Tashkubri Zada

Tashkubri Zada (901–968 AH / 1495–1561 CE) was an Ottoman Hanafi scholar, historian, and judge, best known for his biographical dictionary al-Shaqaiq al-Numaniyya and his encyclopedic survey of the sciences, Miftah al-Saada al-Alam lil-Zirikli+1.

Lineage and early life

His full name was Ahmad ibn Mustafa ibn Khalil ibn Qasim ibn Haji Safa ibn Ahmad ibn Mahmud al-Rumi al-Hanafi, known by the honorific Isam al-Din and the kunya Abu al-Khayr Sullam al-Wusul ila Tabaq…+1. He was born on the night of 14 Rabi al-Awwal 901 AH in Bursa Mujam al-Matbuat al-Arabi…+1. According to an account related by his father, Muslih al-Din Mustafa, the father had seen a dream prior to his birth in which an elderly man instructed him to name the forthcoming child Ahmad Mujam al-Matbuat al-Arabi…+1.

Upon reaching the age of discernment, the family moved to Ankara, where he began memorizing the Quran; his father conferred upon him the title Isam al-Din and the kunya Abu al-Khayr, while giving his elder brother Muhammad the title Nizam al-Din Mujam al-Matbuat al-Arabi…+1. After completing the Quran, they returned to Bursa, where his father instructed him in the Arabic language al-Budur al-Mudiya fi Tar…+1.

Education and teachers

When his father traveled to Constantinople, Tashkubri Zada was entrusted to Ala al-Din al-Yatim, studying foundational texts in Arabic grammar, morphology, and logic alongside his brother Mujam al-Matbuat al-Arabi…+1. He then continued his studies under his uncle, Qiwam al-Din Qasim, at the madrasa of Mawlana Khusraw in Bursa, where he memorized the Alfiyya of Ibn Malik Sullam al-Wusul ila Tabaq…+1.

Among his other prominent teachers were Muhyi al-Din al-Fanari, Muhammad al-Qujawi, and Miram Chalabi Sullam al-Wusul ila Tabaq…+1. He read portions of Sahih al-Bukhari with the North African scholar Muhammad al-Tunisi (al-Maghushi), who granted him a general license (ijaza), and he subsequently served as an assistant (mulazim) to Mawla Saydi Mujam al-Matbuat al-Arabi…+1.

Career and later life

Tashkubri Zada commenced his teaching career in Constantinople in 933 AH and subsequently taught at various institutions across the Ottoman realms, including the Bayazidiyya madrasa in Edirne and the Sahn madrasas Mujam al-Matbuat al-Arabi…+1. He was appointed judge (qadi) of Bursa in 952 AH (or 953 AH), briefly returned to teaching, and in Shawwal 958 AH was elevated to the chief judgeship of Constantinople Mujam al-Matbuat al-Arabi…+1.

In 961 AH, an acute ocular infection (ramad) led to the loss of his eyesight, prompting him to resign from the judiciary al-Alam lil-Zirikli+1. During his retirement, he devoted himself to religious devotions and the composition and dictation of scholarly works, completing the dictation of his biographical compendium al-Shaqaiq al-Numaniyya fi Ulama al-Dawla al-Uthmaniyya in Constantinople in 965 AH al-Alam lil-Zirikli+1. He also wrote a treatise on epidemics entitled al-Shifa li-Adwa al-Waba al-Alam lil-Zirikli+1.

Death

Tashkubri Zada died in Constantinople on the final day of Rajab 968 AH (April 1561 CE) at the age of sixty-seven Sullam al-Wusul ila Tabaq…+1. He was buried beside his father in the burial ground of the Ashiq Pasha hospice (zawiyat Ashiq Basha) Sullam al-Wusul ila Tabaq….