ISTANBUL
By Tuncay Kayaoglu
At the heart of corner shops and a busy district lies Istanbul's first mosque, built in 717 by a Muslim army which arrived at the door of the Byzantine Empire to conquer renowned Constantinople.
The Arab Mosque, from where the first call to prayer in the empire was heard, is now increasingly becoming an attraction for many local and foreign tourists.
“Following the last renovation, we distributed many leaflets and opened a website to popularize this mosque,” imam Cafer Talan told an AA correspondent.
Unable to hide his smile while mentioning local and foreign tourists, Talan said, “They usually visit on weekends...They usually want to know why it is called Arab Mosque,” Talan said.
Even a Belarussian priest visited the mosque and prayed during the azan (call to prayer), the mosque's security guard Abdul Cepnioglu said, explaining that many Christians visit while schools organize tours.
However, the imam laments that many people working at surrounding shops are unaware of the treasure around them. “When I ask them when this mosque was built, they do not know. They are too busy with their daily work.”
The Arab Mosque was built by commander Mesleme Bin Abdulmelik after he and then Byzantine Emperor Leon reached an agreement to erect such a building in Galata, Istanbul.
Muslims worshipped at the mosque for seven years until the army was recalled to Damascus due to unrest. After the army left Istanbul and remaining Muslims passed away over time, a priest converted the mosque into a church.
The building served as a church until Ottoman Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror captured the city and returned the building to its original status, adding the mihrab and minbar features characteristic of Islamic architecture.
The biggest modification happened in 1731 after a large fire ravaged the mosque. During the 19th century, the mosque was damaged by multiple fires and always restored to its original status. It was again restored two years ago.
"This mosque is very spiritual. I feel that I am not alone when opening the mosque's door in the morning,” the guard said emotionally.
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