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About The Movie 
Mirâciyye that thematizes the prophet Muhammad’s (s.a.v.) ascent to heaven is a work which is read with a strong musical form like Mevlid-i Şerif. Mirâciyye is considered to be one of the greatest pieces of Turkish music. Nâyi Osman Dede who lived in the end of 17th century and the beginning of 18th century is the composer and lyricist of Mirâciyye. Nâyi Osman Dede was the Sheikh of Galata Mevlevihanesi (“Mevlevihane” is a lodge used by mevlevi dervishes) for 26 years and took the title of “kutbü’n nâyi” (the summit of reed flute players). After written and composed, Mirâciyye is read in Mirajs as a tradition. This tradition is still maintained in some places. Although Mirâciyye is considered to be one of the greatest pieces and musical forms of Turkish music, very few people know about it. This situation has attracted our attention. There are a few dimensions of this topic. First of all, Mirâciyye is about the prophet Muhammad (s.a.v.). Secondly, it thematizes the prophet Muhammad’s ascent to heaven as a miracle. Thirdly, Mirâciyye that thematizes Miraj was written and composed by Nâyi Osman Dede and is read in Mirajs as a tradition. Lastly, the contemporary situation of the tradition of Mirâciyye is quite significant for this documentary. Mirâciyye is not so fortunate comparing with Mevlid tradition. There are two main reasons. First of all, Mirâciyye is performed only once a year, particularly for Mirajs. Secondly, it has a tough form comparing with Mevlid. However, if we consider that Mirâciyye is not read even in Mirajs in today’s world, we have to find different reasons. Also, we should add that there are only a few people who study to learn this tradition to be mirâçhan/mirâciyyehan (a person performing Mirâciyye). These pupils are trained by Şakir Çetiner who is the last link of this tradition. As one of the greatest pieces and musical forms of Turkish music, the tradition of Mirâciyye came to the point of extinction and performing quality could not be preserved. Fortunately, it is scored. Taking everything into the consideration, we paid attention to two crucial points in terms of attitude while writing the script. In order to maintain our sincerity, we avoided to write as if we know and grasp everything about the topic. For this reason, we took as a reference and worked with people who have a say in this issue. Secondly, we have tried to abstain from a didactic and direct manner that is used in these kinds of documentaries typically. Hence, while we are using the form of documentary, we shaped the work with the opportunities of fiction. In other words, we are planning to use a “documentary cloth”, and with this cloth, we are planning to sew a “fiction dress”. The movie consists of four stories. Each story takes place at the present time, but the time and places independently of each other. However, every story is firmly connected to each other by considering Mirâciyye’s semantic world and musical style. Night, moon, Nâyi Osman Dede, individual ascension are some of the basic components and common themes to connect the stories.
Synopsis The movie consists of four stories. Each story tells a different aspect of
Mirâciyye, and at the end of the movie, every story is connected to each other. In the first story, which is located on a little town in Anatolia, daily life and ordinary routines of an elderly woman is told. The elderly woman (Aunt Fatma) tells a fairytale to some children during the evening. The topic of that fairytale is the splendid story of the incident of Mirâç (the prophet Muhammad’s (s.a.v.) ascent to heaven). Fire coming from a stove reflects on the walls. At the same time, a few chestnuts and some milk warms up on that stove. Also, lights coming from the stove and shadows reflect on both around in that old room and children’s naive faces. There is a fairytale-like atmosphere. Sometimes, those children laugh together; sometimes curious eyes; sometimes anxious faces… The second story tells a Sama ceremony from the beginning to end. (Sama is a Sufi ceremony performed as dhikr. In this ceremony, whirling dervishes invoke and pray to God by whirling around. Sama represents the ascension of individual.) Ahmet (one of the children in the first story who listen Aunt Fatma) who wants to learn how he can become a whirling dervish watches an elderly whirling dervish Kadri Dede during a Sama ceremony in Galata Mevlevihanesi. After the ceremony, he goes to Kadri Dede’s room and asks to learn Sama. Ahmet faces various struggles while the process of learning Sama. During this training process, Kadri Dede also teaches him the spiritual aspects of Sama. In the third story, the unknown and unreadable part of Mirâciyye, the forth chapter, is investigated. In a detective-like manner, Raci (one of the children in the first story who listen Aunt Fatma) talks with some particular people and reads plenty of books to find the lost chapter of Mirâciyye. Raci with the impact of his interesting dream faces several striking cases during this investigation. The last story focuses on Safiyüddin (Erhan) Efendi’s effort to preserve and maintain the original tradition of Mirâciyye. As he does every year, Safiyüddin Efendi who has established a special bond with Mirâciyye makes preparations for traditional
Mirâciyye performance in Numaniye Dergâhı (Sufi Lodge). At the end of the day, the readers and listeners who want to protect, save and maintain this tradition come together and
Mirâciyye is performed. In the general sense, this spiritual atmosphere serves to inner ascension of those people. Burhan (one of the children in the first story who listen Aunt Fatma) accompanies Safiyüddin Erhan Efendi. At the end of each story, there are mini performances that focus on
Mirâciyye’s musical form. Hafiz Murat tries to learn
Mirâciyye through meshk style (one to one traditional art training) from his master Nail Dede who knows the classical method of
Mirâciyye performance.
Mirâciyye in the fourth story is performed by Hafiz Murat.
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