Muharrem Hilmi Sırrî's life, works and sufi views

This study explores the life, works, and Sufi perspectives of Muharrem Hilmi Efendi, one of the last period Sufi poets who lived between the late Ottoman Empire and the early years of the Republic of Turkey, engaging in scholarly and guidance activities. He received authorization from various Sufi orders, notably the Naqshbandiyya, Qadiriyya, Rifaiyya, Akbariyya, Kubrawiyya, and Shadhiliyya, and one of the last poets to emerge in Anatolia. From his childhood, Muharrem Hilmi Efendi received education from renowned scholars of his time in various fields such as Arabic, Hadith, Tafsir, Logic, and Sufism. He was recognized not only for his scholarly and Sufi services but also for his military duties on various fronts, literary contributions, and poetic identity, which distinguished him in our social and cultural history. This study aims to elucidate Muharrem Hilmi Efendi's life, works, and Sufi perspectives. The structure of the paper consists of an introduction, two main sections, and a conclusion. The introduction provides an overview of the subject, purpose, significance, scope, and sources of this essay. Additionally, it explores the political, social, cultural, religious, and Sufi generally contexts of Muharrem Hilmi Efendi's era. In the first section, Muharrem Hilmi Efendi's life and works are examined in detail. The second section attempts to delineate his Sufi perspectives through an analysis of his writings. Muharrem Hilmi Efendi expounded upon various Sufi concepts such as repentance, sincerity, remembrance of God, love, and affection in his works, employing his distinctive style. Particularly noteworthy are his definitions and interpretations of the concept of love, portraying it as a mirror reflecting the universe, a sentiment that leads one to God, the life-giving water to the heart, and a hammer shattering the idol of arrogance. Thus, he enriched the conceptual landscape of love and contributed to the diversification of relevant literature. Keywords: Sufism, Muharrem Hilmi Efendi, Poetry, Dîvân-ı Sırrî, Love.