BAGHIE held an official program commemorating hodzha Mustafa Chatlak in Shumen

“Nation that does not know the truth about its past, has no future”, elderly people say.

Remembering the good about the past, not forgetting the good people is a debt of loyalty and gratitude to these people. The debt of loyalty is not like the monetary debt. The monetary debt is payed off somehow, but the debt of loyalty can be paid only by people who have a sense of loyalty, this is an exalted value which cannot be understood by the deprived of this sense. Exactly with this understanding the Bulgarian Association of the Graduates with Higher Islamic Education (BAGHIE) demonstrated an example of loyalty and on April 11 (Thursday), 2019 at “Shumen” Hotel held an official program commemorating the late hadzhi Mustafa Chatlak – a man with a special place in the hearts of the Muslims living in Bulgaria. The event was attended by prominent personalities from Bulgaria and Turkey.

The program led by the Mufti of Kardzhali Beyhan Mustafa Mehmed began with a welcoming speech on behalf of the Chairman of the BAGHIE Beyhan Mehmed and Mesut Mehmed, Mufti of Shumen and at the same time a student of the late hadzhi Mustafa Chatlak hodzha. Then the program continued with its first session chaired by Dr. Ismail Dzhambazov, a prominent intellectual in Bulgaria. Dr. Mustafa Hadzhi, Grand Mufti of the Republic of Bulgaria, Nazif Yalmaz – Director General of “Religious Education” Department at the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Turkey and Mahmut Toptaş, already a retired preacher (vaiz) from the “Aya Sofia” mosque in Istanbul, participated in the first session. They all shared their memories related to the late Chatlak hodhza. They conveyed his messages which illuminate the intellectuals nowadays and the teachers of the future.

During the second session chaired by Dr. Kadir Muhammed, a lecturer at the High Islamic Institute in Sofia, thoughts and feelings were shared by Ahmed Hasan Bahadar, also a student of the deceased Chatlak hodzha and a Deputy Grand Mufti of the Republic of Bulgaria, Sami Balkaner – employee at the central mosque in Chali, Bursa and a student of the late hodzha (teacher). The dear guests who came from Turkey also took part – the lecturer Dr. Abdullah Tırabzon and Hamdi Arslan. Along with their memories they spoke about the generosity, the courage, the sense of appreciation, the consistency, the firmness and the diligence of Mustafa Chatlak hodzha.

The panel in which was explained with examples the devotion of the work of the teacher, who came in Shumen after the depressive period experienced by the Muslims in Bulgaria, continued with presentation of the teacher from the mouth of his students and a presentation telling about his life.

At the end of the program a brief speech was delivered also by Rukiye Ayshe, the daughter of the deceased teacher.

“I cannot share much about my father, because he died when I was only 5 years old”, shared the daughter of Mustafa Chatlak Rukiye with which she emotionally excited the participants in the hall. – “You have known him better than me and you presented him quite well as a person.  That is why I would like to thank all of you. I express my gratitude to the organizers of this program and to the participants in it.” –she further said. 

The program ended with a recitation of a part from Mawlid–i Sherif and dua (supplication). Before leaving all participants received lokum (Turkish delight) and sweets as a treat.

Author; Bahri Izet – expert at “Irshad” Department, Grand Mufti’s Office