Ahmad ibn Ismail al-Kurani

Ahmad ibn Ismail al-Kurani, the godly scholar whom Murad II charged with teaching his son Mehmed — later the Conqueror — while the prince governed Manisa.

The prince had defied earlier tutors and never finished a Qur'an recitation, so the sultan asked for a man of awe and severity; al-Kurani was named, and given a rod to strike him if he disobeyed. He entered, rod in hand: 'Your father sent me to teach — and to beat you if you disobey.' The prince laughed; the scholar beat him soundly in that sitting, and the boy finished the Qur'an soon after ¹.

Al-Salabi describes him as of complete virtue — one who tore up a sultanic order that breached the shari'a, addressed the sultan by name and never kissed his hand; rather the sultan kissed his ³. At the war council before the assault he and Aq Shams al-Din backed Zaganos Pasha's call to fight on ².