Mind, Body, Soul

The Grand Vezir (First Minister), Hafiz Pasha, wrote to Sultan Murad IV a Gazel:

ROUND us foes throng, host to aid us here in sad plight, is there none?
In the cause of God to combat, chief of tried might, is there none?
None who will checkmate the foe, Castle to Castle, face to face?
In the battle who will Queen-like guide the brave Knight, is there none?
Midst a fearful whirlpool we are fallen helpless, send us aid!
Us to rescue, a strong swimmer in our friends’ sight, is there none?
Midst the fight to be our comrade, head to give or heads to take,
On the field of eart a hero of renown bright, is there none?
Know we now wherefore in turning off our woes ye thus delay :
Day of Reckoning, aye, and question of the poor’s plight, is there none ?
With us ‘midst the foesman’s flaming streams of scorching fire to plunge.
Salamander with experience of Fate dight, is there none?
This our letter, to the court of Sultan Murad, quick to bear,
Pigeon, rapid as the storm-wind in its swift flight, is there none?

—
[ Source: Ottoman Poems ]
[ Published: 1882 ]
[ Translated by: E J W Gibb ]

His story gives keen insight to the character of the Ottomans from poets to lions, from the same book:

Hafiz Pasha (1632), the Grand Vezir who, early in the reign of Murad IV, made an unsuccessful attempt to recover Baghdad from the Persians. A melancholy interest is attached to this brave and gifted but unfortunate officer, by reason of his tragic fate – a fate which, un happily, has been the lot of too many Ottoman ministers. The story runs thus: The disaffected sipahis of the capital, incited, it is said, by Rejeb Pasha, a rival of Hafiz, broke into open revolt and demanded the head of the Vezir, along with those of many of his associates. The following day they forced their way into the sacred precints of the Seraglio itself, and there repeated their demand. Murad, the recently ascended Sultan, loved Hafiz and would fain have saved him ; and he in vain tried to appease the infuriated rebels. The noble Vezir, in an adjoining apartment, had made the ablution of those about to die, now came forth and stood before the Sultan, and said: “My Padishah, may a thousand slaves like Hafiz die for thee.” Stooping, he kissed the ground, and repeated the words used by the Muslim in the last extremity : ” In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate ! There is no strength nor any power save in God, the High, the Mighty : God’s we are, and verily to Him we return.”

Then he strode forward towards his murderers ; a well-aimed blow laid the foremost on the ground, the next instant the Pasha fell pierced by seventeen wounds. A janissary knelt upon his breast and severed his head from the body. Before the Sultan retired he addressed to the assassins these bold words :

“If God wills, vile murderers, ye shall meet with terrible vengeance – ye who fear not God, nor are shamed before the Prophet!” They little headed the threat ; but they soon discovered that he who uttered it never menaced in vain ; and many were doomed to die ere the blood of Hafiz Pasha was avenged.

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Such beheading murderers exist today, as we have all seen. But even then the ruler of Muslims said that such things were barbaric and in contrary to what the message of Islam was. They were criminals under an Islamic empire then, and they are criminals now, nothing more.