Imam Sibgatullah Bilmez climbs nearly 5,000 steps every day to lead prayers at a mosque on a hilltop in the eastern Turkish city of Van. Despite the long and tiring journey, he sees the duty as a joy and a blessing. For the past five months Bilmez has served as acting imam of the Suleiman Khan Mosque at the top of Van Fortress.
His unusual routine was recently reported by the Turkish outlets Daily Sabah and Anadolu Agency.
According to the reports, Bilmez reaches the mosque each day before the midday prayer. After leading prayers and carrying out his other duties, he comes down the hill after the night prayer, Isha. The work means a long climb up the stairway every day.
Besides leading prayers, Bilmez spends time with Turkish and foreign tourists who visit the mosque. He tells them about its history and about Islam, answers their questions and discusses religious matters with them. Those conversations have also improved his spoken English.
When the mosque was first built is not known precisely, but the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent renovated it in 1534. It reopened for prayers three years ago, when a long restoration was completed.
“It is tiring, but I am giving thanks to Almighty Allah, and I am happy to be doing this work by my own choice,” Bilmez said of the daily effort.
He sees leading regular prayers at the hilltop mosque and talking with tourists about religion as part of his duty. It is this daily commitment, made over a long climb, that the Turkish media reports have highlighted.
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