Between Greek Thessaloníki and Ottoman Istanbul, 1912–1923 struggle. Those who do not live according to the saying of Muhammad
that ‘the one who profits or the merchant is the beloved of God’ will go
hungry and become destitute.” At a desperate time, when “other people
turn to crime, becoming thieves and pickpockets, and the city is filled with
greedy merchants who rob people, never has any complaint been made
that merchants from among [the Dönme] rob others, because they are fair
and well-intentioned, nor until now has anyone said that those [Dönme]
who work for the government have done anything that is not marked by
dignity, patriotism, sincerity or loyalty.” Moreover, “the members of the
Karakaş and Kapancı groups, as well as the Hamdi Bey (Yakubi) group,
which is especially linked to the bureaucratic class, are gentle and good-
tempered, virtuous, humble as Sufis, and overall clean [people],” who “al-
ways try to do what is right and good.” And “no matter what is ( 24 ) said
about them they hold even more fast to the Islam that they inherited from
their forefathers.” They are second to no one in having the greatest loyalty
to the Ottomans. He concludes by rhetorically asking, “Shouldn’t they be
proud of their good qualities that distinguish them?”
Finally, Major Sadık addresses other questions relating to Dönme moral
character. Oddly, undermining his earlier claims, he in passing confirms
some of their most objectionable practices: “At the beginning of [their]
Islamic history, they did not prohibit the old customs of the nations who
converted to Islam. Celebrating the day of the vernal equinox, forty days
after the vernal equinox, [and] the first day of summer, and candle snuff-
ing [wife swapping] on the evening of March 21 , and many more such
customs openly continue, but no one considers them to take anything
away from Islam” ( 25 ). This brief mention of extramarital sex during the
Festival of the Lamb and downplaying its significance in a treatise de-
voted to defending Dönme morality cannot help but harm the group’s
reputation.
Muslims are the Dönme’s brethren, and their friendships with them
are sincere, faithful, and loyal, Major Sadık asserts. Why would Dönme
be inclined toward Christians because of the independence Christians
give to their women? ( 26 ). In order for women to move about freely or
be independent there is no need for them to favor Christians. In fact,
“Christian women walk about openly, which is considered to be their
independence or free behavior, whereas Muslim women have the cus-
tom of veiling. It is known that when they are very little girls, Muslim
women begin to veil bit by bit and cover their faces, so that it becomes so