MUSTAFA ALTUN HAKKINDA
Vakfımızın Onur başkanı olan Mustafa Altun 1934 yılında Erzincan’da dünyaya gelmiş olup, ataları ve ailesi, Horasan’dan Anadolu’ya göçlerin başladığı 13. ve 14. yüzyıl civarında, önce Malatya’ya, sonra Tunceli’ye, sonrasında da Erzincan’a yerleşmişlerdir. İlkokulu Erzincan’da okumuş sonrasında Sivas-Yıldızeli Öğretmen Okulu son sınıfındayken Ankara Devlet Konservatuarı sınavlarını kazanarak bu okula geçmiş ve Yüksek Lisans Bölümünü başarıyla bitirmiştir.
Onu dışardan bir göz olarak anlatabilmek yerine bizzat kendisinin kaleme aldığı satırlardan aktarmak daha yerinde olacaktır.
‘’Aşk büyük küçük tanımıyor, yeter ki Cenab-ı Allah o kulunda irade etsin. Her çocuk gibi ben de sevgimi anneme vermiştim. Her nerede olursam olayım hep onu düşünürdüm. Annem benim için her şeydi. Bu sevgi epey bir zaman devam etti. Bir zaman sonra annemi kaybettim. Bu benim için felaket olmuştu. Zaman içinde sevgim yavaş yavaş yaşlı insanlara ve yaşlı ağaçlara yönelmeye başladı. Sonra bu dikkatler ve duygular da azalmaya başlayınca, yine rahmetli annemin özlemi canlanmaya başladı. Bütün âlemin her zerresine yayılmış olan Allah’ın sevgisini bilmeden annemde ve bir başkalarında görmüşüm. Gönlümde müthiş bir aşk var. Yarabbi bu nedir? Diye kendi kendime soruyordum. Manevi bir gücün olduğunu sezinliyor, düşündükçe de tüylerim ürperiyordu. Bu düşünce ve duygularla bir zaman geçti. İlkokulu bitirdikten sonra öğretmen olan rahmetli ağabeyimin isteği üzerine, köy öğretmen okulu imtihanına girerek başarılı oldum. Ancak çok hassas bir insan olduğum için güzel sanatlara karşı daha duygusal ve sıcak bakıyor, müziği çok seviyor ve müzisyen olmayı istiyordum. Öğretmen okulunu unutup, Ankara’ya giderek konservatuar imtihanlarına girmeye niyet ettim. Ancak paraya ihtiyaç var. O da bizde yok. Allah’a dua edip ağlıyorum. Aradan iki gün kadar bir zaman geçti. Mevsim bahardı, yine şehirde dolaşırken sokaktaki geniş meydandan bir ses kulağıma geliyordu. Biraz dikkatlice dinleyince enstrüman sesi olduğunu fark ettim. Sokak arasına girip müziğin geldiği yöne doğru ilerledim. Büyükçe bir meydanda kurulmuş kocaman bir çadır, çadırın kapısında yaşlıca bir adam elinde parlak bir saz çalıp, müşteri topluyor. Bir ara boşluktan yararlanarak, kapıdaki çalgı çalan kişiden çaldığı aleti istedim. Bana; ‘’sen çalabiliyor musun? ‘’diye sordu. ‘’ Bilmem’’ dedim. Çalgının ismini sordum, “cümbüş” diye cevap verdi. Elime alıp penayı dokundurunca içim bir hoş oldu. Çalgının sapı üzerinde parmaklarımın ileriye geriye gittiğinden haberim yok, sanki benim elimden bir bilen çalıyordu. Çadır sahibi bana: ‘’çok güzel çalıyorsun, bizimle çalışmak ister misin?’’ diye teklifte bulununca şaştım. Onlarla vilayet vilayet dolaşarak Ankara’ya gidecek parayı biriktirmeye başladım. Ağustos ayının ilk haftasıydı ve artık Ankara’daki konservatuar imtihanlarının zamanı gelmişti. Nihayet paramı alarak ertesi gün Ankara’nın yolunu tuttum. Şehrin ve insanların yabancısıyım, üzerimde şarkın verdiği ahlak, dürüstlük ve mahçubiyet var. Birilerine bir şey sormaya çekiniyorum. Gözüme kestirdiğim insanlardan birine, konservatuarın nerede olduğunu ve hangi otobüse binmem gerektiğini sorarak söylediği otobüse bindim ve konservatuara ulaştım.
Üzerimde öğretmen okulu forması ve şapkası var. Önüme çıkan birine kayıtlar için nereye müracaat etmem gerektiğini sordum. O kişi de İbrahim adında Aydınlı üç yıldır konservatuar öğrencisi tatlı dilli, güler yüzlü bir genç. O da beni alıp, okul baş muavini olan Halil bey adında birisinin odasına götürdü. Ben utancımdan neredeyse öleceğim. İçimden yarabbi bana yardım et diye dua ediyorum ve:
Ne var oğlum ne istiyorsun? Diye sinirli bir ses duydum. Bense kekeleyerek:
‘’Efendim öğretmen okulu öğrencisiyim konservatuara girmek arzusundayım, bana yardım edin’’ dedim. Bana nereli olduğumu sordu. Erzincanlı olduğumu söyledim. Adamın gözleri yerinde durmuyor, adeta yuvalarında dans edercesine sağa sola dönüp duruyordu. Bana:
‘’Oğlum buraya şarktan gelenler çok zor girer, sen şansını git başka yerde dene’’ demez mi? Bunun üzerine beynimde adeta bir şimşek çaktı. Akşamın karanlığı yavaş yavaş çökmüş, içimde bir korku bir sıkıntı. Yarabbi bana şu yabancı şehirde yardım et, ne yapacağımı bilemiyorum, nasıl bir halle karşı karşıya kalacağımı bilemiyorum, diye dua ederken akşam oldu. Bir lokantada akşam yemeğinden sonra nerede yatacağım? Diye düşünmeye başlamıştım. Birilerine yatacak bir yer arıyorum diye sordum. Ucuz bir otel olursa daha memnun olurum dedim. Bana Ulus’ta bir otel tavsiye ettiler. Ulus’a varıp, otel ararken biri yanıma yaklaşıp, ‘’otel mi arıyorsun? ‘’ diye sordu. Ben de “evet” dedim. Bunun üzerine beni alıp bir otele götürdü. Sabah olunca ücreti öderken ancak otelin çok pahalı olduğunu öğrendim. Üzerimdeki para bu şartlara göre çok az. Cenab-ı Allah asla sıkıntıya düşürmedi. Mutlaka fakirine kolaylık gösterir. Fakat bazen de fakirini imtihan babında da olsa sabrımızı denedi. Bakalım isyan edecek miyiz? Ertesi gün tekrar okula gittim. Yine baş muavin Halil beyi gördüm ve olumsuz yanıtlar aldım. Cenab-ı Allah bakın nasıl yardım ediyor. Gönlüm “git Cumhurbaşkanıyla görüş” diyor. Düşündüğümü uyguladım ve köşkün dış kısmında nöbetçi olan polis memuruna niçin geldiğimi anlattım. Beni başka bir polis memuruna götürdü. O memur nereli olduğumu sordu; Erzincan’lı olduğumu söyleyince, hemşehrilik ağır basmış olacak ki kendisi de Erzincanlı’ymış bana acıyarak, Cumhurbaşkanlığı özel kalem müdürüne götürdü. Müdüre etraflıca durumu anlattım. Cumhurbaşkanı’na çıkmamı lüzumlu görmedi. Milli eğitim bakanına bir not yazıp elime tutuşturdu. Kendisinin de telefonla konuşacağını söyledi. Bakana gidip notu uzattım, zaten kalem müdürü de kendisiyle görüşmüş. Konservatuar müdürünü telefonla arayıp benim durumumu bildirdi ve kaydımın yapılması talimatını verdi. Bir not yazarak müdüre götürmemi istedi. Okula vardığımda müdürün büyük iltifatına nail oldum. Benim okula alınmamı istemeyen müdür muavini adeta etrafımda pervane oldu. Hâsılı kayıt işlemi yapıldı. Ancak bu defa da okula girmem için tam teşkilatlı bir hastaneden sağlık raporu istendi. Her yerim sapasağlam, sıra kulak muayenesine geldi ki, doktor bir kulağımda hafif bir arıza olduğunu söyledi. Rapora arızalı olduğunu yazınca mahvoldum. Hastane koridorunun bir ucundan diğerine zor gitmiştim. Bir yerde çömelip kaldım. Benim o halimi gören beyaz gömlekli bir hanım bana yaklaşarak oğlum hasta mısın? diye sordu. Durumu anlattım ve beni hemen bir muayene odasına alarak senin kulağına birde ben bakayım dedi. Kulağımın çok normal olduğunu söyleyerek rapora işledi. Ve o sırada sevincimden, o hanımın elini zorla öptüğümü hatırlıyorum. Büyük memnuniyetle tekrar okula giderek, raporu ilgililere verdim. Sonrası da kefil gerekiyormuş, kefilin hem bir yakınım hem de paralı olması lazımmış. Yatılı olarak okumak için imtihandan en az not olarak 9 almam gerekiyordu ağustos ayı başlarında imtihana girdim imtihan piyanoda ses sormak suretiyle yapılıyor. Piyanoda sınav yapan değerli hocalardan Halil Bedii beyefendiymiş. Bana memleketimi sordu, meğer o da Erzincanlı’ymış. Sonuçta 9 not alarak yatılıyı kazandım. Sıra kefile geldi, kefil çok önemliydi. Kim olur, kim olur derken okulun idarecilerinden, ritmik hocamız Neriman Decan hanımefendi kefil işine talip oldu. Sonradan obua hocam olan Efdal Günşıray beyefendi kefilliği üzerine alarak bana ayrıca çok büyük iyiliklerde bulunmuştur. ‘’
Mustafa Altun konservatuardan mezun olduktan sonra, Ankara Devlet Opera ve Bale Orkestrasında 1961-2000 yılları arasında oboist olarak görevde bulunarak bu kurumdan emekli olmuştur. Ankara Devlet Opera ve Balesi Orkestrasında çalıştığı dönem süresince ayrıca Atatürk Lisesi ve Gazi Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesinde Müzik Bölümünde de öğretim görevlisi olarak hizmet yürütmüştür.
Kültür Bakanlığı Devlet Opera ve Balesinin sayısız yurtiçi ve yurtdışı etkinliklerinde çok başarılı görevler icra etmiştir.
1970’li yıllarda Melami Mürşidi olan Hasan ÖZLEM Efendi Hazretleriyle tanışarak ona teslim olmuş, yıllarca sadakatle hizmetinde bulunmuştur.
1996 yılında Hasan ÖZLEM Efendi tarafından kendisine halifelik verilerek irşad ile görevlendirilmiş ve bu süreçte de eserlerini yazmaya başlamış ve devam etmiştir.
Yayımlanan eserleri Türkçe eserleri:
1. Hakikate Ermek
2. İlmin Hakikati
3. Ölmeden evvel Ölmek
4. Diriliş
5. Hiç
6. İnsan ile Şeytan arasındaki diyalog
7. Tevhid sohbetleri
8. A’nın Nuru
9. Esrar-ı Nokta
10. Kendini Tanı
11. Tevhid Sohbetleri 2
Yayımlanan İngilizce eserleri:
1. Dying Before You Die
2. Realive
Ayrıca bir kitabı da kitabı da yayına hazırlanmaktadır.
Sevgili eşi Hüsniye hanım ile 28 yaşında evlenmiş ve bu evliliğinden ikisi kız, üç çocukları olmuştur. Halen Ankara’da ikâmet etmekte olup irşad görevini büyük bir özveriyle sürdürmeye devam etmektedir.
Dernek ve vakıf olarak’’ İnsanın kendini tanımasına’’ yönelik söyleşiler , sohbetler, konferanslar , imza günleri vb. gibi faaliyetler gerçekleştirilmiş , Mustafa Altun’un öğretileri , hayatı, eserleri hakkında çalışmalar ulusal ve uluslararası boyutta yayılmaya çalışılmıştır.
The family of Pir Seyyid Mustafa Altun Efendi came to Malatya around 13th or 14th century when the migrations began from Horasan to Anatolia. After staying there for a while they went to Tunceli and finally they settled in Erzincan. He went to primary school in Erzincan. When he was a senior in Sivas Yıldızeli Teacher School he passed the conservatory exams of Ankara State Conservatory and he finished the postgraduate successfully.
The book which he wrote himself; ‘Hakikate Ermek’ includes his childhood memories and some part of them explained down below. (Some of the highlights experienced since his childhood were quoted from his book named ‘Hakikate Ermek’ and are presented below.) He had a troubled childhood and he emotionally told his broke, hardworking and troubled memories in Ankara. Let’s read a little but important parts of his life, which he wrote by himself, to (understand) and get him know better;
‘’It will be better for me to start from my primary school age for you to understand the topic clearly. When Almighty God wills to give his love, he doesn’t pick you according to your age. Almost like every child, I gave my love to my mother. I was always thinking about her no matter where I am. My mom was everything to me. Mothers are the ones who give the most effort to their children because of their nature. I prayed to God to save my mother to us someties secretly sometimes obviously. This love continued for a long time. After a while, I lost my mother. It was a disaster for me.
In the course of time, my love started to tent to aged people and aged trees. I got sentimental by looking aged trees. I was looking old people and expecting something from them. When these emotions and attentions started to fade away, the longing of my deceased mother came back. Being unknown about the love of God which is spread all over the entire world , I saw it in my mother and others. There is a great love in my heart. I asked myself; “My God, what is it?” I felt it is a spiritual power and by thinking of it, I got thrilled. These thoughts and emotions were continued for a while. After graduated from primary school, by the wish of my deceased big brother who was a teacher, I sat on exam to be a teacher and I succeeded . However I absolutely didn’t want to be a village teacher. Since I was a very sentimental person, I had a tendency to fine arts. I loved music so much and wanted to be a musician. I learned to play mandolin while I'm studying at the Sivas Teacher School. In a semester break, I went to Erzincan where my home town is. My deceased big brother was a newly married man who had a very low income. Making a living was very hard and he had to look after 4 people. With the sacred love of God in my heart, one day I was walking in the main street of Erzincan. When I looked around, I saw a pigeon bird cage and that pigeon gave something with its peak to someone who was in front of it. I walked that side and asked owner of the pigeon what it was. He said it was a chance bird. What people would be in the future was written in the papers selected by this bird. I have one, too . As far as I remember, it was written on the paper I got, like the following “Do not wander; you will be a musician in the future.” I have already heard there was a music school which was called conservatory in Ankara. After that incident, I forgot the ‘’teaching school’’ and thought about going to Ankara. However, I needed money, unfortunately, I did not have any. I cried and prayed to God. 2 days have passed. Season was spring; I heard a voice from the large square on the street while I was walking around town. I paid attention and I realized; it was a sound of an instrument. I walked through the street and towards the direction that the music sound came from. There was a huge tent in the square; in front of the tent an old man was playing a shiny reed to find customers. I wondered what was inside of the tent and asked someone. A snake was danced and money was collected from the viewers. I took the advantage of the loophole) and asked the instrument from man who played it. He asked;
-“Can you play it?” I said; “I don’t know.” I asked the name of the instrument and he answered as “cümbüş.” When I hold and touch plectrum to the instrument, I felt gladden. I didn’t realize that my fingers were moved back and forward on the wires, as if someone who knows playing it by my hands. I surprised when the owner of the tent offered me;
-“You played very well. Do you want to work with us?
I accepted the offer but I told them I can’t stay with them very long since I was a student and I would leave when the time comes. They accepted and paid me a very good salary for that time. I went with them from one city to another and started to save money to go to Ankara. It was the first week of August and there was the time that conservatory exam in Ankara. It was so hard to get permission from my boss to go to Ankara. Eventually, I took my money and went to Ankara next day. When I arrived to Ankara, my excitement was growing. Finally, I got off the bus terminal. I was unfamiliar with the city and its people, I moved on with the ethics, honesty and embarrassment that came from eastern culture. I hesitated to ask something to someone. I selected someone and asked where conservatory was and which bus I should get on. That person (told me to get on the coming bus and tell to driver that I was foreigner and want to go to conservatory) and then disappeared. The bus arrived and I told the driver that I am foreigner and want to go to conservatory. When I came there, the driver told me to get off the bus. I had a teaching school uniform and a hat on me. I asked someone where to apply for registration. That person was named İbrahim who was a sophomore conservatory student with a very smiling, suave young person. Then he took me to the head assistant named Mrs. Halil. I almost died of shame. I secretly prayed to God to help me and an angry voice said; “What do you want son?”
Sir I am a student of the teaching) school and I'd like to get into the conservatory, please help me. He asked me where I am from. I told him that I am from Erzincan. His eyes were not staying in their places; they were searching and staring everywhere. He told me that people who are coming from orient have a tiny chance to enter to the school and he advised me to let it go try my luck elsewhere. I felt very upset about his words. It was getting dark outside, there is state of fear and stress inside me. Dear God please help me in this unknown city, I don’t know what to do. While I was thinking what to do and praying to God it was the night time. After dinner in a restaurant, I was thinking about where to go to sleep. I’ve found someone to ask and I kindly asked him a preferably a cheap place to stay. He advised me a hotel in Ulus. When I arrived at Ulus and searching for the hotel, someone came near to me and asked me if I was looking for a hotel and I said yes. After that he took me to a hotel. In the morning when I was paying the bill I realized that the hotel is very expensive for my budget but Dear God never put me in a troubled situation. He always shows mercy to the poor. But sometimes he tests the poor to see if we are going to revolt or not? Other day I again went to the school. Again I saw Mr. Halil and I got negative responses). Let’s see how Almighty God is helping) us. My heart kept saying go and talk with the president. I applied what I think, went to the presidential house. I explained the guard in the garden why I was there. He took me to another police officer and the officer asked where I was from and when I said Erzincan we realized that we were from the same hometown. He was very helpful and took me to the executive assistant of the President. I explained the situation thoroughly to him and the assistant did not see it necessary to see the President and solved my problem. He wrote a note and gave it to me and also mentioned that he would speak with the minister of the Ministry of Education. I went to the ministry and gave the note to the Minister. He already knew my situation since the executive assistant called him before. The minister called the conservatory manager and ordered my registration to be made and gave me a note to give the manager. When I arrived at school I had manager’s great compliments). He was the one who didn’t want me in the school but now his only concern was to make my application. Shortly my registration was done). But now they requested a medical report from a hospital fully equipped. I went to the hospital and everything was great about my health except my ear. The doctor told me that there was a problem with my hearing functions and wrote defective to my report. It was a disaster for me I felt very horrible. I’ve walked hardly through the corridor and sit to the floor. A woman with a white uniform approached me and asked if I was sick? I explained the situation and she took me to a room to check my ear again. After her checking she told me that my ear was perfectly fine and she changed my report. I was feeling perfect and I remember that with that joy I’ve kissed that lady’s hand. With a great pleasure I went back to the school and gave the report to the authorithy. Then I learned that I need a sponsor (guarantor). Who is supposed to be someone close to me and have money. Well the sponsor topic would be in agenda after the exam. To enter to the boarding school I had to have get at least 9 points from the exam. I entered to the exam in the beginning of August. It was an exam with piano, they were asking about the sound on the piano. The teacher who made the exam was precious Halil Bedii. He asked me my hometown and I learned that he was from Erzincan either. In the end I was successful in the exam and the sponsorship issue came into question / agenda. The sponsor was very important. When I was searching for someone, Mrs Neriman Decan who was a teacher of rhythmic be volunteered. Then my oboe teacher Mr Efdal Günşıray took my sponsorship to himself and made also very big favors to me. Rest in peace. The story was like this. Another memory which I remember now is;
Ankara was a very expensive city for us and I was going to learn the results at the end of September. There were 15 more days to the September and either turning back to my hometown or staying in Ankara was proper. I didn’t have any job and also I got ill. I had to wait for the result and the money I had, was only enough for two days. One day I was having dinner in a restaurant in Cebeci and a young man who seemed older than me came and sat down , he asked about how I was? He was a political student and he asked me to tell my story to him and I did. Probably he got emotionally and he gave me some advices. He told me about the municipality powerless dormitory. They could give me a place to sleep. Then he paid his bill and left. After a while I finished my meal and asked for the bill but the waiter told me that my bill was paid and the manager asked me to talk. The man who sat to my table paid my bill and he told to the owner of the restaurant that I could go to there and have dinner/lunch whenever I want. Because the man was going to pay my expenses for me. I was very surprised. I was pleased but my pride was hurt. I was out of money and I spent three days hungry and didn’t go to that restaurant. I couldn’t tell my problems to anyone. Finally, I had to go to the restaurant and eat. I kept going there for a while but I was eating small amounts to not to be a real cost burden to that man. I also applied for the powerless dormitory and asked a place to stay. The authority was perfectly interested in and they helped me immediately. Until Ilearned the results Ihad stayed there. I was having dinner there and for the lunch I was going to that restaurant. I’ve never seen that man again. He was like an angel coming from the sky. His name was Kenan. As if Veysel Karani who came from the Kenan cities to help, he hold my hand and became a secret. If I am not mistaken after one year when I started to conservatory my brother (may he rest in peace) applied to the Ministry of Education for me and be appointed to Şerefli Koçhisar. After that he moved to Ankara and started in a primary school as a teacher, right after because of his illnesses he started to the authority section of the school. ‘’
After Pir Seyyid Mustafa Altun Efendi’s explanation of his life a brief summary can be the following;
He was on duty at Ankara State Opera and Ballet Orchestra between 1961-2000 and retired from there. While he was working there was also teaching music at Atatürk high School and some similar high schools, on the other hand he partly was a religion and ethics teacher, He also served as a (lecturer) in the music department of Gazi University.His Military service was at the Air Force Command School Marching band as a Reserve Officer and by teaching to the students he completed his duty. He had many successful duties abroad and domestic while working for The Culture Ministry State Opera and Ballet. Around 1970, he met and surrendered to Hadrat Master Hasan ÖZLEM who was a Melami Guide (mürşid) and provided his service faithfully. In 1996, by Hadrat Master Hasan Özlem, it was given the duty of guidance (irşad) (showing the true way and lightening people to know himself) and being a caliph.
Published (Books):
1- To Reach The Truth (Hakikate Ermek)
2- The Truth of Knowledge (İlmin Hakikati)
3- Dying Before Died (Ölmeden Evvel Ölmek)
4- Resurrection (Diriliş)
5- Nothingness /Zero (Hiç)
6- The Dialog between Human and Devil (İnsan ile Şeytan arasındaki Diyalog )
7- Oneness Talks (Tevhid Sohbetleri)
8- Divine Light of A (A’nın Nuru)
9- The Secret of the Point (Esrar-ı Nokta )
10- Know Thyself (Kendini Tanı)
He is a father of three children that two of them are girls from the marriage of his love wife Mrs. Hüsniye. He still lives in Ankara and continues his duty of irşad by a strong devotion.