[ARABIA / 17TH CENTURY TRAVEL ACCOUNT OF MECCA & MEDINA (HEJAZ)] تحفه الحرمىن / Tuhfetü'l-Harameyn. [i.e. A gift to Harameyn]

YUSUF NÂBÎ (URFALI), (1642-1712).

Darü't-Tıbaatü'l-Âmîre., Kostantiniyyah (Constantinople), AH 1265 = [AD 1849].

Contemporary quarter black leather with gilt decoration to the spine. Roy. 8vo. (23 x 16 cm). In Ottoman script (Old Turkish with Arabic letters). 112 p. A very good copy.

Extremely rare first edition of Nabi's first-hand account of his 17^th century pilgrimage to Mecca, Medina, and the Hejaz. This is the most celebrated pilgrimage narrative to the Arab lands written in Ottoman Turkish, composed in 1682.

This work, one of the finest examples of Ottoman insa (artistic prose), blends historical, sociological, geographical, and autobiographical elements. In his preliminary remarks, Nabi states that he received governmental assistance for his journey. He first secured permission for the hajj from his patron, Musahib Mustafa Pasha, and then presented a qasida to Sultan Mehmed IV, describing the sacred sites. In response, the sultan provided Nabi with a letter of recommendation addressed to Abdurrahman Pasha (d. 1691), the governor of Egypt, instructing him to facilitate Nabi’s journey.

Nabi travelled in a small private caravan, which also made a detour to his homeland, Urfa, where he spent about fifty days. He followed the customary pilgrimage route from Istanbul to Damascus, passing through Scutari, Kartal, Gebze, Hersek, Iznik, Eskisehir, Seyitgazi, Aksehir, Ilgin, Ladik, Konya, Eregli, Adana, Misis Bridge, Payas, Antioch, and Aleppo. From there, he took an extended detour to Urfa (Edessa) before returning to Aleppo via Aintab. His journey continued through Hama, Homs, and the Kuteyfe Strait(?) [i.e., It's possible that "Kuteyfe Strait" refers to a waterway or channel associated with a town called Al-Qutayfah in the Rif Dimashq Governorate of Syria.] Upon reaching Cairo, Nabi was captivated by its grand architecture, bustling bazaars, and mosques-built side by side by Kurdish and Circassian rulers. He describes the city's landmarks, including the Nile, its two reservoirs, parklands, the Ahram hills, and the surrounding areas.

In Mecca, Nabi visited the sacred sites with deep devotion and performed the hajj on 7 January 1679. His account vividly conveys his emotional and spiritual experience as a pilgrim. He remained in Mecca for over twenty days before departing for Medina shortly after 1 Muharram 1090 (12 February 1679), likely traveling with the Damascus caravan.

During his time in Medina, Nabi was honoured to serve at the Prophet’s tomb, lighting candles as part of a privileged group of attendants appointed by the Ottoman government to serve the sanctuaries in Mecca and Medina. He saw this duty as a testament to the legitimacy of Ottoman rule. His return journey from Medina to Damascus and finally to Istanbul is briefly summarized in his narrative.

Nabi (1642-1712) was one of the most prominent Ottoman poets and a leading exponent of the didactic (hikemî tarz) tradition in Ottoman Turkish literature. Born Yusuf in Urfa (then known as Ruha) in 1052/1642, he later became a celebrated literary figure. In 1082/1671, he joined the Ottoman military campaign in Poland as part of the retinue of Müsahib Pasha (1640-1686). After spending thirteen years in Istanbul, Nabi longed to undertake a pilgrimage to Mecca. Personally prepared for the journey, he was also eager to compose an eloquent account of this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Having secured the favour of his patrons, Müsahib Mustafa Pasha and Sultan Mehmed IV, he rekindled his long-held ambition to perform the hajj. In 1089/1678, at the age of 37, Nabi set out from Istanbul in a small private caravan. His route took him through Konya, Urfa, Damascus, Jerusalem, and Cairo, where he joined the main Egyptian pilgrimage caravan bound for Mecca.

Özege 21267., As of January 2025, OCLC locates the sole copy in Durham University Library and Collections (1015526511).