Taha Toros Arşivi, Dosya No: 27-Eyüpİstanbul Kalkınma Ajansı (TR10/14/YEN/0033) İstanbul Development Agency (TR10/14/YEN/0033

Photiades, Basil A.

Istanbul Sehir University Repository

JANVIER 1957 25
The Picturesque Mosque of Eyüp Sultan
In the creek of the Golden Horn, the Gulf in the 
Bosphorus, there lies the township of Eyup, famous 
for its homonymous and historic Mosque, shadowed 
by century old grandiose oak trees.
This mosque, known in Turkish as Eyup Camii, 
bears an exceptional sublimity in the conscience of 
the Muslem World; it is considered as a source of com­
fort and relief to those with sufferings.
It has been constructed by the Conqueror Sultan 
Mehmet in veneration of Ebu Eyup Sultan, contempo­
rary of Prophet Mohammed.
Ebu Eyup’s original name was Halid. His father 
was called Zeyd. His native town being Medina, he 
was a relative of Mohammed, the Prophet, and one of 
the closest friends of Ali. It was in the year of 671 
A. D. when Khalif Muaviye proclaimed war against the 
Byzantines to conquer Istanbul. Despite his old age of 
eighty years, Ebu Eyup too joined Muaviye's army 
which proceeded to siege Istanbul, but unfortunately 
having fallen before the ramports of the city, at Egri- 
kapu, he was according to his last desire, hurried not 
far from that vicinity.
When Mohammed moved from Mecca to Medina 
all the dwellers there expressed an ardent willingness 
to receive him in their homes. The women and girls 
having mounted on the roofs of their houses, were in­
viting them most cordially to stay at theirs. As to the 
men, grasping the halter of his camel were trying to 
divert his way to their homes. The Prophet, not desir­
ing to displease anyone, asked that his camel be left 
free to move,- thus when they stopped at a certain 
spot, they all asked where the nearest house was. It 
was then Ebu Eyup who sprang out of the crowd 
shouting: "Oh my Prophet my house is the nearest of 
all the others” ; thus gaining the Prophet to his house. 
Immediately Ebu Eyup and his wife started carrying 
on their shoulders the personal effects of the Prophet.
The Prophet stayed for a month in the upper floor 
of the house of Eyup. The Ensaris, that's to say the 
inhabitants of Medina, were by turn bringing food to 
the Prophet.
Sultan Mehmet, who decided to conquer Istanbul, 
invited a wise person from Ankara, Hacı Bayram Veli 
to join his army so as to get advantage of his spiritual 
and intellectual assets. However, due to his old age, 
Hacı Bayram could not reciprocate to this invitation 
but sent to the army his two disciples Akşemsettin and 
Akbiyik.
Sultan Mehmet had commissioned Akşemsettin to 
locate the place of the tomb of Ebu Eyup, the traces 
of which had already been lost through the ages.
Kyiip Camii
Ak$emsettin retired to his tent and after a period con­
sumed for prayer and meditation succedded to locate 
Eyup's tomb. He showed a certain spot, on which, 
after they dag about two and a half meters deep, 
they found a tomb-stone of about two and a half me­
ters bearing the inscription on kufi arabic writing of 
«Haza Kabri Ebu Eyup».
The young Sultan and his suit were astonished 
at the divine ability of Ak$emsettin.
Historian Eyliya Celebi mentions that, after taking 
off the tomb-stone, they found the body of Ebu Eyup 
rolled up in a yellow shroud, while in his right hand 
he was bearing a bronze seal.
The Arabs were really bearing seals in form of 
rings.
Sultan Mehmet replaced the tomb-stone to its 
place where he constructed the mausoleum and the 
mosque still existing at Eyup.
Sultan Eyup has been considered the spiritual 
patron of Istanbul. It is because of this reason that 
every Sultan right after his enthronement was going 
to Eyup to pay tribute to Ebu Eyub.
• B. A. PHOTIADES
Kişisel Arşivlerde Istanbul Belleği 
Taha Toros Arşivi


The picturesque Mosque of Eyüp Sultan

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