Ebdal Murad

Ebdal Murad is remembered as one of the saints of Bursa. His name was Murad, and it is stated that he was born in Khorasan. It is related that he was one of the forty abdals who came from Bukhara to Bursa before its conquest and who were called 'lovers of the Truth (Haqq).' His dates of birth and death are not known with certainty; it is recorded only that he died after the conquest of Bursa. It is recounted that during Orhan Gazi's conquest of Bursa he was among the warriors (mücahid) at his side, that during the conquest he undertook the task of watching over the fortress of Bursa, and that he rendered material and spiritual aid to Sultan Orhan Gazi. According to the sources, he always carried with him a wooden sword four cubits (arşın) in length; to those who saw this and mocked, saying 'what kind of sword is this,' he would reply, 'You do not know how sharp it is.' It is likewise narrated that with this wooden sword he displayed remarkable feats of heroism in the battles, and even cleaved a piece of rock in two. These legends (menkıbe) are conveyed in a measured manner. It is related that after the war ended and Bursa was conquered, he withdrew to his lodge (tekke) at the foot of Keşiş Dağı (Mount Uludağ). It is stated that his grave is located on the mountainside of Bursa, above the Alacahırka quarter, on a commanding hilltop.