In this article, we will discuss the life of Mehmet Rüştü Aşıkkutlu, an exceptional teacher who left his mark on history with his life and exemplary character. Our teacher is a perfect person who has tried to live the Quran in every way . Let’s take a look at the life of this pioneering scholar, whose life dedicated to religious service can be summarized as “reading and teaching”, known for his gentleness, helpfulness, generosity, compassion and patience.
Trabzon, the cradle of the Quran and the light of knowledge, has been a city where pioneer scholars who have fulfilled very valuable services together with the hafiz and teachers it has trained, have been raised. One of these pioneer scholars, Mehmet Rüştü Aşıkkutlu, was born in 1901 in the Uğurlu town of the Of district of Trabzon as the child of Ahmet Cemalettin Efendi and Hanife Hanım.
He received his primary education from his father, teacher Ahmet Cemalettin Efendi , who was considered a scholar and was known for his respect and culture in Trabzon and its surroundings . He completed his memorization from Hafız Tahir Efendi, one of the village teachers, when he was only thirteen years old, and after his memorization, he learned the science of faraiz from İsmail Efendi, a well-known scholar of the region. Tahir Efendi studied Arabic for seven years, summer and winter, without a break, from Çalıkzade and Dursun Nuri Feyzi Güven . At the end of the seven years, he was enrolled in the fourth grade of the Dar’ul Hilafe Madrasa by taking an exam. When the madrasahs were closed in 1924, when he was in the sixth grade, he studied tafsir, akaid and fiqh from Dursun Feyzi Efendi for a while longer.
After learning basic Islamic sciences and Arabic in his hometown Trabzon, he went to Istanbul in 1930 to add a new one to the sciences he had acquired due to his love and passion for the science of recitation. He started taking lessons in education and recitation from one of the famous recitation masters of the period, Serezli Hafız Ahmet Şükrü Efendi . After his teacher passed away, he completed the remaining part from İsmail Hakkı Bayrı and passed the exams of the courses he had taken and earned the right to receive an icazet.
Teaching the Quran
Mehmet Rüştü Efendi, who completed his education in the recitation sciences in Istanbul, returned to his village in 1932. From that year on, he made attempts to the Presidency of Religious Affairs in order to formalize his Quran teaching activities, which he had started unofficially with great desire and ideal. Aşıkkutlu, who began to serve as the imam of Uğurlu Central Mosque, also began to train hafiz with his own means. In 1936, he went to the then President of Religious Affairs, Rıfat Börekçi, with the idea of opening a Quran course, but his offer was rejected due to the lack of staff. However, Rıfat Börekçi gave Mehmet Rüştü Aşıkkutlu permission to teach the Quran on an honorary basis. Aşıkkutlu, who succeeded in opening an official but honorary Quran course in 1936, worked as an imam, preacher and Quran course instructor until 1974. He continued his teaching activities until his death and trained thousands of students.
In 1941, upon the granting of preaching positions, Ahmet Hamdi Akseki , the Deputy Director of Religious Affairs, appointed Aşıkkutlu directly to the post of preacher of Of to reward him for his success in opening a Quran course. While continuing his official duty as a preacher, Mehmet Rüştü Efendi, who served as an honorary Quran course instructor and imam, also taught recitation, jurisprudence and Arabic.
His Approach to His Students
There is a great demand for the Quran course that has been opened from all over Turkey. Some of these students are hosted by the Hodja in his own house, while others are distributed to the houses of the villagers who support the science. Aşıkkutlu’s wife Ayşe Hanım takes care of the students staying in her house as if they were her own children. Our Hodja has accomplished very valuable works in this seventy-square-meter madrasah that he opened in Uğurlu village. In this madrasah, hafiz is performed, the Asher-i Takrib is recited, and the sciences of tafsir, hadith, fiqh, akaid, kalam, and faraiz are taught to the students by our Hodja himself. Each of the students that Mehmet Rüştü Aşıkkutlu illuminated like a candle later performed religious services in the best way possible all over our country. Our Hodja has become a teacher who has earned the appreciation of the scholars around him with his personality, character, character, and the method he applied in education and training.
He was always a gentle, affectionate teacher with a student-centered education approach. Aşıkkutlu showed the closeness and interest that his students did not receive from their fathers, and he valued them. His students knew this and took utmost care not to make mistakes against their teachers. He would greet each student who came to learn from him with love and take special care of them. So much so that Aşıkkutlu Hoca’s brother conveys the following information on this subject: “ Because of the value he gave to the Quran , he would show so much interest and concern for the student who came to his course that, on the contrary, he would feel the respect that a student should feel for his teacher. He would be interested in everything that the students did, and would give suggestions and advice in a gentle manner. Let alone beating them, he would never say a hurtful word to his students. ”
He was known for his knowledge of the science of recitation.
As the calendars showed the year 1968, the first official course of the Republic period , the Recitation Specialization Course , was opened by the Presidency of Religious Affairs in the town of Uğurlu with great effort and sacrifice. Thirty-three hafiz selected from all over the country were entrusted to Mehmet Rüştü Hoca. Our Hoca took care of these students day and night for a period of four months. Aşıkkutlu, who helped those who had read the ‘aşere’ to recite the takrib and those who had read the takrib to reinforce it, ensured that these hafiz entrusted to him received their ijazah one by one. Later, our Hoca participated as an instructor in the Recitation Higher Specialization Courses organized in Ankara and Istanbul Haseki Education Center between 1974-1979 .
In 1976, he retired from his preaching duties but continued to teach. Because retirement was not a time when our Hodja would retreat to a corner and rest. In fact, although our Hodja is known for his knowledge and services in the science of recitation, he is also one of the leading scholars in the Islamic Sciences. With this course, Aşıkkutlu Hodja has helped revive the sciences related to recitation, such as aşere, takrib and tayyibe, which were on the verge of being forgotten, and has pioneered the training of expert and skilled personnel in these fields.
An Exceptional Teacher
The first term course, which started in 1976 at Haseki Education Center , was completed in 1979. Just as the second term was about to begin, Aşıkkutlu Hoca fell ill. While his treatment continued in his hometown, his students eagerly awaited his arrival and the start of the course, but Aşıkkutlu Hoca’s illness worsened day by day and he passed away on August 28, 1980. News of his death spread throughout the country in a short time. Thereupon, his loved ones flocked to Uğurlu for the burial, and after the funeral prayer held with the participation of a large congregation, he was buried next to Uğurlu Central Mosque .
Mehmet Rüştü Aşıkkutlu, who was loved by his students and his circle, was an extremely compassionate, ascetic and pious person. He never made an effort to stand out or become famous. Indeed, teaching the Quran was above all material values and ranks for him. We hope that people like Aşıkkutlu Hoca, who will serve the religion of Islam, will be raised and their numbers will increase; we pray to Allah for mercy on our Hoca, who was an exceptional teacher who was imbued with the morality of the Quran.
