Çukurova Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi

Öz

The concept of substance (jawhar), a philosophical term dating back to Ancient Greece, has been debated through various approaches in connection with philosophers’ views on existence and nature. Transmitted from ancient Greek thought to Islamic philosophy, the concept of substance has been addressed in diverse ways within Islamic thought, particularly in relation to Islamic theology. This article examines Nefʿî’s (d. 1044/1635) approach to the concept of jawhar (substance) as a poetic discourse through an analysis of his Turkish Dīvān. In numerous fakhrīyya (self-praise) poems and verses in which he boasts of his poetic genius, Nefʿî invokes the concept of substance as an essential element of his poetics. The poet presents the philosophical notion of substance to the reader with an original use, embedded within various metaphorical structures in his poetry. In the relevant couplets, Nef‘î equates substance with poetic aptitude, explaining his mastery and talent in poetry through the innate jawhar he possesses. By referencing related concepts such as jawhar al-fard (the smallest structure of matter), ʿaraḍ (accident), and hayūlā (prime matter), he also associates meaning and thought in poetry with substance. According to Nef‘î, who at times brings ontological and epistemological dimensions to poetry, a perfect poem is akin to clothing prime matter (hayūlā) with the garment of existence. In addition to jawhar, he occasionally employs the word gevher (jewel or gem), using it as a metaphor for poetic essence. For Nefʿî, a poem composed with substantial nature or regarded as substance is attained through the labor of intellectual reflection and is, like a pearl or gemstone, both valuable and refined.