Nasreddin

Nasreddin or Nasreddin Hodja /næsˈrɛdᵻn/ was a Seljuq satirical Sufi, born in the city of Khoy in West Azerbaijan Province of Iran, had his education in Khorasan of Iran and died during the 13th century in Akşehir, near Konya, a capital of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum, in today's Turkey. He is considered a populist philosopher and wise man, remembered for his funny stories and anecdotes. He appears in thousands of stories, sometimes witty, sometimes wise, but often, too, a fool or the butt of a joke. A Nasreddin story usually has a subtle humour and a pedagogic nature. The International Nasreddin Hodja fest is celebrated between 5 and 10 July in his hometown every year.

Origin and legacy

Claims about his origin are made by many ethnic groups. Many sources give the birthplace of Nasreddin as Hortu Village in Sivrihisar, Eskişehir Province, present-day Turkey, in the 13th century, after which he settled in Akşehir, and later in Konya under the Seljuq rule, where he died in 1275/6 or 1285/6 CE. The alleged tomb of Nasreddin is in Akşehir and the "International Nasreddin Hodja Festival" is held annually in Akşehir between 5–10 July.

Nasir al-Din

Nasir al-Din, Nasir ad-Din or Nasiruddin (Arabic: نصیر الدین‎ or ناصرالدین or نصر الدين, "Defender of the Faith") is an Arabic masculine name, originally an honorific title, and may refer to: