CYPRUS, the meeting point of religions and the land of Companions
ened.
CYPRUS, the meeting point of religions and the land of Companions
Due to its special location in the Eastern Mediterranean, it has been home to many civilisations throughout history.
the island of Cyprus, the culture created by these civilisations since ancient times
their existence and their religion (especially the three Abrahamic religions, i.e. the monotheistic religions, i.e. Islam,
Christianity and Judaism) values with all its richness.
In Cyprus, which has witnessed important developments in the history of humanity, from Muslims to Christians,
Civilisations with many different religious beliefs, from Jewish to Pagan, ruled
the island, which has become the cradle of civilisations, has historical buildings belonging to various cultures
mosques and churches, places of religious worship, rise side by side. Ottoman island
when he conquered, because of the unifying characteristic of Islam's brotherhood and respect for beliefs.
Churches built by the Eastern Romans, Lusignans, Venetians in earlier periods,
demolishing places of religious worship such as monasteries, instead of destroying the cultural heritage of the period
converted it into a mosque or built a mosque next to it, and thus, in the most beautiful tolerance of the Islamic religion, the mosque was converted into a mosque.
example. Many villages and towns also have Christian centres where respect for beliefs is exemplified.
Church where the fabric of two different religions, Muslim and Muslim, meet and blend in a single building
and mosques. Tourists visiting the island are also very interested in this interesting view.
shows.
The first Islamic navy established in history made its first expedition to Cyprus
Since it is located at the crossroads of Asia, Europe and Africa continents and
Due to its controlling geostrategic geographical position, Cyprus is the centre of the firsts in the history of religions.
is an island. The first Islamic navy established in history, including one thousand 200 Companions
He carried out his first major expedition to Cyprus with the Islamic army. Cyprus is also
one of the first places in history where Christianity was accepted, and also one of the first places where Islam was accepted for 400 years.
a place where he ruled for a long time. Cyprus from the tribe of Levi in 45 BC
Joseph Barnabas of Salamis witnessed some of Jesus' miracles while studying in Jerusalem.
and converted from Judaism to Christianity. One of the 12 Apostles of Jesus Christ.
He accompanied St Paul on his '1st Mission Trip' to Cyprus and Anatolia. Holy
he became the Archbishop of Cyprus when he returned home from his homeland and became the island's first Christian
He founded the Church and worked to spread the Christian religion. About Jesus Christ
Sergius Paulus, the Roman Governor of the island, along with many others who were impressed by his preaching.
He became a Christian. Cyprus was thus the first global territory to have a Christian ruler.
In a passage in the Gospel of St Barnabas, he wrote that 'the last prophet Muhammad and the last
and clearly stated that the religion would be Islam.
Cyprus was introduced to Islam 17 years after the Prophet Muhammad's death
The island of Cyprus was introduced to Islam by the third of the four great Caliphs, Hz Osman.
in the time of the Prophet Muawiya (Abu Sufyan) when he was the governor of Damascus
It has happened. The first Islamic navy was formed in Syria, taking into account the Prophet Muhammad's prophecy: "The first warriors from my Ummah who have made a maritime expedition have earned the right to enter Paradise.
"The first warriors from my Ummah who have fought in the sea have deserved to enter Paradise.", the first Islamic navy was established in Syria and made its first major expedition to Cyprus.
Syria and made its first major expedition to Cyprus. The years 647-649 AD (26-28 Hijri)
between the Muslim Arabs in Anatolia, Syria and Egypt, which were of commercial and strategic importance.
They made many expeditions to Cyprus. The Companions, under the command of Hz. Ömer, among them Hz.
The Prophet's milk aunt, Umm Haram bint Milhân, known as Hala Sultan
One thousand 200 people, including Ubade bin Samit (in Arabic, an aunt is called aunt) and his wife Ubade bin Samit.
Companions (who saw the Prophet Muhammad, talked to him, befriended him and believed in him)
The name given to Muslims) participated in the first Cyprus Expedition. The first to Cyprus, which was taxed
Muslims started to settle from this period onwards. A place to be conquered.
The largest number of Companions who were introduced to Islam 16 years after the death of Prophet Muhammad
It happened to Cyprus.
There are a total of 4 Companion Tombs on Cyprus Island
Taha Tarkan Bay, Imam of the Laleli Mosque in Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, said
saying that there is one Companions' tomb on the TRNC side and three Companions' tombs on the TRNC side.
The tombs built for the Companions who saw, talked to and befriended the Prophet Muhammad
gave information about the tombs. Cyprus has a very high spiritual, religious and Islamic value
Taha Tarkan Bay, Imam of Laleli Mosque, said: "Rector of the Islamic University of Rotterdam,
Prof. Dr Ahmet Akgündüz, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ottoman Studies Foundation
According to the information extracted from the Ottoman archives, one thousand 200 Companions came to Cyprus during the conquest period.
came. The graves of these Companions are on the TRNC side; Kırklar Tomb (40 Companions), Hz.
Urwa bin Sabit's tomb under the Apostolos Andreas Monastery and Hz.
The Hala Sultan Tomb on the South Cyprus side. It is also used on the southern side of the island
under the airport is a cemetery where hundreds of Companions are buried.
that the tomb of the Kırklar Tomb."
Kirklar Tomb
In the 28th year of the Hijrah, during the reign of Hadrat 'Uthman, in order to spread the religion of Islam, among them
One thousand 200 female Companions, including female Companions such as Hala Sultan, the milk aunt of the Prophet
emphasising that the Companions came to Cyprus with ships, he served in Kırklar Tomb for many years
Taha Tarkan Bay, now Imam of the Laleli Mosque, said: "This is the first sea
was an expedition. The Companions had an understanding that was never saturated with charity. The greatest
Their aim was to spread Islam. They also aimed to bring goodness and beauty to the places they went to.
they took it for granted. As soon as the news of an expedition to Cyprus was heard, this
they run and sign up to join the expedition. The first expedition overseas
when 40 of the Companions landed on the island of Cyprus, south-west of Ercan Airport
They headed towards what is now Kırklar Village in the Mesarya Plain. Where the tomb is today
where they took refuge in the old Christian temple, which had been destroyed and was in ruins.
There, he was martyred by Byzantine soldiers at night and two pits were dug and put into them.
they are buried."
The Companions were buried in two separate pits with their bodies intact after 922 years.
is found
Cyprus was founded in 1571, exactly one thousand years after the birth of the Prophet Muhammad.
With the conquest by the Ottomans, the graves of the Companions were found
Taha Tarkan Bay, Imam of Laleli Mosque, said:
"Thus, this great spiritual value of ours reaches to the present day. Companions are buried
There is also an interesting and exemplary story of the discovery of the place where they were. Namely; Ottomans
When they conquered the island, they became aware of the existence of the Companions buried on the island and
They send some people to search for the graves. Those who went to search for the graves
they came across a shepherd in the neighbourhood: 'Those who have encountered graves or extraordinary events here
"Is there any?", Çoban pointed to the current location of the tomb and said; "I am here.
the grass is lush and greener than elsewhere and animals do not graze on it
and I am a witness that they did not pass". Upon this answer, when the place he showed was dug
In two separate pits, the Companions are found with their bodies intact. Entrance under the ground,
a mausoleum with three aisles, right and left, is built. One of them is an imam
and one tomb was built at the entrance and two at the end of the corridor. The others are as they are.
are buried in the pits in the right and left corridor. The Mausoleum section built under the ground is made of stone,
The other parts are built of mudbrick. A mosque was built over the mausoleum in 1816.
is built. In 1958, during the terrorist incidents in Cyprus during the period of turmoil in Cyprus, Kırklar Tekke
The sheik Yusuf Mehmet Hilmi was martyred and the tomb was burnt. The tomb was closed for many years,
It underwent two restorations in 2007 and 2012. With the last restoration, it took its current form
reopened to worship and visit. Visitors pass through the masjid and climb the stairs
They visit the tomb by descending. In addition, during the excavations carried out during the restoration works
a floor paved with mosaic was unearthed. Following this discovery, excavations in the area
was stopped. The remains are thought to belong to a Byzantine church. Underground in the rock
carved vaulted burial chambers with side chambers of an ancient Christian basilica
"and it is thought to resemble the plan of the tomb."
Christians also visit the tomb to have their prayers answered
"The tomb was used as a tekke in time. Even today in front of the mosque building
The labyrinth-like parts are the remains of the demolished rooms of the tekke. British historian Sir Harry
In Luke's (Private Secretary of the Governor of Cyprus in 1911-1912) book 'Cyprus', it is stated that the tekke
According to the information conveyed by a dervish who was in charge here during the period when it was in operation, 23 Companions
He wrote that 17 Companions were found separately and 17 Companions were found collectively in one place. Roads and
The lack of transport did not prevent people from visiting and praying at the tomb.
In this respect, the mausoleum was very popular and not only by Muslims,
It was also a place respected and visited by Christians. Even the Holy
On 9 March, the feast day of the Forty, Turks and Greeks from neighbouring villages visited the tomb.
they visit and believe that it will give them strength and health and that their wishes will be accepted
at the end of the corridor on the right at the entrance, touch and hold the spear nailed to the wall
and excitedly wait for their turn to come. By touching the spear
they make a wish, if the spear vibrates, the wish will be fulfilled, if it does not vibrate
would not materialise. Also Aytotoro (Bosphorus), Kalo Horio (Vuda),
Turkish Cypriots of Kivisili (Civisil), Kofinou (Köfünye-Geçitkale) and Klavdia (Alaniçi) villages
If Greek Cypriots and Greek Cypriots celebrate this day together, farmers in March and April
they believed that the rain they needed would fall."
The Miracle of the Companions
"A group who could not digest the fact that Christians were also going to the tomb, killed the dervishes in the tomb.
They go to the shrine with spears and swords to kill and destroy it. One of them
just as he raised his spear, an unseen unknown force
moving in the opposite direction of the spear thrown in the seclusion and Qur'an reading room at the end
through the throat of one of the men who came to kill him and into the corner of the wall. And the sword
and kills the bearer by cutting his waist. Seeing this, the others say the word of martyrdom and become Muslims.
they become. At that moment, one of them opens his hands and prays; 'O Allah, I have two sick children at home,
"If they recover, I will give all my land to the shrine," he said, and when he returned home, he called his wife
and when he found his children recovered, he would cry, and when he found that his two thousand acres of land were now in the hands of the Foundations.
Directorate and allocates it to the mausoleum. Hanging on the wall for years
the sword, which was still in the wall, disappeared in 1963. The spear, still lodged in the wall, was lost in 1963.
carries the story of the miraculous event to the present day."
The first Islamic martyr of Cyprus, the Companion Hz. Ömer Tomb
Laleli Mosque Imam Taha Tarkan Bay, who participated in the Cyprus expedition of Muawiya's army
He gave the following information about the tomb built for the Companion commander Hz. Ömer and his soldiers:
"Hz. Ömer Tomb is 6 km to the east of Kyrenia, 6 km to the east of Çatalköy (Ayios Epiktitos)
It is located on the rocks on the coast. Hz. Muaviye, one of the Companions who participated in the Cyprus expedition
Hz. Ömer, one of the commanders of the army, and six soldiers to Cyprus Today, the mausoleum
they enter from where they are located. Hz. Umar and his comrades-in-arms, the Companions
They were martyred in battle. After the battle, after the conquest, their bodies were taken to the nearby
He is buried in the cave. Hz. Umar and six of his companions, who were Companions like him, were killed
they become the first Islamic Seal. In 1571 AD (979 Hijri), the Ottomans were led by Sultan Selim II
period, when they conquered the island, they found the cave by evaluating the rumours. Seven
The martyrs of the Islamic mujahideen Sahabah, that is, the martyrs who are Ashabi Kiram, have never decayed and spoilt.
and they exhumed the bodies from their burial place and found them just north-west of the cave.
They buried him in the tomb they built on the volcanic rock mass next to him. Hz. Ömer
The mausoleum was restored in 1978 and later years with unconscious restorations inside and outside.
lost its original appearance to a great extent. During the restoration, the mausoleum
A masjid was built around the mosque and rooms for the imam, tombbedar and visitors were built around it. Some writers and
According to the opinions of the people, it is believed that the Tomb of Prophet Omar was built to consolidate Islam in Cyprus and
It is thought that it was built as a 'Mausoleum of Makam' in order to popularise it."
Apostolos Andreas Monastery
"The apostle of Jesus Christ in the Dip Karpaz in the north of the TRNC, at the closest point to Turkey
Apostolos Andreas Monastery, which is believed to have been founded by Andreas
There is the grave of the Companion Urwa bin Thabit, "he continued his words by saying
Laleli Mosque Imam Taha Tarkan Bay gave the following information on the subject:
"Zeki Akcan, one of the research assistants of Girne American University, started in 2001
and in his researches lasting nine years, he learnt that Herevi, one of the scholars of the Islamic world, was a scholar of Damascus and
Apostolos Andreas in Kitab-u Ziyaret travel notes in Beyazıt libraries
He found original documents indicating that the tomb of the Companions was located in the monastery. In these documents
In the part of the Apostolos Andreas Monastery that is now inside, the Islamic Caliph of the period
The grave of the Companion Urwa bin Said, who came to Cyprus during Muawiya's sea expeditions
that there was a chapel in Cyprus at that time. In fact, Herevi came to Cyprus in 1171 and found a chapel there.
where today's monastery is located, which was expanded and later expanded, the inscription of the Companion
also recorded it. The inscription on the stone inscribed with Surat al-Ikhlas and besmela reads, 'This is Hijri 29
It is the grave of Urwa bin Said, who died in Ramadan of the year. The original
Herevi's book, Süleymaniye Library, Beşirağa section, fixture number 110
is available. Turkish historian Prof. Dr Osman Turan and French writers on Cyprus
"This information is also included in their artefacts."
A place of sacrifice by both Turks and Greeks
"The Apostolos Andreas Monastery is visited by both Turks and Greeks and
offerings are made by both peoples. A busy visitor almost every day of the year
of the Apostle Apostolos Andreas. The Greeks honour the Apostle Apostolos Andreas and the Turks honour his tomb there.
a Companion they believe in, or a martyr who was martyred during the Islamic armies' Cyprus expedition.
They used to worship the soldier or in the name of a holy Islamic saint. After 2010
after it was proved by original documents that the grave belonged to the Companion Urwa bin Said.
sacrifices are made in the name of the Companions. According to a rumour, the holy person lying here is the
for the construction of a new building in the neighbourhood. Upon these dreams, they came here
the Greeks claimed it first. They built the church and named it Apostolos Andreas."
Holy Water
"It is a monument that emerges from the site of the first church on the lower side of the Monastery of Apostolos Andreas.
There are also two rumours about the water, which is believed to be sacred by both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots.
There is. Turkish Cypriots, the thirst of Muslim soldiers fighting Byzantine soldiers
the Companions believed that the commander struck his staff on the ground, and the water that came out of the place where he struck
He believes it fulfils the water needs of Muslim soldiers. According to the Christian belief that Jesus
one of his disciples Andrew travelling by sea to the Holy Land and Jerusalem, water on board the ship
the monastery is in trouble. Andreas got off the ship and went to the monastery with his cane.
and then the water starts gushing out. The captain of the ship, who was blind in one eye.
when you wash with this water, the blind eye begins to see."
Hala Sultan Tomb
The fourth and last mausoleum and considered one of the most sacred places by Turkish Cypriots
also gave information about the Hala Sultan Tomb in the Greek part of Cyprus
Laleli Mosque Imam Taha Tarkan Bay concluded his words as follows:
"The tomb of Umm Haram bint Milhan al-Ansariyya, the milk aunt of the Prophet, is located near the Salt Lake outside the city of Larnaca in the Greek part of the island.
The tomb built in the name of Umm Haram bint Milhan al-Ansariyya, the milk aunt of the Prophet,
After the Kaaba, which is considered sacred for the Islamic world, and the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad in Mecca
an important place of visit, ranking third. With his wife Ubade b. Samit and many Companions
Umm Uthman, who participated in the Cyprus expedition with the Islamic armies during the caliphate of Prophet 'Uthman
Haram was martyred after arriving in Cyprus by falling off the mule and breaking his neck.
was buried where he fell. He is popularly known as Hala Sultan and there are some
The tomb of Umm Haram, which is rumoured, was restored when the Ottomans conquered Cyprus.
and a mausoleum was built on it in 1760 by Sheikh Hasan Efendi. Today
"Visits are permitted on religious festivals with special permission."
In many villages, mosques and churches are side by side
The island of Cyprus, due to its dominant position in the Mediterranean Sea and its military and commercial importance, has been a centre of attraction for centuries.
The area of struggle between Muslims and Christians who wanted to dominate the Mediterranean
An island with a history of approximately 2,250 years. Byzantines to the island of Cyprus
under his rule, 24 expeditions were organised by Islamic armies between 632-964.
and the island was conquered in 649. Home to various civilisations and religions for years
the island's historical mosques and churches and many monumental gifts to the world cultural heritage
structure. It is frequented by religions and people with different beliefs
in almost every village in this land where they live, the structures of two different religions
Muslim mosques and Christian churches rise side by side. These buildings
while many of them are still standing as they were on the first day, some of them are back to the battles of centuries ago,
Although it has succumbed to earthquakes, it still continues to bear the traces of its majestic days.
in the neighbourhood. Historical mosques built during the Ottoman period and Byzantine, Lusignan and Venetian
Many historical churches built during the periods of the past are today in all their splendour.
adds beauty to the area. Even in some religious buildings converted from churches to mosques, both religions
the texture of a single structure. And admired by many tourists a year
is being organised.
It has many tourism potentials with its historical, touristic, cultural and religious dynamics
"Cyprus has many mosques, churches, tombs, chapels, masjids and basilicas.
has a valuable touristic structure. The island has many historical, touristic, cultural and religious dynamics.
tourism potential is available. For Faith Tourism, one of the oldest tourism types in the world
churches and mosques built in various periods and civilisations, open to worship in the TRNC
one of the churches dedicated to Apostolos Andreas, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ, with the tomb of the Companion
the Orthodox Monastery, which ensured the spread of Christianity on the island of Cyprus
The Barnabas Monastery, built in the name of St. Barnabas of Cyprus, one of the saints, was founded in the 12th century in Rome.
Bellapais Monastery, Armenian Apostolic Church, St. Paul's Anglican
Church, Mamas Monastery, which also has an icon museum, the Ottoman
Selimiye Mosque (St. Spohia Cathedral), which they converted from a church to a mosque when they conquered, Lala
Pasha Mosque (Nicholas Cathedral), Haydarpasa Mosque (Cathrine Church), Ottoman period
mosques such as Cafer Ağa Pasha Mosque, İplik Pazarı Mosque and Tabakhane Mosque are historical mosques.
The defiant religious buildings are beautiful enough to attract the attention of many believers.
Why shouldn't Cyprus get a share from 'Faith Tourism'?
From ancient times to the present day, many people have travelled for various purposes. Especially
From the fall of Rome (476 AD) to the birth of the Renaissance (15th century)
a significant proportion of the journeys made are either for religious purposes (especially pilgrimage) or for war
for religious purposes. Religious-religious travelling has increased especially in the last quarter of the 20th century.
has shown developments. Especially in the 1990s, there was a great development in tourism for religious-religious purposes.
developments have taken place. By 1994, the annual number of faith tourism participants was 4.4 million.
This number gradually increased and reached 14.7 million people annually in 2006.
rose. In the following years, this number increased even more. Approximately 300 million people a year
It has an important place in the tourism sector, which appeals and has a budget of around 20 billion dollars.
Why shouldn't Cyprus get a share of 'Faith Tourism'?
News file: Fulya Omaç / Famagusta - TRNC