From Pasha Haşim to Pasha Hulusi: Education

Although it is said that time does not flow backward, we continue to witness politics forcing exactly that.

The fact that we are still surprised by the statements made is also an indication that hope is still being maintained.

In recent days, a statement made by Hulusi Akar has caused the country's intellectuals to jump out of their seats. It was the kind of statement that makes one say, "This is just too much..."

What did Pasha Hulusi say?

“What is the purpose of education? Education is not about knowledge, friends. Knowledge is acquired at university, in a profession.

The purpose of education is not to acquire knowledge. The purpose of education is, first, the fear of God, and second, the fear of what people will think.”

Faced with this statement, which reduces education to "religion" and religion to "fear," and which is full of errors from beginning to end, I am forced to censor all my feelings and thoughts and settle for just saying, "Enough!!!"

I say enough, but I cannot help but ask the question that is stuck in my mind.

Mr. Hulusi Akar, were those who surrounded the Turkish Armed Forces and the military schools you closed from top to bottom, and who purged qualified military personnel and students, not the terrorist FETÖ members who used this "Fear of God" as a shield?

You held important positions in your military career. You served as an intelligence officer. You held faculty positions at the Army War Academy, and served as Commander of the Army War College and Commander of the Army War Academy. In other words, you had the opportunity to observe the FETÖ structure in officer training. Then, in 2013, you became the Commander of the Land Forces.

Did you fail to notice the structure within the TSK, or did you see them as young officer candidates who had the "Fear of God"? If that is the case, shouldn't you have understood that one cannot get anywhere with just the fear of God, and that there are structures programmed to deceive in the name of God?

Now that FETÖ's connection with the CIA has been revealed, why did you not consider returning the Legion of Merit medal presented to you by US Land Forces Commander Raymond Odierno, who gave the order to put sacks over the heads of Turkish soldiers?

Undoubtedly, these questions will remain unanswered. However, does the fact that a former Chief of General Staff and Minister of National Defense is contradicting Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who charted the course for the Turkish Nation by declaring that "the only true guide in life is science and reason," not show how dire the situation of this country has become?

With the latest statement made by Pasha Hulusi, one cannot help but recall the words of Pasha Haşim, the last Minister of Education (Maarif Nazırı) of the Abdulhamid II era;

Pasha Haşim, who said, "If it weren't for these schools, how well we would manage education."

These words were spoken by Pasha Haşim, not Emrullah Efendi, as is often claimed on social media.

Pasha Haşim, the last Minister of Education of the Abdulhamid II era (1903-1908), left no positive mark behind other than these words, and his name has been erased from the history of Turkish National Education. However, this person is almost a projection of the one who made today's statement.

The documents that have surfaced (a booklet titled *Maarif*; Namık Ekrem) describe the characteristics of the Haşim Pasha era with the following lines:

“Especially in these recent times, when Haşim Molla became Minister of Education, schools, teachers, knowledge (science, skill), and the sciences became a mockery. They became a source of entertainment.

“Who is this?” A relative of the Pasha. Make him a teacher! Who is this? A relative of the young master! Make him a school instructor! This one? For the son-in-law; and this one? For the coachman, for the landlord... Oh my God!”

They are asking for duty, begging, crying... Who cares? There is someone here who is destitute, who does not kiss hands, who does not lose their dignity, who wants to live with a sense of honor, whose knowledge and background are sufficient, and who wants to serve their country. Who appreciates them? Is service to the country even desired? Is the development of the country and the nation even desired? Alas!”

A familiar picture, isn't it? As if 120 years haven't passed.

In 1906, Haşim Pasha sent a document to the Sultan with his own signature, explaining his goals regarding the education system.

The goals were summarized as follows; (TTK; *Belleten*, July 1981, Prof. Dr. Yahya Akyüz)

Students with the desired qualities in terms of religion and morality are not being raised in schools.

For this reason, the curricula of all schools have been changed, Religious and Moral courses have been increased, and some "unnecessary" courses such as *İlm-i Eşya* (positive science courses like atmosphere, physics, natural science) have been removed.

Second principals from among the clergy have been appointed to high and middle-level schools.

The reason why students with the desired qualities in terms of religion and morality cannot be raised in schools is the opening of Galatasaray High School for the first time and the fact that its management and teaching were given to people of "doubtful loyalty," and that this path was later followed in other schools as well.

From now on, the work of opening schools should start from primary schools, and care should be taken to ensure that all officials and teachers in schools are people of good character and are religious.

The university (*Darülfünun*) is corrupting the morals of the students. Therefore, it should be closed and its students transferred to the School of Political Science (*Mülkiye*), Law School, and the Higher Teachers' School.

What I have written so far sounds so much like the "Vision!!" work that National Education is following today, doesn't it?

However, the religious and moral education program is not limited to these. There is also the Military Schools dimension of the matter.

What inspirations did these lines give to Pasha Hulusi, who once served as Chief of General Staff for the Turkish Armed Forces?

During the Abdulhamid II era, an attempt was made to introduce a modern military education system, and the quality of education was sought to be increased by opening Military Middle Schools (*Rüştiyeler*), High Schools (*İdadiler*), and War Academies. In addition to courses related to positive sciences and the military profession, religious education began to follow an increasingly intense and coercive line.

Abdulhamid II wanted religious and history courses in military schools to be more intensive than in civilian schools. The reason for this was the consolidation of Sunni Islam and the strengthening of his own authority.

Religious courses were not limited to the curriculum; they were also carried into the mosques.

The reason for increasing religious education in the army was to utilize the influence of religion in ensuring obedience and loyalty.

Especially against the currents of thought spreading from Europe (freedom, equality, enlightenment), the influence of religion was emphasized to ensure loyalty and obedience to the Sultan.

In the report presented to the Sultan by Serasker Rıza Pasha;

“It was stated that in some military schools, students harbored 'harmful ideas' against the Sultan and the sultanate, and that they would only obey the Sultan through religious education.”

Military School Minister Zeki Pasha emphasized "preparing a work for good religious-moral education in all schools."

Thus, it was stated that “those who attempt to rebel against the Sultan are at a lower rank than foreigners (non-Muslims), that it is permissible to kill them, and that it is not permissible to wash them or perform their funeral prayers when they are killed.”

Rebellion against the Caliph was accepted as equivalent to rebellion against God.

In the War Academies, where religious courses were not taught until the Abdulhamid II era, in addition to the curriculum and religious courses in mosques, those who did not live according to religious rules were subjected to severe disciplinary punishments.

For example, at the *Mekteb-i Harbiye* (War Academy);

Severe disciplinary punishments began to be given, such as 4 weeks of suspension from leave for being seen in the dormitory during morning prayer time, 10 days of imprisonment for not obeying the officer on duty regarding prayer, 5 weeks of suspension from leave for hiding in the garden during prayer time, 10 days of imprisonment for not going to prayer and deceiving the officer on duty, etc. (*İlahiyat Akademik Araştırmalar Yıllığı 2023; Mekteb-i Harbiye’de Din Eğitimi, Ahmet Aydın*)

However, the heavy disciplinary practices and pressures did not have the desired effect. The mandatory prayer practice led to a reaction from the students, leading them to perform prayers unwillingly and without ablution. Ali Fuat Cebesoy, Ziya Yergök, and Rahmi Apak recount in their memoirs that students mostly performed prayers without ablution. Rahmi Apak even mentions that three of his students were humiliated in front of other students and had their epaulets torn off because they opposed mandatory prayer.

The religious education, which was initiated to ensure loyalty to the Sultan and put into practice with pressures and stick-wielding teachers, did not yield results, and the founding cadres of the Republic were raised in the War Academies. (Ahmet Aydın; op. cit.)

Pasha Hulusi's statement on education reveals how insufficient his knowledge is regarding both religion and education.

Aside from being unaware that one can become a true believer through the love of God, not the fear of God, he is also unaware of the 256th verse of the Surah Al-Baqarah, which declares that "there is no compulsion in religion."

Hulusi Akar, who thinks in the 21st century that he will bring children closer to God by scaring them with God, is apparently also unaware of the 31st verse of the Surah Al-Imran. What does this verse say?

Say, O Messenger: "If you love God, then follow me, so that God may love you and forgive your sins. God is Forgiving, Merciful."

Leaving education to educators and religion to religious scholars, and not making statements that will harm society by playing in a field one does not know in order to reap political rent, is the best-intentioned advice that can be given to all politicians.