25 Haziran 2016 Cumartesi

Time/ Ahmet Hamdi Tanpinar

Time
by Ahmet Hamdi Tanpinar (1901-1962)

Translated by Elif Mat

Daniel Garber 1880-1958

TIME...

I’m not in the time

Nor absolutely out of it

Rather in the stream of

One long moment

Everything is floating

In a strange dream

Light as a feather,

Even lighter.

My head is like a huge mill

Grinding peace

Inside my heart;

I am a happy dervish

Without a seat or a robe.

I sense the world that is turning into an ivy

An ivy whose roots are inside me.

Blue…

I am floating in a blue light.

Chagall Lovers over Saint Paul- 1968

Ne İçindeyim Zamanın

Ne içindeyim zamanın,

Ne de büsbütün dışında;

Yekpare, geniş bir anın

Parçalanmaz akışında.

Bir garip rüya rengiyle

Uyuşmuş gibi her şekil,

Rüzgarda uçan tüy bile

Benim kadar hafif değil.

Başım sükutu öğüten

Uçsuz bucaksız değirmen;

İçim muradına ermiş

Abasız, postsuz bir derviş.

Kökü bende bir sarmaşık

Olmuş dünya sezmekteyim,

Mavi, masmavi bir ışık

Ortasında yüzmekteyim.

Ahmet Hamdi Tanpinar

19 Haziran 2016 Pazar

Who is Dhu'l Qarnain?/ Zulkarneyn

Who is Dhu'l Qarnain?

Surah 18 verses 83-101
Translated by Ahmet Ali

ذو القرنين
he of the two horns

Was he a prophet? and Angel of God? Was he Alexander the Great?
Was he Cyrus the Great?
Or is this a story of the future?

Who are Gog and Magog?

16th Century Persian Miniatures

They ask you about Dhu'l Qarnain.
84
Say: "I will cite before you his commemoration."
We gave him authority in the land
and means of accomplishing every end.
85
so he followed a certain road
86
Till he reached the point if the setting sun,
and saw it set behind a muddy lake'
and near it found a people.
we said: "O Dhu'l Qarnain, you may either punish them or treat them with kindness."
87
He said: "I shall punish whoever is wicked.
He will then be sent back to his Lord
who will inflict on him a terrible punishment.
88
But he who believes and does the right will have an excellent reward,
and we shall make things easy for him."
89
He then followed (another) road
90
Till he reached the point of the rising sun,
and saw it rise over a people for whom
we had provided no shelter against it.
91
It was so, for We were fully informed about him.
92
He then followed (another) road
93
Till he reached a place between two mountains,
and found this side of it a people
who understood but little of what was spoken.
94
They said: "O Dhu'l Qarnain,
Gog and Magog are oppressing the land.
May we pay you some tribute so that you can built a rampart between us and them?"
95
He said: "The ability my Lord has given me is better.
So help me with your manual labour;
I will build a wall between you and them.
96
"Bring me ingots of iron," (which they did) until
the space between two mountain sides were filled up.
"Blow your bellows." he said; (and they blew)
until it was red hot.
"Bring me molten brass" he said, "that I may pour over it."
97
Thus (Gog and Magog) could neither climb over it
nor dig a whole through (the rampart)
98
"This is the benevolence of my Lord" he said;
"but when the promise of my Lord comes to pass,
He will reduce it to a mound of dust;
and the promise of my Lord is true."
99
We shall leave them on that day
surging like waves pressing one against the other,
and the trumpet blast will be sounded,
when We shall gather them all together.
100
Then We shall bring the Hell right before the infidels
101
whose eyes were veiled against My warning,
and they could not hear.

Gog ve Magog, Zakariya al-Qazwini (1203–1283).

Tomb of Cyrus, Iran

18 Haziran 2016 Cumartesi

Napolyonun sağlık durumu...

Napolyon'un hayatını anlatan enteresan bir kitap; Alan Schom tarafindan yazılmış;

çocukluğu, öğrenciliği, askeri başarıları, aşkları, önce Josephine'le sonra Avusturya İmparotorluğundan Marie- Louise ile evlilikleri, Mısır seferi , Rusya seferi, geniş ailesiyle ilişkileri; İmparator oluşu ve tabii başarısızlıkları sürgünler ve sürgünde ölüm...

Böyle bir hayatı yaşayan insanın sağlık durumu nasıldı?

Sağlığı verdiği kararları nasıl etkiledi?

Kitabın en son sayfasında sağlık durumunu değerlendirmiş.

Bugünkü tıbbi görüşe göre, arsenik zehirlenmesinden öldüğü,

etraftan gizlemeğe çalıştığı epilepsi rahatsızlığı olduğu tespit edilmiş.

Psikiatristler, psikopat teşhisi koymuşlar, belirtileri arasında

-insanlarla sevgiye dayalı ilişki kuramamak,

-ani ve akıl dışı davranışlar;

-suçluluk duymama, kendi yaptıklarından rahatsız olmama;

ve çok önemli hatalardan ders çıkaramama var.

İlaveten paronoya ve sadizm; kendine ihanet ettigini varsaydığı insanlardan intikam alma arzusu...

Three phases of Napoleon’s medical history appear to predominate:
1 Arsenic poisoning
2 Epileptic attacks
3 From psychiatric viewpoint Bonapart like so many dictatorial rulers would be described as psychopath, a term that includes in its definition:
a. Failure to make loving relationships
b. A propensity toward high impulsive, irrational actions
c. Lack of sense of guilt or sensitivity for own actions
d. Failure to learn from adverse experiences
The combination of all four traits is reflected by the various kidnappings murders lies and wars he perpetrated to the very end.

Napoleon was also very paranoid long before coming to power, even as a child.
Bonapart was of course also sadomasochistic, as is evident time and again throughout this book resulting in his unrelenting “vengeance” against those who “betrayed” him…

12 Haziran 2016 Pazar

A Visit to the Eyup Sultan Mosque/ Ertugrul Mat

A Visit to the Eyup Sultan Mosque

by Ertugrul Mat

Translated by Elif Erkmen

Every time we go the Eyup Sultan we feel an inner peace as soon as we begin our journey to get there.

The mosque is surrounded by mausoleums, soup kitchen, orphanage, library and student dormitories of a bygone era. Around those buildings are beautiful maple trees planted in carefully designed yards and beautiful white marble tomb stones alongside cypress trees which are gracefully reach up to the sky.

Those marble head stones are raised as an eternal prayer, beautifully decorated with Ottoman Calligraphy; verses from Holy Koran are inscripted for those that are no longer able to pray and ask for forgiveness.

Families with their children come to the area and quicken their pace to get into the courtyard and rush to reach spiritual peace.

Newlyweds and boys who are getting ready for circumcision ceremony come.

People wear their best clothes.

Around the soup kitchen people bring supplies for the Iftar meal so that everyone has a chance to a decent meal during Ramadan, Some bring sacrifice animals to be slaughtered.

Some people chose to come early to the courtyard and spread tablecloths on the grass and prepare for Iftar on this holy ground. They lay their cutlery and plates, even though it is quite early in the day.

They spend the day listening to Ezan (Prayer calls) from the minarets, praying, listening to the recitations of Koran, meeting with new people and talking to one another. Then exchanging contact information in the hopes of meeting again.

There are women with head scarfs, women with long black clothes totally veiled and woman dressed in modern clothes. The modern ones are wearing denim pants, lose fitting tops and a scarf that only partially covers their hair, so pretty and have an air about them that tells you that they are totally feeling the spirituality of the place like the others.

Just as you are enjoying the spirituality and special atmosphere, like opening your window to a beautiful spring morning, a mechanical voice ruins it:

"If you are not fasting you don’t deserve the Ramadan Celebrations. (Eid al Fitr)!"

This will ruin your day and you say;

"Who on earth give you a job as an Imam to this holy mosque?

Who are you and what authority do you have?"

Only God has the authority to judge people’s faith and decide whether to punish or reward them.

How could you forget that those people are coming to God running, not to you?

Do you know why I or any other person is not fasting today?

Can you reach my heart? Can you see the love of God there?

Why do you forget the Holy Prophets prayers for his people and his asking of forgiveness on the Night Journey? Why are you trying to scare people?

You are making the Judgement Day on this earth with your own poor understanding and insufficient intelligence. You don’t have a right to judge the people; you don’t have an authority over a court of Judgement Day.

Why don’t you try using the language of Yunus Emre and Mevlana (Rumi)?
Why can’t you talk about this religion as Peace, Love and Unity with God?

Yunus Emre (1238-1320) was a Turkish poet and Sufi mystic who greatly influenced Anatolian culture.

Rumi (1207 – 17 December 1273), was a 13th-century Persian poet, jurist, Islamist Scholar theologian, and Sufi Mystic Rumi’s influence transcends national borders and ethnic divisions.

Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (died 674⁾ — born Khalid bin Zayd bin Kulayb in Yathrib (Medina) — hailed from the tribe of Banu Najjar and was a close companion, (sahaba) of prophet Muhammed. He was named after the biblical Job.
Abu Ayyub was one among the Ansar ( aiders, helpers or patrons) of early Muslim history or those who supported Muhammad after the hegira (migration) to Medina in 622. The patronym Abu Ayyub, means father (abu) of Ayyub.

Abu Ayyub died of dysentery during the First Arab Siege of Constantinople.

The Eyüp Sultan Mosque (Turkish: Eyüp Sultan Camii) is situated in the Eyüp district ofIstanbul, outside the city walls near the Golden Horn. The present building dates from the beginning of the 19th century. The mosque complex includes a mausoleum marking the spot where Eyüp (Job) al-Ansari, the standard-bearer and friend of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, is said to have been buried.
The mosque was the traditional site for the coronation ceremony of the Ottoman Sultans, where the new sultan was girded with the sword of Osman.

Eyüp Sultan’a her gidişinizde, yol boyunca içinize bir huzur dolmaya başlar..

Caminin etrafını muhteşem bir estetik anlayışı ile inşa edilmiş türbeler, aşhaneler, yetimhaneler, kütüphaneler, yatakhaneler sarar. Onların dışında da, yine sanatkârane bir süsleme anlayışıyla yetiştirilmiş asırlık çınar ağaçları, beyaz mermerden yapılmış ve Selvilerin göğe uzanan estetiği ile yarışırcasına dikilmiş mezar taşları sıralanır.

O mermer taşların üzerine çekiç ve çelik kalem darbeleriyle hat sanatının en güzel örnekleri olarak işlenmiş o ayetler, ellerini kaldırıp artık, af ve şefaat dileyemeyecek olanlar için, ebedi bir yakarış olarak göğe doğru uzanmaktadır.

Hele aylardan Ramazansa, sanki orası daha başka bir ulviyet kazanır..

Binlerce kadın, binlerce erkek, çoluk çocuk, o avluya bir an evvel girip huzura erişmek için yürürler çabuk çabuk.

Gelinler, damatlar, sünnet olmaya hazırlananlar..

Beyaz ve kırmızı renk kombinasyonu ile hazırlanmış kıyafetleriyle sadece gönülleri değil;
gözleri de okşarlar.

Diğer tarafta, fakir ve fukaranın da, doğru dürüst bir iftar açması için aşhane önünde sıralanan kurbanlar..

Daha sabahın erken saatlerinde iftarını bu mukaddes mekânda açmak yere örtüler serip hazırlananlar.

Çatalı, bıçağı, tabağı erken saatlerden itibaren o örtülerin üzerine koyanlar.

İftar saatine kadar uzanan zaman içinde okunan ezanlar, kılınan namazlar, dinlenen Kur’anlar. İftar komşulukları, dini sohbetler. Bu tanışmayı, kalıcı dostluğa dönüştürmek için birbirlerine verilen adresler.

Başı örtülüler, bir bedeni tamamen gözlerden ve güneşten gizleyen simsiyah çarşaflarıyla gezinenler. Kot pantolonunun üzerine giydiği bolca bir buluz ve saçlarının yarısını örtmüş eşarbı ile o uhrevi atmosferi hissettiğinden yüzde yüz emin olduğunuz güzeller..

İşte bu uhrevî havayı, sabah uyanınca camı açıp baharın bütün güzelliklerini içinize çekercesine aldığınız nefes gibi ruhunuza sindirirken, bir metalik ses dünyanızı altüst eder..

“ Eğer oruç tutmuyorsan, bayram senin neyine? “ der.

Yahu, kardeşim kim oturttu seni o mikrofonun başına?

Sen kimsin ve niçin hüküm sahibisin?

Karar vermenin, cezalandırmanın yalnız ve yalnız Allah’a mahsus olduğunu; o camiye koşup gelenlerin, senin değil Allah’ın evine sığındıklarını nasıl unutursun?

Sen benim veya bir başkasının niye oruç tutmadığını biliyor musun?

Ya da kalbimin derinliklerine inebiliyor musun? Oradaki Allah sevgisini görebiliyor musun?

Bu dini niye, peygamberimizin miraçta “ ümmetimi bağışla” dediğini unutarak, korku üzerine kuruyorsunuz..

Kendi aklınız, kendi idrâkiniz, kendi yanlışlarınızla kurduğunuz dünyada, mahşeri beklemeden kurduğunuz mahkemelerde, insanları hangi hakla yargılıyorsunuz.

Niye Yunusun, niye Mevlâ’nın dilini kullanıp, bu dini bir barış ve sevgiyle Yaradan’a varış olarak anlatmıyorsunuz?

Ertugrul Mat

Avukat, Bursa Eski Milletvekili, Gazeteci, Yazar

Former MP for Turkish Parliament, Lawyer, Journalist and Writer

Elif Mat Erkmen

Lawyer, Translator, Blogger

11 Haziran 2016 Cumartesi

Letter to a Young Friend / Sen Genc Kardesim by Ertugrul Mat

Open Letter to a Young Friend,

By Ertugrul Mat

Former MP of Turkish Parliament, Lawyer, Journalist

June 10, 2016

You, my young friend, you, who smashed the wreath, delivered to the funeral on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, and, you, who threw a bullet onto his lap, in Mafia style.

As a person who lived through the pain and suffering you have experienced, much more than you did, and having witnessed so many things during 1946 to 1980, I can tell you that the fundamental element of democracy is opposition.

We didn’t want Ismet Pasha to enter Yesilhisar, Balikesir, Bursa and from Topkapi into Istanbul.

We believed we were strengthening the foundation of democracy.

We were wrong.

We lived through Coup d’états, (1960.1971, and 1980), we served jail terms…

Our friends and heroes became martyrs for democracy.

We mourned for them for years…

Do you know what happened afterwards?

We were surprised to hear Aydin Menderes (son of former Prime Minister Adnan Menderes) say, ‘I do not understand some of the things my father did or the decisions he made’

After living through years and experience life more, we asked the same questions ourselves.

There is a saying that the Government is responsible for any sheep that gets lost on the banks of Tigris. The responsibility does not end there. The Government is also responsible for the Shepard's right to feel safe when his herd is grazing.

This is not only a security issue but also a democratic right of the citizens.

That Opposition Leader, my friend, has a right to go to the villages in the East and to the cemeteries, and to the wedding ceremonies, and to the jails visiting inmates, talking to the murderers and to the traitors.

He will listen to them but will not be a traitor.

He will investigate and learn about the problems but will not collaborate with them.

If you want your children to live in a better country, you have to learn to support the ruling party, while trusting the Opposition Leader.

If you do not trust the opposition as much as you trust the party in power, it means we have a long way to go on the road to democracy.

That is the road of believers in democracy, and by ruining wreaths, the road never ends, just gets longer.

Does the Leader of the Opposition make mistakes?

Yes, of course, like everyone else, he can have poor judgement.

And of course, he will have consequences for his mistakes.

You will show him your discontentment.

But not today… Tomorrow.

Not by throwing a bullet on to his lap, but by not voting for him in the elections.

Don’t forget, whether he deserves it or not, he occupies the seat of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and Ismet Inonu (leaders of Republican People’s Party)

His place in protocol is next to the Prime Minister.

If you want the Turkish state to live to eternity, first thing you should do is to believe in rule of law and respect the Statesmen of this country.

Do you know?

They ask me “You are in your eighties, why are you still writing? Why do you bother?”

As a man who had a good social and political life, I feel it is my responsibility to share my experiences with the younger generations.

By writing articles for the newspapers or making speeches, I like to share my experiences and the gifts that the life offered me, with you, and to give something back to my country and my fellow citizens…

Sen genç kardeşim

Sen, dün muhalefet liderinin çelengini parçalayan, muhalefet liderine mafya raconu keserek kucağına mermi fırlatan, genç kardeşim..

Senin yaşadıklarının bin mislini yaşamış, senin duyduğun acıların bin mislini duymuş, 1946 ‘dan başlayarak, 1980’ e kadar uzanan süreçte, neler görmüş bir ağabeyin olarak, söyleyeyim ki, demokrasinin temel unsuru muhalefettir.

Biz de İsmet Paşa’yı Yeşilhisar’a, Balıkesir’e, Bursa’ya, Topkapı üzerinden İstanbul’a sokmak istemedik.

Böyle yaparak, demokrasinin temelini sağlamlaştırdığımızı sandık..

Yanıldık..

İhtilâller gördük, hapislere girdik..

Demokrasi şehitleri verdik..

O sehpaların altlarında yıllarca ağladık.

Sonra ne oldu biliyor musun ?

Aydın Beyin ağzından, “ Babamın bazı davranışlarını, bazı kararlarını anlamakta mazûrum” sözlerini duyunca şaşırdık.

Biz de, hayatın süzgecinden geçtikçe, zaman zaman, aynı kelimelerle seslendiremezsek de, o soruları zihnimizde sıraladık..

İktidar, sadece “ Dicle nehrinin kenarında kaybolan bir koyundan mes’ul olmak “ değildir.

O çobanın koyunlarını korkmadan otlatmak hakkını sağlamaktır da..

Bu sadece, polisiye bir tedbir değil; aynı zamanda demokratik bir vecibedir de..

Yani sevgili kardeşim, o muhalefet lideri var ya, evet O, mezralara da gidecek, mezarlıklara da; O, düğünlere de gidecek, hapishanelere de; O, katillerle de konuşacak, hainlerle de..

Dinleyecek ama, ihanet etmeyecek.

Sorunlarını , sebeplerini öğrenmeye çalışacak ama, işbirliği yapmayacak..

Sen, evet sen, yarın çocuklarının daha güzel bir Türkiye’ de yaşamasını istiyorsan, iktidarı sevmeyi de, muhalefet liderine güvenmeyi de öğreneceksin..

İktidara güvendiğin kadar, muhalefete güvenmediğin zaman, anla ki, demokrasi yolunda yürüyeceğimiz, daha çok yol vardır..

O yol da, inanarak yürümek isteyenlerin yoludur..

Çelenkleri parçalamak, tekmelemekle bitmez o yol..

O zaman, uzar da, uzar.

Muhalefet lideri yanlış yapmaz mı?

Elbette ki yapar..

Kim yanlışsız bir dünya da yaşar ki ?

Yanlış yaptığı zaman, onun cezasını, sen vereceksin..

Ama bugün değil, yarın..

Ama kucağına kurşun atarak değil; sandığa oy atmayarak.

Unutmayacaksın ki, lâyık olsun olmasın, O adam, Mustafa Kemâllerin, İsmet Paşaların koltuğunda oturuyor..

Protokolde başbakanın yanında duruyor..

Türk devletinin sonsuza kadar yaşamasını istiyor ve buna inanıyorsan, bunun yolu kardeşim, devletin kurallarına ve devlet adamına hürmet etmekle başlar.

Biliyor musun ?

Bana “ Yahu, 80 ‘nini geçtin, ne yoruyorsun kendini? “ diyorlar..

Ruhsal, sosyal ve siyasal doyuma ulaşmış bir insan olarak, bunları sana söylemek için kardeşim.

Bu sütunlarda yazarak, bazen mikrofonlara konuşarak..

Ama hayatın bana armağanlarını sana sunarak yaşamımı sonlandırmak için..

Evet ülkeme , ülkemin insanlarına borcumu unutmayarak..