Hasan Hilmi Efendi

Gümülcineli Hasan Hilmi Efendi was the son of Tüccar Emin Ağa. He was born in Gümülcine, came to Istanbul as a child, and studied with Gürcü Şerif Efendi.

This education brought him into the circle of the Fatih Madrasa, and he first became a professor at the Fatih Madrasa, then a molla of Mecca and an Ottoman scholar who reached high ilmiye ranks.

Hasan Hilmi Efendi’s scholarly prestige is seen most strongly in his long service in the Huzur Dersleri. From 1878-1879 onward he participated in these lessons as a muhatap, and between 1897 and 1900 served as mukarrir. The Huzur Dersleri were Qur’anic commentary discussions held before the sultan during Ramadan; the mukarrir was the chief scholar who delivered the lesson, while the muhataps were the scholars who participated in the scholarly discussion.

Hasan Hilmi Efendi is also recorded as a member of the Meclis-i Mesâlih-i Talebe, the Student Affairs Council. Formed during the reign of Abdülhamid II to discuss matters concerning madrasa students and madrasa education, this council was an important body within the Meşihat dealing with issues such as course programs, appointments of madrasa professors and madrasa reform.

Hasan Hilmi Efendi rose to the pâyeleri of Anatolian and Rumelian kazasker, died on 7 November 1903, and was buried in the Fatih Mosque Cemetery.

Hasan Hilmi Efendi’s gravestone was written by the calligrapher Mehmed Cemîl Eyyûbî, known by the signature “Cemil.” A student of Sâmi Efendi, Cemîl Eyyûbî is best known for his celî sülüs panels, a rik‘a manuscript in the Ali Emîrî Collection, and the Qur’an copy he wrote for Kapudân-ı Deryâ Hasan Hüsnü Paşa.