Şeyhülislam Arif Hikmet Beyefendi Tomb

Arif Hikmet Bey was born in Istanbul. His great-grandfather was Malatyalı İbrahim Paşa, one of the viziers of Sultan Mahmud I; his grandfather was Reîsülküttâb Raif İsmail Paşa, a vizier during the reign of Sultan Abdülhamid I; and his father was Ibrahim İsmet Bey, a kazasker (chief military judge) and naqib al-ashraf (head of the Prophet’s descendants) during the reign of Sultan Selim III.
He received the title of müderris (professor) in 1796 and began scholarly and literary work. In 1814, he performed the pilgrimage. He later served as judge in Jerusalem (1816), Egypt (1820), and Medina (1823).
In 1829, he was appointed to oversee population registration in Rumelia. Due to his status as a sayyid, he became naqib al-ashraf a year later. In 1833, he became kazasker of Anatolia, and in 1838, kazasker of Rumelia. In 1834, he was appointed to the Temporary Education Council (Meclis-i Maârif-i Muvakkat), established to promote education in Ottoman lands.
Upon the death of Mekkîzâde Mustafa Âsım Efendi, he was appointed şeyhülislam on December 11, 1846. He held this office for about seven and a half years. He was dismissed for showing leniency during the Softas Incident in the reign of Sultan Abdülmecid. He died in Istanbul in 1859.

Construction Year: 19th century

Ordered by: Unknown

Architect: Unknown

The tomb is part of a family burial ground where Arif Hikmet Bey and other family members are interred. His grave is marked by a marble sarcophagus with a headstone approximately 215 cm high. The inscription, written in the calligraphic style of the period, has suffered some weathering and cracking over time, but remains generally legible.
In addition to Arif Hikmet Bey, the tomb includes the gravestones of his grandfather, father, and other relatives. These stones date back to the 18th and 19th centuries, showcasing the calligraphy and ornamentation styles of the era. The inscriptions are significant examples of the calligraphic art of the time.
The tomb complex also contains a sebil (public water fountain) and a fountain built by his son Mehmed Muti Bey after his father’s death. Constructed in 1849, this charitable work reflects the architectural characteristics of the period and demonstrates Arif Hikmet Bey’s devotion to charitable works and public service.