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137 Miniature Paintings of Prophet Elijah (Ilyas) and Al

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137 Miniature Paintings of Prophet Elijah (Ilyas) and Al ARAM, 20 (2008) 137-162. doi: 10.2143/ARAM.20.0.2033126O. ERAV≤AR 137 MINIATURE PAINTINGS OF PROPHET ELIJAH (ILYAS) AND AL KHODOR (HIDIR) IN THE OTTOMON PERIOD Dr. OSMAN ERAV≤AR (Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey) Al Khadir and Ilyas, regarded as a substantial issue in terms of Turk-Islam beliefs, still maintains to be an up to date case in the cults regarding the proph- ets1. One may notice this fact particularly at the festivals held on the 6th of May, the date which is adopted as the day Al Khadir and Ilyas met each other. As far as these societal beliefs are concerned, Al Khadir is most frequently enunciated as the person who rushes to aid the others in need of help identical to the person in the proverb “Kul sıkı≥mayınca Hızır yeti≥mez” which means “Hizir will only show up whenever you really need him” That general ambu- lance services are named after “Hızır” in Turkey can be expounded by the as- sociation between this name and the profound background of this culture in Asia Minor. The aim of this study is to highlight the images regarding Al Khadir and Ilyas taking part in the Ottoman period miniatures. Furthermore, by the help of the aforementioned miniatures we shall seek to determine the association of Al Khadir and Ilyas with the pre-Islamic period cultures in terms of iconography. This is, of course, bound to raise some questions. In this respect, I shall seek to be entirely objective. THE SOURCES UTILIZED IN THIS STUDY AND THE PRIOR STUDIES As a reaction to the belief that there exists a prohibition to paintings in Is- lam, many miniatures were created. The miniature artists worked subject to Ottoman Palace, under the auspices of the Ottoman sultans2. In this respect, the subjects of the miniatures were selected from religious and literary issues, in addition to the lives of the sultans. Our issue, the miniatures of Al Khadir and Ilyas, is most frequently observed in the religious and the literary achieve- ments. The miniatures of Al Khadir and Ilyas contribute intensely to the achievements inscribed on the subject of the history of prophets such as Qisas 1 This research was sponsored by Selcuk University Scientific Research Projects. 2 And, 1998,50; And, 2004,107. 07-0398_Aram20_09_Eravsar 137 09-16-2008, 17:14 138 MINIATURE PAINTINGS OF PROPHET ELIJAH (ILYAS) al Anbiya3 and Falname. Above all the achievements inscribed concerning the history of prophets and which embrace Ottoman period miniature, is Zübdetü’t Tevarih4 inscribed by Seyyid Lokman A≥uri. In this achievement, known to have been inscribed in the period of Murat III (1583), are the portrayals of the prophets taking part in the Old Testament and Quran5. The miniatures of this manuscript were painted by Nakka≥ Osman. Three copies of this manuscript6 exist. Amidst the Ottoman period calligraphic inscriptions, do Qisas al Anbiyas involve the narrations of the prophets7? The Ottoman inscriptions realized as regards this issue imitated the Persian achievements of El-Hekim Ni≥aburi, Muhammad Cuveyni and Muhammad bin Hasan al-Dayduzami8. During the Ottoman period, Qisas al Anbiyas is the most substantial one ≤ehname-i Ali Osman inscribed by Arif Çelebi in 1558, during the period of Süleyman the Great9. There exist other Qisas al Anbiya exclusive of this book10. These manuscripts, most of which are dated back to 16th century, have been scattered to several libraries around the world. The miniatures that have to do with our issue have been taken from the manuscripts of Topkapı Palace Museum11. Another manuscript in which the depictions of the prophets are given is Falname12. The function of the book is quite interesting. The reader used to open a page of this achievement at random, matching the miniature on the page with the text against this page13. It was arranged as a fortune telling book by vizier Kalender Pasha in the period of Ahmed I, at the beginning of 17th century14. The manuscript embraces the miniatures of the prophets taking part in the Old Testament and Quran. There are also other inscriptions similar to Falname. The most important one amidst these is Fal-ı Quran15. The author of this manuscript, which involves sixty miniatures, is unknown. 3 Milstein R., Rührdanz, K., Schmitz, B., Stories of the prophets: illustrated manuscripts of Qisas al Anbiya, California, 1999. 4 And, 1998, 117; Renda, 1976, 183-200 5 Mahir, 2005, 100 6 Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi H. 1321, Türk Islam Eserleri Müzesi 1973, Chester Beatty Library 414. 7 Milstein, 1999, 1-2. 8 Milstein, 1999,2. 9 This book was published in five volumes. 1. volume Enbiyaname(in Geneve, Collection of A.Bruchett), 2. Volume History of Islam (loss), 3. Volume History of Seljuk (loss), 4. Volume Osmanname (in collection of Hans H. Kraus ), 5. Volume Süleymanname. (Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi H.1517). And, 2004, 53. 10 Milstein, 1999, 2-3. 11 Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi H. 1225, Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi B.250, Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi, R.1556. 12 Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi H.1703, Dresden, Sächsische Landesbibliothk, E.445. 13 And, 2004, 86 14 Millstein, 1999, 68. 15 Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi H.1702. 07-0398_Aram20_09_Eravsar 138 09-16-2008, 17:14 O. ERAV≤AR 139 Among the miniatures of the Ottoman period are the Iskendernames, the in- scriptions that most frequently involve the issues in respect to Al Khadir and Ilyas. The main subject of these inscriptions which are also designated as Sedd-i Iskender and Kıssa-i Iskender is Alexander the Great who is enunciated as Zulkarneyn in Quran16. The most comprehensive and striking constituent of the Iskendernames in terms of its miniatures is the one that pertains to Ahmedi who is one of the poets of the 14th century17. This Iskendername of Ahmedi embraces the miniatures as to Al Khadir and Ilyas accomplishing their jour- neys with Zulkarneyn in great deal. Apart from this achievement also there are Hamses a chapter of which depicts Al Khadir and Ilyas drinking the water of immortality18. It was the travelers who preliminarily drew the attention to the origin of Al Khadir and Ilyas culture in Asia Minor and their relation with the pre-Islamic periods19, which successively shed light on the further studies. Hascluck was the first to mention and expound the relation between Al Khadir and Ilyas and the pre-Islamic cultures in Asia Minor20. Right after him, A.Y.Ocak implemented an extensive study as did Hascluck21. Ocak in his article, judging from the public beliefs and their historic facts in several regions of Asia Minor, extraordinarily advocated that Al Khadir and Ilyas culture was a continuation of St. George cul- ture22. The second book carried out by A.Y. Ocak involves the most extensive study concerning this issue which scrutinizes the relation between Al Khadir and Ilyas and Asia Minor cultures. There exists no direct study of the case dwelling on Al Khadir and Ilyas in the Ottoman period miniatures. Accordingly, this subject occurs exclusively in the general studies of the field23. THE BELIEF OF AL KHADIR AND ILYAS IN TURKISH-ISLAMIC CUL- TURE The beliefs as regards Al Khadir and Ilyas in Turk-Islam culture of the pub- lic focus on two basic subjects. The first one of these two subjects is the belief that Al Khadir suddenly appears when someone is in need of help and then he vanishes after his help. In this respect, he is acknowledged to be immortal. The 16 And, 1998, 59; Bagcı, 1989, 11-15. 17 Original copies of these three manuscripts are in Paris Bibliothéque Nationale Colbert 4187, Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi H.679, Venice Biblioteca Marciana OrXC=57/56. 18 Bagcı, 1989, 140. 19 Dernshjwam, 1923, 76 20 Hasluck, 1973, 570. 21 Ocak, 1991. 22 Ocak, 1991, 666. 23 About miniatures of connected with Hızır and Ilyas was done an evaluation by Metin And. (And, 1998, 193-196).; in Ahmedi Iskendername section of Hızır ve Ilyas prophet was examined by Serpil Bagci. (Bagcı, 1989, 139-141). 07-0398_Aram20_09_Eravsar 139 09-16-2008, 17:14 140 MINIATURE PAINTINGS OF PROPHET ELIJAH (ILYAS) background of this immortality story of Al Khadir and Ilyas can be traced back to Alexander whose iconography will be submitted in the following part. As for the second of these subjects, it is the iconography that is concerned with the day Al Khadir and Ilyas met with each other. The most striking issue dwelled on this iconography is that the day on which Al Khadir and Ilyas met with each other is actually the day nature turns green. In reference to the old Christian calendar this date corresponds to the 23rd of April whereas in terms of Gregorian calendar it is the 6th of May. The same as today, this date was believed to be a holy day. They used to make wishes and give sacrifices on the highest hills. As it is seen, the beliefs in respect to Al Khadir and Ilyas prophets have been handed down from one generation to another for centuries. The phenom- ena behind these beliefs have been preserved irrespective of their true nature. The impacts of these phenomena can be overtly seen in the social and cultural depictions of Ottoman society. One of the depictions of these phenomena is implemented in the Ottoman miniatures. It is probable to classify the mini- atures with respect to Al Khadir and Ilyas in terms of iconography. 1. The Depictions of Alexander and Water of Immortality (Ab-ı Hayat) The story of Alexander, who takes place in Quran as Zu’l-Karneyn24, and Al Khadir is considerably mentioned in the Iskendernames. The two cases partak- ing here are comparatively more striking than the others.
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