First Morning in Istanbul (A full of Love Journey 2)

Shubuh in Osman Mousque

First Night and Morning in Istanbul were really too cool for me. It was cloudy, Thankfully, the heater was working. After getting rest enough, we managed our time to pray tahajjud, witir and sunnah qobliyah shubuh in the flat, before going to the Osman Nuri Topbaş Mosque. Walhamdulillah, we could arrive there, and prayed together with Osman Hoca. He was about to go to other Turkmenistan countries this week. He would like to say good bye by praying shubuh there. Fi amanillah. One great advice for me came there from a Arabic-speaking-wise-man. After doing light arabic conversation, He told me to make my Arabic language better. “ فحسّن عربيتك!” He said to me. Insya Allah

In the Morning, Outside the Ebu Eyub Al Anshori Mosque

Ebu Eyub al Anshori Mosque

The Exterior of Ebu Eyub Al-anshori Mosque

After praying shubuh with Osman Nuri Hoca Efendi, we went to one of the greatest mosque in istanbul. Ebu Eyub Al-Anshori Mosque, one of the companion of Rasulullah Shollallahu 'alaihi Wa Sallam, has been burried there. Cumhur told me that this mosque was full in every shubuh prayers. It is one good news for me. In the middle of the mosque, A Big Old tree lives. It is said that the mosque is as old as the tree. Near to the tree, so many person kept standing up to pray for Ebu Eyub, Radiallhu anhu. When the gate for seeing the grave closer was opened, I came closer to the grave and read the 10^th verse of Surat Alhashr in Qur'an.

ربنا اغفر لنا و لاخواننا الذين سبقونا بالايمان و لا تجعل في قلوبنا غلا للذين آمنوا ربنا انك رءوف رحيم

"Our Lord! Forgive us, and our brethren who came before us into the Faith, and leave not, in our hearts, rancour (or sense of injury) against those who have believed. Our Lord! Thou art indeed Full of Kindness, Most Merciful."

In Front Of Ebu Eyub's Grave, near to the Big Tree in the middle of The Mosque

This mosque really amazed me. There were so many pigeons around. I saw the Turkish grave for my first time. While The exterior is beautifully built, Inside the mosque, The Interior is greatly designed, completed with some beautiful pattern on both, the wall and the roof. Subhanallah. Let us take a look below

Graves with Turkish Style around the Mosque

Some of the Roof's Pattern inside the Mosque

We three (from Left: Luthfullah, Cumhur, and me), inside the mosque, in front of mimbar

The Roof's Interior of The Mosque

Inside the Mosque, Luthfu abi was in front of the Mimbar

After praying and looking around the Mosque, we were going to have our breakfast. There were so many restaurants, but Luthfu Abi chose Öztürk. We had some fired potatos, boiled eggs, and of course jam, honey, and breads! I loved them.

Some Restaurants and Commercial Places around Ebu Eyub Mosque

Having Break Fast in the Öztürk

Luthfu Abi sat together with the Pigeons

Cumhur Abi with Ebu Eyub Al-Anshory Mosque

To be Continued.....

A full of love Journey (First Night)

Karabuk Town from Karabuk Universitesi

Lastly, This October 2008 I could fulfill one of my brother's great invitation to come to Turkey. The invitation was made two years a go, explicitly in Mecca when I was in Haj. What I have experienced in the journey made me wanted to be one of the Sufi society, making more meaningful things, and spreading love around the globe. Insya Allah.

First Meeting First

Arriving in Turkey at 17.55, I directly sent an SMS to my beloved kardeş Cumhur, thankfully He directly replied the SMS and told me, that he was waiting for me at the exit gate. After getting my baggage and giving up to be in very long line for getting Turkish Currency on the Airport Money Changers, I went to the exit gate looking around for him without any Turkish currency in my pocket. I hoped I could meet him directly and didn't make him waiting for me too long. Unfortunately, so many people was there, and everyone was welcoming all the passengers. It was very crowded and impossible for me to notice him with them. I continued walking around. Oh Allah, I didn't see Cumhur. I thought what I should do.......

I was keeping looking around, then I found someone looked very similar. He looked like Luthfullah to me, although at the first time I was not sure who he was. But Because I could not wait to see him, I made my self sure to ask that person, with a simple Arabic language, as simple as the greeting I used to talk with the real Luthfullah in front of Kaaba two years ago. I asked him, “Hal Anta Luthfullah”. Oh Allah, It was quite right. He directly gave me smile and hug. Allah helped us again and again to meet, and again the first person to see was Luthfullah. He is always The first Turkish person that makes my eyes caught with the Anatolian people and their land. Luthfu Abi was doing dzikr to Allah there. He directly found Cumhur to be grouped together again. Oh Allah, Brother Cumhur did waited for me at the exit gate. Than We three were just going to Airport Mosque to do maghrib prayer.

Seeing Osman Nuri Topbaş and other amazing people

We did the maghrib prayer at the airport masjid. We directly move to Luthfullah's Car. Cumhur Abi was the driver. Truth to be told, Cumhur really drove the car very very fast to make us ready to pray together with a very special man in Sultan Tepe. Unfortunately, The day was Saturday, and Istanbul was very crowded. But I found the nice things, Luthfu Abi shows me the Galatasaray's Stadium and other important places and landmarks in Istanbul. Oh thank Allah, Cumhur did his best and made us arrived while the special man, Osman Nuri Topbaş was still there. Although we did the isya prayer alone, we still had chance to see and to shake our hand with him. And the most important thing, I can see his shining peaceful face owned only by extraordinary person. Allahumma Laka Alhamdu.

Seeing Osman brought us to another Hoca (Great Teacher), Suleiman Derin. He was the first person, welcoming us in the Osman Mosque's Doors. He is the Doctor in Theologists Faculty in Istanbul. The reason why he chose that faculty was Osman Hoca's Advice. Although He had already studied in English Faculty for two years, He followed Osman's advice to change to the faculty. He said to me that his decision was really right. He could finish the theologists faculty in three years and got scholarships for continuing his study in Britain. “Following his advice really gave me many positive things” He said. After finishing the prayer, I, Cumhur, Luthfullah, and Suleiman were going to the very special restaurant in Istanbul. The restaurant has a very ancient building owned by one of the general in Ottoman State. While we had dinner together, I became the slowest to finish the food. Turkish person really eats very fast. But any way I enjoyed my first Turkish food in Istanbul.

First Dinner in Turkey (Sultan Tepe, Istanbul)

After Finishing the food, we continued the journey to drop Suleiman near to his apartment. Although already late at night, we had one more person to visit before getting rest. He was Abdul Qadir, One of Luthfullah's friend in Istanbul. He is a notary. We did talked light things, and Abdul Qadir served us the second dinner. In fact, I had enough with my first dinner. But, I tried my best to finish the tea and some foods. I surprised with Cumhur Abi that could continue having dinner again. Even, Luthfu abi gave an example to finish the corn served. Really it was very lovely things. They really love to eat together. Visiting abdul Kadir was the final agenda for my first night in Istanbul and Turkey.

Dinner in Abdul Kadir's House

We continued to go to our flat owned by Aziz Machmud Hudai Foundation. We took our rest there, a very beautiful nice flat. Both, Luthfu Abi and Cumhur Abi, told me who Aziz Machmud Hudai, the name of the foundation, was. Oh Subhanallah, He was the teacher of the Sultan Ahmet II, who had The Blue Mosque built.

The Flat owned by Aziz Mahmud Hudaya Foundation in Istanbul

To be Continued.....