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

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.

 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