Tapduk Emre Tomb

About

He is believed to have been born in 1200 AD. He came from Turkistan during the Seljuk period and settled in the village of Emremsultan, located south of Nallıhan, near the Sakarya River and 15 km away from the district center. He lived, died, and spent his life there, serving as a revered figure. He was also the mentor of Yunus Emre, whom he served for forty years and nurtured.

He was one of the disciples of the great Sufi Ahmed Yesevi, who lived in Horasan. He embraced Islam in Anatolia and endeavored to spread Anatolian saints and Turkish culture to Anatolia and the Balkans. It is said that he had nearly a thousand disciples. Hacı Bektaş, Mevlana, and Tapduk Emre were some of his disciples. Interesting dialogues took place between Hacı Bektaş and Tapduk Emre. Hacı Bektaş came to Anatolia and settled in Sulucakarahöyük village in Kırşehir. He invited all the saints of Anatolia to Kırşehir. Except for Emre, all the saints went to Kırşehir. Emre said, “I have received my share,” and initially did not comply with the invitation, but eventually went due to Hacı Bektaş’s insistence. When asked why he didn’t come, he said, “One day in the gathering of saints, a hand reached out through a gap in the curtain and gave us our share.” When asked if he recognized that hand, he said, “Certainly, there was a green mole on the wrist. If I saw that hand within an army, I would recognize it.” At that moment, Hacı Bektaş extends his hand to Emre, and Emre, astonished, begins to shout, “My Sultan Tapduk!” The meaning of Tapduk is “I have found what I was searching for.” He realizes that the person he was looking for is right beside him. Since that day, Emre is referred to as “Tapduk Emre.”

The story of Yunus Emre’s arrival at Tapduk’s lodge is as follows: At that time, there was a drought in Anatolia. Yunus hears that Hacı Bektaş, a saint in Suluca Karahöyük, has filled his granaries with wheat and distributed it to the poor. So he decides to go there. On his way, he picks some hawthorn fruits from the mountain so as not to go empty-handed and arrives at Hacı Bektaş’s door, asking for wheat in return. Hacı Bektaş realizes that the visitor is a sincere-hearted person and tells him that they will give him a share instead of wheat if he wishes. Yunus, who does not know what a “share” means, insists on receiving wheat and sets off on his way. After a while, he comes to his senses and regrets his decision, so he turns back and begs Hacı Bektaş Veli to receive a share. Hacı Bektaş tells him that the key to his share has been given to Tapduk Emre and advises him to go and get it. Yunus then arrives at Tapduk Emre’s door. He carries wood for him, serves him, and gains inspiration from him for years. One day, when Tapduk Emre sees the straightness of the wood Yunus is carrying and asks why there are no crooked pieces, Yunus replies, “There are crooked pieces in the forest, but not even a crooked piece can enter your lodge.” This statement reflects Yunus’s deep respect for Tap