Ahmet İÇLİ

Fasîh Ahmed, one of the poets of the 17th century, is a significant figure who made his mark in his period. Along with being a calligrapher, painter and musician, as well as a good scholar, Fasîh is among the prominent representatives of the literary style of Sebk-i Hindî. The scholar, who completed numerous works in poetry and prose besides Divans in Turkish and Farsi, also has multiple journals. The poet’s significant works include Gül ü Mül and Rûz u Şeb, which have an eminent place among examples of prose. Some of Fasîh’s other works are in the form of small essays and epistles. These works of the poet are texts filled with intensive symbols. In addition to these works, the scholar has a collection in the form of prose which comprises letters. Fasîh believes that difficulties and experiences encountered in life can be seen in all prophets’ messages/causes. The poet, who decided to write about periods he found significant in prophet’s lives in order to communicate these messages, fight these difficulties and for patience, presented cross-sections of the lives of Prophets Adam and Abraham. In the beginning of these text written in the form of two essays, there is an essay named “Kalem Makalesi” (Essay of the Pen) or “Kalem Risâlesi” (Epistle of the Pen). In this decorated example of prose constructed with saj’ (rhyming prose), Fasîh discussed the function of the pen and established relationship networks between the pen and epistles/missions of some prophets. In the dictionary, letter as coming from epistle which means a small book/work written about a discipline, sending news/messages, message carried by a messenger, is carried to the dimension of “risâletin kalemi” (the pen of epistles) and “kelamin risâleti” (epistles of the pen) with Fasîh’s association with “Kalem Risâlesi”, kalem-risâlet (pen-text-message-messenger). In other words, the pen takes on the mission of epistle writing. When understood in terms of content, these three epistles which constitute a collocation, may be seen as a single work written by Fasîh regarding the Prophets. Our study is a descriptive analysis of Fasîh’s Kalem and later Prophets epistles.

Key Words: Fasîh, Kalem, Epistles, Kalem Risâlesi, Epistles of Prophets, Adam, Abraham.