I remember it was summertime the first time I visited the area. In the daytime the area is full of tourists but at night it is different. In the early evening time, the streets were alive with Turkish families dining and strolling, and a small fairground lured children onto rides. Two of Istanbul’s greatest structures are the Aya Sofya (St. Sophia or Hagia Sophia) and the Sultanahmet Mosque, perhaps better known as the Blue Mosque. Emperor Justinian ordered the construction of Aya Sofya in 537, and for centuries it remained the greatest church in Christendom.
I have received a few letters from visitors asking about etiquette for visiting a mosque.
Dear Charlotte …When I visited the Blue Mosque recently and took many photographs, later I wondered if I had violated the atmosphere of sanctity by snapping photographs. What do you think? From camera-snap happy Diane.
Dear Charlotte. My dream-come-true is about to be a reality. I have been saving for a long time and have just made definite plans to visit Turkey in August. I have never visited a mosque. I have dreamed of visiting the Blue Mosque and, of course, the Hagia Sophia. Could you advise me about how to behave and what I should expect?” From Deb in Canada.
Did you know that in 1609 Sultan Ahmet I appointed his court architect to build a rival, wholly Islamic structure meant to outdo the Hagia Sophia, no more than a few hundred meters away? The result: the Blue Mosque. Nowadays the mosque is alive with devotees, tourists and locals.
Non-Muslims are allowed into any mosque, but you may be asked to enter through a separate doorway. Before entering a mosque, everyone is expected to take off their shoes outside. Before going into the Blue Mosque, you will be asked by the attendant on duty to remove your shoes, as per custom, and place them in plastic bags to be picked up when you exit. (Be careful which socks you choose to wear -- the former president of the World Bank was snapped by press photographers visiting Selimiye Mosque with holes in his socks.)
After you enter the Blue Mosque you will see a spacious place and you can quietly wander around inside. Don’t forget that visitors are usually not allowed to visit the mosque during prayer times. Nearer to the front of the mosque inside will be the devoted -- men praying silently. Women have a special section where they pray. Men shouldn’t go into the section reserved for women and vice-versa. To show respect it is recommended to cover flesh: In the mosques frequented by tourists, there are large pieces of material that can be wrapped as sarongs around ladies with too-short skirts or men with shorts. Women are required to cover their heads in all mosques, but the Turks make an exception for the Blue Mosque.
You will notice that inside the mosque there are no pictures of people or animals: the décor is ornate patterns on tiles. Beautiful calligraphic inscriptions often depict the names of Allah or Mohammed in Arabic. Every mosque has a mihrab, a niche in the wall indicating the direction of Mecca for prayer.
The mosque courtyard is a more public area, but still an area to show respect. In the courtyard a Muslim performs the ritual washing before going inside. Depending upon the size of the mosque and its importance, its courtyard will have a complex that may incorporate some or all of the amenities, such as a religious school known as the medrese, a hospital, a kitchen, a hospice, a caravanserai, a hamam, a library or a graveyard.
In the courtyard children will be playing and you will see some vendors selling religious books, prayer beads, etc. It’s certainly fine for photographers to take pictures of children, but it is courteous to ask permission from adults, especially covered women.
Most likely, when you have completed your tour around the Blue Mosque, you will be approached by someone who may try to practice their English. It may go something like this: “So, you have now seen the Blue Mosque,” At this point you nod or smile. He will ask, “What do you think?” It is a simple question that the foreign visitor can expect to encounter more than once. Be gracious in your answer -- Turks love to please!
Note: Keep your questions and observations coming: I want to ensure this column is a help to you, Today’s Zaman’s readers. Email: c.mcpherson@todayszaman.com
