My brother is currently in Istanbul for work. The trip was nearly cancelled due to “unrest” type stuff, but he ended up going. He texts me most days, and mentions that he does it during the call to prayer.
Anyone know any details about it? I sort of got the impression he was trying to keep off the streets when it happens (daily? Twice daily?); is there a danger for nonpraying folks walking about? Is it safe in general?
Also, other than Raki (he got me some last time) what could I ask him to bring back? I’m assuming figs wouldn’t be allowed. And what’s the deal with Raki anyway? Isn’t it a Muslim no-no?
I would imagine that he texts you during the call to prayer because it’s a convenient time. Since nearly everyone else is praying, there’s probably not a whole lot else for him to do.
The call to prayer is just that, a call for Muslims that it’s time to pray. There is no implied threat to non-Muslims to be walking around, going to shops, etc. during the call to prayer. It’s the equivalent of church bells ringing. Personally, I like the call to prayer when it is just the human voice without a microphone.
Turkey has great sweets, if he’s in Istanbul there are great sweet shops that sell Turkish delight.
ETA: Turkey, especially western Turkey has practiced a very easy going form of Islam since Ataturk. Istanbul’s streets are lined with outdoor cafes selling beer, wine and spirits and it’s not just the tourists who are having a drink.
When I was in Istanbul a few years back, most of the locals didn’t seem to pay much attention to the calls to prayer at all. Presumably, the Turks get their prayers done at some point, unless they’re all playing hooky, but it certainly wasn’t like the streets ever emptied to a noticeable degree during the day, as far as I could tell.
I was actually wondering about that. Hey, shouldn’t you all be praying? Nope, going about your business… all righty, then.
I guess it wouldn’t be practical for everyone to be praying at once, anyway. Are there more calls to prayer than times you need to pray, and people do it at different times during the day? I seem to remember hearing the calls to prayer quite often.
(Yeah, I know, I could have asked someone about this stuff when I was there. What can I say, I’m more shy IRL than on the internet.)
The other day he recorded the call and sent me the sound file. It was kind of cool.
He may have been pulling my leg re: danger. He loves Turkey, it’s where he spent his time in the military (we were at peace his entire enlistment!) and he was eager to spend a few weeks there, especially on the clock.
I sent the restaurant suggestion to him, thanks! From the pics I just looked at, the meals are similar to what I’ve had at Marakesh, a cool restaurant in St Martin (in Marigot on the French side). Tagines, olives, Ramadan soup, etc. We always get coffee and or tea after dinner there.
Muslims vary widely by how seriously they take prohibitions against alcohol. It’s kind of like Christians- some strongly discourage it, some will just raise an eyebrow, and some don’t care at all.
The call to prayer happens five times a day (more during Ramadan) at set points related to sunrise and sunset. It’s just a reminder to pray. In very devout places, it can be kind of boring during prayer time because shops will briefly close, but otherwise there is no reason not to walk around. Not all Muslims pray at these times- not all Muslims are particularly devote. There are plenty of Muslim equivalents to the “cafeteria Catholic” or the person who only goes to church on holidays.
Urban Turkey is a diverse and cosmopolitan place (not to mention a popular tourist area). They’ve been living with a variety of religions since forever.
My mom just got back from a vacation in Turkey. As in she landed at JFK few hours ago. She booked it when things were calmer there. I was quite relieved when she got back safe.
I haven’t had a chance to hear all the details yet, but she told me something I didn’t expect - there were women there walking around in full burkhas. As in, even the eyes were covered. Even more surprisingly (to me), the full burkhas were more common in Istanbul than in outlying areas.
There are women walking around in full burkhas in London and New York too. It doesn’t mean Istanbul is like Kabul.
Istanbul is a huge melting point straddling east and west. Next to the woman in a burkha will be a teenage girl in high heals and a mini skirt. Istanbul is actually pretty secular compared to many majority Muslim places.
Western tourists jostle with Syrian refugees, and young Turks hang out in cocktail bars.
It’s a fabulous city. I loved the call to prayer. And the streets were just as crowded then as at any other time. It’s a signal not an order.
I did see a group of several women with veils over their lower faces walking out of a hospital earlier this year. They weren’t the most covering of veils either. That’s the closest I’ve seen to anything approaching a burkha in New York City.
Hijabs are pretty commonplace. Anything more is not, unless they’re in some little enclaves somewhere.
Fwiw, it turns out that the burkhas she saw did have little eye-slits, so maybe they were really niqab, but the Turkish guides referred to them as burkhas. Regardless, they were common.
Turkey is not a radical Muslim country, for the most part. You see old men sipping their raki in chairs outside their homes, and there are a lot of clubs for nightlife. Istanbul has the largest covered market in the world, so have him bring you back a leather jacket or some jools. I haven’t been there since the early 90s, but always enjoyed the sights, the food and the shopping.
