In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salÄmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullÄhi wa-barakÄtuh
I first went to Turkey in 1998, got arrested and spent some time in a Police station. The reason for our arrest was that the Police wouldn’t believe us that we had come to Turkey (Mediterranean) to explore Islamic history.
They told us to get some Turkish girls and enjoy ourselves because there was no Islam in Turkey. Later on, they became our friends and wanted to arrange the girls for us which we declined.
In most parts of Turkey, poverty and joblessness were rampant.
Today (2017) in less than 20 years Turkey has transformed itself into an economic powerhouse of Europe and most importantly, you now clearly and visibly see Islam outwardly and inwardly in Turkey.
Economically and infrastructure (wise) I have seen Turkey literally transform before my very eyes. Roads, airports, trains, and Turkish Airline look nothing like the “sick man of Europe” as they used to be.
In fact I drove through parts of Greece 2 years ago and it is a pit of humanity in terms of infrastructure in comparison to (modern) Turkey. Greece (today) is what Turkey used to be!
Turkish airlines used to be the joke and it is now in the Top 10 of the world.
- Why and how has Turkey transformed, itself?
- What lessons can be learned for countries like Pakistan?
- If the Government and bureaucracy in Turkey can be transformed (towards Islam) can other countries transform themselves (away) from Islam? Can India become a Hindutva state?