Nali
Encyclopedia
Nalî also known as Mullah Xidir Ehmed Şawaysî Mîkayalî (1800-1873 in Istanbul
, Turkey
, was a Kurdish polymath
, who is considered to be one of the greatest Kurdish
poet
in Kurdish classical period
.
in mosques in Kurdistan, then he became a Faqi. “Faqi is a Mullah’s student, which is the name of students in mosques. During the process of becoming a Faqi, he visited many cities in the whole of Kurdistan or Iran
and Iraq
, cities like; Sennah, Mahabad
, Halabja
, and Sulaimany. In Qaradakh he studied under Shaikh Muhammed Ibin al Khayat, in Sulaimany in Saiyd Hasan Mosque, he studied under Mullah Abdoullah Rash, also in Qaradax he studied mathematics
under Shaikh Ali Mullah. He spent long time in the Khanaqa of Mawlana Khalid in Sulaimany. He also studied under Shaikh Awla Kharpani.
In a modern lecture about Nali’s death; Many people who lived during Nali’s period talked about Nali, Alexander Hodiszkov (1804–1891) was a Russian empire
diplomat
in 1857, he published an oration in Asia Magazine, with name ; “A Philological Research
about Kurdish language
” he mentioned that; (A Kurdish great scientist
lives in Damascus
in Syria
now, his name is Molla Hezir but he is most famous by his pseudonym
as “Naeli Effendi” this man spent many time for studying his countries dialects and language, he also translated an Arabic grammatical book to Kurdish
, Ahmed Khan (Ahmed Pashay Baban - The King of [[Baban]] ) who is Nali’s friend promised me to introduce me to his country’s greatest linguistic scientist).
In Nazhat al Fikr a historical book says that, he mentioned (Al Shaikh Khidir Affandi Nali al Kurdi; was born in Iraq
in Shahrazur, he studied sciences till he became a great man in Art of Literature and linguitic science. In the year of twelve eighty something he came to Mecca
he became our president's friend the Sheriff Abdoullah Pasha Bin On… he has a great experience in Arabic literature…) these two references refuse Nali’s death day in 1855 or 1858, in Nazhat al Fikr the year (In the year of twelve eighteen something 128-) we can consider it from 1280-1289 is about 1863-1873.
In the Muhammed Tahir Borsali’s book (Otmanli Mualifleri) talks about Nali’s return from Hijaz or Saudi Arabia
to Istanbul
, he mentioned that Nali was return in 1290 that means 1873.
Even before finding these books the researchers doubted Nali’s year death, 1856. Mullah Abdoulkarimi Mudaris and his son; Fatih Abdoulkarim, both mentioned that "there are many poems that Nali talks about himself being very old like:
My extra salty tears like a salty river comes down on my beard and moustache
and made it white
How for Boobs Nali just like a small kid make Wey Wey “crying”
Even his hair is just like milk, he grew up with that Milk!)
You, beautiful young, I’m old and I cannot walk
I’m old and close to death
, 'nadi' pipe flute
(cf. common Kurdish /d > l/ phonetic development), which in modern Kurdish refer to a Kurdish
folk musical instrument
, similar to a type of Flute
called Shimshal
; as well as pencils which traditionally were made of reed.
Many times Nali mentioned Habiba’s name, but sometimes he mentions her name as (Mahbuba) too. But there are big doubts in the real name of this woman, both of Aladdin Sajadi in his book (History of Kurdish Literature; Mêjûy edebî kurdî) and in (Diwani Nali) Mullah Abdoulkarimi Mudaris and his son they mentioned this doubt. The reason is Nali’s period a “Mullah
” was a village’s leader or peoples’ leader he couldn’t mention somebody’s name in public because of costume traditional this was hard for a Mullah. Habiba was a secret name Nali used it. Sometimes Nali talks about their nights together; A Mullah couldn’t talk about his night with a girl or a woman in a village or in those small old cities in Kurdistan. Here are some of Nali’s poems that mentioned Habiba’s name:
Some say that Nali married Habiba, but if were true, there is not any sign that Nali took Habiba to Hijaz, Damascus
, or Istanbul
. Aladdin Sajadi mentions that Habiba may have died before Nali’s left for Hijaz. Also they didn’t have any children. For explanation Aladdin Sajadi brings one of Nali’s poems which talks about his losing friends:
, within the context of the turmoil caused by the Ottoman oppression.
To this day Nali's influence on Kurdish culture
can be recognised as Sorani
is the primary dialect of Kurdish in Iraqi and Iranian Kurdistan
.
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, was a Kurdish polymath
Polymath
A polymath is a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas. In less formal terms, a polymath may simply be someone who is very knowledgeable...
, who is considered to be one of the greatest Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
in Kurdish classical period
Classical period
Classical period can refer to the following:*The Classical Period of ancient Greece, which fell between its Archaic Period and Hellenistic Period.*Classical antiquity*Classical period of music*Classic stage of American archaeology...
.
Early life and career
Nali was born in Khaku-Khol, a village belongs to Sharbajer area or Shahrazur or Sharazur in Sulaimany, Kurdistan region of Iraq. As was the custom in the old days in Kurdistan, he started studying the Quran first and Arabic languageArabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
in mosques in Kurdistan, then he became a Faqi. “Faqi is a Mullah’s student, which is the name of students in mosques. During the process of becoming a Faqi, he visited many cities in the whole of Kurdistan or Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, cities like; Sennah, Mahabad
Mahabad
-Culture:Muhammad Qazi translated more than 70 important literary works into Persian. Other writers and poets have hailed from Mahabad in the 19th and 20th century including Wafaei , Hejar , Hêmin , Abdorrahamn Zabihi and Giw Mukriyani...
, Halabja
Halabja
Halabja , is a Kurdish town in Northern Iraq, located about north-east of Baghdad and 8–10 miles from the Iranian border....
, and Sulaimany. In Qaradakh he studied under Shaikh Muhammed Ibin al Khayat, in Sulaimany in Saiyd Hasan Mosque, he studied under Mullah Abdoullah Rash, also in Qaradax he studied mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
under Shaikh Ali Mullah. He spent long time in the Khanaqa of Mawlana Khalid in Sulaimany. He also studied under Shaikh Awla Kharpani.
Nali’s birth and death years
There are doubts about his birth year; Muhammed Amin Zaki Bag said that (Nali lived during 1215-1273 with Islamic year) this date is about 1800–1856. Dr. Marif Khaznadar and Dr. Kamal Foad both point to the same date too, but Aladdin Sajadi says that he was born in 1797 and died in 1855.In a modern lecture about Nali’s death; Many people who lived during Nali’s period talked about Nali, Alexander Hodiszkov (1804–1891) was a Russian empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
in 1857, he published an oration in Asia Magazine, with name ; “A Philological Research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
about Kurdish language
Kurdish language
Kurdish is a dialect continuum spoken by the Kurds in western Asia. It is part of the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian group of Indo-European languages....
” he mentioned that; (A Kurdish great scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
lives in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
now, his name is Molla Hezir but he is most famous by his pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
as “Naeli Effendi” this man spent many time for studying his countries dialects and language, he also translated an Arabic grammatical book to Kurdish
Kurdish language
Kurdish is a dialect continuum spoken by the Kurds in western Asia. It is part of the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian group of Indo-European languages....
, Ahmed Khan (Ahmed Pashay Baban - The King of [[Baban]] ) who is Nali’s friend promised me to introduce me to his country’s greatest linguistic scientist).
In Nazhat al Fikr a historical book says that, he mentioned (Al Shaikh Khidir Affandi Nali al Kurdi; was born in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
in Shahrazur, he studied sciences till he became a great man in Art of Literature and linguitic science. In the year of twelve eighty something he came to Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
he became our president's friend the Sheriff Abdoullah Pasha Bin On… he has a great experience in Arabic literature…) these two references refuse Nali’s death day in 1855 or 1858, in Nazhat al Fikr the year (In the year of twelve eighteen something 128-) we can consider it from 1280-1289 is about 1863-1873.
In the Muhammed Tahir Borsali’s book (Otmanli Mualifleri) talks about Nali’s return from Hijaz or Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
to Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, he mentioned that Nali was return in 1290 that means 1873.
Even before finding these books the researchers doubted Nali’s year death, 1856. Mullah Abdoulkarimi Mudaris and his son; Fatih Abdoulkarim, both mentioned that "there are many poems that Nali talks about himself being very old like:
- Mûy sipî kirdim be shushtin awî eînî Shore Shet
My extra salty tears like a salty river comes down on my beard and moustache
Moustache
A moustache is facial hair grown on the outer surface of the upper lip. It may or may not be accompanied by a type of beard, a facial hair style grown and cropped to cover most of the lower half of the face.-Etymology:...
and made it white
- Bo Memik Nalî çi mindalane wey wey kirdûe, gerçî mûy wek Shîre bew Shîre Shikofey Kirdûe
How for Boobs Nali just like a small kid make Wey Wey “crying”
Even his hair is just like milk, he grew up with that Milk!)
- Ey Taze ciwan pîrmu Uftade Kewtûm
You, beautiful young, I’m old and I cannot walk
- Min Pîrmu fanî
I’m old and close to death
Nali’s Pseudonym
The name of Nalî is derived from old Iranic root 'nada' reedReed
- Musical instruments :* Single-reed instrument, a woodwind instrument that uses only one reed to produce sound* Double reed instrument, a woodwind instrument that uses two reeds to produce sound...
, 'nadi' pipe flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
(cf. common Kurdish /d > l/ phonetic development), which in modern Kurdish refer to a Kurdish
Kurdish music
Kurdish music refers to music performed in Kurdish language.Traditionally, there are three types of Kurdish Classical performers - storytellers , minstrels and bards . There was no specific music related to the Kurdish princely courts, and instead, music performed in night gatherings is...
folk musical instrument
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
, similar to a type of Flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
called Shimshal
Shimshal
Shimshal شمشال is a beautiful village located in Gojal, Hunza-Nagar District, in the Pakistan-administered Gilgit-Baltistan formerly known as Northern Areas of Pakistan. It lies at an altitude of 3,200 m above sea level, and is the highest settlement in Hunza Valley of Pakistan...
; as well as pencils which traditionally were made of reed.
Nali and his Lover
Nali had a lover, he mentioned her name in more than eight poems, and he mentioned her name as (Habiba), Aladdin Sajadi mention that in Qaradax Nali had another lover her name was Aisha, this Aisha was always proud of herself because she was Nali’s lover, evern Shaikh Nuri Baba Ali mentions this subject too that he says he met her alive. But still now there is not any sign or word in ehole Nali’s poems for this Aisha.Many times Nali mentioned Habiba’s name, but sometimes he mentions her name as (Mahbuba) too. But there are big doubts in the real name of this woman, both of Aladdin Sajadi in his book (History of Kurdish Literature; Mêjûy edebî kurdî) and in (Diwani Nali) Mullah Abdoulkarimi Mudaris and his son they mentioned this doubt. The reason is Nali’s period a “Mullah
Mullah
Mullah is generally used to refer to a Muslim man, educated in Islamic theology and sacred law. The title, given to some Islamic clergy, is derived from the Arabic word مَوْلَى mawlā , meaning "vicar", "master" and "guardian"...
” was a village’s leader or peoples’ leader he couldn’t mention somebody’s name in public because of costume traditional this was hard for a Mullah. Habiba was a secret name Nali used it. Sometimes Nali talks about their nights together; A Mullah couldn’t talk about his night with a girl or a woman in a village or in those small old cities in Kurdistan. Here are some of Nali’s poems that mentioned Habiba’s name:
- Cenanî wek cînan kirdim be Mawa, Hebîbey Malîyawa malî awa
- Xendew demî Mehbube kewa zor nimekîn, Bes xoşe eger xo nimekî zexmu birînin
- Pêm delên Mehbube xêlu qîçe meylî şer deka, Xêlu qîçe ya tirazuy nazî nextê ser deka?
Some say that Nali married Habiba, but if were true, there is not any sign that Nali took Habiba to Hijaz, Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, or Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
. Aladdin Sajadi mentions that Habiba may have died before Nali’s left for Hijaz. Also they didn’t have any children. For explanation Aladdin Sajadi brings one of Nali’s poems which talks about his losing friends:
Significance in Kurdish Culture
It is widely accepted that Nali's literature contributed significantly to bringing about a renaissance in the Kurdish language. His most famous works were written in the lower Kurmanji dialect, SoraniSoranî
Soranî is the name of a Kurdish language that is spoken in Iran and Iraq. Soranî is one of the main Kurdish languages, which are a branch of the Iranian languages.- Name :...
, within the context of the turmoil caused by the Ottoman oppression.
To this day Nali's influence on Kurdish culture
Kurdish culture
Kurdish culture is a group of distinctive cultural traits practiced by Kurdish people...
can be recognised as Sorani
Soranî
Soranî is the name of a Kurdish language that is spoken in Iran and Iraq. Soranî is one of the main Kurdish languages, which are a branch of the Iranian languages.- Name :...
is the primary dialect of Kurdish in Iraqi and Iranian Kurdistan
Iranian Kurdistan
Iranian Kurdistan is an unofficial name for the parts of Iran inhabited by Kurds and has borders with Iraq and Turkey. It includes Kurdistan Province, Kermanshah Province, Ilam Province and parts of West Azerbaijan province....
.
External links
- Dîwanî Nalî. Researched and explained by Mullah Abdoulkarimi Mudaris and Fatih Abdoulkarim. ISBN 964-6546-74-9
- Keith Hitchins, "NALÎ" in Encyclopaedia Iranica, Online Edition. http://www.iranica.com/articles/nali
- University of Sulaymaniyah, College of Languages, Département of Kurdish Language. Lectures.
- NALÎ (in Kurdish)
- Mystical Love and Mystical Nationalism in Farhad Shakely's String
- Classic and Modern Kurdish Poetry