Fakhri Pasha and covering in the Ottoman Flag
"1337 AH / 1918 AD"
The incident of Seferberlik means transforming the Medina of the Messenger of
God, prayers of Allah and peace be upon him, to be a military barracks. The situation went
so far that the markets, walls and houses towards the Prophet’s Mosque in the Medina were
destroyed by Fakhri Pasha in order to transform it into a military castle, and a weapons
storage without regard to the sanctity of the noble Prophet’s Mosque.
There were frequent narrations that Fakhri Pasha delivered a speech by which the history considered that he loves Al-Mustafa’s (the Prophet) Medina, and he and his soldiers would fight valiantly to protect it. It was poignant moments when he delivered that speech from the Minbar to his soldiers. This came after hiding the cruelty of news arrived to him about the defeat of his empire in World War I. In addition, the Ottoman empire was forced to conclude a truce, by which the Ottoman troops in Hejaz, Asir and Yemen should surrender to the nearest commander of the leaders of the Allied armies. These instructions were signed by Al-Sadr the greatest, Ahmed Ezzat, and connected to him through the wireless station in Medina.
The news spread, After that, among the soldiers and officers in Medina. As a result, Fakhri Pasha was in a state of shock and intensity of fear of the Prophet’s Medina, and his love for the Messenger, peace be upon him. For his hiding of the news, he gave them an open leave. We wonder about a military command that in an operational status and during the acceleration of political events, however, it gave everyone a leave without indicative reasons. Although this makes no sense and there is nothing to be indicated except the degree of that character’s tyranny, and its leadership, which caused in and took the lives of thousands of soldiers, in addition to the application of martial law on the grounds of suspicion that they were traitors, so that they were forced to flight. As well as the horrors of the famine were oblivious that had befallen them. Further, what they were suffering from was due to an arrogant and unjust leadership.
There was mentioned about a speech that Fakhri Pasha decided to give, in order to declare his emotional!! military measures; that it was on a Friday at the end of Jumada al-Akhira or the first day of the month of Rajab in 1336 AH / April 1918 AD, when he enfolded and covered himself in the red flag with a rather fascinating serenity and in passionate words sweeping the narrator in describing the state of the Pasha. As he took an oath in a quiet, emotional voice that he would not forsake the Messenger [of Allah], prayers of Allah and peace be upon him, and he would not give in until the last shot and the last breath. Officers, soldiers and other worshipers were surprised to an unimaginable degree, as they witnessed the exact description and honesty of the Pasha during his speech.
The previous narrator contained a historic mistake that the speech, as it was called, was on Sunday 28th Muharram 1337 AH / November 3th, 1918 AD. However, choosing Friday must be for its favor and to gain sympathy for what was mentioned in order to improve Fakhri Pasha’s position in that tragedy, Seferberlik. Furthermore, it was in a complete contrast to the personality and history of Fakhri Pasha, that history bears witness to him. Not to mention the general situation that exhausted everyone and demanded them to leave before the surrender orders be delivered to them, yet no one had ears within hearing.
Another narration mentioned by (Friedon Gandemir) who delivered the telegraph of Al-Sadr the greatest, as he was present, where narration stated that Fakhri Pasha after he ascended the Minbar, minutes passed and everyone was waiting for what the pasha would do, and that his voice was as loud as thunder. Nevertheless, this is the opposite of what was narrated about Fakhri Pasha on whom calm and reverence fell, in addition to an emotional state that was not appropriate to the truth of his behaviors.
The narration continues to illustrate expressions from the Pasha’s speech; including what he mentioned that the orders came to him to surrender the Medina after they had accepted the gold – (Who were those people who accepted gold?!) He meant the supreme leadership of the Ottoman State. They cut off the railway road as well. Here is a question that raises itself! “How were the sacred trusts sent?”. Were they sent by private cars of Fakhri Pasha? And he reaffirmed not to retreat, and that the red flag would not be removed before blood would be brought to the rubble of the Medina, prayers of Allah and peace be upon its inhabitant [i. e. the Prophet].
In fact, Medina was left as rubble …….
This is a citation from a poem by Sheikh Saad Eddin Barrada:
Days ravaged us against our will, so we were separated ……
what men would be for this wreaking culprit
And here is a poem by Sheikh Hamza Al-Taqrati, responding to Sheikh Barada’s poem, as
both of them were deported in Seferberlik……
when a friend wept and longed for me, so as I wept to ….
As a homesick estranged from his household and homelands
And he shed tears from the eyes for sorrow ……
Due to the parting of his loved ones, so he got me sorrow too
And here are some verses describing the state of Sheikh Abdel-Haq Refaket Ali:
They marched towards the Levant for the enemies destroyed them ……
and pulled a trigger due to their absence
Against their will they were taken out of Thebah while ….
Their eyes shed blood for their love to it
they were bothered and from the food deprived as well…
and they had a disturbing life, yet it was pleasant life
They swallowed their cup of keeping away, that was spiked …
With infused poison, may Allah protect its valet
Doubtless, History can barricade the doors towards such criminal acts that
violated the sanctities of Islamic places, such as the mosque of the Messenger of God –
Peace be upon him – and his Medina, which was known of the two blacks, i. e. water and
dates. One of the most heinous crimes of genocide in the early twentieth century; that
caused a famine that has resulted in humanitarian and environmental disasters for five
years. History will mention that ….