The life and sufi thought of Mehmed Memduh Pasha

This study aims to reveal the Sufi dimension of Mehmed Memduh Pasha, which has not been sufficiently addressed despite the fact that he is predominantly known for his administrative career. The research examines Pasha's Dîvân-ı Eş'âr and other texts reflecting his Sufi thought, and the concepts, symbols, and modes of expression in his poetry are analyzed through a systematic evaluation. In the study, qualitative research– based textual analysis and poem interpretation are employed together as the method, and Sufi concepts are interpreted within their traditional positions and historical contexts. This approach makes it possible to identify both the relationship of the meanings Pasha assigns to these concepts with classical Sufi literature and the unique dimensions shaped by his personal spiritual experience. The research focuses on fundamental concepts such as love, cezbe, tecellî, marifet, fenâ–bekâ, and insan-ı kâmil, and it is determined that these concepts are reinterpreted in Pasha's poetry with an aesthetic and holistic style. The findings show that Memduh Pasha's understanding of Sufism aligns with the Naqshbandī–Khālidī tradition, yet enriches the classical framework by deepening these concepts through intuitive and original interpretations. Consequently, the study contributes to the understanding of the Sufi heritage of the late Ottoman period by examining Pasha's Sufi thought within a conceptual and textual integrity, and it enables a more explicit scholarly evaluation of the Sufi elements found in Dîvân-ı Eş'âr