OFFICIALS RELATED TO RECITING THE QUR’AN IN MOSQUES IN THE OTTOMAN PERIOD
Abstract
It is known that mosques had many staff during the Ottoman period. There are many data about their appointments, depositions and salaries in the archive and waqf documents. There were officials who were reciting the Qur’an along with the Imams, Muadhdhins (callers to prayers), and khatibs (preachers) in the mosques. This article is prepared in order to highlight this subject as it has not been studied before. It is accepted that in the history of Islam, the regular recitation of the Qur’an in the mosques started during the Umayyad period. It is known that the Qur’an was recited in mosques in all Islamic states until the Ottoman period. The special officials who carry out the duty of recitation of the Qur’an in mosques emerged during the Ottoman period. It has also been suggested that they were appointed to make mosques attractive and to make worshipping more delightful. Historical practice indicates that this view is an accurate interpretation. The official who recited the last two verses of the Surah al-Baqarah after the ‘isha prayer was called Amanarrasulu-khan. Today, this duty is carried out by imams in mosques. Amma-khan was the official who recited the Surah al-Naba (Amma), the beginning of the 30th juz of the Qur’an. These officials served in the Sultan mosques and other mosques in Istanbul, if it is specified in their waqf documents. Today, it is observed that the Surah al-Naba is recited by the imams after the ‘asr prayer. The official who recited ten verses from the Qur’an was called ‘Ashr-khan. A proposal was to be made by the judge of the city for their appointment. The one who did not carry out his duty duly was dismissed. One of the most common officials about reciting the Qur’an was the juz-khan who recited one juz (20 pages) of the Qur’an in the dhuhr and ‘asr prayers. It is seen in the waqf documents of the Sultan mosques that they had many juz-khan. There were also officials who were responsible for the storage and distribution of the juz. This indicates that reciting juz in mosques was a regular activity. The dawir-khan, one of the most common officials, usually and repeatedly recited juz in the dhuhr and Friday prayers. Only those who memorized the whole Qur’an were appointed to the duty of dawir-khan. The chief dawirkhan was called Sarmahfil. He had the duty of starting and ending the recitation of the Qur’an. The one who had good knowledge of tajwid and qiraat was appointed as Sarmahfil. He had higher salary than dawir-khan An‘am-khan was in charge of reciting the sixth chapter of the Qur’an, Surah al-An‘am. In the waqf document of the Bayazid Mosque in Istanbul, it was mentioned that five people would recite the Sura al-An‘am without talking among each other and in return, receive five dirhams per day. Fatiha-khan was in charge of reciting the Surah al-Fatiha, the first chapter of the Qur’an. During the prayers, this surah was recited by every imam. Therefore, it will be right to say that the Fatiha-khan would recite the Surah al-Fatiha at other times. Fatih-khan recited the Surah al-Fath, the 48th chapter of the Qur’an. This duty was sometimes carried out by the imam of the mosque. The officials who recited this surah in the mosques of Janissary guards were called Fatihchi. They performed their duties at the masjids in the barracks called Rooms. It is known that Muslim soldiers frequently recited this surah during expeditions and wars hoping that the promise of victory in this surah will also take place for themselves. The person who was in charge of reciting the Qur’an from the beginning to the end was called the hatim-khan. Sometimes this duty was carried out by the juz-khan. Today, the recitation of the entire Qur’an is carried out especially during Ramadan in mosques and houses. Ikhlas-khan was in charge of reciting the Surah al-Ikhlas, the 112th chapter of the Qur’an. It is understood from the archive documents that women were also appointed to this duty. The Ikhlas-khan women probably came to the mosque and recited this surah quietly. Tabaraka-khan, also called Mulk-khan, would usually read the Surah alMulk, the 67th chapter of the Qur’an, after the ‘isha prayer. This is because in a hadith narrated from Aisha, it was mentioned that the Prophet recited the Surah al-Sajda and Mulk before going to bed. The person who recited Ya-Sin, which is today generally recited after the people who pass away, was called the Yasin-khan. In addition to the mosques, this official would serve in the tombs of Sultans and Viziers. We understand that the most common among the officials who had the duty of reciting the Qur’an in the mosques were the juz-khans and dawir-khans, which shows that it was important to recite the entire Qur’an. We understand that the most common among the officials who had the duty of reciting the Qur’an in the mosques were the juz-khans and dawirkhans, which shows that it was important to recite the entire Qur’an.
Keywords
OSMANLI DÖNEMİNDE CAMİLERDE KUR’ÂN OKUNMASIYLA İLGİLİ GÖREVLİLER
Abstract
Osmanlı döneminde camiler, din hizmetlerinin farklı alanlarında ihtiyaçları karşılayan canlı bir merkez olma işlevine sahiptir. Camilerde namaz kılınması yanında Kur’ân’dan çeşitli sûrelerin okunmasına da özel bir önem verilmiştir. Bu sebeple vakfiyelerde Amme, En‘âm, Fetih, Mülk ve Yâsîn sûreleri gibi belli sûrelerin belirli vakitlerde okunması için görevliler tayin edilmiştir. Genellikle cüzî ücretler alan bu görevliler Ammehân, cüzhân, En‘âmhân ve Yâsînhân şeklinde isimlendirilmiştir. Kur’ân okuyucuları arasında en yaygın görevi yerine getiren cüzhânlar, camilerde hatim geleneğinin yaşatılmasını sağlamışlardır. Arşiv belgeleri ve vakfiyelere dayanarak, Osmanlı döneminde camilerde Kur’ân okunmasıyla ilgili on iki ayrı görevlinin olduğu tespit edilmiştir. İstanbul’daki selâtîn camilerinin kadrosunda bu görevlilerin çoğu bulunurdu. Bunun dışında Osmanlı Devleti’nin en ücra köşesindeki camide bile Kur’ân okuyuculuğu görevine rastlamak mümkündür. Böylelikle camilerde her namaz vaktinden önce veya sonra Kur’ân kıraati ihmal edilmemiştir. Bu makale, Osmanlı döneminde camilerde Kur’ân okunmasıyla ilgili görevlilerin toplu bir şekilde incelenmesi amacıyla yazılmıştır. Çalışmada arşiv belgeleri, yayımlanmış vakfiyeler ve konuyla ilgili araştırmalardan faydalanılmıştır.
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