Istanbul  formerly known as Constantinople from 330 AD until 1930 Greek Latin: Constantinopolis; Ottoman Turkish: قسطنطينيه, is the largest city in Turkey, serving as the country’s economic, cultural and historic hub. The city straddles the Bosporus strait, lying in both Europe and Asia, and has a population of over 15 million residents, comprising 19% of the population of Turkey. Istanbul is the most populous European city and the world’s 15th-largest city.

TopKapi Museum

Istanbul is home to a substantial part of the relics which belonged to Prophet Muhammad, his Companions, and Mecca and Medina (the Haramayn), known as the amanat al-mubaraka (blessed trusts), or amanat al-muqaddasa (sacred trusts); these objects carry memories from the earlier periods of Islam. The Ottomans became sensitive to collecting the sacred relics in Istanbul as this was regarded as a sign of their commitment to the traditions of Prophet Muhammad. They kept these relics in special places reserved for them in order to protect them from being mixed with other items that did not belong to the Prophet.

In Islam, the path to realize faith in Allah passes through believing in His Messenger Muhammad, knowing him, trusting in his personality, embracing his sayings and actions and applying them to one’s own life. The Qur’an states that the measure of a person’s love for Allah depends on whether or not they love the Prophet and take him as an exemplar in their life. The reverence of the Companions and the following generations for the Prophet’s exemplary character was not just related to adopting him as an example in religious matters; the deep respect and loyalty to his memory meant that the items that belonged to and were used by the Prophet were protected with great care. Based on Prophet Jacob’s example of using his son Joseph’s shirt to heal his eyes, blinded due to his sorrow, Muslim generations also used these items as a source of blessing and healing.

Starting with their own family members, many Companions led the way in this understanding, believing that having any one of those relics was worth the world, opening special rooms for hadith and sirat books, protecting them respectfully and, in this way, showing their love for the Prophet.

The Chamber of the Holy Relics

The 552 m structure, located on the northeastern side of the Enderun Square, that is, the third yard in the Topkapı Palace, is where the sacred relics were kept and exhibited in the past and today; this area is known as the Mukaddes Emanetler Dairesi (Chamber of the Holy Relics). Formerly, after the sacred relics were transferred to the Ottomans they were kept in the Harem-i Hümayun (imperial harem); eventually they were transferred to this area to be exhibited. Thus, this area is also known as the Apartments of the Hırka-i Saadet(mantle of the Prophet) or Mukaddes Emanetler Dairesi. This area, which was reserved for sacred relics, particularly during the era Mahmud II, was first established during the reign of Sultan Mehmed II. The rooms underwent some changes, restorations and additions over time.

The Has Oda (privy chamber), where the mantle of the Prophet was kept, constitutes the main section of the building; the arched gate to this area has the kalima-i tawhid (La ilaha Illallah, Muhammadun Rasulullah) written in calligraphy by Sultan Ahmed III. The dome of the Has Oda, which is higher relative to the rest of the rooms, is placed on a frame with twelve arched windows. Verses 45-47 from Sura al-Ahzab (33) are written on a belt with black background around the top of the dome. And below this belt there is a skylight around which Verses 1-8 of Sura al-Fath (18) are written. Couplets from Buisiri’s Qasida-i Burda (Ode of the Mantle) is written in the thuluth style in the belt that adorns the top part of the tiled walls.

The salat-u salam is written in the jali thuluth style on the pediment above the arc of the hall. There is a double door that has geometric motifs inlaid in mother-of-pearl and tortoiseshell where this hall leads into the Has Oda. In this room, two of the Prophet’s swords, his bow, and standard are kept, in addition to his mantle; in the fore part of this room some items like the door of Ka’ba, golden gutter, the keys of the Ka’ba, and the swords of the Companions are exhibited. Because the room next to the Has Oda was a type of reception room where the sultan meet high-ranking officials, it was known as the arzhane (presentation/reception room). A letter written by the Prophet, his footprint, his seal, a part of his tooth, hairs from his beard, dirt from his grave, and some other relics are kept in this room.

Hazrat Abu Ayub Ansari (r.a)

Eyup Sultan Mosque is built to next to the tomb of one of the companions of Prophet Mohammed, Abu Ayub Ansasi and who was a member of the first army sent by Amir Moayia under the leadership of Yarid to conquer Istanbul. Although this expedition was not successful, on his death, he was buried here as per his will.

When the Prophet (ﷺ) emigrated to Madinah, all of the Ansar were keen to host the Prophet (ﷺ) in their house. The Prophet (ﷺ) made the decision that he would stay where his camel stopped and it subsequently stopped at the residence of Abu Ayyub Ansari. The Prophet (ﷺ) stayed at his house for 7 months.

Blue Mosque

The Blue Mosque in Istanbul, also known by its official name, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Turkish: Sultan Ahmet Camii), is an Ottoman-era historical imperial mosque located in Istanbul, Turkey. A functioning mosque, it also attracts large numbers of tourist visitors. It was constructed between 1609 and 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I. Its Külliye contains Ahmed’s tomb, a madrasah and a hospice. Hand-painted blue tiles adorn the mosque’s interior walls, and at night the mosque is bathed in blue as lights frame the mosque’s five main domes, six minarets and eight secondary domes. It sits next to the Hagia Sophia, the principal mosque of Istanbul until the Blue Mosque’s construction and another popular tourist site.

Grand Bazaar 

The Grand Bazaar meaning ‘Covered Market’ also Büyük Çarşı, meaning ‘Grand Market) in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops on a total area of 30,700 m², attracting between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. In 2014, it was listed No.1 among the world’s most-visited tourist attractions with 91,250,000 annual visitors. The Grand Bazaar at Istanbul is often regarded as one of the first shopping malls of the world.