The Story of Sultan Murad III— A Glimpse into Humility and Hidden Virtue

In the bustling world of Ottoman Istanbul, tales of devotion and hidden virtue wove through the fabric of society. One such story, that of Sultan Murad III and the unassuming cobbler, Muhammad Mimi Effendi, commonly known as Nalinji Baba, reveals the delicate relationship between power, humility, and the often-hidden depths of human goodness. This story, which passed from generation to generation, still touches hearts with its message.

The Sultan's Dream

It was a quiet morning when Sultan Murad III paced the palace gardens, visibly troubled. Noticing his master’s restlessness, Grand Vizier Siyasun Pasha approached him, asking, "My Lord, you seem troubled. Is something bothering you?" Murad's face softened as he shared that a strange dream had left him troubled. Rather than brush it aside, he felt a deep, inexplicable need to explore its meaning.

"Fetch me some dervish robes," Murad instructed. Cloaked in the humble attire of a dervish, he and his Vizier set out, following the winding streets Murad had seen in his dream, all the way to Istanbul's Unkapanı district. There, they encountered a crowd gathered around a man lying on the ground—the very man Murad had seen in his dream.

Discovering Nalinji Baba

Sultan Murad inquired, “Who is this man? Does anyone know him?”

People muttered that he was “just a nobody,” someone who had lived his days without distinction. Others described him as a leather craftsman, a skilled but seemingly troubled soul who squandered his earnings on drink and questionable company. Some in the crowd even questioned whether he had ever set foot in a mosque, while an elderly man dismissed him outright as someone of little worth.

As the crowds dispersed, Sultan Murad’s heart remained heavy. "Shall we leave, my Lord?" the Vizier suggested.

"No," replied Murad firmly. “He may lie here unknown, but he is one of our citizens. We cannot abandon him."

Despite the Vizier’s suggestion to send soldiers and scholars to take care of the body, Murad was resolute: "We did not see this dream for nothing. There must be a reason. We will wash and bury him ourselves." In his words, Murad demonstrated a sense of responsibility and compassion for even the lowest person in his nation.

An Unexpected Revelation

Carrying the cobbler to the Fatih Mosque, they prepared Nalinji Baba’s body for burial, washing and shrouding him with dignity. As they waited for the prayer time, the Sultan's curiosity grew. He decided to visit Nalinji Baba's home to see if he had any family who might wish to bid him farewell.

When Sultan Murad arrived at Nalinji Baba's home and inquired about his wife, the door was opened by an elderly woman who welcomed him inside to talk about her husband. Her words revealed a side of him that was unknown to the public. After hearing her story, the Sultan was amazed. She continued saying, "Forgive us for troubling you. Do you know how much he worked? He made slippers all day, but as soon as he saw someone holding a bottle of alcohol, he would give them all the money he had earned, buy the alcohol, and pour it down the drain to prevent people from drinking it. "Why would he do that?" asked the Sultan, surprised.

"To prevent people from sinning," she replied. He would hire women from the streets not for pleasure but to offer them shelter and counsel, encouraging them to seek a different path.

Sultan Murad was stunned as he listened intently to her words, "You see, everyone thinks Nalinji Baba was a drunkard and womaniser," she continued. "He always went to distant mosques, and believed that standing behind the imam during prayer would bring peace of mind. One day, I said to him, "If you continue like this, the neighbours will think you are a bad person, and when you die, no one will lift your body." He replied, "I don't want to trouble anyone!" And he dug a grave in the garden. I asked him, "Is digging a grave all there is to it? Who will wash you, shroud you, and pray for you?"

The Sultan asked, "What did he say?"

The old woman said, "God is capable of everything. He said, "What business does the Sultan have with me regarding my burial?" Sultan Murad was moved beyond words and realised the hand of fate at work: he had indeed come to bury a hidden saint, a man who lived without praise, in quiet selflessness.

The Humble Man’s Legacy

In 1592, the Sultan himself conducted the funeral for Nalinji Baba and buried him in his garden in Unkapani. His grave, now beneath a dome, reminds all who pass of the cobbler’s hidden virtue and Sultan Murad’s humility. The Sultan's act of compassion reflects that true greatness is not in titles but in our capacity to see the unseen, honour the hidden, and uplift those whom society might overlook.