Börekçi, Mehmed Rifat - Encyclopaedia of Islam, THREE
[Article]
Hanioğlu, M. Şükrü
Leiden
Brill
(682 words)
Mehmed Rifat (Meḥmed Rifʿat) Börekçi (1277/1860-1941), the first president of the Republic of Turkey's Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı), was born in Ankara on 15 Cemaziülevvel (Jumādā I) 1277/29 November 1860. His father was the religious scholar Börekçizade Ali Kazım (ʿAlī Kāẓım) Efendi. Mehmed Rifat received his early education in Ankara, and after graduating from high school, he went to Istanbul to attend the classes of Atıf (ʿĀṭıf) Efendi, a müderris (mudarris, lecturer) at the Beyazid mosque. Upon receiving icazet ( ijāzāt , certifications) from Atıf