A Comparison of Suleyman Celebi’s Vesiletu’n-Necat and Lamıı’s Celebi’s Mevlidu’r-Resul
Songül KaracaVesîletü’n-Necât was written by Süleyman Çelebi (d. 1422) in Bursa in 1409. It is the second mawlid written in Turkish literature. The work influenced almost all the mawlids written after it. It was translated into different languages. It turned into a ritual to which large masses of people gathered to listen and the work was called "Mevlid" or "Mevlud". Thus, a tradition of Mevlit was formed and this tradition spread throughout the Ottoman geography. About 100 years after Vesîletü'n-Necât There is another mawlid called Mevlidü’r-Resûl written by Lâmiî who is another Bursa poet. Lâmiî Çelebi is one of the most prolific authors of Turkish literature with his numerous copyrighted and translated works in verse and prose. He spent most of his life in Bursa, where the Mevlit tradition is very lively. This article’s subject is comparing these two mawlid works written by two important poets in the same city, about a century apart. How much was Lamiî Çelebi's Mevlidü'r-Resûl influenced by Vesîletü'n-Necât, which was written about 100 years before it and left its mark on the type of mawlid? How original is Mevlidü'r-Resûl? This article will seek answers to these questions. Considering the fictional structure of Mevlidü’r-Resûl, it will be mentioned in which aspects it is similar and different from Vesîletü'n-Necât. Thus, the literary value of Mevlidü'r-Resûl and its relationship with Vesîletü'n-Necât will be tried to be revealed.
Süleyman Çelebi’nin Vesîletü’n-Necât’ı ile Lâmiî Çelebi’nin Mevlidü’r-Resûl’ünün Mukayesesi
Songül KaracaVesîletü’n-Necât, Süleyman Çelebi (ö. 1422) tarafından 1409 yılında Bursa’da telif edilmiştir. Türk edebiyatında yazılan ikinci mevlittir fakat kendisinden sonra yazılmış hemen hemen bütün mevlitleri etkilemiştir. Farklı dillere çevrilmiş ve geniş halk kitlelerinin Vesîletü’n-Necât’ı dinlemek için toplandıkları ve adına “Mevlid” veya “Mevlüd” dedikleri bir ritüele dönüşmüştür. Böylece bir mevlit geleneği oluşmuş ve bu gelenek bütün bir Osmanlı coğrafyasına yayılmıştır. Vesîletü’n-Necât’tan yaklaşık 100 yıl sonra, bir başka Bursalı şair olan Lâmiî Çelebi tarafından (ö. 1532) yazılmış Mevlidü’r-Resûl adlı bir mevlit daha vardır. Lâmiî Çelebi, manzum ve mensur olarak verdiği çok sayıdaki telif ve tercüme eserleriyle Türk edebiyatının en üretken müelliflerindendir ve ömrünün büyük kısmını mevlit geleneğinin çok canlı olduğu Bursa’da geçirmiştir. Aynı şehirde yaklaşık bir asır arayla iki önemli şair tarafından yazılmış bu iki mevlit eserinin mukayesesi, bu makalenin konusunu oluşturmaktadır. Lâmiî Çelebi’nin Mevlidü’r-Resûl’ü, kendisinden yaklaşık 100 yıl önce yazılmış ve mevlit türüne damgasını vurmuş olan Vesîletü’n-Necât’tan ne kadar etkilenmiştir ve Mevlidü’r-Resûl ne derece özgün bir eserdir? Bu makalede, bu sorulara cevap aranacak; Mevlidü’r-Resûl’ün kurgusal yapısı da dikkate alınarak Vesîletü’n-Necât ile hangi açılardan benzer, hangi açılardan farklı olduğuna değinilecektir. Böylece Mevlidü’r-Resûl’ün edebî değeri ve Vesîletü’n-Necât ile olan ilgisi ortaya konmaya çalışılacaktır.
Vesîletü’n-Necât was written by Süleyman Çelebi (d. 1422) in Bursa in 1409. It is the second mawlid written in Turkish literature. The work influenced almost all the mawlids written after it. It was translated into different languages. It turned into a ritual in which large masses of people gathered to listen and the work was called "Mevlid" or "Mevlud". Thus, a tradition of Mevlit was formed and this tradition spread throughout the Ottoman geography. About 100 years after Vesîletü'n-Necât There is another mawlid called Mevlidü’r-Resûl written by Lâmiî who is another Bursa poet. Lâmiî Çelebi is one of the most prolific authors of Turkish literature with his numerous copyrighted and translated works in verse and prose. He spent most of his life in Bursa, where the Mevlit tradition is very lively.
This article’s subject is comparing these two mawlid works written by two important poets in the same city, about a century apart. How much was Lamiî Çelebi's Mevlidü’r-Resûl influenced by Vesîletü'n-Necât, which was written about 100 years before it and left its mark on the type of mawlid? How original is Mevlidü’r-Resûl? This article will seek answers to these questions. Considering the fictional structure of Mevlidü’r-Resûl, it will be mentioned in which aspects it is similar and different from Vesîletü'n-Necât. Thus, the literary value of Mevlidü’r-Resûl and its relationship with Vesîletü'n-Necât will be tried to be revealed.
Both the Vesîletü’n-Necât and the Mevlidü’r-Resûl were written in masnavi verse. The prosody used by Süleyman Çelebi in the work is fâ’ilâtün fâ’ilâtün fâ’ilün. On the other hand, Lâmiî Çelebi used mefâ’îlün mefâ’îlün fa’ûlün. The prosody preferred by Süleyman Çelebi was mostly used in works written for the public. The prosody is suitable for simple Turkish expressions and more suitable for writing in simple language. However, the prosody chosen by Lâmiî is mostly encountered in Classical texts, in works written for literary purposes, a little further from the language spoken by the people. This difference in prosody preferences shows which readership both authors are targeting.
Both the Vesîletü’n-Necât and the Mevlidü’r-Resûl were written in masnavi verse. The prosody used by Süleyman Çelebi in the work is fâ’ilâtün fâ’ilâtün fâ’ilün. On the other hand, Lâmiî Çelebi used mefâ’îlün mefâ’îlün fa’ûlün. The prosody preferred by Süleyman Çelebi was mostly used in works written for the public. The prosody is suitable for simple Turkish expressions and more suitable for writing in simple language. However, the prosody chosen by Lâmiî is mostly encountered in Classical texts, in works written for literary purposes, a little further from the language spoken by the people. This difference in prosody preferences shows which readership both authors are targeting.
Every part of Vesîletü'n-Necât is constructed with means couplets that invite the reader/ listener to say salat u selam. Means couplets mean that the chapter is over and a new chapter will be started. This method was used in many mawlids written after it. Lamii also fictionalized the parts of Mevlidü’r-Resûl with means couplets. But he expressed the couplets in his way by making some savings. In this respect, it can be said that one of the most beautiful nazires written on the means couplets of Süleyman Çelebi is the means couplets in Mevlidü’r-Resûl.
Expressions such as “dinle”, “işit”, “dinlenüz”, “Ger dilersiz bulasız” in Vesîletü'n-Necât suggest that the work was written to be read in an assembly. Both the simplicity of the language used by the narrator and the expression technique and the mawlid ceremonies organized for centuries proves this. Also, it reveals that the work is a text written for the public. Mevlidü’rResûl, on the other hand, is a masnavi that was written in a classical style and constructed with a unique expression according to its time. Mevlidü’r-Resûl did not score with a masterpiece like Vesîletü'n-Necât because Mevlidü’r-Resûl’s language is more incomprehensible.
