Hasan Tahsini
Encyclopedia
Hasan Tahsini also known as Hoxha Tahsin was an Albanian
astronomer, mathematician and philosopher. He was the first rector of Istanbul University
and one of the founders of the Central Committee for Defending Albanian Rights
. Tahsini is regarded as one of the greatest scholars of the Ottoman Empire
of the 19th century.
, then capital of the kaza of Filiates in the Ottoman Empire
. When he was young he worked as tutor to the sons of Hayrullah Efendi, Minister of Education of the Ottoman Empire
. Hayrullah Efendi later appointed Tahsini to the staff of the Ottoman school of Paris, where Tahsini taught Turkish
and religious sciences, while also being the imam
of the Ottoman embassy and a student of mathematics and natural sciences at the University of Paris
. He studied in Paris for twelve years after being sent there by Resid Pasha, who was trying to create a Westernized ulama
elite. In 1869 Tahsini returned in the Ottoman Empire
to accompany the body of Fuad Pasha who had died in Nice
.
of the newly established Istanbul University
, where he gave lectures on physics, astronomy and psychology. The government appointed Tahsini as rector as it was believed that he could establish a balance between western European and Islamic methods and ideologies. However, at that time Tahsini's scientific research, unreserved liberalism and alleged relations to freemasonry
led to him being frequently attacked by conservative ulama
circles The attacks against Tahsini began when he conducted physics research in order to illustrate the notion of vacuum
to his students. Tahsini placed a pigeon underneath a glass bell, emptied the receptacle and the pigeon eventually suffocated proving Tahsini's theory. The conservative circles considered Tahsini's experiment as evidence of witchcraft and performance of magic. After the experiment he was declared a heretic through a fatwa
, dismissed from the university, and disallowed to give lectures. The university was also closed for a period because Jamal-al-Din Afghani, another professor influenced by Tahsini, supported his theories.
book in Turkish. Other works of Tahsini in the Turkish language include a translation of Constantin François de Chassebœuf's Loi Naturelle. Along with Sami Frasheri, one of the most important figures of the Albanian National Awakening he developed a unique alphabet of the Albanian language
.
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
astronomer, mathematician and philosopher. He was the first rector of Istanbul University
Istanbul University
Istanbul University is a Turkish university located in Istanbul. The main campus is adjacent to Beyazıt Square.- Synopsis :A madrasa, a religious school, was established sometime in the 15th century after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. An institution of higher education named the...
and one of the founders of the Central Committee for Defending Albanian Rights
Central Committee for Defending Albanian Rights
The Central Committee for Defending Albanian Rights was formed in the city of Istanbul, Turkey, then Ottoman Empire in 1877 by an influential group of Albanian intellectuals, patriots, and politicians, such as Sami Frashëri, Pashko Vasa, Abdyl Frashëri, Jani Vreto, Ymer Prizreni, Zija Prishtina,...
. Tahsini is regarded as one of the greatest scholars of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
of the 19th century.
Early life
Hasan Tahsini was born in 1811 in the village of Ninat in FiliatesFiliates
Filiates is a town and a municipality in Thesprotia, Greece. It is located in the northernmost part of the prefecture, bordering western Ioannina Prefecture and southern Albania.-Municipality:...
, then capital of the kaza of Filiates in the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. When he was young he worked as tutor to the sons of Hayrullah Efendi, Minister of Education of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. Hayrullah Efendi later appointed Tahsini to the staff of the Ottoman school of Paris, where Tahsini taught Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
and religious sciences, while also being the imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
of the Ottoman embassy and a student of mathematics and natural sciences at the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
. He studied in Paris for twelve years after being sent there by Resid Pasha, who was trying to create a Westernized ulama
Ulama
-In Islam:* Ulema, also transliterated "ulama", a community of legal scholars of Islam and its laws . See:**Nahdlatul Ulama **Darul-uloom Nadwatul Ulama **Jamiatul Ulama Transvaal**Jamiat ul-Ulama -Other:...
elite. In 1869 Tahsini returned in the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
to accompany the body of Fuad Pasha who had died in Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
.
Istanbul University
In 1870 he became the first rectorRector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of the newly established Istanbul University
Istanbul University
Istanbul University is a Turkish university located in Istanbul. The main campus is adjacent to Beyazıt Square.- Synopsis :A madrasa, a religious school, was established sometime in the 15th century after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. An institution of higher education named the...
, where he gave lectures on physics, astronomy and psychology. The government appointed Tahsini as rector as it was believed that he could establish a balance between western European and Islamic methods and ideologies. However, at that time Tahsini's scientific research, unreserved liberalism and alleged relations to freemasonry
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
led to him being frequently attacked by conservative ulama
Ulama
-In Islam:* Ulema, also transliterated "ulama", a community of legal scholars of Islam and its laws . See:**Nahdlatul Ulama **Darul-uloom Nadwatul Ulama **Jamiatul Ulama Transvaal**Jamiat ul-Ulama -Other:...
circles The attacks against Tahsini began when he conducted physics research in order to illustrate the notion of vacuum
Vacuum
In everyday usage, vacuum is a volume of space that is essentially empty of matter, such that its gaseous pressure is much less than atmospheric pressure. The word comes from the Latin term for "empty". A perfect vacuum would be one with no particles in it at all, which is impossible to achieve in...
to his students. Tahsini placed a pigeon underneath a glass bell, emptied the receptacle and the pigeon eventually suffocated proving Tahsini's theory. The conservative circles considered Tahsini's experiment as evidence of witchcraft and performance of magic. After the experiment he was declared a heretic through a fatwa
Fatwa
A fatwā in the Islamic faith is a juristic ruling concerning Islamic law issued by an Islamic scholar. In Sunni Islam any fatwā is non-binding, whereas in Shia Islam it could be considered by an individual as binding, depending on his or her relation to the scholar. The person who issues a fatwā...
, dismissed from the university, and disallowed to give lectures. The university was also closed for a period because Jamal-al-Din Afghani, another professor influenced by Tahsini, supported his theories.
Works
Tahsini wrote the first Turkish language treatise on psychology titled Psychology or the Science of Soul, a work influenced by modernism and the first book whose title contained the word psychology. He also wrote the first Turkish-language book on modern astronomy being also the first popular sciencePopular science
Popular science, sometimes called literature of science, is interpretation of science intended for a general audience. While science journalism focuses on recent scientific developments, popular science is broad-ranging, often written by scientists as well as journalists, and is presented in many...
book in Turkish. Other works of Tahsini in the Turkish language include a translation of Constantin François de Chassebœuf's Loi Naturelle. Along with Sami Frasheri, one of the most important figures of the Albanian National Awakening he developed a unique alphabet of the Albanian language
Albanian language
Albanian is an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, southern Serbia and northwestern Greece...
.