Imam Birgivi, born in Balıkesir in 1520, is one of those figures we see dedicating their lives to knowledge and worship.
Imam Birgivi, born in Balıkesir in 1520, is one of those figures we see dedicating their lives to knowledge and worship. He was a scholar who, in a period when the state's perfection was beginning to decline, could foresee the tremors of collapse in scientific, social, and even economic fields, and bravely fought against them, acting upon his knowledge and perfected by his virtue. The grandfather of Birgivi Hazretleri, who was born into a scholarly environment, was İskender Efendi, a spiritual elder from the village of Bektaşlar in the Kepsut district of Balıkesir, loved and appreciated by the people. We see that his father was a müderris (professor) and a şeyh named Pir Ali Efendi, who had advanced in tasawwuf. Imam Birgivi, who began taking his first lessons in logic and some sciences from his father, a şeyh and müderris, first memorized the Qur'an and became a hafiz, following the traditions of the era. Yielding to his intense desire for learning, his father sent him to the Semaniye Madrasah in Istanbul, which was the university of that time. In Istanbul, he first attended the lessons of Küçük Şemseddin Efendi at the Mahmud Paşa Madrasah. Imam Birgivi, who came to Istanbul to study at the Semaniye Madrasah, successfully passed the exams with outstanding achievement and entered Semaniye, where he began attending the lessons of Muhyiddin Ahizâde Mehmed Efendi, one of the müderris of Semaniye at that time. Later, he followed the lessons of Kadıasker Abdurrahman Efendi. Despite his young age, due to his sharp intellect and deep love for knowledge, he quickly completed the Semaniye program and, by successfully passing his exams, received his müderrislik icazet (teaching license). He completed his specialization under his teacher Kadıasker Abdurrahman Efendi and taught in some madrasahs. During the time his teacher, Kadıasker Abdurrahman Efendi, served as Rumeli Kazasker (Chief Military Judge of Rumelia), Birgivi became a kassâm-ı askeri (military estate distributor) in Edirne between 958/1551 and 964/1556, through his recommendation. During his duty, Birgivi frequently met with the public and statesmen, making observations. Faced with what he saw and experienced in social life, he grew increasingly despairing of the people regarding bid'ats (innovations in religion). The feeling of withdrawing to a corner and trying to purify only his own soul gradually dominated his spirit. As a result, he came to Istanbul and affiliated himself with Karamanlı Şeyh Abdurrahman, the murshid of the Bayrami tarikat. He wore the special attire of the Bayramis. For a while, he occupied himself with the purification of his soul. He went to Edirne to distribute the money he had received as a kassam-ı askeri to its rightful owners according to the records and settled accounts. However, Birgivi could not get used to this new life. There was a great difference between the madrasah life he grew up in and this new profession. Birgivi, who had a good grasp of logic, was not by nature inclined to accept everything immediately. He sought evidence from the Qur'an and Sunnah for every issue. This situation did not escape the attention of his teacher, Şeyh Abdurrahman, who advised him to return to his old profession of teaching in madrasahs and to engage in 'emr bil maruf ve nehyi ani'l-münker' (enjoining good and forbidding evil) among the people. Meanwhile, Imam Birgivi's reputation, which matured day by day with his intelligence in the field of knowledge and his principled attitude and behavior in the face of events, quickly began to spread in both academic circles and various other gatherings. As an extension of this, Sultan Selim II's teacher, Atâullah Efendi, heard of Birgivi's fame, and a sincere friendship developed between them. The Sultan's teacher, Atâullah Efendi, was looking for an honest müderris who acted upon his knowledge for the madrasah he had built in his hometown, Birgi. Imam Birgivi came to his mind. Taking into account the recommendation of Karamanlı Abdurrahman Efendi as well, he appointed Birgivi as a müderris to this madrasah he had built, with a daily salary of 60 akçe. This new assignment would actually mark the beginning of a new era for Birgivi. His müderrislik duty in Birgi, which began in H.971/M.1564, would produce Islamic classics that retain their freshness and validity even today. Imam Birgivi, who was careful to be consistent with his own thoughts and beliefs, had long been disturbed by the bid'ats and superstitions, in religious terms, that were emerging in society. This new assignment in Birgi provided a suitable ground for him to combat all kinds of superstitions and bid'ats that caused him discomfort, through his fiery speeches, sharp pen, and the large number of students who came from all around. In this process, Birgivi did not merely confine his criticisms to the pages of books but openly expressed them in every forum. In this context, in the intellectual struggle he engaged in with the highest fatwa authority of the time, he wrote a letter to Atâullah Efendi, who had provided him with the opportunity to teach, and advised him on the reform of the issues he complained about, in his work titled 'es-Seyfü's-Sârim'. It is narrated that Selim II invited Birgivi to Istanbul by letter, and Birgivi, in turn, advised him by letter. While Birgivi lived a humble life, he wished for his grave to be equally humble and planted a cypress tree at the head of his grave with his own hands during his lifetime. Perhaps his most prominent characteristic among Ottoman authors is that he used his pen on the current issues of his time. For this reason, Birgivi's works are also important in terms of reflecting the social life of his era. On the other hand, unlike many authors of his time, he did not write his works to gain rewards from state dignitaries. Considering the political structure of his time, the motivations that made Birgivi so courageous, despite the highly risky stance he adopted, are also noteworthy. After his confrontations by letter with the Şeyhülislam of the time, Ebussuüd Efendi, to those who said, “The Sultan will punish you,” he replied, “The punishment they can give cannot be other than these three things: Either they kill me, which is martyrdom. Or they imprison me, which means seclusion and retreat. Both are two paths. Or they exile me, which is hijra and the sunnah of the prophets (peace be upon them), and I hope for reward from these.” This undoubtedly expresses his sincerity and his adherence to his scholarly convictions. As an enlightened person of his country, he did not spare anyone's feelings when making these criticisms; he did not fear anyone. For him, it was not individuals but ideas that mattered. It is interesting to note that he advised Atâullah Efendi, who had built a madrasah for him and provided financial means, and who disturbed the Grand Vizier and Şeyhülislam by interfering in various state affairs, about his actions. This shows the state of mind he was in when expressing his ideas and making his criticisms, and reflects his character. Birgivi opposed every action he deemed harmful to religion, state, and nation. This is a prominent characteristic of his scholarly personality. The fact that other authors among his contemporaries also complained about the issues Birgivi complained about, and that these issues soon became subjects of imperial edicts, probably indicates that he held a realistic stance. While Birgivi continued his life as a preacher, müderris, and writer, he died at the age of fifty-five from the plague he contracted in Birgi, on the road during a journey to Istanbul. His body was brought back to Birgi and buried there. Sources agree on his date of death as I Cumâde'l-üla 981/August 29, 1573. The phrase 'Hayru'l-amef' was used as a chronogram for his death. His grave in Birgi is the best proof of how he lived and died. It is surrounded by short iron railings, and on a metal plate, Birgivi's name, birth, and death dates are inscribed. His grave is no different from other graves, and at the head of the grave stands a large cypress tree that he himself planted and wished to be buried under. Works: 1. Tarikat-ı Muhammediye 2. Tafsir-i Surah al-Baqarah 3. Rawdat al-Jinan 4. Risale fi Bayan-ı Rusumi'l-Masahifi'l-Osmaniyye 5. Sharh Hadith al-Arba'in 6. Jila' al-Qulub 7. Muaddil al-Salat 8. Iqaz al-Na'imin 9. Matn wa Sharh Min al-Fara'id 10. Sharh al-Maqsud al-Musamma bi-Iman al-Anzan 11. Inqaz al-Khaliqin 12. Awamil 13. Ahwal-u Ettali'l-Muslimin 14. Zuhr al-Muta'ahhilin 15. Izhar 16. Ilm-i Hal Wasiyatname 17. Nur al-Ihya 18. Ad-Dars al-Yatim Fi Ilm al-Tajwid 19. Hashiyah-i Hedaya 20. Imtihan al-Azkiya Sharh al-Lubb Min al-Nuhu 21. Kifayat al-Mubtadi fi al-Sarf 22. Risale Fi Usul al-Hadith 23. Ta'liqat Ala Sadri al-Shari'a 24. Amali Tarzinda Funun-ı Aliyye'den Bahis Risale 25. Sayf-i Sarim 26. Risale Min al-Adab 27. Amsile-i Fazliyye