The exact origin of these sweets is yet to be definitively determined; however, "lokum" comes from the Arabic Halkum or Al-Halkum.
Suggesting a Persian origin, Tim Richardson, a historian of sweets, has questioned the claim of Hacı Bekir to be the creator of Turkish Delight, writing that "specific names and dates are often erroneously associated with the invention of particular sweets, not least for commercial reasons" [REF].