{"id":284495,"date":"2026-03-31T12:24:15","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T12:24:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/halkweb.com.tr\/?p=284495"},"modified":"2026-03-31T12:24:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T12:24:15","slug":"haci-bektasi-veli-stole-the-yeast-of-the-ottoman-and-the-republic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/halkweb.com.tr\/en\/haci-bektasi-veli-stole-the-yeast-of-the-ottoman-and-the-republic\/","title":{"rendered":"Hac\u0131 Bekta\u015fi Veli Stole the Leaven of the Ottoman Empire and the Republic"},"content":{"rendered":"

No matter from which perspective you look at history, you will see that states cannot last only with military might, only with political moves or only with economic means. What sustains great civilizations are invisible values rather than visible power, faith rather than calculations, conscience rather than rules, and the world of the heart rather than the sword. The real power behind the Turkish nation's ability to survive for centuries is hidden in this deep and spiritual foundation.<\/p>\n

When analyzing the historical process from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic of Turkey, it is possible to see the traces of the same spirit, the same wisdom and the same path. At the source of this spirit lies the understanding of the Ahlul Bayt; the justice, mercy and morality of the Prophet; the knowledge and courage of Hz. Ali; the truthfulness, sacrifice and submission of Hz. Hasan and H\u00fcseyin were embodied in H\u00fcnk\u00e2r and spread to the Turkish nation.<\/p>\n

The most powerful representative of this light in Anatolia is undoubtedly Hac\u0131 Bekta\u015f Veli. He was born as a beacon of hope in the difficulties of the 13th century, guiding and uplifting Turkish communities torn apart by Mongol invasions and migrations. This guidance was not only a Sufi doctrine, but also a social model, a moral education and one of the cornerstones of state philosophy.<\/p>\n

A Seed Falling in Anatolia: The Yeast of Hac\u0131 Bekta\u015f<\/strong><\/p>\n

When we look at what makes Anatolia a \u201chomeland\u201d today, we see a very clear fact: This geography was not only conquered, but also fermented<\/strong>. The land taken on the battlefields was kneaded with the understanding of the human being taught by Hac\u0131 Bekta\u015f Veli; nomadic communities that came with tribal strife were transformed into a nation with his philosophy.<\/p>\n

Haji Bektash Veli's \u201cbe careful with your hands, your waist and your tongue\u201d <\/strong>It is no exaggeration to say that the maxim was the three fundamental moral pillars that made Anatolia a homeland. This teaching was directly influential even in the foundation of the Ottoman Empire; the janissary quarry was built on this philosophy. The spiritual vein stretching from \u201cPir-i Turkistan\u201c to the \"Khorasan Eren's\" made the Ottoman soldiers moral as well as warriors. Because the Ottoman soldier was first trained in heart and soul, and then put to the sword.<\/p>\n

It is no coincidence that even today, the elderly living in Balkan villages call the Ottoman soldier \u201cblessed soldier\u201d; this spiritual training is behind it.<\/p>\n

The Foundation of the Ottoman Empire A Miracle of Spirituality<\/strong><\/p>\n

When you look closely at the founding of the Ottoman Empire, you will see that it was not just a conquest movement. The yeast played by H\u00fcnk\u00e2r Hac\u0131 Bekta\u015fi Veli, Osman Bey's dream, Sheik Edebali's advice, the moral order of the Ahis, the villages founded by dervishes and the organization of zawiya... When all these come together, a deep social and spiritual architecture emerges that will sustain an empire for centuries.<\/p>\n

At the core of this architecture Love for Ahlul Bayt<\/strong> has. The Ottoman sects, ahi organizations, quarries and the scholarly class took this love as a basis. Most of the Ottoman sultans wrote their reverence for the Ahl al-Bayt in inscriptions, edicts and foundation conditions. Even Mehmet the Conqueror is known to have issued a special protection decree for the members of the Ahl al-Bayt.<\/p>\n

This is why the founding of the Ottoman Empire was not the birth of an ordinary state; it was a spiritual move, a moral order, a humanitarian philosophy that was made known to the nation.<\/p>\n

The same light is at the core of the Republic<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although many people do not realize it today, the Republic of Turkey is one of the children of this leaven. Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atat\u00fcrk's childhood education was deeply influenced by the fact that his father and mother, named after Imama Reza, came from a valuable Bektashi tradition and that Bektashism was very active in the Balkan geography. Atat\u00fcrk always continued on his path with the spiritual strength he received from H\u00fcnkar and was able to overcome difficulties. It is a well-known fact that Atat\u00fcrk, in many of his speeches, showed his respect for the Ahlul Bayt and cited the knowledge and courage of Hz. Ali as an example.<\/p>\n

According to the late Prof. Dr. Haydar Ba\u015f, Atat\u00fcrk laid the foundations of our Republic with Cemalettin \u00c7eleb, the postmaster of the time, at the Haci Bektash lodge, which he visited regularly. One of the fundamental principles of the Republic scientificity, equality, respect for human rights, justice<\/strong>, In fact, it was emphasized much earlier in the works of Hac\u0131 Bekta\u015f Veli.<\/p>\n

The Republic was not a rupture that rejected the spiritual heritage of the Ottoman Empire; on the contrary, it was a great renewal that adapted, updated and reinterpreted it to the conditions of the modern world. Since the essence of the nation remained the same, the leaven of society did not change even though the form of the state changed.<\/p>\n

Why is the Ethics of Ahlul Bayt the Leaven of the Foundation?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reducing the understanding of Ahlul Bayt to a belief group is one of the greatest injustices that can be done to Turkish history. This understanding is a system of mind and morality that has been kneading the Turkish tradition for 1200 years. Because Ahl al-Bayt means:<\/p>\n