The tourist trip to the historical Turkish city of Mardin is said to change the life of a South Korean tourist who converted into Islam there.
The traveler who goes by the name of Shaevn came to Mardin, southeast Türkiye, and was amazed by the great culture and religion that this city possesses.
Mardin is well known for its historical aspect and Islamic legacy created by dozens of ancient buildings. Besides, the city gained its fame as a place of religious tolerance and coexistence.
There is one feature of Mardin that is really special – this is a combination of mosques and old churches placed next to each other. In this city, Muslims and Christians admit their places of worship in one area.
Also, in the Ottoman times Mardin used to be a fortified city having its significance at that time. Nevertheless, with the course of time Mardin has demonstrated its multicultural environment and living together of several religious communities.
While on holiday, Shaevn is said to have been impressed by the environment and the culture around him. This led to the decision to convert to Islam.
The conversion ceremony was conducted at the Artuklu District Mufti’s office under the supervision of the District Mufti Süleyman Baran. A mufti is a person who has knowledge about Islam and can make fatwas, or religious decisions.
As mentioned in the Turkish mufti’s statement, the Korean tourist converted while being in Mardin, so the authorities organized the official ceremony held at the office.
During the ceremony, Shaevn pronounced the shahada, or the statement of faith that shows that a person has converted to Islam. After the ceremony, he took the name Abdullah. Also, Mufti Baran gave him a copy of the Quran as a present.
This event has gained considerable interest due to its ability to show how tourism can inspire travelers to take greater interest in the culture and religious customs of the place they are visiting. Shaevn reportedly had a more than just a tourist visit in Mardin whose experience had an impact on his personal decision.
Moreover, Shaevn’s conversion is happening within the context of reports about other foreign tourists converting to Islam during their trips to Türkiye as some have become interested in the Islamic heritage of the country as well as its multicultural heritage.
Mardin is rich in centuries-old architecture and mosques, churches as well as traditional neighborhoods which allow a traveler to have a glimpse at another side of Türkiye. One of the tourists from South Korea is one more illustration of how tourism can have a significant effect on a person’s life.
