Şeyh Rıza Talabani ve Türkçe Şiirleri

A MULTILINGUAL SATIRE MASTER / KADİRI - HALİSİ SEYHİ

Sheikh Riza Talabani (1831-1910), who lived in centers such as Kirkuk, Mosul, Sulaymaniyah, Istanbul and Baghdad during the centralization process of the late Ottoman period, spoke in four languages (Kurdish, Turkish) in parallel with the rapid political, administrative, religious and socio-cultural changes in this geography. He is a master poet who wrote poems (in Persian and Arabic) and a sheikh of the sect belonging to the Halisiye branch of the Kadiri sect, which was founded by his father. However, he is a little different from the familiar sect sheikhs and classical period poets. Because he is a master heccarat and a sharp-tongued poet. He is a sufi poet with an anarchist spirit who sarcastically criticizes everyone, regardless of their relatives or rank, who criticizes even himself by making himself the subject of satire, who after a while criticizes the person he praises, who does not tolerate injustice and who does not spare his words. In this respect, he appears before us with an identity and personality that we can call the Nef'î of the period.
The fact that Sheikh Rıza was among the influential sect aristocracy of the region and that he was the witness and subject of many events that took place, and that he revealed his own perception and perspective on the events by interacting and arguing with the important figures of the mentioned centers, undoubtedly led to his poems being included in the official discourse of the state archives. has turned alternative history into a source.
His quick wit and wit in poetry are unique. For example, he was asked "Which are the greatest poets of Kurdish, Turkish, Persian and Arabic?" When asked;
“I am Mustafa Beg-i Sahibkıran in Kurdish, Firdevsi in Persian, Mütenebbi in Arabic, Namık Kemal in Turkish, and your humble servant in all four languages!”
With his answer, he revealed his wit and courage in this field and left his mark on poetry in all four languages.