He was the son of Mustafa Celalettin Pasha a Polish convert to Islam, who fled to the Ottoman Empire after a failed Polish uprising against Prussia, who joined the Ottoman army under the name "Mustafa Celaleddin".
After graduating from Galatasaray High School he studied engineering in Paris.
He married Leyla Hanım, a daughter of Mehmed Ali Pasha (marshal).
He was sent to observe the Cuban War of Independence in 1898, it is said that was to gain experience to use in the similar position in Crete at the time.
In 1901, he led an expedition to deliver Islamic and pan-Islamic messages to the Muslims of China who interfered in the Boxer Rebellion.