Fatih Mosque in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, opened its doors to over 2,000 non-Muslim visitors during "Museum Night."
As part of the annual "Museum Night" event, guests visiting Fatih Mosque, which is affiliated with the Turkish Diyanet Foundation, received information about Islam, the mosque and Islamic arts.
The program began with the call to prayer broadcast over loudspeakers and continued with readings from the Quran and hymns by religious officials.
Imam Ismail Mercimek, who provided basic information about Islam to guests, told Anadolu Agency (AA), "Through Museum Night, many non-Muslims in the Netherlands are getting acquainted with the mosque. They are coming for the first time, seeing what happens in the mosque, observing the night prayer and hearing the calls to prayer, hymns and Quran recitations. The best part is that they can ask questions directly to our imams and receive immediate answers."
Fikret Önder, the president of the Fatih Mosque Association, stated that they organized this event for the eighth time and noted that many Dutch visitors' prejudices against Islam and Muslims were being broken.
This year, Önder pointed out that over 2,000 visitors came to see Fatih Mosque, emphasizing that "particularly educated, young people from a certain cultural level in the Netherlands come here to learn about Islam from our Dutch-speaking imams who have graduated from international theology programs."
During the event, traditional Islamic and Turkish arts were introduced to the mostly Dutch guests.
Visitors showed great interest in booths showcasing tile, marbling, calligraphy and filigree arts, and they participated in workshops to practice these arts.
The mosque, visited by more than a thousand non-Muslims, also offered flavors from Turkish cuisine.
Gioia Eijook, a 31-year-old Dutch visitor, shared that it was her first time at Fatih Mosque and that she made ceramics during the event. She said: "Even though I pass by here every day, I didn’t know how beautiful and large the inside of the mosque is. It was wonderful and impressive to see the mosque and learn about Islam."
Another Dutch visitor, Julia van Adrichem, expressed that visiting the mosque felt very good and that the atmosphere was delightful, stating, "Being here is very calming, and the environment is friendly."
Van Adrichem, who described the people at the mosque as very hospitable and cheerful, added that she would like to visit Fatih Mosque again.
The building housing Fatih Mosque was originally a church built in 1920, which was closed due to a lack of congregation. In 1971, it was transferred by the Church Society to a businessperson.
The building was used for various purposes, including a carpet warehouse and a musical instrument shop, before being purchased by Turkish workers in Amsterdam in 1980 to meet their need for a place of worship.
The building was affiliated with the Turkish Diyanet Foundation in 1986 and continues to serve as the Fatih Mosque.
