Ömer Tuğrul İnançer
He was born in Bursa on 5 May 1946. His father, Kamil Bey, was the grandson of Fâik Efendi, the sheikh of the İsmail Hakkı Bursevî dervish lodge, whilst his mother, Nermin Hanım, was the granddaughter of Ahmed Veliyyüddîn Efendi, the sheikh of the Tekirdağ Kadiri Lodge. He completed his primary and secondary education in Bursa. During his secondary school years, he was encouraged by his music teacher to take Western music lessons at the Bursa Teachers’ Association, which he attended for around three years. He also took private lessons from Tahir Karagöz, the honorary muezzin of Başçı İbrahim Mosque and a pupil of Hafız Sadettin Kaynak, and from Hafız Kadri Efendi, the imam of Yeşil Mosque. He enrolled in and attended the Bursa Music Society. He completed his higher education at the Faculty of Law, Istanbul University. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree, he worked as a legal adviser. In 1966, he joined the Üsküdar Music Society, where he became a pupil of Emin Ongan.
In 1971, whilst in Konya for the Mevlânâ celebrations, he met Süleyman Hayati Dede. Later, at the behest of Süleyman Hayati Dede, he became a disciple of Muzaffer Ozak Efendi and served him for eleven years, until Muzaffer Efendi’s passing. Following Muzaffer Efendi’s passing in 1985, he continued to serve Safer Dal Efendi.
Eserleri
1. Listen to the Ney & Conversations on the Masnavi, Sufi Kitap, 2009.
2. Words Against Time, Sufi Kitap, 2012.
3. Conversations of the Heart with Ömer Tuğrul İnançer, Sufi Kitap, 2006.
4. A Lover of the Prophet Muhammad: Hazrat Mevlana, Sufi Books, 2012.
5. The Prophet of Love, Hazrat Muhammad, Sufi Books, 2017.
6. Conversations, Sufi Books, 2013.
7. The Eye of the Heart (with Kenan Gürsoy), Sufi Kitap.
8. Songs Sing of You (with Ahmet Özhan), Sufi Kitap, 2007.
9. Blessed Moments, Sufi Kitap, 2014. 10. The Sound Heart, Sufi Books, 2021.
10. Our Blessed Mothers, Timaş Publications, 2020.
11. Listen So That You May Find Peace, Mecra Books, 2022.
12. Commentary on the Garden of Love, Ketebe Publications, 2026.
He played a key role in the establishment of the Foundation for the Research and Preservation of Turkish Sufi Music and Folklore, and served as its chairman from 1999 to 2022. In 1991, he was appointed (as a founding member) to the post of Director-General of the Istanbul Historical Turkish Music Ensemble, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. From 1971 until his passing, he took part in the Şeb-i Arûs ceremonies held every December in Konya. He was actively involved in numerous activities, both at home and abroad, aimed at conveying Sufi culture to a wide audience through various platforms. Ömer Tuğrul İnançer passed away on 4 September 2022 and was laid to rest at the Nûreddin Cerrâhî Dergâh Mausoleum.
