Turkish delight is known to have been produced in Turkey as early as the late 1700s, hence its name. The exact origin of these sweets is yet to be definitively determined; however, the word "lokum" comes from the Arabic "al-halkum". In the Arab world, Turkish delights are called "rāḥat al-ḥulqūm" (رَاحَة الْحُلْقُوم) which means "throat comfort". According to the Hacı Bekir company, Bekir Efendi, named Hacı Bekir after performing the Hajj, moved to Istanbul from his hometown Kastamonu and opened his confectionery shop in the district of Bahçekapı in 1777. He produced various kinds of candies and "lokums", later including a unique
Bekir Çoban-zade Bekir Çoban-zade Bekir Vaap oğlu Çoban-zade (pronounced , Russian: Беки́р Ваа́пович Чоба́н-заде́; May 15, 1893 – October 13, 1937) was a Crimean Tatar poet and professor of Turkic languages who was one of the victims of the Great Purge. In the midst of a successful academic career, at the age of 44, Çoban-zade was arrested by Soviet authorities for alleged subversive activities against the state and was sentenced to death. His writings have outlived him; his poetry, in particular, continues to enjoy popularity among Crimean Tatars. Çoban-zade was born in a family of humble origins in the village near Qarasubazar