TURKEY: ONCE THE SICK MAN OF EUROPE 2

PESERTA ROMBONGAN DATO'S DAN DATINS

PEMANDU PELANCUNG YANG CEKAP DAN KOMITED


WELCOME TO TURKEY-DI AIRPORT ISTANBUL

10 JAM PENERBANGAN MAS KL-ISTANBUL
TAKLIMAT SEBELUM PENERBANGAN

Salam

Rabu 11 Mei 2011 saya menghabiskan masa berehat menyesuaikan perbezaan waktu Malaysia 6 jam lebih awal daripada waktu di Turki.

Pertama kali sejak pulang kami menikmati makanan 'Melayu' di restoran ayam kampong. Beberapa urusan seterusnya membawa kami ke malam dimana mesyuarat program Surau Taqwa dan MPP Zon 3 di adakan di Anjung 7. Restoran D'Arab telah menyediakan pakej baru nasi mandy untuk makan berkumpulan, alhamdulillah.

Janji yang perlu di tunaikan ialah menulis blog sebagai travelog Turki. Kebetulan saya terserempak dengan buku Perjalanan Ibnu Battuta yang menulis tentang Anatolia (Turki lama) seperti berikut:

'Negeri yang di sebut Bilad al-Rum ini adalah satu di antara wilayah paling baik di dunia. Di dalamnya Tuhan telah mengurniakan barang-barang yang baik yang di sebarkan ke negeri-negeri sekitarnya. Penduduknya adalah orang-orang yang paling elok dalam rupa, paling bersih dalam berpakaian,paling nikmat dalam hal makanan dan yang paling ramah di antara makhluk-makhluk Tuhan-Ibnu Battuta (1330M) (rujuk buku Rihlah Ibnu Battuta oleh ust Dr Muhammad hanafis-penerbitan seribu dinar sdn bhd m.s.155)

Terlalu banyak pengalaman yang kami rombongan musafir lalui sepanjang di Turki. Ia dimulai dengan taklimat ringkas sebelum berlepas serta maklumat perjalanan. Satu salinan saya serahkan kepada anak saudara saya yang berada di KLIA. Beliau pun terkedu melihat padatnya aturcara harian dan jauhnya perjalanan yang akan di tempuhi menaiki jalan darat (bas).

Khabarnya dalam rombongan kami ada empat pasangan 'Dato' Datin', namun kami belum bertakruf. Masing-masing meneka siapa 'Datin', termasuk saya sendiri yang ingin bermanis mulut membuat serkap jarang pasangan daripada Pahang adalah pasangan Dato' Datin.

Dalam pertemuan awal saya menegur isterinya, seorang guru bahasa Inggeris yang menceritakan beliau dan suami baru pulang melancung daripada New Zealand. Sahlah orang mampu begini seorang Dato', lantas saya mula memanggil beliau 'Cikgu Datin'.

Masuk hari kedua perjalanan sewaktu bertakruf baru Cik Gu Datin menyatakan beliau bukan Datin. Terus ramai-ramai kami mendoakan ia petanda sudah hampirlah gelaran itu, tambahan masing-masing peserta sudah 'bercucu' dan layak di panggil 'Atuk". Bertambah mesralah persahabatan kami sejak insiden ini.

Apa pun saya tidak nampak perlunya gelaran begini di perbesar dan di bezakan dalam sebarang trip kerana boleh menghijab ketulusan berinteraksi. Malah diakhir musafir baru saya sedar mungkin tempat-tempat yang dilawati, terutama pusat membeli belah telah di sesuaikan mengikut kemampuan Dato' Datin kerana harga yang di tawarkan tak terjangkau dek saya seorang pesara! WaAllahu'alam

Pemandu pelancung yang menyertai kami di Turki memang professional dan mantap penguasaan sejarah Turki. Ketara sikap cintakan Turki pada setiap tindakannya malah seringkali mengungkapkan kata-kata falsafah warisan Turki termasuk daripada Kamal Ataturk. Yang saya ingat beliau menyatakan Kamal Ataturk pernah memberi arahan kepada tenteranya 'l don't ask you to attack, l ask you to die!' Kata-kata semangat ini menyebabkan banyak kemenangan tentera Turki dalam medan perang.

Kesan kefasihan kata-kata Kamal Ataturk ternyata banyak mempengaruhi pemandu pelancung kami kerana beliau akan amat tercabar jika isu kelamahan pemimpin idolanya di utarakan.

Saya dan seorang teman semusafir membuat rumusan pemandu pelancung kami merupakan contoh kekuatan peribadi seorang berbangsa Turki, antaranya rajin, komit dengan kerja, bersungguh-sungguh menambahbaik kerja untuk kepuasan pelanggan, tepat masa, berilmu, penuh kebebasan dan berwawasan. Tokoh muda berumur 32 tahun ini jika dipersiapkan untuk jihad memang satu kekuatan kerana demi tugas yang menjadi fokus utamanya beliau sanggup melakukan apa sahaja.

Kami puji sikap ini kerana ia ada kaitan dengan wawasannya ingin menubuhkan syarikat pelancungan sendiri dan tapak mengasaskan syarikat ialah menjelajah banyak tempat, belajar sebanyak mungkin dan 'make a lot of money'. Kalimah terakhir ini memang falsafah kebendaan yang menjadi tunjang sistem dunia sekular hari ini kecuali harap-harap orang Turki masih mengekalkan nilai kerohanian dan agama Islam.

Menyedari orang Turki tidak mampu membaca AlQuran teringin sekali saya mengadakan projek keilmuan sukarela mengajar Qiraat, huruf jawi kepada masyarakat disana kebetulan kakak saya seorang guru AlQuran mengajar Alquran pagi dan petang di sekitar kediamannya. Tapi apa kurangnya remaja dan masyarakat Melayu kini yang masih ramai juga tidak kenal AlQuran. Biarlah kami fokus di Malaysia dulu. Tambahan kebanyakan orang Turki hanya tahu bahasa mereka, sukar kami berinteraksi kerana tidak ramai yang faham bahasa Inggeris.

Berbalik kepada mengapa Turki pernah di sebut sebagai The Sick Man of Europe. Saya rujuk petikan daripada internet kerana carapandang (worldview) moden dan barat mengenai kejatuhan pemerintahan khalifah Othmaniyyah perlu di curigai dan jangan di percaya bulat-bulat, contohnya rumusan seorang penulis menyebut:

"The history of the Ottoman Empire is perhaps the most poorly understood of any state in the European system. There are a number of reasons for this. The primary one is that Ottoman history is so politically controversial in th modern world, even battles and events from medieval era are highly contentious. In both Turkey and the successor states the history of the Ottoman Empire has been obscured by both modern politics and national myth.

Ottoman history in Turkey emphasizes the great rulers like Suleiman the Magnificent and presents Ottoman history as largely Turkish history, often ignoring the fact that the Empire was a large multi-ethnic entity in which non-Turks often played major roles. The successors states tend to do the opposites, emphazing the oppressive nature of Ottoman rule and in many cases falsifying the historical record. As a result, readers interested in the Empire need to exercise extreme care as to the sources consulted.

Sedikit sejarah khalifah Othmaniyyah yang saya kutip ingin saya kongsikan:

"The Ottoman Empire was founded by Othman or Osman I (1259-1326). Othman was born in Bithynia. On the overthrow of the sultanante of Iconium in 1299 by the Nongols, Osman seized a portion of Bithynia and subsequently a portion of Nicæa, and gradually subdued a great part of Asian Minor, and so became the founder of the Turkish or Ottoman Empire.

Othman was followed by a series of warring princes, considered some of the most war-like in history. They rapidly expanding the boundaries of their Turkish dominions in Anatolia, at the expense of the Byzantine Empire. They crossed the Hellespont about 1357 when Murad I made Adrianople the capital of the Turkish Empire, gradually reducing the dominions of the Byzantines. After a long siege, Mahomet II overcame the defenses of Constantinople.

The Ottomans with the fall of Byzantium gained control of the Black Sea. They gradually displaced the Venetians in the northern Aegean. Expansion south into Syria and Egypt further closed lucrative trade routes to European shipping. The control of territory from the Russian steppe to Egypt allowed the Ottomons to interdict established European trade routes to the East.

It was Ottoman control of the spice trade routes that was a factor in pushing the European voyages of discovery. The Portugues sailed south around Africa and Columbus sailed west to seek alternative trade routes to the East.

The Ottomans had several advantages in their competition with Christian kingdoms. One was their enormous wealth. The control of trade routes between Asia and Europe was a tremendous asset. European powers, such as Venice and Genoa, paid great sums to the Ottomans to gain access to these routes.

Ottoman expansion was greatly feared in the Christian West. The Ottomans, often in contrast to the Christian kingdoms, usually allowed religious groups to continue to practice their own faiths within the conquered territories. The Ottomans also tended to preserve the established feudal institutions. They often permitted the the different ethnic and religious groups within the Empire to adopt laws to regulate their own communities.

The Ottoman administrative and governmental systems were well developed and highly effective, especially in the early years more so than Christain kingdoms. Most lands under Ottoman rule were competently managed, although this deteriorated in the final era of the Empire.

The Ottomons had not kept pace with technological progress in modern weapons and this had begin to show in the campaign against the Austrians. Cooperation with France, the dominate European power of the era did not prevent more defeats. The Austrains seized Hungary and even southern Greece was loss for a time to Venice. The Ottoman Empire slowly declined and by the 19th century had become known as the Sickman of Europe.

Unable to reform itself, the Ottomans faced even more serious challenges than before. Subject people were inspired by the nationalism promoted by the French Revolution and then Napoleon. The Ottoman's Christian subjects in the Balkans began to demonstrate a growing nationalist spirit further encouraged by the clear signs of declining Ottoman military power.

The first country to achieve independence was Greece, but nationalism and a desire for independence was rising throughout the Balkans. The subject nationalities not only received support from overseas compatriots, but also by direct intervention--especially from Russia which desired to return Constantinople to Christendom.

The Ottomans by the 19th century were clearly seen as the "Sick Man of Europe" and unable to resist the Russians by themselves.

British Indian forces launched an offensive against Turkish held Mesopotamia (lraq) (late 1914). A British Army was destroyed, but the British finally took Bagdad and moved into northern Mesopotamia. The campaign in Egypt and Palestine began with an Ottoman attack on Suez. The British struck back and finally took Jerusalem.

The Arab Revolt further undercut the Ottoman position. The final British offensive destroyed three Ottoman armies. The Ottomans with their armies being destroyed in the field agreed to an armistice on Mudros, ending the fighting.

After four centuries of dominating the Balkans and the Middle East, the Ottoman Empire collapsed.

WaAllahu'alam, rujukan hanya untuk collection saya dan akan di perbaiki jika saya ada maklumat yang lebih tepat.

Rujukan saya daripada buku Jhaz kitaro menceritakan tentera lslam mengambil masa 800 tahun untuk menakluki Konstantinopal yang akhirnya berjaya dilakukan oleh Sultan Muhammed Alfatih. Sahabat unggul Al Ayub Ansari turut syahid dalam satu peperangan untuk menakluki Konstantinopal dan mewasiatkan beliau di kuburkan di bumi Turki untuk mendengar tapak kaki kuda-kuda para tentera yang berjaya menegakkan lslam di bumi Turki berpandukan hadis Rasulullah saw bahawa 'yang berjaya menakluki Konstantinopal adalah sebaik-baik pemimpin dan tenteranya adalah sebaik-baik tentera. WaAllahu'alam