Ali Şir Nevai's "Nesim-ül Huld" Ali Şir Nevai's stand-alone work, the ode "Nesim-ül Huld," is a response to the ode of Hâkânî-i Şirvânî, which in some sources is referred to as "Bahrü’l-Ebrâr," and in others as "Mirat-ül Sefa." Hâkânî-i Şirvânî, a poet known for his panegyrics in his odes, gained fame with his praise, but after losing his family members, he experienced a spiritual trauma that led him to renounce praising altogether. Following this spiritual trauma, Hâkânî, in his art and poetry, expressed a rupture and a new understanding, which he encapsulated in "Bahrü’l-Ebrâr." Despite being an ode, "Bahrü’l-Ebrâr" contains a structure that does not align with any element of the classical ode. Hâkânî, from the perspective of his heart, imagines a school environment where his heart is a teacher and his mind and intellect are students. Through this construct, he aims to reach the mysteries of existence and truth based on his heart. When he looks at life through this newfound consciousness, Hâkânî replaces praise with an understanding of the transience of the world. He believes that those who are captivated by the false promises and pleasures of the world are simple individuals chasing after greed and interests. In this work, Hâkânî addresses the impediment that contact with the world poses to spiritual elevation and suggests that spiritual growth will occur only after resolving this issue. Thus, he emphasizes the necessity of living life simply like a dervish and purging the heart of greed and the mind of worldly thoughts. This work by Hâkânî was highly regarded after his death, and it was considered to contain a new consciousness and understanding. Various poets from the Islamic world wrote responses to this work. One of the poets who responded to him was Ali Şir Nevai. Ali Şir Nevai wrote a response to Hâkânî's pioneering ode under the title "Nesim-ül Huld." Responding in the same meter and rhyme scheme, Ali Şir Nevai crafted a response, also known as "Şınıye," paralleling Hâkânî's construct of a school where the master of intellect and the teacher of love are seen as instructors in a primary school, and the wheel of fate continues to turn for their education. In this school, unlike others, the education of meaning, or irfani education, is provided. This meaning, or irfani education, will guide intellect and love to the desired level of maturity. This paper will focus on the thematic structure of Ali Şir Nevai's work and compare it with Hâkânî's work, highlighting the similarities and differences between these two poets.
Hâkânî-i Şirvânî, Bahrü’l-Ebrâr, Ali Şîr Nevaî, Nesim-ül Huld