Religious music

[TEUTORIGOS]

[Papastratosels26]

Bynantine music.

[Genovefa]

[Wild North]

[Ice]

A masterpiece of Turkish literature, written in 1409, the Mevlid (Mawlid when transcribed from Arabic) is a long poem which happens to be the perfect answer to the questions above. Along with being a moving poem reflecting the Turkish people's love and respect for the Prophet, the (nearly) 800-couplet work has become a folkloric prayer of sacred value.

It is a common practice among people to hold Mevlid recitations on occasions like a birth, graduation, a death, an anniversary, and many others. In this respect, the Mevlid has a value that can never be equaled by any other poem in the world. The Greek Homer, the French La Fontaine, Baudelaire, or Rimbaud, the English Shakespeare and Milton, the German Goethe, the Russian Pushkin, or Edgar Allen Poe or Emily Dickenson of the Americans; none of these poets' works have ever been recited as many times as that of Süleyman Chelebi.

Beginning from the tenth century, hundreds of poems in different languages dedicated to the blessed memory of the Prophet, his message, and his miracles have been written. The fact that all these poems had the same themes led to a shift toward style. Undoubtedly, Süleyman Chelebi's Mevlid comes first in this respect. This work had an influence on several other works in the same genre in Arabic and other languages, a direct translation even being made into Arabic. (Bakirci, 2002: 116)

It is known that mevlids have been written in many languages, for example, Arabic, Persian, Bosnian, Urdu, etc. However, the English translation of the Mevlid "Mevlid-i Sherif" is not known by many. The English translation, made by F. Lyman MacCallum, was first published in 1943 and then again in 1957. It was a partial translation of Süleyman Chelebi's Mevlid and it consisted of eight parts: Prologue, Fatiha (the first chapter of the Qur'an), the unusual events during the birth of the Prophet, his birth, his miracles, a narration of the Ascension, a supplication, a prayer, and Fatiha again.

In the first ten pages, MacCallum gives information about the Mevlid. He states that the Turks have been sincerely keeping the tradition of the Mevlid alive for five centuries, and he also speaks of the ancestors of Süleyman Chelebi and the story of how the Mevlid was written. MacCallum states that in the West, Irmgard Engelke (Sulajman Tschelebi's Lobgedicht auf die Geburt des Propheten (Mevlid-i Şerif), Halle 1926) worked on copies varying between 360-630 couplets and then he adds that his own translation is based on a Turkish Mevlid text consisting of 263 couplets.

This text was published in Istanbul in 1931 (Süleyman Dede, Mevlid-i Şerif, Ahmet Halit Library, Istanbul, 1931). The author tells about the Mevlid ceremonies and some traditions observed at these ceremonies, finally giving the musical notes of the melody to which the Mevlid is sung.

This work, which introduced the world's most commonly recited poem to the world, is important in terms of objectively reflecting a society's religious sentiments. We hope such works that are ingrained in the culture of the people will help those who are curious about Islam to be able to understand the inner world of Muslims, the love they cherish for the Prophet, and the spiritual bonds between them and him both correctly and well.



The Mevlidi Sherif

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate (Bismillahirrahmanirrahim)

Allah ! This name invoke we in the beginning,
For this is ever due from us, his servants

Allah ! The name which brings to all who call it,
God's present aid, the weight of labour light'ning.

Were Allah's name to begin each fresh endeavour,
The end would ne'er fall short of full attainment.

With every breath repeat that name, unceasing;
In Allah's name see every task completed.

Salavat (Invoking blessings on the Prophet):

Blessing and greeting upon thee, O Apostle of Allah!
Blessing and greeting upon thee, O Beloved of Allah!

[PaleoEuropean]

[PaleoEuropean]

[PaleoEuropean]

[Ford]

[Ford]