The concept of power in Aşik Pâşa's Garîb-nâme

Power is a concept that has been shaped throughout history by different social, religious, and philosophical dimensions. While in early societies power was attributed to divine sources, over time it evolved into a structure based on social legitimacy, social contracts, and the consent of the people. Power can be defined not only as the ability to govern but also as a means of ensuring obedience and maintaining order among the people. Âşık Paşa lived during a significant period marked by the collapse of the Anatolian Seljuk State and the rise of the Ottoman State, a time when political turmoil was dominant. Moreover, considering both his family's political background and the era in which he lived, his views on governance are of considerable importance. In Anatolia, a land marked by political chaos, Âşık Paşa stood out as both a Sufi and a political figure. His ideas played a vital role in laying the intellectual foundations of governance during the formative years of the Ottoman State. Even after its establishment, Âşık Paşa's thoughts continued to guide statesmen and served as an example for thinkers who produced ideas about governance. In this context, the work Garib-nâme emerges as a significant text in which Âşık Paşa expresses his views on power. Âşık Paşa bases the model of the ideal ruler on a leader endowed with qualities such as divine decree, nobility, reason, might, justice, wisdom, and knowledge. In Garib-nâme, he emphasizes that the ideal ruler must struggle to keep the people united without deviating from the commands of religion and should gather them around a common identity. This study will analyze the concept of power in Garib-nâme through its verses and reveal Âşık Paşa's views on authority. The aim of the study is to interpret Âşık Paşa's understanding of power by remaining faithful to the text, using textual analysis and comparative methods, and to relate it to traditional concepts of authority.