HAJJ 2006/2007: Turkey

The flight to Turkey was uneventful. We arrived in Istanbul early in the morning and proceeded to the transit area. The other passengers who were not staying on in Turkey went to their waiting area and we parted company.

We had to purchase visa to enter Turkey - 20 bucks a head - and the airline arranged a hotel for our one day stay. We piled into the hotel shuttle and we were off. The weather was cold - much like that of New York. In fact, much more than the weather was like that of New York! Turkey was supposedly 99% Muslim but you couldn't tell by what you see - no hijabs (of very few) , European dress, bars, music - basically a European culture. The only telltale sign of Islam is the numerous minarets in every direction of the 3 thousand Masjids in Istanbul.

The shuttle driver tuned his radio to his local favorite station and puffed away at his cigarette. The fast rock-type music brought us quickly to the reality of the state of the 'Ummah. "Don't you have some Qur'an?" quipped Abu Bakr under his breath from the back seat.

We arrived at the hotel about 10am and inquired about tours. The attendant said that had a six hour tour around the city that will cost $50 each. We sighed up. We had breakfast, freshened up and boarded the small bus again.

Our $50 each was able to solicit the services of a tour guide as well. Our first stop was the New Mosque. The New Mosque, full name The New Queen Mother's Mosque, is not so new - it was built in the 1600s. Designed by the architect Da'ud Aga, a pupil of Sinan, the New Mosque has become a defining feature of Istanbul's skyline.

New Mosque

Next stop was the Blue Mosque or Sultan Ahmed Mosque. We drove along the Sea of Marmara which is also called The Golden Horn which divides Turkey into two. Turkey is actually part Europe and part Asia. 97% of Turkey is in Asia and 3% of Turkey is in Europe and The Golden Horn runs in between. We passed by an old station of the famous Orient Express which in 1883 ran from Paris to Constantinople.

According to our guide, Turkey has some 85,000 Masjids with 3000 in Istanbul alone. There are also about 157 Churches of Greek Orthodox and about 17 Synagogues.

We arrived at The Sultan Ahmed Mosque or the Blue Mosque as it is also known. It was built in 1616 at the request of the Sultan who was 14 years old! He was said to be extremely religious minded.

Blue Mosque

This is the only Masjid in the entire Turkey with six minarets. It is said that the Sultan gave command to build a Mosque with gold minarets. However, the word 'gold' and 'six' was the same or similar and so, the architect mistakenly build a Mosque of six minarets instead!

Courtyard of the Blue Mosque

Wudhu stations

Also, since his Mosque now had six minarets which competed with the Masjid AlHaram in Makkah at that time, he sent money to Makkah to build a seventh minaret in Masjid AlHaram.

Overlooking the Blue Mosque was the Hagia Sophia. The magnificent Hagia Sophia was originally built by Justinian and used as a church for 916 years. It then became a mosque for 481 years and Ataturk declared it a museum in 1935.

Hagia Sophia

We prayed salaatul zuhr in an old Masjid that was undated - the constructor of the Masjid died in 1492 so you can guess the date it was built!

Next stop was the famous Topkapi Palace Museum. This museum holds a lot of ancient islamic relics from the treasures of the Sultans to the sword of Rasulullah (swt).

Entrance to Topkapi Palace Museum

Topkapi Palace was home to all the Ottoman sultans until the reign of Abdulmecid I (1839-1860), a period of nearly four centuries. In it are housed portraits of the Sultans, the Imperial Treasury, books, maps, guns, suit of armors, the famous Spoonmakers Diamond which is 86 carets, etc.

We also saw old locks and keys of Al Ka'ba as well as some old gutters of Al Ka'ba in addition to one of its (old) doors.

Old Ka'ba Door

Of all the exhibits, there was one room in which we were all more interested in. This is the area where the relics of Rasulullah were kept. We were not allowed to take pictures , of course. Some of the relics we was were the swords of Rasulullah (swt), Abu Bakr, 'Umar, and 'Ali (RA). We also saw what is claimed to be the footprint of Rasulullah (saw), some hair from his beard and his tooth - all of which are in containers.

Footprint of Rasulullah (saw)

We also saw the letter of Rasulullah (saw) to Muqavgas, leader of a Coptic Christian tribe inviting him to Islam. At the bottom of the letter was the Seal of Rasulullah (saw)

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
There is safety and security for those believers who follow the correct path. Therefore, I invite you to accept Islam. If you accept it, you shall find security, save your throne, and gain twice as much reward for having introduced Islam to your followers. If you refuse this invitation, let the sin of calamity which awaits your followers be upon you. You too are People of the Book; Therefore, let us come to a Word Common between us, that we worship none but Allah and shall not equalize anything with Him. Let us not abandon Allah and take others for lords other than him. If you do not consent to this invitation, bear witness that we are Muslims....

In another room, we saw what is allegedly the arm of Yahya (John The Baptist) and a part of his skull as well.

Alleged arm and skull of Yahya (AS)

For lunch, we went to theTopkapi restaurant overlooking The Golden Horn. We had lunch in Asia overlooking Europe! Lunch was lamb kebab, rice, potato salad and vegetables.

Our last stop was The Mosque of Sulaiman.

Suleyman the magnificent ordered a mosque appropriate to his title to be built by the architect Sinan, whereupon the present mosque was begun on one of the hills dominating the Golden Horn. The mosque, and its attendant structures, madrasa, arms—houses, infirmaries, caravansaries, a medical school, hamams (bath houses), Qur'an school, a hospital, cells and shops were begun in 1550 by the architect Sinan and completed in 1557.