Mehmed Efendi
Profile summary
Highlights
Urfalı Mehmed Efendi, whose date of birth could not be determined, was one of the dersiâms of Fatih Mosque. Because one of his eyes was blind, he is also referred to in sources as Yekçeşm Mehmed Efendi.
Known in Istanbul scholarly circles, Mehmed Efendi participated between 1305 and 1312 as a muhatap in the Huzur Dersleri, the Qur’anic commentary lessons held before the sultan during Ramadan. In the Huzur Dersleri, muhataps were the scholars who took part in the scholarly discussion alongside the mukarrir who presented the lesson.
Mehmed Efendi was also known as one of the teachers authorized to teach at Fatih, a dersiâm, and as a member of the Tedkîk-i Müellefât attached to the Bâb-ı Meşîhat. This committee was a scholarly board concerned with the examination of religious works during the process of printing and publication.
Urfalı Mehmed Efendi died on 10 Muharram 1313 (3 July 1895) and was buried in the Fatih Mosque Cemetery.
Epitaph
He is the Eternal. For the sake of Allah, a Fatiha for the soul of the late Urfalı Mehmed Efendi, one of the participants in the Huzur Dersleri held before the sultan, one of the Fatih dersiâms authorized to grant icazet diplomas, and a member of the board that reviewed religious publications printed under the Directorate of Religious Affairs. Wednesday, 3 July 1895.
A Fatiha for his/her soul