Somuncu Baba

Shaykh Hamid-i Vali
Shaykh Hamid-i Vali
	A representation of Somundju Baba
Personal
Born	1331; Kayseri, Anatolia
Died	1412; Aksaray, Anatolia
Religion	Islam
Children	Halil Taybi (son) Yusuf Hakiki Baba (son)
Other names	Somunju Baba
Occupation	Ascetic teacher of Islam
Senior posting
	Students Hacı Bayram-ı Veli; Molla Şemseddin Fenari; Akşemseddin; Akbıyık Sultan; Şeyh Üftade; Aziz Mahmud Hudayi; Halil Taybi; Baba Yusuf Hakiki; Bıçakçı Ömer Dede; Hızır Dede; İnce Bedreddin; Yazıcıoğlu; Şeyh Lütfullah; Şeyhî; Muslihiddin Halife; Uzun Selahaddin;

Shaykh Hamid-i Vali (Turkish: Şeyh Hamid-i Veli) (1331–1412), better known by his sobriquet Somunju Baba (Turkish: Somuncu Baba), was an ascetic teacher of Islam in Bursa, Turkey, who exerted extensive influence and is known as a Muslim saint. He was born in Kayseri and died in Aksaray. He taught at the Ulu Camii (The Great Mosque) where he was installed by Sultan Bayezid I after it was completed. Somunju Baba's students included Molla Fenari and Hacı Bayram-ı Veli.

Biography

Somunju Baba is one of the virtuous men who came to Anatolia for spiritual conquest, he was also a descendant of Islamic prophet Muhammad After receiving an education in cities which are the center of knowledge like Şam, Tabriz, Erdebil, he settled in Bursa for his guidance and duty. He taught at the Bursa Grand Mosque where he was installed by Sultan Bayezid I after it was completed. For hiding his spiritual side, he baked bread and sold them so he was known as Somunju Baba. He became known after he had translated the sura of Al-Fatiha, in seven different ways during the opening of Bursa Grand Mosque, in Bursa. He avoided becoming famous so he left Bursa and moved Aksaray. He left his son Yusuf Hakiki Baba in Aksaray and he went to Mecca with his son Halil Taybi when they got back to Anadolu they settled in Aksaray and he died here in 1412. His tomb is still in Aksaray.

With the help of Es-Seyyid Osman Hulusi Efendi Foundation,^[1] it has another mosque,a library, museum and an exhibition hall and it became a complex of building with restoration. With its excursion, it is an attractive center of local and foreign tourists.

Somunju Baba's students

Hacı Bayram-ı Veli - Ankara
Molla Şemseddin Fenari - Bursa
Akşemseddin - Göynük
Akbıyık Sultan - Bursa
Şeyh Üftade - Bursa
Aziz Mahmud Hudayi - Bursa
Halil Taybi - Darende
Baba Yusuf Hakiki - Aksaray
Bıçakçı Ömer Dede - Göynük
Hızır Dede- Bursa
İnce Bedreddin - Darende
Yazıcıoğlu - Gelibolu
Şeyh Lutfullah - Balıkesir
Şeyhî - Kütahya
Muslihiddin Halife - İskilip
Uzun Selahaddin - Bolu

References

Akgündüz, Ahmet (1992) Arşiv belgeleri ışığında Şeyh Hâmid-i Velî Somuncu Baba ve neseb-i âlîsi Es-Seyyid Osman Hulûsi Efendi Vakfı, Istanbul, ISBN 975-95352-0-3 (biography of Hamidüddin Aksarayî in Turkish)
Somuncu Baba ve Neseb-i Âlisi
Akgündüz, Ahmet (2009) Arşiv Belgeleri Işığında Somuncu Baba ve Neseb-i Âlisi , Osmanlı Araştırmaları Vakfı, Istanbul, ISBN 9757268445, ISBN 9789757268444 (Biography of Somuncu Baba with the Ottoman Archives) (in Turkish)
Somuncu Baba ve Neseb-i Âlisi
Prof.Dr. Ahmet Akgündüz Symposium about Somuncu Baba (in Turkish)
Somuncu Baba ve Neseb-i Âlisi, Somuncu Baba culture and literature magazine
Opening of Somunju Baba Mosque