Müslüm Baba: The Man Who Sings by Heart, The Man the Entire Universe Listens To

As a psychiatrist, who has listened to his songs over and over again, I decided to write this article after the movie “Müslüm Baba” that I watched last night. As a person that has a good command of the human soul, I took it as a duty to myself. On the other hand, I wanted to trigger those who would do better than me.

A God-given talent, a master that reveals it, an encouraging mother with a heart full of affection and empathy for her child, a psychopathic father, a complex father-son relationship; Miss Muhterem, who is the living indicator of that terrific love and respect he had for women and love, which he carried from the youth that he couldn’t live until the end of his life, and who was the only value he had; a sibling he took the responsibility of. There was a poor youth, whom he acted as a role model for, and a Yunus Emre, whom he chose as an ideal. Those were the heroes who were on the axis of Müslüm Baba’s life.

As everyone concerned knows, that was such a way to glorify a life that is spent in pain. His father made his life miserable, but he never raised a hand. The reason was obviously the fear of God, and concerns about embarrassment. So much so that, it would be possible through a preventive force that cannot be explained by some defense mechanisms, as far as I’m concerned.

As a matter of fact, he was a man that did not like saying words of major importance… But every word he said was big and full meanings thanks to their psychological contents.

For example, him saying “They are mourning” for those who were cutting themselves with razors after a concert he had at the Gülhane Park. A man, who spent his life in mourning, reflecting himself over the masses, and feeling the pain they feel. That was all about it… He indeed spent his life mourning over his mother, his siblings.

Him starting to drink at the moment his father killed his mother, or him having occasional violent tendencies towards his spouse was an identification with those showing aggression. This was a rule for those who suffered from big traumas.

He was an artist who did not discriminate or show off… He had attempts towards pop music despite getting criticized by his fans. He addressed all segments of the society. For him, music was a universal vibration that travels from heart to heart.

Fame and money were not the main factors. Yet he used them well in order to reach the universe.

He forgave the person who stabbed him. He saw the dilemma of love-hate in there. As a sentimental “Father”, he felt that complexity towards the father, he knew and understood that.

Life was a lesson…which emphasizes the impossibility of destroying the past. Which determines that the only way out is to create some works off that past.

He wrote a complete and genuine success story. The dynamics of Ray Charles, an American artist who became visually-impaired, and the ones our Müslüm Baba had were so similar. The good command he had on his voice, as a hearing-impaired artist, was a talent that didn’t go unnoticed. It was easily understandable without having to be a musicologist.

Müslüm Baba buried everything in its heart, from his love, his anger to everything he carried from the past, and burned them in there. Without creating ashes…

The “Father” left his will by his song titled “Evlat”. He spoke his last will, demanding people to be honest, be humane, be hopeful and not be purposeless.

If the sun sets today, it will rise again tomorrow,
Every night is followed by a morning, son,
Hide your hopes, don’t you ever get devastated,
It is hard to live without hope and purpose, son…

Love all the people, respect all the people,
Don’t hold grudges, let it all go, forget what happened,
Be honest, be humane, think about the other world.
Don’t you ever hurt a single ant, son,
Be a human, son.

All that is created from past to future,
Just remember, all has an owner, son,
A servant lives his destiny, whatever he has in his fate,
Remember, even the best steed sometimes stumbles, son.

Müslüm Baba is an excellent example that shows the problems of our people, how one can get out of those problems, along with their values and the attempts that are rewarded.

As a person who conquered our hearts, there will be libraries full of books to be written about him. They should be written.

I love him so much, I miss him and I commemorate him with mercy.