Draft:Hasan Kılıç Efendi
| Hasan Kılıç Efendi | |
|---|---|
| File:Sheikh Hasan Efendi.jpg | |
| Name | Hasan Kılıç Efendi |
| Other Names | Sheikh Hasan Efendi |
| Personal Details | |
| Birth Place | Turkey |
| Brith Date | {{{birth_date}}} |
| Death Place | Turkey |
| Death Date | {{{death_date}}} |
| Religion | Islam |
Hasan Kılıç Efendi, known as "Hasan Efendi", Sheikh of the Ismail Ağa Naqshbandi order, one of the important Islamic groups in Turkey, was born in 1930 CE. His followers are estimated to number in the millions. His knowledge and effective leadership in religious and social matters in Turkey were notable. He passed away due to illness in April 2024.
Biography
Sheikh Hasan Kılıç was born in 1930 CE in the village of Çaybaşı, located in the Çaykara district of Trabzon province, and grew up in a traditional family. He began his primary education at home under the supervision of his father, Abdullah Efendi, and his mother, Shahira Hanım. After his father's death at the age of nine, he went to the village of Şahinkaya and completed the memorization of the Quran there.
Education
Sheikh Hasan Efendi began his studies in literature and Islamic sciences under Sheikh Muhammad Hanafi Kutluoğlu, known as "Lekor Khwaja", and continued his religious studies under Sheikh Allameh Haj Derson Efendi al-Jilaki, who held a prominent position among the scholars of the Ottoman government. Sheikh Hasan Efendi completed his university studies at the school of Sheikh Allameh Haj Derson Efendi in the city of Uve, Trabzon, obtaining a degree in Sharia sciences. During his studies, he met Sheikh Mahmoud Efendi, who later became one of the most prominent Sufi religious figures in Turkey and the spiritual leader of the late Ismail Ağa group. This acquaintance coincided with Sheikh Mahmoud's graduation and assumption of teaching duties, and the beginning of Sheikh Hasan's studies at the same school.
Military Service
Sheikh Hasan Efendi served in the Turkish Army alongside Sheikh Mahmoud Efendi. Sheikh Hasan departed for the city of Bursa in 1954 to perform military service. Meanwhile, Sheikh Mahmoud was transferred to the city of Bandırma and then Istanbul, serving at the Davud Pasha military barracks. During military service, a strong bond was formed between the two sheikhs. After completing service, he passed the exam for imams and religious preachers and was appointed as imam at the Azap Bey Mosque in the Muradiye district. He served for 6 months, during which he faced severe poverty and hardships.
Imamate
After years of dedication to acquiring religious sciences, in 1955, upon hearing that Mahmoud Efendi, his friend and childhood teacher, held a teaching chair at the Ismail Ağa Madrasa, he traveled to Istanbul to benefit from the master's knowledge. Particularly since Sheikh Mahmoud held the position of imam at the Ismail Ağa Mosque, which is one of the main centers of the Naqshbandi Sufi movement near the famous Fatih Mosque in Istanbul. In the same year, Hasan Efendi was appointed as the congregation imam at the Kumraoğlu Mosque in the Fatih district of Istanbul.
Activities
He accompanied Sheikh Mahmoud Efendi during missionary missions and various activities, including scientific teaching and affairs related to the Naqshbandi Aliye Zawiya. Sheikh Hasan was one of Sheikh Mahmoud's trusted advisors, whom he consulted on matters regarding the Ismail Ağa Mosque. In 1382, Hasan Efendi was appointed by the decree of Sheikh Mahmoud Efendi as the head of the Ismail Ağa University Council. This institution is responsible for organizing the scientific, charitable, and humanitarian work of the order. Following the death of Sheikh Mahmoud Efendi on June 23, 2022 CE, leadership of the group passed to Sheikh Hasan Kılıç, who was its thirty-seventh Imam. This group includes millions of followers, most of whom are concentrated in the Fatih district of Istanbul, especially in the Yavuz Selim neighborhood. Followers of this group are also dispersed in other provinces such as Konya, known for its importance as a center of Sufism, and Trabzon, the city that witnessed the birth of Sheikhs Mahmoud Efendi and Hasan Efendi.
Political Influence
He and the followers of the Naqshbandi order have had a significant presence in the political life of Turkey; since this group, since the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, has witnessed all military coups in Turkey, including the coups of 1960, 1971, 1980, and 1997 CE. This group, under the leadership of Sheikh Mahmoud Efendi, played a prominent role in neutralizing the coup in 2016, as he and his group opposed the coup to the extent that some of them were killed near the Fatih district. The area witnessed a massive gathering and strong resistance led by group members against the coup forces. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Turkey, in most elections in which he participated, was keen to meet Sheikh Hasan Efendi at the end of his election campaigns. The last election the late Sheikh witnessed was the local election held on March 31, 2024. Relations between the Justice and Development Party and the Ismail Ağa order have expanded over several decades; as they have close relations at social and political levels, which have led to increased mutual influence and support for joint actions.
Death
Eventually, Sheikh Hassan Afandi passed away on April 22, 2024, at the age of 94 due to illness. His passing coincided with that of the Yemeni scholar Sheikh Abdul Majid al-Zindani, who also departed this life on the same day in Istanbul. Thousands attended their funeral procession, and the funeral prayer was conducted for them at the Sultan Mehmed Fatih Mosque in the presence of Erdoğan.
References
- Hassan Afandi.. The 37th Sheikh of the Naqshbandi Order in Turkey(Hassan Afandi.. The 37th Naqshbandi Sheikh in Turkey), aljazeera.net (Arabic), Publication Date: 29/4/2024, Access Date: 20 May 2024.
- yilmazhaber.com, Ismailağa Community's Leader Hasan Kılıç (EFENDI) Passed Away, (Turkish)-Published on: 22 April 2024- Retrieved on: 28 May 2024.