Merkez Efendi
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Merkez Efendi was the popular nickname of Musa bin Muslihiddin bin Kılıç (1463–1552), an Ottoman Islamic scholar and Sufi. He is also credited as the founder of "Mesir macunu", a therapeutic paste believed to have cured mental diseases amongst many other benefits.[1]
Musa bin Muslihiddin bin Kılıç was born in Akçaköy (then known as Sarımahmutlu) in Buldan district of Denizli Province. His father's name was Mustafa. He travelled to Bursa in 1478 and to Istanbul in 1493 to study religion. His tutor was Sünbül Efendi, founder of a branch of the Khalwati Sufi order. During the reign of Ottoman Sultan Selim I (r. 1512–1520), he was sent to Manisa to serve in the Külliye, the religious buildings complex of Sultan Selim's concubine Hafsa Sultan. In 1529, he returned to İstanbul as the successor of Sünbül Efendi.[2] He was maybe briefly married to a Selim I's daughter, Şah Sultan from 1551 until he died in 1552. He had three children by his first wife: two sons Derviş Çelebi and Ali Çelebi, and a daughter Ümmü Hatun.
