Mehmed Hamdi Efendi

Mehmed Hamdi Efendi was a dersiâm of Fatih Mosque known in late Ottoman scholarly circles by the nisba “Trabzonî Süleyman Vehbi Efendizâde.” Dersiâmlık referred to the authority to teach public lessons in Istanbul’s great mosques. Dersiâms were especially associated with central mosques such as Fatih, Süleymaniye and Beyazıt; their lessons were generally held between morning and noon, and students and listeners from different circles attended these sessions.

His father Süleyman Vehbi Efendi was born in the Pazar district of Rize. After completing his education in Istanbul, he served in posts such as drafting clerk at the Fetvahâne, teacher of Buhârî at the Bâb-ı Fetvâ, and holder of the Trabzon and Edirne mevleviyet offices, and also took part in the Huzur Dersleri as a muhatap. He was a well-known scholar.

Hamdi Efendi’s scholarly line was shaped directly within this father-son and teacher-student relationship. Süleyman Vehbi Efendi was both his father and his teacher, and Hamdi Efendi, like his father, participated in the Huzur Dersleri.

From 1891 to 1903 he took part in the Huzur Dersleri as a muhatap. The Huzur Dersleri were Qur’anic commentary discussions held before the sultan during Ramadan; the scholar who delivered the lesson was called the mukarrir, while the scholars who participated in the scholarly discussion were called muhataps.

His son Yusuf Ziyâeddin Bey was also mentioned among the scholars who took part in the Huzur Dersleri and served as judge of the Imperial Pious Foundations.

Mehmed Hamdi Efendi died on 23 Ramadan 1321 (13 December 1903) and was buried in the Fatih Mosque Cemetery.