Şefik Can was born in 1910 in the village of Tebricik near Erzurum, an eastern province of Turkey. During his childhood, he learned Arabic and Persian from his father. He graduated from Kuleli Military High School in 1929 and from the Academy of War in 1931. He began working as a teacher at a military high school in 1935. He retired from the army with the rank of colonel in 1965. In addition to his native language Turkish, he speaks French, English, and Russian, along with Arabic and Persion. He is the ser-tariq (head) of the Mevlevis. Therefore, he is the most authoritative spiritual figure of the Order. He is also the latest living Mesnevihan (Mesnevi reciter) who received his ijazat (special certificate in the recitation of the Mesnevi) from his spiritual master Tahir al-Mevlevi. Şefik Can is the author of nine books on Rumi as well as on poetry and classical mythology.