Yesterday, the Muslims of Turkey bid farewell to their outstanding compatriot and fellow believer — Kadir Mısıröglu, who passed away at the age of 86 on the first day of Ramadan. Mısıröglu is often referred to as a historian, but he is more accurately described as an inspirer of the Islamic and Ottoman spirit who embarked on this path when it was not in line with the mainstream, as it is today, but rather represented a significant challenge to him. He wrote 50 books, most of which were directed against Kemalism, its historical myths and the world view it instilled in Turkey. It is not surprising that such a person had to endure imprisonment, emigration, and even the revocation of his Turkish citizenship, which he managed to regain upon his return from years of exile.
Today, some of Mısıröglu’s historical views may arouse skepticism from the perspective of academic scholarship. But once again, he was not so much a historian and refined scholar as a herald and fighter who, along with his contemporaries such as Necmettin Erbakan, Necip Fazıl Kısakürek and Said Nursi, influenced the intellectual battle for the minds and hearts of millions of Turks and revived their consciousness as Ottomans and Muslims. Mısıröglu continued his struggle until his last days, even when it seemed that the powers in the country respected him and his cause. However, his uncompromising attitude towards Mustafa Kemal, known as Atatürk, made him too odious even for them. In recent years, he has faced criminal investigations for his harsh attacks on Kemal, from which many in the ruling party have had to distance themselves. However, it should be noted that Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who was forced to defend Kemal publicly, visited Mısıröglu in the hospital.
Mısıröglu’s death, which had been expected for a long time, also became a kind of spiritual and political manifestation. Even the fact that it coincided with the beginning of Ramadan did not prevent Kemalist circles from celebrating and rejoicing over the departure of their idol’s enemy. On the other hand, tens of thousands of people came to Mısıröglu’s funeral prayer in the recently opened «Çamlıca» mosque, which can be seen as a demonstration, as the deceased had forbidden those who loved Kemal to attend his funeral. It is quite possible that this is the reason why Erdogan could not afford to attend the funeral, although he expressed his condolences on Mısıröglu’s death and his son Bilal Erdogan attended the funeral on his behalf. Another prominent ruling party official, Numan Kurtulmuş, also attended the funeral, and several prominent figures sent their condolences.
Nevertheless, the tens of thousands who attended the funeral, not to mention the millions who mourned him, became a visual demonstration that the struggle and efforts of this courageous man were not in vain. May Allah forgive his sins, accept him as a martyr, and raise him with the righteous.