Be-nâm-i Havâriyyûn Bürûc-i Fünûn attributed to Ebûbekir Kânî [Analysis-critical text]

Classical Turkish literature, which has a deep-rooted history, preserved its existence with the last great poets and nasirs in the XVIIIth century. One of the great figures of this century is Ebûbekir Kânî et-Tokadî. In the studies on Ebûbekir Kânî, it is seen that the work written under the title Be-Nâm-ı Havâriyyûn Bürûc-ı Fünûn is attributed to him. Although it is not known when and by whom this attribution was first made, it has been continued unquestioningly until today as a result of the repetition of existing assumptions. However, when the dates of the manuscript copies of the work are examined, it is seen that these dates coincide with the childhood years of Kânî and this situation leads to the idea that the work does not belong to Kânî. The work Be-Nâm-ı Havâriyyûn Bürûc-ı Fünûn, whose exact authorship is unknown, was written at the request of the Wallachian voivode Iskerletzâde Konstantin in order to help his brother Alexander learn Turkish and take part in the Ottoman bureaucracy. With this work, it was aimed to guide not only Alexander but also other people who wanted to increase their knowledge of Turkish language and manners. In this direction, in the work supported by elements such as idioms, proverbs, folk sayings, the subtleties of Turkish language were intended to be shown and a step was taken towards becoming a book of advice by giving clues about Turkish morality. In this respect, it has been determined that Be-Nâm-ı Havâriyyûn Bürûc-ı Fünûn is both a Turkish learning and teaching guide written in didactic style, a book of etiquette and a book of advice. In this study, the work Be-Nâm-ı Havâriyyûn Bürûc-ı Fünûn is analysed under various headings. The work has been handled with some question marks at the point of belonging to Kānī, the deficiencies/inaccuracies have been tried to be eliminated by re-examining the determinations in the literature on the subject, and the examinations made in terms of language and content have been revealed with the construction of a critical text.