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YEDİ ULU OZAN’IN “YEDİ” SEMBOLİZMİ1 [THE SYMBOLISM OF “SEVEN” OF SEVEN GRAND POETS]
Authors: Reyhan Keleş
Number of views: 2103
Number symbolism has attracted attention of almost all societies since ancient times up to our day,
and also has been important not only for the societies but also for the religions. In general, meanings
attributed to numbers by cultures influenced from Pythagorean philosophy are different, however a
unity of meaning in many points draws attention, as well. Number symbolism has influenced not only
foreign cultures but also the Turkish and Islamic cultures. In these cultures, the numbers one, three,
five, seven, nine, twenty-eight, thirty-two and forty are especially at the forefront.
This work aims to give a brief information on the number symbolism and then elaborates on the
number seven. After discussing the meanings attributed to symbolism of number seven by various
religions and nations, we will touch the meanings attributed to the number seven by Alawite-Bektashi
circles and Hurufi order -these groups were among of the most prominent circles when number
symbolism is mentioned- , which were being represented by Nesimi, who is considered to be one of the
Seven Grand Poets. Moreover, we will give information about the Seven Grand Poets - Nesîmî, Hatâî,
Fuzûlî, Yemînî, Pîr Sultan Abdal, Virânî and Kul Himmet- of the Alawite-Bektashi culture, -these poets
are considered among the representatives of Alawite-Bektashi culture - and the meanings attributed by
them to the number seven, as they mentioned in their diwans (poetry anthologies)