info@kim.org.tr
info@kim.org.tr
We wanted to share with you the results of some of the informative conversations we had with tourists about Islam in various places, especially the Suleymaniye Mosque.
Maria from Argentina
On 17.01.2024, when I entered the Suleymaniye Mosque, I saw a middle-aged woman who was getting a translation of the Quran in Spanish. When I went to meet her, she asked me if there was a Spanish version of the book ‘Islam in Sixty Minutes’. My answer was no, but I said that if she had time, I could translate what was written in the book in Spanish, and then we sat down with other family members and started talking about Islam. She was already knowledgeable, but she had questions, especially about inheritance law, and she had also stated that her profession was a lawyer. After answering these and similar questions, I asked her why she was still Catholic, and her answer was actually quite classic: “I grew up in a Catholic country, in a Catholic school and family environment. I don’t believe in the God they talk about – the Trinity – but this is my culture,” she said. My answer was: “If you follow them just because they are the majority, even though you know they are doing wrong, what account will you give to Allah on the Day of Judgment?” She asked, “Are you trying to convert me to your religion?” I said, “Yes.” “I would like that very much, Ahmet,” she replied and recited the shahada first in Spanish and then in Arabic. She hugged and shook hands with all the female team members in the mosque, raised the Quran translation I had given her to the dome of Suleymaniye and prayed something along the lines of “Oh Allah, I am grateful for granting me this.” I was astonished by such sincere faith. Her last words as she left the mosque were, “Allahu Akbar, I am now a Muslim!”
On 17.01.2024, when I entered the Suleymaniye Mosque, I saw a middle-aged woman who was getting a translation of the Quran in Spanish. When I went to meet her, she asked me if there was a Spanish version of the book ‘Islam in Sixty Minutes’. My answer was no, but I said that if she had time, I could translate what was written in the book in Spanish, and then we sat down with other family members and started talking about Islam. She was already knowledgeable, but she had questions, especially about inheritance law, and she had also stated that her profession was a lawyer. After answering these and similar questions, I asked her why she was still Catholic, and her answer was actually quite classic: “I grew up in a Catholic country, in a Catholic school and family environment. I don’t believe in the God they talk about – the Trinity – but this is my culture,” she said. My answer was: “If you follow them just because they are the majority, even though you know they are doing wrong, what account will you give to Allah on the Day of Judgment?” She asked, “Are you trying to convert me to your religion?” I said, “Yes.” “I would like that very much, Ahmet,” she replied and recited the shahada first in Spanish and then in Arabic. She hugged and shook hands with all the female team members in the mosque, raised the Quran translation I had given her to the dome of Suleymaniye and prayed something along the lines of “Oh Allah, I am grateful for granting me this.” I was astonished by such sincere faith. Her last words as she left the mosque were, “Allahu Akbar, I am now a Muslim!”
Juan and Ximana from Mexican
On Friday, December 22, 2023, when it was close to afternoon, I saw another volunteer friend talking to two tourists and I sat next to them. I learned that they were two Mexican brothers named Juan and Ximana who were traveling together. My volunteer friend’s invitation efforts soon paid off and both of them accepted Islam right where they were sitting. The other teammates around us immediately came to us and hugged and congratulated our new brothers. At that moment, the Iqama for afternoon prayer was being called so I offered the male brother to join me in prayer, and he eagerly accepted. I told him that it would be enough for him to imitate me and we prayed side by side, followed by a Quran recitation. He seemed to enjoy the whole process very much. After he got up, I introduced him to random members of the congregation and told them, “This brother of ours is from Mexico and has just accepted Islam,” and offered them to hug Juan, and he hugged our new friend, including the imam of the Suleymaniye Mosque, and conveyed his congratulations. With just a few words that he confirmed with his heart, he began to feel that he was a new member of the Islamic brotherhood, and before he left me, he said that he had already begun to feel the peace of Islam.
On Friday, December 22, 2023, when it was close to afternoon, I saw another volunteer friend talking to two tourists and I sat next to them. I learned that they were two Mexican brothers named Juan and Ximana who were traveling together. My volunteer friend’s invitation efforts soon paid off and both of them accepted Islam right where they were sitting. The other teammates around us immediately came to us and hugged and congratulated our new brothers. At that moment, the Iqama for afternoon prayer was being called so I offered the male brother to join me in prayer, and he eagerly accepted. I told him that it would be enough for him to imitate me and we prayed side by side, followed by a Quran recitation. He seemed to enjoy the whole process very much. After he got up, I introduced him to random members of the congregation and told them, “This brother of ours is from Mexico and has just accepted Islam,” and offered them to hug Juan, and he hugged our new friend, including the imam of the Suleymaniye Mosque, and conveyed his congratulations. With just a few words that he confirmed with his heart, he began to feel that he was a new member of the Islamic brotherhood, and before he left me, he said that he had already begun to feel the peace of Islam.
Shwan from Brooklyn
On Sunday, December 17, 2023, in the afternoon, I saw an Egyptian female volunteer chatting with a young tourist traveling alone, whose name I later learned was Cook Shawn. Hours passed and it was evening, but their conversation was still going on with the same rhythm and passion. When I performed the evening prayer and returned to our volunteer friends, I heard that this tourist, who was only 21 and came from Brooklyn, USA, had ended his conversation with our volunteer friend by reciting the Shahada where he had been sitting for hours. Our volunteer friend had invited Shawn to the center, and thankfully, all the volunteer friends had made plans to have dinner together that evening. After having dinner with Shawn and his Turkish friend, whom we met later, in our center building, we started our long-term conversation, which was also full of details that a new Muslim should know. At the end of our two-hour conversation, we left the center, took a short tour of Fatih, and then took him on the metro to return to his hotel. Shawn left Türkiye at the end of his trip to Istanbul, but we have already contacted a Muslim friend in his hometown to provide him with support. It is undoubtedly an indescribable blessing for us to be instrumental in guiding a non-Muslim, but our duty does not end there. Following up on the process after martyrdom and providing support is as important as listing the conditions of Islam to them in the mosque. This is a marathon for us as it is for them.
On Sunday, December 17, 2023, in the afternoon, I saw an Egyptian female volunteer chatting with a young tourist traveling alone, whose name I later learned was Cook Shawn. Hours passed and it was evening, but their conversation was still going on with the same rhythm and passion. When I performed the evening prayer and returned to our volunteer friends, I heard that this tourist, who was only 21 and came from Brooklyn, USA, had ended his conversation with our volunteer friend by reciting the Shahada where he had been sitting for hours. Our volunteer friend had invited Shawn to the center, and thankfully, all the volunteer friends had made plans to have dinner together that evening. After having dinner with Shawn and his Turkish friend, whom we met later, in our center building, we started our long-term conversation, which was also full of details that a new Muslim should know. At the end of our two-hour conversation, we left the center, took a short tour of Fatih, and then took him on the metro to return to his hotel. Shawn left Türkiye at the end of his trip to Istanbul, but we have already contacted a Muslim friend in his hometown to provide him with support. It is undoubtedly an indescribable blessing for us to be instrumental in guiding a non-Muslim, but our duty does not end there. Following up on the process after martyrdom and providing support is as important as listing the conditions of Islam to them in the mosque. This is a marathon for us as it is for them.
Alex from Colorado
On Saturday, December 16, 2023, while I was inside the mosque, one of the tourists I met was a young traveler named Alex, who had left the US state of Colorado and toured Egypt for weeks before coming to Istanbul. After approaching and introducing myself, I first introduced him to the Suleymaniye Mosque as usual and then began to preach Islam. Alex was listening to me with a different interest than the other tourists I had talked to during the day, it was clear that this trip was not just a touristic adventure for him; after the considerable days he had spent in Islamic lands, it had become a spiritual quest. He was in no hurry, so I invited him to the center and we retired to the meeting room upstairs. He asked one question after another, and I answered patiently and politely. By the end of our three-hour conversation, it was already evening and we went downstairs to the hall to join a dinner prepared by another volunteer friend of ours at the center. At the end of a few hours of conversation, during which all the volunteers showed special attention to him, I invited Alex to leave with us and have dessert. We thought it would be a good idea to bring Alex along with us, along with a few of our volunteers, to show him our life outside the mosque. Because in addition to our da'wah activities, we also find it very important to show him our social life outside the mosque and to show the camaraderie among us as volunteers. We had the opportunity to host Alex for a few weeks. We ate together, prayed shoulder to shoulder in the mosque. Although he still has a lot to learn, Alex is now one of us, one of our Muslim brothers.
On Saturday, December 16, 2023, while I was inside the mosque, one of the tourists I met was a young traveler named Alex, who had left the US state of Colorado and toured Egypt for weeks before coming to Istanbul. After approaching and introducing myself, I first introduced him to the Suleymaniye Mosque as usual and then began to preach Islam. Alex was listening to me with a different interest than the other tourists I had talked to during the day, it was clear that this trip was not just a touristic adventure for him; after the considerable days he had spent in Islamic lands, it had become a spiritual quest. He was in no hurry, so I invited him to the center and we retired to the meeting room upstairs. He asked one question after another, and I answered patiently and politely. By the end of our three-hour conversation, it was already evening and we went downstairs to the hall to join a dinner prepared by another volunteer friend of ours at the center. At the end of a few hours of conversation, during which all the volunteers showed special attention to him, I invited Alex to leave with us and have dessert. We thought it would be a good idea to bring Alex along with us, along with a few of our volunteers, to show him our life outside the mosque. Because in addition to our da'wah activities, we also find it very important to show him our social life outside the mosque and to show the camaraderie among us as volunteers. We had the opportunity to host Alex for a few weeks. We ate together, prayed shoulder to shoulder in the mosque. Although he still has a lot to learn, Alex is now one of us, one of our Muslim brothers.
