Islamic scholar, mystic
(B. March 27, 1523, Balıkesir – D. September 21, 1573, Birgi / Ödemis/ Izmir). His full name is
Sheikh Muhyiddin b. Pîr Ali b. İskender er-Rûmî. He received his first
information from his father who was a professor. Then he went to Istanbul and attended to
the lectures of Küçük Şemseddin Efendi and Ahizade Mehmed Efendi. He attached
himself on the way of mysticism to the Bayramı sheikh Abdurrahman Karamanı. He
was a professor in Istanbul
for a while. He was on official duty in Edirne
and Halep. He also worked as a minister during his professorship, trying to
keep the public away from superstitious beliefs. He has harshly criticized the
Sheikh-ul Islam Ebussuud Effendi and Kadi Bilalzade due to some Islamic law
opinions of them he considered wrong. He thought that his criticism had no
effect, so he resigned from his official duty and sheltered to Sheikh Karamanı.
Upon the request of his sheikh, he distributed the money he received due to his
official duty to those who had the right. Meanwhile, he was appointed to the
new madrasah built by the teacher of Selim the Second, Birgili Ataullah Effendi
with the reference of Karamaı and Ataullah Effendi. As his reputation
increased, students all around Anatolia
arrived to this madrasah. His works were effective on Kadızadeliler. He
continued teaching in here until he passed away due to plaque.
WORKS:
INTERPRETATION: Tefsîr-i Sûre-i Bakara.
SUFISM: et-Tarîkatü’l-Muhammediyye (trans. Celâl
Yıldırım, 1979), Cilâü’l-Kulûb, Vasiyetnâme (yay. haz. Musa Duman,
2000).
LINGUISTICS: el-Avâmil, İzhârü’l-Esrâr,
İmtihânü’l-Ezkiyâ, Kifâyetü’l-Mübtedî.
ISLAMIC LAW: İnkâzu’l-Hâlikîn, İkâzü’n-Nâimîn,
es-Seyfü’s-Sârim, Zuhru’l-Müteehhilîn ve’n-Nisâ (çev. M. Cemal Öğüt, 1947).
HADÎS (the prophet Muhammad's sayings/deeds): er-Risâle
fi’l-Hadîs, ed-Dürrü’l-Yetîm.
REFERENCE: Bursalı Mehmed Tahir / Osmanlı Müellifleri I (1972), Şükran Fazlıoğlu / “Mehmed Birgivî” (Yaşamları ve
Yapıtlarıyla Osmanlılar Ansiklopedisi, vol. I, 1999), İhsan Işık (TEKAA, 2009).