Qadi Hafiz Molla Hasan Efendi

He (Allah) is the Living and the Eternal.

The medrese hafiz and molla, the virtuous Hafiz Hasan Adil Efendi, who was well-versed in matters of Islamic law within the community, served as a qadi for a time. He fulfilled his legal duties in matters of Islamic law to the best of his ability and, having fallen ill, departed from this transient world in accordance with the divine decree. Those who sowed the seeds of discord amongst people, however, failed to recognise his worth, as though they would find relief only upon his death. With his passing, waters flowed into the garden of his grave; in the spring when he departed from our midst, his grave was transformed into a tulip garden. The hearts of those of ill fortune were shattered. We implore Almighty Allah to forgive his sins. A Fatiha for his soul.

1268 / M. 1851-1852

QADI HAFIZ MOLLA HASAN EFENDI

Scholar of Islamic Law and Qadi

AH 1268 / AD 1851–1852 

Hafız Molla Hasan Efendi is one of the members of the scholarly community buried in the cemetery of the Arap Ahmet Mosque. The inscription on his gravestone highlights his knowledge, particularly of Islamic legal matters, and his role in the field of law. From the wording of the inscription, it is clear that he was a hafız and molla who had been educated within the madrasah tradition and was well-versed in religious sciences.

Having served as a qadi for a time, Hasan Efendi was, by virtue of this office, not only a religious scholar but also one of the local representatives of the Ottoman legal system. Qadis not only resolved Islamic and legal disputes but also assumed various administrative and social responsibilities in the local communities where they served. The inscription’s mention that he fulfilled his legal duties with diligence serves as a tribute to his justice and competence throughout his professional life.

One of the notable aspects of the tombstone is that Hasan Efendi does not merely list his duties but also touches upon his relationships with those around him. The mention that his worth was not recognised by some, and the powerful literary descriptions used following his death, reflect a tradition of gravestone inscriptions that idealise his memory. The description of his grave transforming into a ‘tulip garden’ in spring also lends the inscription a strong poetic character.