Mustafa Sungur

 

By Ersan Akyuz

 

Mustafa Sungur was born in Eflani on the 29th of September, 1929. After primary school, he enrolled into Golkoy Village Institute in Kastamonu. He was a bright student. Although the school was propagating anti-religious thoughts, it didn’t really affect Mustafa Sungur all that much.

In 1945, he got married at the age of 16. In 1946 he was introduced to the Risale-i Nur by Ali Fuat Efendi and Safranbollu Kececi Mehmet Efendi. He started writing letters to Bediuzzaman Said Nursi explaining his observations at Golkoy Village Institute. Mustafa Sungur was eagerly waiting the day when Said Nursi would accept him as one of his students. He considered being a student of Bediuzzaman as the greatest gift in the universe. Soon after that day had arrived and Said Nursi labelled him as “One of Nur’s little heroes, Mustafa Sungur.”

In 1947, Mustafa Sungur set out to personally meet Bediuzzaman Said Nursi in Emirdag. He accomplished that and a year later Said Nursi was arrested. He visited Ustad in Afyon and when he returned he wrote Ustad a long letter. For doing this, Mustafa Sungur went to court and was jailed for 6 months. In 1949, Mustafa Sungur was jailed again for 5 months and this time he lost his job.

When Mustafa Sungur was with Bediuzzaman Said Nursi in Afyon, Mustafa Sungur’s father who was an imam in Izmir complained about his son to Said Nursi. Bediuzzaman Said Nursi managed to persuade and comfort Mustafa Sungur’s father. After that Mustafa Sungur continued to stay within the sphere of the Risale-i Nur.

Mustafa Sungur completed his military service as a high ranked officer between the years of 1955 and 1956. Mustafa Sungur’s name appeared on Said Nursi’s will many times. Mustafa Sungur is a father of seven children. From 1954 to 1960 he dedicated his life to being in the service of Said Nursi and this was when received instruction from Said Nursi on the principles of carrying out Risale-i Nur service. After Said Nursi’s death in 1960, he dedicated his life to Risale-i Nur lectures and service and was arrested many times for this reason.