Hace İshak Efendi
Profile summary
Highlights
Hoca İshak Efendi was born in 1801 in Perçene village of Harput and was the son of Harputlu Abdullah Efendi. After completing his early education in Harput, he came to Istanbul, received ijazah from the Fatih madrasas, and taught for a time in Harput and then at Fatih Mosque.
He held posts such as first teacher at the Vâlide School, tutor to the princes in the palace, teacher at the Dârülmaârif, member of the Council of Education, inspector of pious foundations, and judge of Medina and Isparta. Between 1853 and 1868, he participated as a muhatap in the Huzur Dersleri, the Qur’anic commentary lessons held before the sultan during Ramadan.
Hoca İshak Efendi was especially known for his works in the genre of religious refutation. In his works Şemsü’l-hakika and Ziyâü’l-kulûb, he responded to debates over Christian missionary activity and Protestantism; in Kâşifü’l-esrâr ve dâfiü’l-eşrâr, he touched on debates surrounding Hurufism and Bektashism.
Hoca İshak Efendi died on 13 Ramadan 1309 (11 April 1892) and was buried in the Fatih Mosque Cemetery.
Epitaph
O Most Merciful of the merciful! A Fatiha for the soul of Harputlu Hace İshak Efendi, one of the leading scholars who acted according to his knowledge and wrote books. 11 April 1892.
The late scholar, friend of Muslims and adviser to the irreligious, became famous for the many religious works he wrote, such as Şemsü’l-Hakika and Ziyaü’l-Kulub. He used to say: "The servant who befriends his friend and struggles against his enemy does not leave the door of his master."
A Fatiha for his/her soul