By Yap Kim Hao, Common Ground News Service
Recently, I was invited by the Turkish Cultural Centre to travel from Singapore to Turkey to participate in a documentary series on Ramadan observance in Istanbul. Samanyolu TV, a national Turkish television station, developed a documentary series last year on Ramadan in different countries and they were now looking to reverse the scenario by inviting foreigners to Istanbul to join in the Ramadan activities of Turkish families. The material they produced is the major component of a three-hour programme that appeared each day just before the breaking of the fast. It was shown on satellite television to Samanyolu’s subsidiaries around the world, including in the United States, Europe and Australia.
I jumped at the chance to make this trip. As a Christian pastor, I was excited and curious to experience the spiritual life of Turkish families and communities as they observe Ramadan, and to be part of a programme that simultaneously promotes intercultural exchange and interfaith relations.
I was welcomed at the home of my gracious hosts on a Friday evening. There was Mustafa and his wife, their 15-year-old daughter and their 10-year-old son. Mustafa is a successful housing developer. His wife and daughter wear the headscarf, even though it is prohibited in government offices and public schools in Turkey. Their home is located in a new, up-market housing development.
Since this was going to be my first experience of fasting during Ramadan and I am 78 years of age, I was told I did not have to do the full fast but could participate through a less stringent one that gave me some allowances. However, I wanted to take part in the full fast along with them.
The next day, I woke up at 3:30 a.m. for the morning meal. The family then performed their morning prayers and suggested that I go back to my room and get some more rest to prepare me for the day’s activities. After resting, I read the Qur’an and the poetry of Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi, the Muslim mystic and poet.
That day, we went to an open market where we bought groceries for the evening iftar – literally, breaking of the fast. We purchased dates, lentils for making soup, bread, and meat and vegetables for the kebabs.
At noon, we went to the Eyüp Sultan Mosque for prayers. This is a 15th century mosque, built in honour of Eyüp Sultan who has the distinction of being a companion of the Prophet Muhammad. I was told that every day during Ramadan there would be crowds in the mosques performing their prayers, responding to the muezzin’s call to prayer from the minarets. Their religiosity was awe-inspiring.
In the mosque, I felt I was truly on holy ground and in God’s presence, for in my reading of the Qur’an I found a confirmation that God is one and is the same God of the Torah and of the Bible. And that we are all the children of Abraham and believe in the same God.
We also visited another majestic mosque, the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Mosque, built originally in the mid-15th century on the very site of the former Church of the Holy Apostles. Near the front, there were rows of people reading the Qur’an. Worshippers came in and said their private prayers. The tranquillity and solemnity of the sanctuary brought me to my knees in prayer to God too.
In the evening, we gathered around the family dining table for iftar. The family members and the TV crew joined in the sumptuous meal. I was informed that out in the city there were tents in different areas where private groups sponsor and serve dinner for the poor and needy. There is an open invitation to everyone; no one is excluded from iftar.
After dinner, the family prayed again. We then recalled the day’s events and recorded our observations. What impressed me was the spirituality of the people who observed Ramadan. During the fasting period, they turned away from worldly things and focused on the spiritual. It was a time of reflection and self-examination during which individuals sought forgiveness from God in their prayers.
It seems to me that it was also a time for them to forgive themselves and one another. It was a time for showing compassion and caring for others in need. For example, throughout the day, Mustafa and his family were always concerned about my personal welfare. They were genuinely seeking renewal and transformation of their personal lives.
I count it a great privilege to have observed a week of Ramadan with faithful Muslims in Istanbul. In addition to my own spiritual journey, I also experienced the uniqueness of the Turkish state. Though it is secular, it does not dismiss or undermine the role of religion in society.
There are lessons to be learned from the enlightened and progressive Muslim movement in Turkey, poised literally as a bridge between Asia and Europe.
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Rev. Dr. Yap Kim Hao is a former Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore and Malaysia. This article is distributed by the Common Ground News Service (CGNews) and can be accessed at www.commongroundnews.org.