Nalî

Nalî
A Fictional Portrait of Nali by Babajan
Born	1800 Khaku-khol, Shahrazur, Sulaymaniyah Kurdistan
Died	1873
Pen name	Nalî
Occupation	Poet, linguistic Scientist, Translator
Nationality	Kurdish
Influenced Haji Qadir Koyi, Mahwi, Sheikh Rezza Talabani, Wafaei, Piramerd, Hamdi Saheb-Qran, Abdulla Goran, Muhamad Salih Dilan

Mullah Xidir Ehmed Şawaysî Mîkayalî (Kurdish Latin: Mela xidirî ehmedî Şaweysî Mîkayelî) (Kurdish: مةلا خدري ئةحمةدي شاوةيسي ميكايةلى) Famous by his pseudonym as (Nali; Kurdish Latin:Nalî) “with light L” (Kurdish: نالى) is born 1800 in a town called (Khaku-Khol; Kurdish Latin: Xakuxol) (Kurdish : خاكوخولَ), dead 1873 in Istanbul, Turkey. He is considered to be the greatest Kurdish poet in Kurdish classical period.

Early Life and carrier

Nali was born in Khaku-Khol a avillage belongs to Sharbajer area or Shahrazur or Sharazur in Sulaimany, Kurdistan region of Iraq. As the old studies in Kurdistan he started with studying the Quran first and Arabic language in mosques in Kurdistan, then he became a Faqi “Faqi is a Mullah’s student is an old name for a student in mosques) during his being Faqi visited many cities in whole Kurdistan or Iran and Iraq, cities like; Sennah, Mahabad, Halabja, Qaradax and Sulaimany. In Qaradakh he studied under Shaikh Muhammed Ibin al Khayat, in Sulaimany in Saiyd Hasan Mosque, he studied under Mullah Abdoullah Rash, also in Qaradax he studied mathematics under Shaikh Ali Mullah. He spent long time in the Khanaqa of Mawlana Khalid in Sulaimany. Also he studied under Shaikh Awla Kharpani.

Nali’s birth year and death year

There are doubts in his birth year; Muhammed Amin Zaki Bag says that (Nali lived during 1215-1273 with Islamic year) this date is about 1800 – 1856c. Dr. Marif Khaznadar and Dr. Kamal Foad both they point the same date too, but Aladdin Sajadi says that he was born in 1797 and dead in 1855. In a modern lecture about Nali’s death; Many people who lived in Nali’s period talked about Nali, Alexander Hodiszkov (1804 – 1891) was a Russian empire diplomat in 1857 he published an oration in Asia Magazine, with name ; “A Philological Research about Kurdish language” he mentioned that; (A Kurdish great scientist lives in Damascus in Syria now, his name is Molla Hezir but he is most famous by his pseudonym as “Naeli Effendi” this man spent many time for studying his countries dialects and language, also he translated an Arabic grammatical book to Kurdish, Ahmed Khan ([[Ahmed Pashay Baban - The King of Baban ]]) who is Nali’s friend promised me to introduce me to his country’s greatest linguistic scientist) In “Nazhat al Fikr” is a historical book ([[Ahmed bin Muhammed al Hadhrawi al Hashimy]]) wrote it, he mentioned (Al Shaikh Khidir Affandi Nali al Kurdi; was born in Iraq in Shahrazur, he studied sciences till he became a great man in Art of Literature and linguitic science. In the year of twelve eighty something he came to Mecca he became our president's friend the Sheriff Abdoullah Pasha Bin On… he has a great experience in Arabic literature…) these two references refuse Nali’s death day in 1855 or 1858, in Nazhat al Fikr the year (In the year of twelve eighteen something 128-) we can consider it from 1280-1289 is about 1863- 1873c. In the Muhammed Tahir Borsali’s book (Otmanli Mualifleri) talks about Nali’s return from Hijaz or Saudi Arabia to Istanbul, he mentioned that Nali was return in 1290 that means 1873.

Even before finding these books the researchers doubted in Nali’s death in 1856,, Mullah Abdoulkarimi Mudaris and his son; Fatih Abdoulkarim, they mentioned: (There are many poems that Nali talks about his being very old like:

1.	Mûy sipî kirdim be shushtin awî eînî Shore Shet

(My extra salty tears like a salty river comes down on my beard and moustache and made it white)

2.	Bo Memik Nalî çi mindalane wey wey kirdûe

gerçî mûy wek Shîre bew Shîre Shikofey Kirdûe

(How for Boobs Nali just like a small kid make Wey Wey “crying”

Even his hair is just like milk, he grew up with that Milk!)

3.	Ey Taze ciwan pîrmu Uftade Kewtûm

You, beautiful young, I’m old and I cannot walk

4.	Min Pîrmu fanî

(I’m Old and about death)

A man must be real old that talks about that being sorry for his being old. There is not an absolute reference of his death day, but we can say that he dead during 1873 or few years later.

Nali’s Pseudonym; Nallî or Nalî or Nallê

Nallî "with Dark L" = Nall = Na’l means “slipper” that kind of Nall they used for Horses and Donkey’s footwear. This is refers to Nalli’s Noun, but for its verb it refers from Nall-i means he shouted .

Nalî: is came from Nal, refers to a Kurdish folk musical instrument is similar to Flute called Shimshal; also that kind of wood uses for creating pencils.

Nallê: it is not a noun, this is present-time verb means; he don’t say it, or he is won’t say it About Nallî: there is not any criticism say that Nali meant Nallî that refers to donkey’s footwear, Nali was an extraordinary great personality and many times he proud of himself in his poems, he says:

Xelqî ke hemû kodekinu beste-zubanin
bênu le Nalî bipirsin şî’rî Selîqî

(people who all are kids and tongue-less)

(let them come and ask from Nali for great poems)

In another version;

Xelqî ke hemû kodekinu nezanin
bênu le Nalî bipirsin şî’rî Selîqî 

(people who all are kids and Ignorant)

(let them come and ask from Nali for great poems)

A man that was such proud of him, he didn’t name himself from a donkey’s footwear. Also if we consider it to be Nallî from the verb of shouting, if he chosen a name from this word it must be like; (Nalleyî) it’s too far from Nallî or Nallê or Nalî, and a linguistic scientist never name himself on a verb by shouted, also in any other languages a verb cannot be a name, the name must be a little different from the verb with a morpheme, for example in English it’s like: Shouter not Shouted.

About Nallê; again a linguistic scientist doesn’t name himself from a present-time verb.

About Nalî; Most of Kurdish Poets they named themselves like: Mahwi refers from Mahw – iy. Haji Qadir Koiy; Koya-îy when they join together they become koîy, it refers to Koya is a city in Kurdistan. We mentioned that Nali refers to a kind of wood that they created pencil and Shimshal, Nali says in a poem;

Zahîru Batîn leser lewhî heqîqet ya mecaz
aşnay sirrî qelem bê gheyrî Nalî kes nîye

(who owns knowledge of secrets in Pencil is nobody except Nali)

Nali has wrote poems in Arabic and Persian too, so he must think about a name to use also in those two other languages, Nali couldn’t pronounce Nallê in Arabic, because it’s not easily readable in Arabic language, also in Persian the must read the dark L with light L, it’s also hard for Persian language, also in Arabic and Persian the word “Nallî” is hard to read or pronouncing it they must read the Dark L with Light L. He didn’t choose “Nallê” because in both of Arabic and Persian there is no “ê”, they can read it but it’s not a linguistic morpheme.

The most Believable and Preferred word is Nalî that refers to pencil or the musical instrument. But also Nali sometimes used other meanings of his pseudonym in many of his poems, we believe that Nali wanted to keep his name in whole those doubts so he can use it easily in many places… but Nalî is the most preferred word for studying it.

Nali and his Lover

Nali had a lover, he mentioned her name in more than eight poems, and he mentioned her name as (Habiba), Aladdin Sajadi mention that in Qaradax Nali had another lover her name was Aisha, this Aisha was always proud of herself because she was Nali’s lover, evern Shaikh Nuri Baba Ali mentions this subject too that he says he met her alive. But still now there is not any sign or word in ehole Nali’s poems for this Aisha.

Many times Nali mentioned Habiba’s name, but sometimes he mentions her name as (Mahbuba) too. But there are big doubts in the real name of this woman, both of Aladdin Sajadi in his book (History of Kurdish Literature; Mêjûy edebî kurdî) and in (Diwani Nali) Mullah Abdoulkarimi Mudaris and his son they mentioned this doubt. The reason is Nali’s period a “Mullah” was a village’s leader or peoples’ leader he couldn’t mention somebody’s name in public because of costume traditional this was hard for a Mullah. Habiba was a secret name Nali used it. Sometimes Nali talks about their nights together; A Mullah couldn’t talk about his night with a girl or a woman in a village or in those small old cities in Kurdistan. here are some of Nali’s poems that Mentioned Habiba’s Name:

1.	Cenanî wek cînan kirdim be Mawa
Hebîbey Malîyawa malî awa

2.	Xendew demî Mehbube kewa zor nimekîn
Bes xoşe eger xo nimekî zexmu birînin

3.	Pêm delên Mehbube xêlu qîçe meylî şer deka
Xêlu qîçe ya tirazuy nazî nextê ser deka?

4.	Mujganî sîyeh meste wekû çawî Hebîbe
Gharet ke biken dênw deçin roh birfênin

5.	Le dinya cennetî baqî telarî şahîye saqî
Hebîbe tûrreîy tewqî milî şînu ezraye

6.	Ax legel ême Hebîbe serî peywendî nîye
Ney şeker qede bela bendî heye qendî nîye

7.	Nalî lebî Hebîbe hem tîbe hem tebîbe
Xulaseîy lebîbe fermanberî lebî be

8.	Destim le gerdinî xot helmegre ey Hebîbe
Wa bizane xwênî xome ya minnetî reqîbe

Some of criticisms mentioned that Nali married Habiba, but if this be true there is not any signs that Nali took Habiba to Hijaz or Damascus or Istanbul with himself, Aladdin Sajadi mentions that (May be Habiba died before Nali’s leaving to Hijaz) also they don’t have any children. For explanation Aladdin Sajadi brings one of Nali’s poems those talk about his loosing friends;

Heta tom aşna bûyt aşnam bûn
Emêsta mû be mû eghyare bê to
Le kin min ba wucudî nasu ecnas
Kesî têda nîye em Share bê to
Hemu rojê letaw hicranî emsal
Temennay mirdinî pêrare bê to

(When you were close they were close to me) (But now a hair to hair is not introduced without you) (With all of those people in this city and all those folks I believe there is no one without you) (Every day because of your leaving this year) (I wish to die two years ago)

There are two opinions; the first is Habiba has dead. This is Aladdin Sajadi’s opinion his proof is the previous poem with Nali’s mentioning (leaving) he explanted that Nali meant leaving to the other live or dyeing.

The second opinion is Mullah Abdoulkarimi Mudaris and his son’s opinion that they mention they left each others because there is not any requiem or elegy for Habiba’s death in whole Nali’s poems. This is the most preferred opinion till now.

Index of Nali’s poems

A

1. Ey cîlwedery husnu cilew kêshî temasha

2. Estêre hemu mehûe lenêw nûrî qemerda

3. Tataîy serî tûrreîy pir pêçî ba da

4. Tebessum derdexa huqqeîy demu cewher lenêw ewda

5. Coshishu tabe lenêw dîdeîy giryanimda

6. Ger bêye derê serûy rewanî le îremda

7. Ruxm rengîni rengî rûmety rengînte baza

8. Ehwelî tefreqe nezer teqwîyetî sebeb deka

9. Bulbulî teb’im ewa dîsan senaxwanî deka

10. Tebî shekerbarî min kurdî eger însha deka

11. Pêm delên Mehbube xêlu qîçe meylî sher deka

12. Çaweket agir le siney ashqî miskîn deka

13. يا بدر علوا وضياء وكمالا

14. Hîret zerde wa dîde weku helqeyî der ma

15. Cenanî wek cînan kirdim be mawa

16. Peçeyî perçemyu pirçî sîya

17. Rîshekey panu dirêje bo riya xizmet deka

B

18. Zulfeynî be xem maru be helqen weku ‘eqreb

T

19. Matem weku zulfeynî sîyeh girtî serapat

20. Çawit le birot ye’nî le jêr tafî nezaret

21. Meke îxlafî ew we’dey ke fermut

22. Ey seruy bulend qedu biro taqu memik cut

Th

23. Umrî bê hasilî min ke çû be ebeth

Ç

24. Îshqit ke mecazî bê xwahîsh meke îlla kiç

H

25. Saqî were rengîn ke be pence lebî eqdah

D

26. ابروان تو طبيان دل افطارانند

27. Iltîqay polaw asin her nîza’ew gîrudar

28. Qurbanî tozî rêgetim ey badî xosh mirûr

29. Seylî hîcrit berdî binîçey le reg hêname der

30. Shewî beharî ciwanî xewê bu pir teshwîr

31. تير ناز نطةهك هةر دلة نيجة يري وار

32. نفس ساعت طيثي ايشلرسة طر ياد ايلة طاعتدر

33. آن زلف مشكبار بدان روى ضون نطار

Z

34. Xaw w bê xawî du zulfî xawim az

J

35. Hey kerêkim bu çi peyker tey kerî hewrazu lêj

S

36. Ke to hatî le newmîdî nema bas

37. Le kin ew cewhere ferde le heyula nîye bas

38. Sabunî kefî pêye kefî zarî çaplus

Tt

39. Mûy sipi kirdim be shushtin awî eînî shore shett

Q

40. Qurban mehale pêkewe bin sebru îshtyaq

41. Çîye gware gunahî wa be nesteq

K

42. Ey shoxî bê nyazu giran nazu ghemze suk

M

43. Be hawîn ceste xestey derdî germam

44. Ey taze ciwan pîrmu uftade kewtûm

45. Henaîy kirdûe pencey be xwênawî dilî zarim

46. Dewranîye wek hêlekî sewda serî gêjim

47. Umrêke be mîzanî edeb tuhfe firoshim

48. Shew hatu emin mestî xeyalatî kesêkim

49. Maçî demekey damê ke damê seru malim

50. Layqî mexzenî teb’e hemu kenzî ghezelim

51. Ezîzim rohî shîrînim du çawim

52. Ger depirsî min leber çî kem dexom

53. Wey ke ruzerdî medînew rusîyahî mekke xom

54. Dil delê seyrî çemen xoshe cewabî nadem

55. Fatîhe tesxîre sharî dil be tabûrî elem

56. Lebit mîmu qedit elfu zulfit çîm

57. سوى مصر است مرا عزم از اين لجهء غم

Significance in Kurdish Culture

It is widely accepted that Nali's literature contributed significantly to bringing about a renaissance in the Kurdish language. His most famous works were written in the lower Kurmanji dialect, Sorani, within the context of the turmoil caused by the Ottoman oppression.

To this day Nali's influence on Kurdish culture can be recognised as Sorani is the primary dialect of Kurdish in Iraqi and Iranian Kurdistan.

References

• Dîwanî Nalî. Researched and explanationed by Mullah Abdoulkarimi Mudaris and Fatih Abdoulkarim. ISBN 964-6546-74-9

• University of Sulaymaniyah, College of Languages, Departement of Kurdish Language. Lectures.
• NALÎ (in Kurdish)
• Mystical Love and Mystical Nationalism in Farhad Shakely's String
• Classic and Modern Kurdish Poetry