NIHALI IBRAHIM IBN SULEYMAN HALIFE AND HIS WORK NAMED MIRATUL-UKALA

Abstract

Ethics connotes a set of concepts encompassing the good or bad habits, truths about human nature, virtues and so on. This subject has been frequently discussed in the field of literature as well as of religion, philosophy, logic, politics, etc. Like hikemi (wise) poets, certain literary genres such as pendname (an ethical-based poetical book), siyaset-name (political epistel) and nasihat-name (book of advice for rulers) were constituted by taking ethics to the center. On the other side, a number of significant works, such as Ahlak- i Alai, Mir'atul-Ahlak or Ahlak-i Muhsini have imbedded in the history of literature in this sense. Miratul-Ukala is also one of them. Written by Nihali Ibrahim ibn Suleyman Halife, who was interested in medicine and worked as a civil servant in Mecca and Medina, the book was completed during the reign of Selim III. In the introduction part of the article, we focused on morality and the sciences related to morality. In addition, the authors and their works on moral discipline are mentioned. After the introduction, in the light of biographical and bibliographic sources, the writings about the life of Nihali were discussed and the life of the author was written based on his own works. Then, the introduction of his works, and the examination of Miratu'l-'Ukala in terms of content and style were included. The resources that Nihali, who has a wellrounded personality, benefited from, the organization he created and the concepts he focused on were examined. Finally, the manuscripts were classified by using the catalog information of the nine copies of the work that we can access.