Abdülkerim Efendi

Ispartalı es-Seyyid Abdülkerim Efendi, whose date of birth could not be determined, was one of the well-known figures of late Ottoman scholarly and Sufi circles.

During the reign of Sultan Abdülhamid II, he served as mukarrir in the Huzur Dersleri. The Huzur Dersleri were Qur’anic commentary lessons held before the sultan during Ramadan; the mukarrir was the scholar who delivered the lesson, explained the verse and led the scholarly discussion in the assembly. The records of the Huzur Dersleri show that Abdülkerim Efendi of Isparta presented on certain verses from the Sūras al-Anfāl and al-Tawba.

Abdülkerim Efendi was among those who held the Haremeyn-i Muhteremeyn pâye. In the Ottoman ilmiye establishment, a pâye referred to a rank and title granted to a person rather than an office actually being performed; Haremeyn is the name used for Mecca and Medina.

His title Hatibü’l-Arafat indicates his duty connected with the Arafat sermon, one of the most important ceremonies of the pilgrimage. On the Day of Arafah, prayers are performed with the great congregation at Arafat and a sermon is delivered; the person who gives this sermon is one of the most visible religious officials of the pilgrimage season.

Abdülkerim Efendi, one of the deputies of the Naqshbandi order, also belonged to a chain of spiritual guidance.

Ispartalı es-Seyyid Abdülkerim Efendi died on 24 Safar 1316 (13 July 1898) and was buried in the Fatih Mosque Cemetery.