The sufi themes in Keçecizâde Izzet Molla's Work Called Gülşen-i Aşk

Keçecizade Izzet Molla, one of the last period poets of dîvan literature, is an important figure who attracts attention with his political, literary and mystical aspects. Gülşen-i Aşk is a 305 couplet mathnawi known to have been written by Keçecizade Izzet Molla as a imitation to Şeyh Gâlib's mathnawi called Hüsn ü Aşk. Although different studies have been made on the poet's other works, Gülşen-i Aşk is a work that has remained in the background, perhaps because it is seen as an unsuccessful imitation. Although Izzet Molla was inspired by Şeyh Gâlib, he made his work unique by using a few techniques and methods that had not been tried before. The most important aspect that makes Gülşen-i Aşk different is that the poet presents himself as the protagonist of the story through the character of Izzet. What makes the work important in terms of Sufism is the fact that the story is based on the principle of seyr u sülûk in Mawlawiyyah. In our thesis, the sufi themes used in Izzet Molla's mathnawi Gülşen-i Aşk are identified and interpreted by considering the context in which they are used in the story. In the first chapter, Izzet Molla's life, works, literary and mystical aspects are emphasized. In the chapter, the troubles he experienced in his short life, his closeness to the state officials, the duties he took, his exile and his literary aspects are discussed. On the other hand, his sufi side, which emerged with the Mawlawi circle he joined through Hâlet Efendi, is also emphasized. In the second part, based on the text of Gülşen-i Aşk, which was transcribed and simplified in verse by Mehmet Kanar, sufi themes are identified, explanations are made about these themes and comments are made within the framework of the contexts in Izzet Molla's work.