Zübeyde Hanım, young mother of Mustafa, had united all her hopes and dreams in Mustafa after losing her three children. She had begun to protect him even before he was born. Avoiding the evil eye, she was sincerely praying that she had a blond-haired, blue-eyed boy, but telling those around her that she wanted a daughter. When the "Midwife Hati Woman" said when the birth happened: "Good news, you have a son like a ball of light"; she acted as if she was upset. In her heart, her prayers were grateful, and she was happy for having a child that she had longed for years. According to the official record, the date was December 23, 1296. According to the new calendar, on January 4, 1881, Mustafa, who will end an era in the future, will change the course of history, not only in his surroundings and hometown, but all over the world, and will announce the name of seven heirs, was born in a modest Muslim house in the neighbourhood of Ahmet Subaşı.
As for his father Ali Rıza Efendi; his family was a native of Thessaloniki. Ali Rıza Efendi's father was "Fugitive Ahmet Bey." This fugitive nickname was given to him as he was involved in a confusion that started in April / May 1876. Ali Rıza Efendi was a good-natured, mellow, patriotic person. He was an officer in the customs office. Although being a small and low-income clerk, he was a man who was loved and respected by his surroundings as he was honest, hardworking and harmonious. Although he was not very interested in military service, he voluntarily joined auxiliary military units in the Ottoman-Russian war. These brigades, called "Asakir-i Mülkiye", were being established similarly, after the Janissary brigades, in order to form a public guard. Ali Rıza Efendi was promoted to the rank of lieutenant because of his literacy knowledge and him being respected by his surroundings. And so, as we all know, the only photograph left from his father to Mustafa, was taken with the rank of lieutenant and the uniform of Ali Rıza Bey.
At that time, like all Ottoman cities in the Balkans, Thessaloniki was also a city where Muslim, Christian and Jewish people lived together. For this reason, the political environment that occurred especially during the war periods was reflected in the people living in the cities. Almost every day in Rumelia and the Balkans started with military drills and band music. That's why every child's dream was to become a soldier. The soldiers were like the jewels of everyday life. They were the dreams of all children with their colourful uniforms, decorated epaulettes, glazes and swords. Especially the swords... They were like a representation of honour and greatness. Mustafa, like other children, was growing up with these dreams. For this reason, he hung his father's lieutenant sword on his bedside.
However, Zübeyde Hanım wanted her son to go to the local school. She was absolutely against him being a soldier. She wanted him to read the Qur'an, to be a teacher and to be a hafiz. She wished to see her son go to school with the other children, with chants and prayers, in his white pouch, with the jagged jacket that she put around his neck. Ali Rıza Bey, on the other hand, wanted to give a proper education to his son. For this reason, he wanted to send his son to the newly opened Şemsi Efendi School, which gave a modern style education, and then to enrol in Junior High School. Although there was a dispute between Ali Rıza Efendi and Zübeyde Hanım about Mustafa's education, Ali Rıza Efendi concluded the issue in a way that would not upset his wife and be the best for Mustafa. He first enrolled Mustafa in the neighbourhood school and pleased his wife and then enrolled his son in Şemsi Efendi School within a few weeks. Thus, Zübeyde Hanım saw that her son started school with a ceremony.
Ali Rıza Efendi, who had a hard time maintaining his house with a civil servant salary, resigned from the civil service and tried to trade, but could not succeed. He was losing his products and money because of the attacks of the bandits who camped in the mountainous regions. He later tried the salt trade, but he did not succeed in this business either.
The economic depression he was experiencing was making him very upset and ill. As a matter of fact, he died after a short time due to intestinal tuberculosis. Although this situation saddened Mustafa, who had just started school, it caused him to take the decision that would guide his life. He would go to the military Junior High school and fulfil his father's desire.
