Mecmû’atü’t-Terâcim is a biography collection written by Şeyhülislâm Ârif Hikmet Bey (d. 1262/1846), featuring the lives of 1134 poets, scholars, writers, and Sufis who lived in various periods. The title of the work, Mecmû’atü’t-Terâcim, corresponds to the year 1234 AH / 1819 CE, marking the date of its composition according to the abjad system. ^【1】  The author, in this Arabic-language work, continues the classical Islamic biographical tradition while documenting many figures from the Ottoman scholarly and literary circles.

Content and Features of the Work

The biographies included in the collection are highly diverse in terms of scope. Some individuals are depicted in long, detailed, and well-sourced life stories, while others are mentioned by their names or just their death dates. This variation relates both to the accessibility of sources and the author’s personal interest and preferences.

One noteworthy aspect of the work is the presence of blank spaces in certain folios. This suggests that the author may have left space for future biographical entries or that the work was left incomplete. ^【2】  The biographies typically include the person's name, title, nisbah (patronymic), place of birth, master or teacher relationships, death date, and sometimes the cause of death.

Example 1:

"Ibrâhîm el-Hüseynî el-ʿUşşâḳī el-Üsküdârî, Ḫalīfetü’ş-Şeyḫ Cemâleddīn en-Nakīb el-Edirnevī, passed away in Üsküdar on the second of Sha'bân in the year 1175, Thursday."^【3】 

Example 2:

"Mirzâ Ümîd el-Buhârî passed away in 1188."^【4】 

The language and style of the work align with traditional Arabic biographical texts. However, the author's inclination toward poetry and his aesthetic taste also led him to incorporate literary expressions and appreciations.^【5】 

Manuscript Information and Copying

The only known manuscript of Mecmû’atü’t-Terâcim is registered in the Ali Emiri Collection of the Millet Library, no. 788. This manuscript was copied by Ali Emiri Efendi. The manuscript consists of 225 folios, and its page layout indicates a meticulous writing process. Some parts of the work also contain corrections and additions. The work has not yet been published in a modern edition.

Author and the Place of the Work

Ârif Hikmet Bey was a prominent figure of the Tanzimat period, known not only for his role as Şeyhülislâm but also for his poetry, calligraphy, and the library he established in Medina.^【6】  A person with both classical education and an openness to Western thought, he introduces the scholarly and Sufi environment of his era through the biographical choices made in Mecmû’atü’t-Terâcim.

The work follows in the footsteps of other Ottoman biographical collections such as Şakaik, Sefînetü’r-Rüşd, and Hediyyetü’l-ʿÂrifîn, but it stands out due to its Arabic language and its extensive scope. In modern biographical studies, such works serve as primary sources for literary history and cultural transmission. ^【7】