Impressions of Turkey and Islam

We love this place! The people are friendly and welcoming, the scenery great, the archaeology brilliant, and travel by bus very easy. Our only regret is not having enough time to see Cappadocia. Next time!

Sure it's a bit untidy, litter-strewn and unkept in places, and Turks smoke like chimneys and drive like there's no tomorrow (especially at pedestrians), but these are minor grievances. And while the ancient architecture is extraordinary, the same can't be said for modern buildings, typically squat, rectangular concrete edifices with little architectural merit. The same problem that afflicts most democracies - minimal cost functionality wins out over expensive yet aesthetically pleasing structures.

Perhaps the only exception is the mosques, where their elegant domes and minarets punctuate the skyline at regular intervals, just as the muezzin's melodic call to prayer regularly punctuates the day. But it's not offensive for non-Muslims, and is perhaps a brief reminder to reaffirm your own faith (or count your blessings) as the case may be.

Having travelled through many Christian and Buddhist countries, I was interested to see what influence Islam had on the Turkish people. In essence, it's relatively minor. Men will generally attend the mosque every Friday, and women generally wear Western dress, sometimes supplemented with a head scarf. No sign of niqabs or burqas here. It seems the Turks have successfully integrated the best of the western world with their faith, resulting in a modern form of Islam that steers away from the perils of a secular society. Progressive Islam if you will. As a result, the people are friendly, hospitable, honest (and good bargainers), and we never felt threatened or concerned for our safety.

As one of the three Abrahamic religions (along with Judaism and Christianity), Islam shares many of the same roots, even recognising Jesus as one of the prophets. It's surprising there's so much antipathy between them given their monotheism, rejection of idols, and a common moral code. In fact you could argue that Islam is the more modern of the three, having come into existence 500 years after Christ's death. It certainly has a progressive moral code, preaching equal rights for women, environmentalism, animal rights, and warning of the dangers of alcohol.

But like any religion it can be subverted by the fundamentalists, extremists, and those with ulterior motives for power and revenge. Unfortunately we have a very biased view of Islam in the west due to media coverage of Al Qaeda and suicide bombers. They and their actions are as representative of Islam as the Spanish Inquisition is of Christianity, yet the ignorant and ill-informed have no trouble lumping them together - witness the abomination of Terry Jones burning the Koran in Florida.

I would argue that the world has nothing to fear from Islam, and so long as there is an acceptance that other faiths have a right to exist to suit the needs of those who choose to believe, all should be able to coexist peacefully, while all transition out of their more archaic practices in the light of scientific reason and fundamental human rights.

Instead of pouring more and more weapons into trouble spots like Afghanistan, an unwinnable war if ever there was one, the West would be better off providing health services, education, and reconstruction, while the Turks could take a lead in showing how their interpretation of Islam can be (slowly) evolved into a 21st century religion.

How's that for a plan?

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