Salacıoğlu

Salacıoğlu (also named in full as Salacıoğlu Mustafa Celveti or Giritli Salacıoğlu Mustafa Celveti, sometimes with the title sheikh added) was a Turkish Cretan sufi poet of the late 18th century and early 19th century, author of one collection of poetry and of two mesnevis. He also used the pen names Salacızade and Salacıdedeoğlu.

Little is known on his life. He was born in Hanya some time before 1756, in which year his father, Sheikh Ahmed Efendi is known to have died, and he died in Kandiye in or some time after 1825, year which is recorded in a number of his late poetry. Through his poems, he is known to have travelled a lot and to have spent a few years in İstanbul, notably under the teaching of another renowned sufi of his time, Haşim Baba of Üsküdar.

Aside from his poetry in the Sufi tradition with a strong lyric touch, an important part of his verses were also intended to mark the foundation dates and other information related to public works (such as schools, fountains, other buildings) following the traditional method of ebced (abjad), a system of enumeration by letters of the Arabic script. His verses composed to correspond with significations according to the ebced system give valuable information on the Turkish society in Crete.

Poetry

Girîdî Hanyavîyem ben Salacıoğlu’dur nâmım Seyâhat ehliyem bir yerde yok temkîn ü ârâmım Vücûdum Ka’besine bir erin avniyle yol buldum Egerçi hacc-ı beyt etdim velî eskitdim ihrâmım Şarâb-ı vahdetin yek cur’asın nûş eyledim bir dem İçinde mest olup hâlâ o keyfiyyetle sersâmım Kurulmuş bezm-i aşk câm-ı mahabbet devr eder bir bir Demem gel iç bu demden sûfî yokdur sana ibrâmım Ne tâ’at ne ibâdet kaldı oldum kâfir-i mutlak O dostun aşkı yağma kıldı zühdüm dînim îmânım Safâlar vaktidir arz-ı cemâl etdim dem-i nevrûz Bi-hamdi’llâh irişdi izzet ü rif’atle bayrâmım		Salacıoğlu is my name, I am from Hanya in Crete A man of voyages I am, at no place have I prudence and rest I found a way to the Kaaba of my being through one's guidance Thus did I my pilgrimage of the House and my garb did I wear out I drank for a time one gulp from the wine of existence In ecstasy as I was within, I am still vertiginous from that state United in love, I see all passing on its cup and each in turn Thus I say come and drink this wine, but neither way shall I insist Since no obedience is left, I for one surely became blasphemous That One’s love plundered my piety, putting it in shatters But then our hour is an hour of delights, as appears the time of Nevruz Praise be to God say I, that my day of feast reached me in glory and might

Sources

• Poetry by Salacıoğlu by the Turkish Ministry of Culture in English, in French, in German