Faika Hanım
Profile summary
Highlights
Faika Hanım, who must have been born around 1866 according to her age at death, was the daughter of former Minister of Foreign Affairs Mehmed Raşid Paşa. Raşid Paşa was one of the late Ottoman statesmen trained in the Translation Office; he served as governor, ambassador and Minister of Foreign Affairs. He lost his life in the Çerkes Hasan Incident that took place at Midhat Paşa’s mansion in 1876.
Faika Hanım married Subhi Paşazâde Sami Bey. The Subhi Paşa family, through Abdüllatif Subhi Paşa, was one of the well-established families known in Ottoman educational, scholarly and bureaucratic circles; Abdüllatif Subhi Paşa was the son of Abdurrahman Sami Paşa, the first Minister of Education. The name “Subhi Paşazâde Sami Bey” also appears among the figures in Abdülhak Hâmid’s memoirs connected with the Paris circle.
Faika Hanım died on 23 Rabi al-Akhir 1299 (14 March 1882), when she was only 16, and was buried in the Fatih Mosque Cemetery beside her father Mehmed Raşid Paşa, who had died seven years before her.
Epitaph
He is the Immortal, the Living. Faika Hanım, daughter of the late Raşid Paşa, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, and wife of Sami Bey, son of Subhi Paşa, had just entered her sixteenth year when her sacred soul went to Paradise. Her separation became pain and a wound in the hearts of all her relatives and friends. The deceased was of high character, loved good deeds and had an angelic nature. Just as she was admired and respected in this world, we hope she will receive Allah’s favor in the hereafter. May Allah’s mercy be upon her. 12 May 1882. Written by the calligrapher Aziz Efendi.
Alas for separation! If you were to leave this mortal world suddenly, why had you come leaving behind the Paradise of Firdevs? I think it was to burn me with the fire of your parting. You passed through the world and left again so soon; alas, this departure has been worse than death to me. Rather than live without you, I wished to die. The four companions descended from the heavens and spoke this date: "Fate with cruelty withered the fresh rose Faika!" Year 14 March 1882.
A Fatiha for his/her soul