Time and space in Nesimî's Divan

This study examines how the concepts of time and space are treated in Nesîmî's Turkish Divan, one of the key works of fourteenth-century classical Turkish poetry. Adopting a thematic approach, it analyzes the poetic uses of time and space in relation to their Sufi and philosophical dimensions. The aim is to reveal how these two concepts are meaning-made in Nesîmî's poetry and to determine the functions they assume within the classical tradition. To this end, the conceptual background shared by classical Turkish literature and the Sufi intellectual heritage is reviewed, and the relationship between Nesîmî's perception of time–space and the doctrine of waḥdat al-wujūd (Unity of Being) is set forth. Methodologically, the research proceeds through thematic analysis. First, lexical items in the Divan related to time and space were identified and catalogued; next, these items were grouped semantically. Each group was then evaluated within a conceptual–imagistic framework and illustrated with relevant couplets. The analysis shows that the poet conceives time not merely as a chronological measure but as a metaphysical process of becoming and a field of divine theophany; space, in turn, is configured both as concrete locales and as spiritual spaces in the Sufi sense. The findings indicate that while Nesîmî continues the classical poetic tradition, he enriches it with philosophical and mystical depth. In his poetry, the notion of time appears with its metaphysical dimensions such as pre-eternity, eternity and the end-time whereas space is articulated through both concrete and symbolic elements, including the Ka'ba, lā-makān ("the placeless"), and the house of the heart. In conclusion, time and space in Nesîmî's Turkish Divan transcend the bounds of the classical aesthetic and acquire a multi-layered semantic universe within the horizon of Sufi worldview.