THE MARTYR’S
IDENTITY:
NAME : M.Tevfîk
RANK : Senior
Captain
POSITION : Company
Leader
FATHER’S NAME : Alî
Riza
DATE of BIRTH : 1296
(1881)
PLACE of BIRTH : Istanbul
On June 2, 1916, he was wounded by a British
bullet and attained martyrdom in the Military Hospital in Çanakkale
(Dardanelles).
FROM THE ENCAMPMENT IN THE
VICINITY OF OVACIK; MAY 18, 1331
(1915), MONDAY
My Dear Father and Mother, the sources of my
life, the lightsome guides of my life:
In the first combat I joined at Arıburnu, a
nefarious British bullet pierced through the right cuff of my trousers. Hamd
(thanks and praise) be (to Allâhu ta’âlâ), I escaped it. But because I do not
expect to survive the next series of battles I am going to fight in, I am
writing the following lines as a keepsake for you:
Hamd-u-thenâ (thanks, praise and laud) be to Allâhu ta’âlâ, He made
me attain this rank. Again, as a requirement of His Divine Decree, He
predestinated that I should choose a military career. And you, my parents,
brought me up in such a manner as I should serve our sacred religion, our
country, our nation. You were the causes and the lightsome guides of my life. I
offer my infinite thanks to Janâb-i-Haqq (Allâhu ta’âlâ) and to you.
This is the time to be worthy of the money my nation has paid me up
until now. I am exerting myself to perform my sacred religious and patriotic
duty. If I should attain the rank of martyrdom, I shall consider myself to be a
born slave most
beloved to Allâhu ta’âlâ. Being a
soldier, this is always very possible for me, my dear father and mother. I
entrust my wife Münevver, the apple of my eye, and my dearest son, Nezîh,
firstly to the protection of Allâhu ta’âlâ, and secondly to your care. Please
do all you can do for them! Please help my spouse educate my son as a Sâlih
(pious, devoted) Muslim, and please do your best to bring him up in due manner.
You know we are not wealthy. I could not ask for more than possible. For it
would be futile. Enclosed is a letter which I wrote to my spouse; please hand
it to her! Yet she will be very sorry. Give it to her in such a manner as will
alleviate her sorrow. Naturally, she will weep and deplore; please console her.
Allâhu ta’âlâ predestined it be so. Please be extra scrupulous concerning the
list of my dues and debts which I have appended to my letter to my spouse! The
debts which Münevver has kept in her mind or wrote in her note-book are
accurate, too. The letter I wrote to Münevver contains the details. Please ask
her.
My dear father and mother! I may have offended you various times,
though inadvertently. Please forgive me! Please waive the rights you have had
over me. Please pray so that my soul attain happiness. Help my spouse in the
clearing up of my dues and debts.
My dearest sister,
Lutfiye,
You know I always loved you very much. I would always do my best
for you. I may have inadvertently offended you, too. Please forgive me; so this
is our destiny preordained by Allâhu ta’âlâ. Please forgive me my having
trespassed your rights, if ever, and pray so that my soul attain felicity. And
please, you, too, help my spouse Münevver Hanım and my son Nezîh!
Do perform the five daily prayers of namâz, you all, please! Be
extra careful not to omit any prayer time. Make me happy by (often) reciting
the (sûra) Fâtiha for my soul! I entrust you, too, to the Divine Kindness and
Protection of Allâhu ta’âlâ.
O my beloved kins, relatives, friends; farewell to you all! Please,
you all, forgive me your rights over me! And I forgive you all my rights over
you. Farewell, farewell! I entrust you all to Allâhu ta’âlâ. I entrust you to
His care eternally. My dearest father and mother.