Selahaddin Uruk was living a life full of sacrifices in Islamic studies. The killers murdered him in Adana/Yuregir on 5 September 2001 while they were raiding Islamic societies.

On April25, 2016, his family spoke to Ilke News Agency about Selahaddin Uruk’s personality, who had devoted his life to Islam.

After her son’s birth mother Sultan claims that the abundance of her home increased. She said: “Before my son was born, I saw the Prophet in my dream, he was rubbing my back and praying for me. With his birth he brought abundance and honor to our house. At a young age he learnt how to read the Quran and started giving lessons at home. Although he was young, he used to lead the prayer for us.”

Mother Sultan said that they were always proud with Uruk that he was honest and brave when he was young. She says that losing a son like this is as painful as Hz. Yakub losing Hz. Yusuf. Mother Sultan explained that when he last saw his son Selahaddin he had a smile on his face. 

Selahaddin Uruk from his wife Elif

Elif Uruk said that she got engaged to Selahaddin Uruk in the first months of 1984 and she took the first step to Islamic life after she met him by him slowly trying to get her used to the Islamic life.

She said: “What he first wanted was sensitivity in prayers. When I started to pray, he brought me a gift which made me both happy and motivated. The circumstance of our marriage was based on sacrifice. The things he was mostly emphasizing about was Islamic duties and guest acceptance. I met the beauties of Islam in his person. He had such a perfect identity it was impossible to not accept Islam after hearing it from him. He had the talent to make people accept Islam by explaining it with his tongue and living it.” She reports that he emigrated many years hence she didn’t see him much and that he sacrificed his children, house, parents, status and finally his life for the sake of Allah. She says, “He used to always say: If it weren’t for the sake of Allah, everything aside, I would have never left my children behind.”

“It is haram to sit at home in a time like this”

Elif said: “He used to say ‘It is haram to sit at home in a time like this’ very often. Sometimes he would come home so tired that he would fall asleep while waiting for food. Sometimes he used to work till midnight. He used to give us Arabic lessons. After Fajr prayer he used to translate Arabic tafsir to Turkish for us. He used to say ‘It is not time to sleep now; tomorrow we might not have this opportunity.’”

“He gave importance to time and covering”

Elif continued to say: “One of the things he was sensitive with was the covering of girls and women. Even though our daughters were young he never allowed them to wear revealing clothes. Even inside the house he always made sure the clothes were loose and covered, otherwise he would be angry. What made him angry most were women wearing tight clothing and their voices being heard by men. He was against wastage, he used to get angry when we had two types of food and wanted us to make one type only. He used to warn us about oversleeping, unnecessary housework and challenging dishes.”

“We have opened a path that the ones left behind can walk on”

Elif claimed that she had a perfect husband and a perfect father for her children. She said that two days before his martyrdom Selahaddin Uruk explained his whole life story and added: “My husband said, ‘We have been married for 16 years, it is more than enough I deserve martyrdom now’. I said to him ‘Forget about us but the Ummah needs people like you. He said, ‘We have opened a path that the ones left behind can walk on.’ My only wish from Allah is to walk on this path that he has opened and to sacrifice on this path.”

Selahaddin Uruk in the eyes of his daughter Sumeyye…

Selahaddin Uruk's daughter remarked that at the time the Islamic leaders used to visit villages, towns and cities to lecture them about Islam.

“Towards the end of 1993 they used to visit my father in Mazidagi. My father used to see everyone who he met as a blessing from Allah. He worked as a chief accountant for Etibank Fostaf Management and he was a very respected person.”

“He was an exemplary person with his Islamic figure”

Sumeyye Uruk said: “Even in his youth my father was respected and his words were taken seriously. He would sit beside his father in the family gatherings that took place between the family elders. His father and uncle would consult him and would benefit from his ideas. My father would focus his works on high school students. He used to work with them regularly and programmed. He would have them over once a week and would have a chat. He took information about the books they read during the week. He used to advise them to take part in Islamic works. Welcoming these youngsters in his house and respecting them drew his mother and father’s attention. They would always ask, “What do you want from these kids? Wouldn’t it be better if you spent time with people your age that have a status like you? After years he responded by saying, “Look father! The people you said child to have become grown men.” 

He moved from Mazidag and settled in Diyarbakir...

Summeyye Urek mentioned that his father believed that Islam should be spread out to more people and therefore he moved to Diyarbakir from Mazidag. She carried on saying: “He explained his leave as: 'Houses are built for Etibank Fosfat workers and every worker is entitled to a two-floor house. One day when me and my friend were walking pass the site buildings we came across the security of the site. I said to my friend that the securities may be a problem to us and my friend responded saying 'Do you even think you're going to be able to live in one of these houses'. At that moment I realised that I had to quit my job and I resigned in 1988.' He then left his family and moved to Diyarbakir and in the meanwhile he opened an accountant’s office. This office was in use for Islamic purposes for several years.”

Prison life process… 

Sumeyye Uruk said: “My father, who sacrificed his life on Islamic works, got arrested in August 1992. He went through heavy punishments for denying the offences made on him. He amazed everyone with his resistance. Finally, he was sent to Diyarbakir E Tipi Prison after attending court. Then began the process of prison. He stayed in the same cell with his 7 other friends. They start to distribute duties amongst each other. He makes one of his friends an Imam, one muezzin and one responsible for the TV. This way he makes all his friends responsible of something. He then begins to teach the life of Prophet (pbuh), Risale-I Nur and History of Islam.”

Sumeyye Uruk stated that her father’s brother Osman died on his way to prison to visit his brother, adding: “After a short period of time my father’s brother Osman had a car accident on his way to visit his brother. His mother and father were both injured but Osman died in the accident. Again during this period my father’s very close friend Abdulvahap Yersiz was martyrized. My father was released after 10 months of imprisonment but in 1994 an arrest warrant was granted by the court. He then started moving from city to city in order to carry on with his Islamic teachings and he never stopped throughout his lifetime.” (ILKHA)