Naat "I do not Want" from Ottoman Sultan Mehmed Al Fatih

Mehmed II (Fatih Sultan Mehmed), was a powerful Ottoman Sultan and famous for capturing Constantinople in 1453 at age 21, ending the Byzantine Empire and making it the new Ottoman capital, Istanbul. An awe-inspiring poem / Naat is attributed to him titled "I do not want" and this blog is about the same devotional poem / Naat.

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

In the name of ALLAH, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Naat "I do not Want": from Ottoman Sultan Mehmed Al Fatih

 

Mehmed II, known as Mehmed the Conqueror (Fatih Sultan Mehmed in Turkish), was a powerful Ottoman Sultan (reigned 1451–1481) famous for capturing Constantinople in 1453 at age 21, ending the Byzantine Empire and making it the new Ottoman capital, Istanbul. He was a brilliant military strategist, polyglot (speaking multiple languages), patron of arts, and reformer who significantly expanded the empire's territories and influence, ushering in a new era for the Ottomans.

 

An awe-inspiring devotional poem titled "I do not Want" is reportedly from the same Ottoman Sultan Mehmed Al Fatih; which he wrote as an expression of his infinite love for his Master, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

The devotional poem, "Naat"; often shared online with the title "I do not Want," expresses the intense, all-consuming love of a devoted follower (sometimes attributed to the Sultan himself, but more likely reflecting the spirit of devotion he inspired) for a divine Beloved, declaring that all worldly power, conquests (even Istanbul), and riches mean nothing without that love, prioritizing a single smile or connection over empires. It's a passionate declaration of spiritual surrender, where earthly glories like conquering Egypt or the Sultanate itself are worthless compared to the Beloved's presence, showcasing a deep, Sufi-like yearning for unity with the Divine, a common theme in Ottoman mystical poetry.

Naat "I do not Want" from Ottoman Sultan Mehmed Al Fatih

 What should I do with the rose that doesn’t smell like you,

What should I do with the spring without you?

What should I do with a sunrise without you,

What should I do with the world without you?

I don’t want the rain that comes down without touching your skin, I don’t want the breeze.

If the stars should shine, they should shine from you,

I don’t want the star which doesn’t burn with your love in the sky.

If the nightingales should sing, they should sing about you,

I don’t want to even listen to a nightingale which doesn’t sing of you.

If you are going to be my yearning then let my heart burn,

I don’t want the foreign land and without your reunion, I don’t want the motherland,

If a fire is going to burn me from my heart,

Let the fire of your love burn me,

If my heart turns into ashes other than your love, I don’t want this heart, I don’t want the fire, I don’t want the cinder.

The oasis in which I haven’t seen you should belong to the bedouins

I want your desert, I don’t want the water.

If it’s going to reach you I will not stop,

I will walk on foot, but I don’t want the direction that doesn’t reach you at the end, I don’t want the road.

I’m a volunteer slave, with earring on my ear.

I will pass one thousand Sinais at once if it is going to conquer your heart

Otherwise what is it to me?

I don’t want this Fetih (Conquest), I don’t want Egypt, I don’t want the world.

I’m Sultan Fatih, and in front of Istanbul (Constantinople).

I will burn this city down, just for a smile on your face.

Otherwise I don’t want the Sultanate that doesn’t make your rose-face smile, I don’t want Istanbul.

I’m a strange Yunus, I’m writing about you, I’m burning for you.

I don’t want the pen without your love, I don’t want the paper.

I’m from your nation, you are my Master.

I don’t want any other Master but you, I don’t want any beloved other than you, I don’t want