A large crowd assembled on June 29 in Sheikh Said Square, located in the Sur district of Diyarbakır, to mark the centenary of the execution of Sheikh Said and 47 of his followers.

The event was organized by the Oppressed Community (Mustazaflar Cemiyeti) and the Martyrs Caravan Platform, aiming to honor the memory of the Kurdish Islamic scholar and revolutionary who led a major uprising against the Turkish Republic in 1925.

Sheikh Said and his companions were hanged on June 29, 1925, following the suppression of the Sheikh Said Rebellion—an armed movement rooted in opposition to the secular reforms of the newly established Kemalist regime. The commemoration drew thousands of attendees and featured Quran recitations, hymns, speeches, and poetry performances.

A Symbolic Ceremony at the Site of Execution

The programme opened with a recitation from the Holy Quran by Ömer Akgül, followed by hymns and spiritual songs performed by Özlem Agency artists. The event’s central location—Sheikh Said Square—holds deep historical resonance, as it was the site where Sheikh Said was executed by the state.

The ceremony was hosted by Cihat Kaplan and Abdusselam Şanlı, who guided the audience through the remembrance event, emphasizing the continued relevance of Sheikh Said's spiritual and political legacy.

HÜDA PAR MP Faruk Dinç: “Sheikh Said Stood for Dignity, Faith, and Resistance”

Delivering the keynote speech, HÜDA PAR Mersin MP Faruk Dinç addressed the historical context and spiritual significance of Sheikh Said’s actions. Dinç criticized the early Republican regime for dismantling Islamic institutions, banning the Arabic script, closing madrasas, and enforcing Western-style secular laws that, he said, aimed to sever the people's connection to Islam.

“Sheikh Said and 46 others were martyred here with honour,” Dinç stated. “Despite his age, he did not remain silent in the face of attacks on Islam. Instead, he stood up, gathered scholars and leaders, and resisted oppression.”

Dinç decried what he described as "ethnic and religious suppression under the Kemalist state" and accused the government of using secular nationalism to suppress the unity between Turkish and Kurdish Muslims. “Turkish nationalism, Westernism, and secularism were promoted to replace Islamic brotherhood,” he said.

“A Legacy Under Siege: Slanders, Suppression, and Cultural Erasure”

Dinç condemned the historical portrayal of Sheikh Said in official Turkish narratives, calling them “slanderous” and “politically motivated.” He argued that both the East and West of Türkiye mischaracterized Sheikh Said—either as a British agent or a separatist leader—in order to delegitimize his religious motives and connection with the broader ummah.

He pointed out that foreign powers such as Britain and France actively worked to prevent Muslim support for Sheikh Said’s rebellion from neighboring regions like Iraq and Syria. “Sheikh Said’s movement was not isolated; it resonated across the Islamic world. That’s why colonial powers feared him,” he said.

The MP also criticized the Turkish state for still concealing the burial sites of Sheikh Said and other Islamic figures like Bediuzzaman Said Nursi. “Even the graves of foreign soldiers who fought against Muslims in Gallipoli are marked and honoured. But our own martyrs’ resting places remain hidden. This shows the regime's enduring hostility toward Islamic values,” he declared.

Kemalism and Apoism: “Twin Ideologies Threatening Islamic Identity”

In a sharp rebuke of contemporary Kurdish nationalist ideologies, Dinç likened the ideas promoted by the PKK and its affiliates to the Kemalist ideology, accusing both of attempting to erode Islamic values. “Apoism is the twin brother of Kemalism,” Dinç asserted. “They both fear the people’s connection to Islam, their scholars, and madrasas.”

He accused PKK-affiliated intellectuals of disrespecting religious traditions and Islamic scholars, referencing recent derogatory remarks made about historical Islamic leaders such as Qazi Muhammad and Mela Mustafa Barzani. “These people describe prayer as theatre, the Quran as mythology, and marriage as slavery. They inherit their tactics from the secularist playbook,” he said.

A Call for Islamic Unity and Historical Reconciliation

Dinç emphasized that healing historical wounds and building national unity require confronting and revising official historical narratives. “To strengthen our internal front, we must close the fault lines imposed by secular nationalism. The true solution lies in embracing the Islamic identity as our highest and most unifying principle,” he said.

Drawing parallels with historical battles such as Gallipoli and Malazgirt, he argued that Turks and Kurds have historically united under the banner of Islam and must do so again today.

“We do not seek to restore Sheikh Said’s reputation—because his honour is intact. Instead, it is those who falsified history who need to restore their own credibility,” Dinç said.

Cultural Tribute and Emotional Conclusion

The event concluded with musical performances by Özlem Agency artists, poetry readings, and emotional reflections on the life and martyrdom of Sheikh Said. Quotations from Sheikh Said were recited by the presenters, reinforcing his enduring influence among his followers.

Organizers expressed their commitment to keeping Sheikh Said’s memory alive and pledged to continue advocating for the recognition of Islamic values and unity among Türkiye’s Muslim communities. (ILKHA)