Turkish is one of the prominent figures in Islamic history. He served Islam throughout his life and served as the standard-bearer of our Master. Abdülvehhâb Gazi is known to have participated in numerous battles alongside various heroes; some sources indicate that he joined the jihad alongside Battal Gazi in Greek lands. Although his exact birth and death dates are unknown, Ibn Kathir and Tabari state that Abdülvehhâb Gazi was martyred in the year 113 AH (731 CE). Some sources also mention that he was a weapons companion of Battal Gazi and Ahmet Turan Gazi. While his tomb is said to be located in several places, it is situated atop the Yukarı Tekke Kayalıkları in Sivas. Additionally, shrines and mausoleums dedicated to him are found in İznik, Elazığ, Afyon and Bayburt.

In addition to being a warrior who fought for Islam, he was known as a devout individual who regularly worshipped in mosques. Imam Malik spoke of him as follows:

“He frequently performed prayer and fasting and went on jihad. When he was martyred, no one other than his companions and fellow travelers was found to own any of his belongings. He was a man of piety and generosity. He was martyred alongside Emir Ebû Muhammad Abdullah Battal in the lands of Rum and buried there. May God grant him mercy.”【1】

During his youth, Abdülvehhâb Gazi served the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ both in campaigns and daily life, and he served as a standard-bearer in various expeditions, earning the Prophet’s prayers as a reward for his service. When the Prophet ﷺ once asked his companions, “Tell me of the wonders you have witnessed of God’s creation,” Abdülvehhâb described the beauty of the lands and people of Rum, saying, “O Sultan, if only this land were part of Islam.” In response, the Prophet ﷺ prayed that these lands would be granted to the Muslims, and the angel Jibril informed him that his prayer had been accepted. Those present rejoiced at this good tidings. When Abdülvehhâb Gazi asked whether any of those present would live to see that time, Jibril replied that the one who asked the question would indeed reach that era.

Two centuries after the Prophet ﷺ, Abdülvehhâb Gazi traveled to Malatya, where he delivered the Prophet’s final instructions on religious matters to a commander named Cafer and joined him in battle. (Y. Alim, 2013)

In the later years of his life, while occupied with warfare, Abdülvehhâb Gazi had previously engaged with the transmission of hadith. One of the hadiths he narrated is as follows:

“Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Dimashqi conveyed this hadith to us, saying that it was transmitted to him by Mubashshir ibn Ismail al-Halabi, from Mu’an ibn Rifaa’, who received it from Abdülvehhâb ibn Buht, who in turn received it from Anas ibn Malik (may God be pleased with him). The Messenger of God ﷺ said:

‘May God brighten the face of the servant who hears my words, understands them, and then conveys them to others. Many people carry knowledge of fiqh without being jurists themselves, and many others carry fiqh knowledge to those more knowledgeable than themselves.’”【2】

Menkibe refers to legendary narratives that recount the moral virtues and extraordinary deeds of religious leaders, heroes, and historical figures in an epic style.

According to menkibes, Abdülvehhâb Gazi was the standard-bearer of the Prophet ﷺ and lived a miraculous life through his prayers. It is related that years later, he traveled to Malatya and delivered the Prophet’s entrusted items to Battal Gazi. Thereafter, he fought alongside Battal Gazi and Ahmet Turan Gazi to spread Islam in Anatolia.

Some menkibes state that Abdülvehhâb Gazi was martyred alongside Ahmet Turan Gazi during a battle near Soğuk Çermik; his body was carried away by the waters of a river and remained submerged for a long duration beneath the stream flowing below the Yukarı Tekke cliffs. After a vision was seen, his body was retrieved from the river and transferred to the tomb at Yukarı Tekke.

^{The Mausoleum of Abdülvehhâb Gazi at the Yukarı Tekke Cemetery in Sivas}