibn ‘Ali ibn Abī Ṭālib (624–670) and Ḥusayn ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (626–680). For a survey of sources concerning the image of Fāṭimah in Shia tradition as “the embodiment of all that is divine in womanhood” see Gibb, Kramers (1961, 101–102). On Fāṭimah as the “mistress of sorrows” in Muslim Shia sacred history see also Stowasser (1994, 59–60).
On Karbala as a sacred chronotope encapsulating the foundation myth of the Shia Islam, see Norris (1993, 170–188). See also footnotes 25, 146 and 185 above.
Literally: “lambs of Mother Fatma.”
Unclear meaning.
Perhaps a reference to Hatice bint Hüveylid (Khadijah / Khadīja bint Khuwaylid), or Hatice the Great (Khadīja al-Kubra) (c. 555–620), the first wife of Muhammad and the mother of Fāṭimah; she is regarded by Muslims as the “Mother of the Believers.” Hatice and Fāṭimah are believed to be “the two ruling females in heaven”; see Stowasser (1994, 59).
Zühre—that is, al-Zahrā (= “The Lady of Light” / “The Shining One”); one of the veneration titles given to Fāṭimah (the youngest daughter of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, the wife of Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib and the mother of Hasan and Hussein); among the Shias, she is commonly referred to (and honored) as Fatimah Zahra. See also the previous note.
Fatma is a popular Muslim name; it is a domesticated version of the name of Fāṭimah bint Muḥammad.
Suggested reading: kemer best (courtesy Atilla Erden).
In Sufism the phraseological expression marifet hali refers to “knowledge which can be acquired only through spiritiual experience.”
According to the Quranic text (Surah 19: 56–57; 21: 85–86), Idris was a prophet; some Muslim exegetes (such as al-Tabarī) traditionally identify him with Enoch. See Gibb, Kramers (1961, 158–159); Knappert (1985, Vol. 1, 56–59).
The term temenna designates a specific salute, which involves first bending and then getting up, while putting the hand on the head or forehead; this is a specific gesture of traditional greeting between members of some Muslim communities in the Balkans.
Some other versions give Yusuf-Zeliha (an obvious reference to the story of Yūsuf and Zulaykhā); see the twelfth Surah (Sūrat Yūsuf). On the image of Zulaykha in Muslim sacred history (with reference to Islamic exegesis) see Stowasser (1994, 50–56). On vernacular counterparts of the Quranic narrative in the Balkans see Badalanova Geller (2008, 81).
Formulaic appellation traditionally applied to Muhammad.
Unclear; in other versions—hûplar pirine (also unclear).
Another version of this text can be found on: http://alevi-deyisleri-nefesler.tr.gg/Seyit-Suleyman.htm, accessed April 7, 2017.
Instead of Zibha Atilla Erden suggests Zeliha.
Suggested reading: gözüne.
Ali ibn al-Husayn (c. 659–713), known as Zayn al-Abidin (lit. “the adornment of the worshippers”), was the great-grandson of Muhammad and the son of Husayun. He was the fourth Shia imam; see Esposito (2003, 347).
The text presented here is a folklorised version of a poem / song, the authorship of which is attributed to Şah Hatayi, or Ismail I (1487–1524); see also footnote 53 above. For other versions of the text (occasionally circulating under the title Muhammed Ali'yi Candan Sevenler Yorulup Yollarda Kalmaz İnşallah), see the following internet sites: https://www.antoloji.com/muhammed-ali-yi-candan-sevenler-2-siiri/; http://sarkisozu.kahkaha.gen.tr/vahide-aksoy/muhammet-aliyi-candan-sevenler/sarkisozleri/; https://www.izlesene.com/video/asik-ereni-muhammed-aliyi-candan-sevenler/5709311, accessed May 10, 2017.