Ahmed Asım Efendi

Ahmed Âsım Efendi was born in 1836 in the village of Terziviran in the Sultanyeri district of the Gümülcine Sanjak, into a family belonging to the learned class. His father was Müderriszâde Mehmed Efendi, one of the mudarrises of the Medrese-i Kebîr in Terziviran.

Orphaned at an early age, Ahmed Âsım Efendi received his first education in his village, then came to Istanbul. After a long period of study, he received ijazah from Karinâbâdî Abdurrahman Efendi, one of the dersiâms of Fatih. In 1862 he began teaching at Fatih Mosque.

From the 1860s onward, Ahmed Âsım Efendi took part in the Huzur Dersleri, first as a muhatap and later as a mukarrir in the presence of Sultan Abdülaziz. These were Qur’anic commentary lessons held before the sultan during Ramadan. The mukarrir presented the lesson, while the muhatap took part in the scholarly discussion. He served as mukarrir in these lessons for thirty-three years.

In 1887 he rose to the rank of Haremeyn-i Muhteremeyn and in 1890 to the Istanbul pâye; in 1894 he became Rumelian Kazasker. The Rumelian Kazaskerlik was considered one of the highest offices of the Ottoman learned hierarchy. While holding this office, he resigned from all duties in late 1906 because of illness.

Ahmed Âsım Efendi taught important figures of late Ottoman scholarly life, including Mustafa Sabri Efendi. His eldest daughter Ulviye Hanım later married Mustafa Sabri Efendi, one of the last Ottoman Şeyhülislams.

Gümülcineli Ahmed Âsım Efendi, also known by the nickname Köse Âsım, died at his house in Erenköy on 4 Rajab 1329, corresponding to 1 July 1911, and was buried in the Fatih Mosque Cemetery.