Sultan Osman Ghazi ( Osman I, Founder of the Ottoman Empire)

In 656 AH, about 1258 AD, in the command of Halaku Khan Mongolians attacked Baghdad, which was the capital of Abbasid’s Caliphate. Muslims faced too many hardships. The famous historian, Ibn-ul-Kaseer have written that they returned to the city and killed everyone they found including children, young, old and aged people. Many of them saved their lives by hiding themselves in non-settled wells, forests, and barren lands and remained disappeared for a lot of time.

Several gathered in their houses and closed the doors on themselves. Barbarians opened the doors either by putting them into fire or by breaking them and then killed all inside the house, who survived ran towards hills and mountains. These barbarians killed the people in such a way that the blood was flowing in the streets like the rainwater. No one got a rescue from them except Jews, Christians and those people who got their refuge. The Muslim Ummah got weakens because of their sins and disobedience and their power diminished.

In these difficult conditions, a baby was born in the house of Ertugrul Ghazi, the leader of the famous Turk tribe Kayi. Parents gave him the name of Osman. Osman was born in the same year in which the Abbasid’s Caliphate was finished in Baghdad. The Ottoman Empire is named after the same Osman, son of Ertugrul Ghazi. Osman was attached wholeheartedly to a famous scholar of his age named Shiekh Edebali. He often went to meet him.

Once Osman slept at the shrine of Shiekh Edebali, he dreamed of a moon which moved from the heart of Shieh Edebali to his heart. And a tree grew from his side, which continued to grow even that its branches covered the whole earth and ocean. Four largest rivers of the world were flowing out of the roots of this tree. Four largest mountains of the world were supporting its stem. Then air started blowing very fast and the leaves of the tree were blowing off in the direction of a great city which was located at the junction of two largest continents and two largest oceans and appeared like a ring. Osman wanted to wear this ring but he woke up.

When Osman explained this dream to Shiekh Edebali, he congratulated him and told him, ”ALLAH (SWT) has chosen you and your children for serving Islam and my daughter will be married to you. The rivers in the dream of Osman were Tigris, Euphrates, Niel, and Danyon. And the mountains were Toor, Balkan, Qaaf, Atlas. Afterward, in the age of Osman’s children, the empire reached these mountains and rivers, that’s why this dream was actually a prediction of expansion of the Empire. The city in the dream was Constantinople, which was conquered by the son of Osman Ghazi, named Sultan Mohammad Fatih.

No other family has ruled the world for long in Islamic History as compared to the Ottoman’s family and no other family was able to give a talented and worthy ruler like them. Osman Ghazi was valor and swagger concerned. He always dealt with justice. He led a simple life. He never gathered belongings. Lootd was divided into soldiers after getting the part of orphans and poor. He was generous, merciful and hospitable. He is being respected by the Turks because of these qualities even till today. After him, it was customed that whenever a new Sultan came to the throne, he was honored with the sword of Osman Ghazi and prayed, “May ALLAH (SWT) make him follow his predecessor Osman Ghazi”.

When Osman was called as a Judge in Karajahasaar city, he gave the final decision in favor of a Byzantine against a Muslim. Byzantine was much surprised and he asked Osman, “ how can you decide in my favor when I am not the follower of Islam”. Osman replied, “ why should I not decide in your favor that ALLAH (SWT) whom we worship, orders us to deal with justice”. After seeing the justice of Osman, Byzantine and his nation got the right direction and became Muslim.

In 1281 AD, after the death of Ertugrul Ghazi, when Osman became the Chief Leader of his nation, he dealt with great wisdom and helped Sultan Ala-ed-din in the fight against Christians. He was accompanying him while conquering a lot of strongly protected cities and fortresses. That’s why he was honored by the Seljuk’s Sultan Ala-ed-din. He was allowed to savor his name and sermon in his suburb cities. In 1299 AD, Osman founded the Ottoman Empire by announcing independence from the Seljuk’s Empire. The boundaries of Osman’s Empire was along with Constantinople, the city of the Byzantine’s Empire. This was the same Byzantine’s Empire which was named as the Roman Empire in Arabs era. Now it was weakened and shortened. But even then it was bigger and stronger than Osman’s Empire.

In 700 AH, about 1301 AD, when Byzantines tried to wipe out Osman’s Empire by accompanying the Christians Emirs named Borsa, Madanos, Adra, Nos, Katah, and Kastalah then Osman moved forward while taking his host. He took part in wars himself. He showed bravery and valor by crushing the crusader’s armies that his bravery became an example for the Ottomans. When people living near the cities which were under Osman’s order, came to know that he is a true soldier of Islam, they got ready to help him. They stand out to strengthen the pillars of such a strong Empire which proved impassable wall for Christian’s Empire.

In 707 AH, about 1308 AD, Osman Ghazi conquered the forts Katah, Lafkah, Aaqhasaar, and Qojhasaar one after the other. In 712 AH, about 1313 AD, he conquered the forts Kabwah, Yakeeja Traklawa, and Takarar Bekari. These victories made easy to conquer Bursa even it was much difficult task. There were battles between Sultan Osman and Emir Aqlinos for several years. But at last the Christian’s Commander had to bow and handle the control of the city to Osman. Aqlinos was so much inspired by the faithfulness of Osman that he embraced Islam. Sultan gave him the title of Bey and later he was one of the great commanders of the Ottoman Empire. Several commanders of the Byzantine’s Empire were impressed with Osman’s personality. Even a time came that the Ottoman host was full of newly Muslim commanders. A lot of Islamic Parties, in too much love with Islam, gathered under the flag of the Ottoman Empire.

When Osman was on his deathbed, he advised his son Orhan, “Always keep Islam highly ranked by continuing fight in the name of ALLAH (SWT).  Keep holding the sacred Flag of Islam by completely fighting in the name of ALLAH (SWT). Always keep serving Islam. Out of my family, the one who will leave the truth and justice will lose intercession of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) on the day of resurrection”. This advice was a code of law which was followed by the Ottomans later. They spread Islamic civilization to those areas where the Islamic Flag reached. When this Great son of Islam left this world in 1326 AD, the area of the Ottoman Empire was 16,000 Sqkm. He succeeded in finding a way to the Sea of Marmara for his Empire.  Two most important cities of that era, Nicaea (Iznik) and Bursa which were of great importance in Byzantine’s Empire, were conquered. Osman was buried in Bursa. In 1855 AD, because of an earthquake, the tomb of Osman Ghazi came to the ground. In 1868 AD, Sultan Abdul Aziz reconstructed this tomb which is present till today.