Suūdu’l-Mevlevī: His Life, Works and His Dīvān (Zādegān)

Suūdu’l-Mevlevī is a poet and calligrapher who witnessed the last period of the Ottoman Empire and the first years of the Republic of Turkey. In addition to his father’s contribution, Tahiru’l-Mevlevī and the cultural environment of Istanbul contributed much to his literary capacity. He has also trained himself in calligraphy by taking lessons from the famous calligraphers of his age. Suūdu’l-Mevlevī working as clerk in the Dīvān for twenty years has also taught the calligraphy in madrasahs. He has officiated in Millet Library and Merkez Efendi Mosque. Suūdu’l-Mevlevī has fallowed a group of poetry aggregated under the name of “Encümen-i Şuara”. He has followed in footsteps of Yenişehirli Avnī, the powerful poet of this society. The only work of Suūdu’l-Mevlevī, aggregating all of his poems is Zādegān. He has used the penname of “Suūd” in almost all of his poems. Suūdu’l-Mevlevī has written many qasidah and ghazels. There are 806 poems in Zādegān. 389 of them is ghazels. His love for Mevlānā and Mesnevī is given special room in Zādegān.