Today, Sunday, November 22, I decided to re-watch the season 1, episode 1 of the most talked about Turkish series, Kurusul Osman, where Bamsi Bey (Ertuğrul’s loyal and now oldest Alp) lost his only surviving son, Aybars, on the eve of his Nikaah! SubhanAllah! Oh…yes, he and Osman were ambushed by the Byzantine infidels. Osman survived but Aybars didn’t make it. He was martyred! Of course, everyone blamed his death on Osman, who is the head of the Alps, except Bamsi Bey, who always saw his beloved brother and friend, Ertuğrul Ghazi’s heroism in his son, Osman.
So, as the Kayis gathered to mourn the passage of Aybars, Bamsi Bey carried his son’s lifeless body and said in the presence of the crowd; “A little while ago…we stitched the wedding tents. But now, it seems that…my son is in heaven now. He went to drink the sweet sherbet (coolest drink) of shahada...from the palm of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)…
“While I was waiting for my son’s worldly nikaah”, Bamsey Bey said, adding, “I saw a wedding of a Martyr. I am a father of Martyr.”
Bamsi, who fought all the battles with Ertuğrul Ghazi towards establishing the Islamic caliphacy, told the people that he doesn’t want bards to lament. His words, “I don’t want you to cry. Do not ruin yourself in vain because today is feast day, it is the wedding day not death day. It is a great day. Thanks to Allah. I became a father of a Martyr.”
This scene gave me a chill to the marrow, watching him thanking Allah who took his only surviving son, after the loss of his wife and two children earlier. What a tragedy, one would say but this man, called Bamsi Bey, didn’t utter negative words against Allah, instead he was full of praises.
Wait a minute! One may say this is just a film acted by some Turkish celebrities but who says Allah cannot test anyone with a similar or more severe tribulations — such as illnesses, loss of wealth, etc? Allah says in Quran 8:24, “And know that your wealth and your children are only a test and that with Allah is a great reward.” This life itself is full of trial, that’s why Allah says in another verse, Qur’an 67:2 that “He has created death and life to test which one of you is best in conduct.”
Before Bamsi Bey, Allah has tried many Messengers and Prophets — including our beloved Prophet Muhammad, who also lost one of his sons, Ibrahim, on the day of ‘Eid (the day of festival). Anas Ibn Malik reported, in an authentic collection of Imam Bukhari that the Prophet wept and said, “Verily, the eyes shed tears and the heart is grieved, but we will not say anything except what is pleasing to our Lord. We are saddened by your departure, O Ibrahim.”
Many of us today would have begun to question God, with saying like, “Allah, you didn’t try at all…why me, us?” Some would have said Allah should have permitted them to get married first. But many will not ask, what if they aren’t meant for each other? What if that is the best time for the person to die? So many things unknown to us as human beings but only known to Allah, our Creator. May Allah in His infinite mercy forgive our shortcomings, give us better understanding of the Deen. May Allah ease the trials of those who are suffering and bless us with patience to endure it with gratefulness, Ameen!
Watch both Diriliş Ertuğrul and Kurusul Osman HERE
