Remember the name Nasuhi Mehmet Efendi. This Camii before us carries a legacy. It’s a legacy woven with devotion and unexpected financial twists.
The Nasuhi Mehmet Efendi Camii isn’t just a mosque. It’s part of a tekke. A tekke is a Sufi religious complex. This one belonged to the Halvetiyye order and later the Şabaniyye branch. People also knew this tekke by other names. Some called it Hazret-i Nasûhî Efendi Tekke. Others knew it as Şeyh Nasûhî Efendi.
Let’s rewind to 1684. Grand Vizier Damad Hasan Pasha started building this dergah. That is a place where Sufis live or meet. But he ran out of money. Then, Sheikh Mehmed Nasûhî Efendi stepped in. He paid the remaining costs. The construction of the Nasuhi Mehmet Efendi Camii finished in 1688.
Hasan Pasha married Hatice Sultan in 1690 or 1691. She was the daughter of Sultan Mehmed IV. After Hasan Pasha and Mehmed Nasûhî Efendi died, Hatice Sultan registered the tekke under her name in 1719. Hasan Pasha also built a fountain near the tekke entrance in 1705.
The initial Nasuhi Mehmet Efendi Camii complex likely had an elaborate design. However, that original building no longer exists. During the time of Sheikh Mehmed Muhyiddin Efendi, Sultan Abdülmecid rebuilt the mosque. He also rebuilt the tevhidhane which is a place for religious ceremonies. The tomb and harem sections were also reconstructed. It is known that he performed Friday prayers. These wooden structures burned down in 1857 or 1858. Ebubekir Rüstem Pasha rebuilt the tekke in its current form in 1863 or 1864.
In 1902, the Evkaf Nezareti which is the Ministry of Religious Endowments renovated the Nasuhi Mehmet Efendi Camii. After the closure of tekkes in 1925, it became a mosque. The tomb stayed closed for a long time. Descendants of Mehmed Nasûhî Efendi used the harem and selamlık which are the women’s and men’s quarters as residences. The selamlık got renovated in the 1960s. The minaret that collapsed due to earthquake damage got rebuilt in 1966. Alaeddin Nasuhioğlu from the same family financed the reconstruction.
The Nasuhi Mehmet Efendi Camii’s interior features a wooden ceiling and pulpit. The mihrab which indicates the direction of Mecca is a niche in the wall. Mehmed Nasûhî Efendi is buried in the tomb.
The Nasuhi Mehmet Efendi Camii minaret is classic in style. It has a square base a prism-shaped pedestal and a conical cap. The selamlık has been completely renovated so not much is known about how it looked like before.
The graveyard surrounds the Nasuhi Mehmet Efendi Camii on the east and south. Many people are buried here. They include state officials scholars and palace members. They were all connected to the tekke.
Notice Hasan Pasha Fountain. It stands near the mosque. The fountain inscription dates back to 1705. The inscription was written by the poet Zâmirî İsmail Efendi.
The Nasuhi Mehmet Efendi Camii stands as a reminder. It reminds us of the individuals who shaped its history. From Hasan Pasha’s initial vision to Mehmed Nasûhî Efendi’s financial support. And from Hatice Sultan’s patronage to the modern-day worshippers. This place embodies faith. It embodies community and the enduring spirit of Istanbul.