Aktepe Süleyman Cami

Aktepe Süleyman Camii takes its name from the Aktepe locality — literally 'White Hill' — on the eastern rim of Ankara in the Mamak district, and from the honoured name Süleyman, the Turkish rendering of the Qur'anic prophet Sulaymān (peace be upon him), whose wisdom, justice, and dominion over the natural world are frequent themes in Islamic devotional literature. The mosque is a classic example of the modern Turkish neighbourhood cami, built to serve the residents of its immediate surrounding streets and sustained by the voluntary contributions and the daily attendance of those same residents. It is a compact two-storey structure with a single minaret, a central dome, and a forecourt paved in grey stone. The prayer hall inside is carpeted in warm tones and lit by a mixture of natural light from side windows and suspended chandeliers of classical Turkish pattern. The mihrab is framed in Kütahya tile and the minbar is of carved wood. The imam's Friday sermons are known in the neighbourhood for being measured and thoughtful, often drawing lessons from the life of the prophet Sulaymān as narrated in the Qur'an and the classical commentaries — lessons about gratitude to God, humility in the exercise of power, and the right ordering of one's priorities. Women pray in a comfortable upper gallery, and Qur'an classes for children are held throughout the year in the annex. Ablution facilities are well-maintained. During Ramadan the mosque runs a full programme of tarawih and community iftars. The cold winds that sweep down from the eastern ridges in winter make the warm interior of the mosque particularly welcome, and worshippers arriving for fajr on a January morning stamp the snow from their boots at the entrance with a small, collective ritual of shared endurance that is itself a particular Anatolian dimension of the life of prayer. For Muslim visitors to the Aktepe locality of Mamak, the mosque is an unfailingly welcoming place to pray, and the surrounding streets preserve something of the old character of Ankara's eastern neighbourhoods despite the recent growth of apartment housing.