Background
Yüksel was born on July 17, 1958 in the eastern Anatolian city of Bitlis. His father, Sadreddin Yüksel, was a well-known religious scholar, famous amongst Turkey"s religious.
Yüksel was born on July 17, 1958 in the eastern Anatolian city of Bitlis. His father, Sadreddin Yüksel, was a well-known religious scholar, famous amongst Turkey"s religious.
Little is known about his early life outside of his family"s religious devotion, a characteristic that Yüksel would carry with him throughout his short life. Growing up during the turbulent 1960s and 1970s, a period of near-anarchy and daily bloodshed amongst Turkey"s political factions, Yüksel began his activism at an early age. Asides from his political work, Yüksel also founded and led Akıncılar, a social welfare organization most prominent in the eastern Turkey, but existing throughout the country.
Although Turkish Islamists of the day were careful to steer clear of the political violence between nationalist and Marxist factions in Turkey, many of them died nevertheless.
On February 23, 1979, while leaving Friday prayers, Yüksel was shot dead outside Istanbul"s Fatih Mosque by ultra-nationalist gunmen. He was 20 years old.
Following his assassination, Yüksel became a martyr among Turkey"s Islamist factions.
His assassination led supporters to declare February as Şehit ("Martyr") month. Every year on the anniversary of his death, supporters make pilgrimage to the spot where he was assassinated, in the yard of Fatih Mosque.
lieutenant is common for them to hoist banners remembering him and paint red the spot where he fell.
"Martyrdom is a message for all generations and ages.".
Quotations: "Martyrdom is a message for all generations and ages.".