Barney Zwartz

Religious Editor - The Age

It’s hard to separate experiences out. It was a fabulous experience. Some aspects I can identify: 1: The history. A land, vibrant and welcoming, where the generations of mankind have unfolded, in an array of different cultures, from Hittite to early Christian to Byzantine to Ottoman. 2: The cultural experience: the food, the music, the architecture. 3: What makes any trip a success or otherwise is the people. The organisers and everyone we came into contact with worked hard to cater to our needs and to our interests, shared generously of their own lives and work and ambitions. 4: Gaining a deeper understanding of Islam, and breaking down some of the stereotypes that the media helps perpetuate. I plan to write a large travel article for The Age about this (most unforgettable experiences), so you will get more detail there. One of the most fascinating experiences was getting my beard trimmed, communicating by sign language and pigeon French, at a barber on the banks of the Euphrates. Ephesus, Mary’s House, Haran, Antioch, the museum at Ankara, the Sufi memorials in Konya, and the glories of Istanbul, especially Topkapi, the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofia. My first meal in Turkey, at Izmir, while I waited to meet the rest of the group, was one of the best of my life anywhere, and the food was uniformly delicious. Unfortunately I didn’t get to a hamam, but I did have a massage at a hotel in Ankara which was memorable. I would say, they (the Turkish people) were extremely hospitable, passionate, very proud of their country and culture (justly), generous. Sometimes the official organisation is distinctly lacking (queues at passport control at the airport or at Topkapi, where only one payment window was open and the queue stretched hundreds of metres). I have a little knowledge of Islam from my job, but it was rewarding and enriching to travel with Muslims, and to have intimate discussions. And to see the ancient tombs and beautiful mosques was a highlight. Turks in Melbourne, of course, are among the leaders in interfaith efforts. I think this tour is the sort of practical aid to understanding that follows what the AIS is doing in Melbourne – it takes it to another level. The best of Turkish Islam is open and relaxed, and understanding of other faiths, yet devout and faithful itself, and in this it serves as an ideal model. It seems to be an important aspect that Turkey was never under a colonial power, but was in fact a colonial power itself, so it is confident and secure. It maintains moral standards and a moral society, but not a repressive one – it allows each Muslim to serve his own conscience, guided by the faith. On the plane home a Bangladeshi criticised Turkish Islam – for exactly the same things I found valuable. Not surprisingly, given where I live, most of the Muslims I know are Indonesian or Malaysian, and I have also been exposed to Salafi thinking. So the points of comparison were illuminating. I had heard a little of this teacher (Fethullah Gulen) and movement (Gulen movement) but my understanding was not deep. I am very impressed by what I understand of his teaching, and also by the movement, which seem to me to provide a bright hope for Turkey, for Islam in general, and for understanding and co-operation with the West. It is devotional yet not restrictive, and open to new learning while holding to the essentials of the faith. This is a model for any religion. I know there is a battle now for the hearts and souls of the Muslim world; I think it’s very important that an intelligent yet faithful version like Gulen’s prevail. I think many Christians could learn from the movement’s open-hearted attitude and humility. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity the tour provided. It was a huge success, and I definitely plan to return to Turkey. Orhan and Mehmet did a very good job under sometimes trying circumstances. All in all, thanks for one of the best experiences of my life.