ASIK PASHA



Asik Pasha is our first Pro-Turkish language poet who served for development and spreading of Turkish language.

Asik Pasha, who was born in 1272 in Kırşehir, is the grandson of Baba İlyas, the well-known Sufi. Baba İlyas had migrated to Anatolia from the Turkish region in Horasan, Middle Asia like several Turkish scientist in the beginning of 13th century and had become the sheik of Turkmenian clans in Kırşehir and its vicinity, and took part in Babai rebellion against Seljukian Sultan Keyhüsrev the Second together with them. His son Muhlis Pasha is among the most trusted and respected men of Osman Gazhi. The biggest son of Muhlis Pasha, who settled down in Kırşehir is Alaeddin Ali. Therefore, Alaeddin Ali was known as first aga, that is the biggest brother. The title first aga (Baş Ağa) was told as (Beş), in time, and then as Pasha, and since he used the pen name (Aşık) in his poems, his real name being forgotten, he became famous with his pen name everywhere.
Asik Pasha learned about religion and Sufism from Sheik Suleyman from Kırşehir. He served Osman Gazhi together with his father in the founding years of Ottoman State. In years Sultan Orhan led Ottoman Emirate, he went to Kırşehir and settled down in his father’s house.

Asik Pasha became the “Instructor”, to whom the Trade-Guild organization was bound with respect in Kırşehir, he inculcated principles of friendship and brotherhood in the Oghuz tribes gathering around him, he addressed to them in Turkish, and wrote his books in pure native Turkish.

Asik Pasha not only spoke and wrote in Turkish, but also defended Turkish language against Arabic and Persian languages which were the only languages in fashion until then. As known, the Sultans of Anatolia Seljukian State, despite they were pure Turks and although they founded the first Turk State in Anatolia with Turkish Oghuz Tribes, considered Persian as the official language being influenced by Islam and Iran culture, and neglected Turkish. The first reaction to this attitude was from Anatolia Oghuz tribes, and even Karamanoglu Mehmet Bey, by making a raid on Konya, the capital city of Seljukians, announced that Turkish language was the state language and issued a decree thereupon.

After this decree, the number of poets writing and speaking in Turkish increased, our poets such as Sultan Veled, Şeyyad Hamza, Yunus Emre began to use Turkish as it deserved. Asik Pasha is among these pro-Turk poets, and even a more heartsick and fastidious one. In his book named Garibname, he talks about the intellectuals of the day with reproach because they do not weigh Turkish language as required.

Asik Pasha was conscious of his Turkish-being and depicted in his Turkish poems the God and country love of Turks, their peaceful point of view, friendship and brotherhood with a Sufist way of expression. Asik Pasha’s most well-known book is his Garibname, consisting of 12.000 couplets. This book written as a mesnevi, is an ethics book giving religious and sufist advice in ten chapters. Years later, Suleyman Çelebi, the writer of Mevlid, will see and be inspired from this Garibname.

Asik Pasha passed away in Kırşehir on 3 November 1333, and a tomb covered with embroidered pure white marbles was constructed on his grave after his decease. Today, those visiting the tomb, which constitutes a monument of art on a high slope of Kırşehir, of Aşık Pasha, who filled up eyes and hearts, should depict their gratitude to this great poet for his contribution to Turkish language with Fatiha they recite.