Husrev Altinbasak

 

By Ersan Akyuz

 

Ahmet Husrev Efendi was born in Isparta in 1899. He was the third of six children. Even as a child, because of his good qualities his friends called him “Hizir.” He participated as a military officer in the First World War and was captured as a prisoner of war. He was rescued as the countries exchanged P.O.Ws. In the latter period of his life, Husrev Altinbasak saw a dream. When he told his sheikh, his sheikh told him: “After me a man is going to come to Isparta and you are going to be connected to him.”

In 1926, Husrev Altinbasak wrote a letter to Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, who was forced to reside in Barla at the time. Said Nursi replied: “Husrev, I’ve been searching for a student for a long time. You would have to be that student. The world of Islam is undergoing a quake at the moment. The pillars of belief are in danger. Come, together let’s serve the Quran and these people’s belief.”

Husrev Altinbasak had never seen Ustad Bediuzzaman Said Nursi before and was moved by his letter. He said to himself, “To get to the spiritually mature, it must be walked!” He then walked 40km to Barla and Said Nursi was there to greet him at the Karaca Ahmet mausoleum. Husrev Altinbasak became a student and consultant of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi. He was praised as a hero of the Risale-i Nur service in many letters and was labelled “The owner of the Rose Factory.” Husrev was talented in calligraphy and wrote many hand written copies of the Risale-i Nur. He was sentenced to prison in Eskisehir, Denizli and Afyon. Bediuzzaman praises him for his efforts in the Risale-i Nur collection. Husrev Altinbasak passed away in 1977 at the age of seventy eight.