Tuhfetü’t-Tâlibîn

Lutfi Pasha (d. 971/1564), one of the Grand Viziers during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, acquired extensive expe- rience in state administration across various echelons of the Ottoman government. His scholarly pursuits, which began at the Enderun School, continued even after his dismissal from the post of Grand Vizier and his subsequent departure to the provinces. Indeed, upon settling in Dimetoka (Didy- moteicho), he not only established a waqf (endowment) in his own name but also authored scholarly works. The catec- hism (ilmihâl) titled Tuhfat al-Tālibīn, written in 1544, is one such work. This study consists of three main sections: the introduction, the text, and the index. In the introduction, brief information is provided regarding the historical background of catechis- ms (ilmihâl), their earliest examples, and the development of the ilmihâl tradition within the Ottoman realm. Subsequent- ly, fundamental information regarding Lutfi Pasha and his works is presented, followed by a detailed examination of Tuhfat al-Tālibīn. In this section, characteristics such as the description of manuscripts, the work's structure, sources, and language and stylistic features are addressed under se- parate headings. The text section contains the transcription of the work into the Latin alphabet. At the beginning of the work, Lutfi Pasha provides general information on the requisites of faith, followed by an exp- lanation of acts of worship such as ablution (wudu), major ablution (ghusl), prayer (salah), almsgiving (zakat), fasting, and pilgrimage (hajj) according to the Hanafi school of jurisprudence. While expounding upon these matters, the author cites not only the views of Hanafi scholars but also, occasionally, the jurisprudential opinions (ijtihad) of the Shafi'i and Maliki schools. Tuhfat al-Tālibīn concludes with an account of supplementary prayers transmitted from the Prophet and scholars. As far as can be determined, nearly 100 sources, mostly in Arabic, are cited in Tuhfat al-Tālibīn; however, Lutfi Pas- ha's primary source is the Turkish jurisprudence book by Candaroğlu İsmâil Bey (d. 884/1479), known as Hulviyyât-ı Şâhî and Hulviyyât-ı Sultânî. He also transmitted most of the information attributed to other sources via Hulviyyât. Information regarding this matter is provided in the section on the work's sources. Tuhfat al-Tālibīn is a work that can contribute to studies on the historical development of the Turkish language and holds a significant place within the ilmihâl tradition in the Ottoman sphere. This study aims to present a 16th-century work prepared according to scholarly methods for the be- nefit of researchers, and to increase the recognition of Lutfi Pasha primarily known for his statesmanship as a scholar.