Vasily Embraces Islam: I Love the Ottoman Empire

The nature of human beings is rooted in believing in something, seeking refuge in what they believe, and asking for things from it. With the attempt to satisfy these needs with false things and the governance of ideas that think religion will be an obstacle to them in worldly life, human nature has begun to undergo changes. Nevertheless, in the lands of the ummah, there are still our brothers who bring forth their nature with a spark and, by Allah’s grace, follow this spark and find Islam. One of these brothers is Abdullah Vasily.

In Abdullah’s story, Islam manifests itself in Russia. Abdullah, a young man who found Islam by thinking and reasoning at the age of 15.

“If you use your mind, He is the Lord of both the East and the West and everything in between.” (Quran, Surah Ash-Shu’ara, 28)

Vasily: These Were Not Enough for Me

Before becoming a Muslim, then known as Vasily, he was born in 1978 into an atheist family in Russia. The environment he grew up in was far from matters of religion and belief. When he turned 15, questions that were never asked around him started to linger in his mind.

Abdullah describes this period:

“Until the age of 15-16, I never thought about God. I started asking, ‘What is the meaning of life? What is this life, this thing presented to me?’ That’s why, at first, I gave my own belief the name Mon-atheism. I had developed my own belief.”

Abdullah Vasily had a spiritual hunger within him; the only thing that would help him was Islam. Abdullah continued his quest.

“Christianity did not meet my spiritual needs. It seems that by nature, humans have spiritual needs, and these needs are tried to be filled with music, sports, and similar social activities. But these were not enough for me. Therefore, I found Christianity inadequate in spiritual and moral aspects.”

I Created a Religion for Myself

Abdullah Vasily, who lived his life until the age of 18 with the Mon-atheism belief he developed, made Muslim friends at the age of 20 and got acquainted with Islam.

“Until I was eighteen, I created a religion for myself. I even gave it a name, Mon-atheism. I believed that the Creator did not resemble the created. I did not accept the dogmas like the holy trinity of Orthodox Christianity, and I did not accept Christianity. When I started university and went to the Faculty of Law, I made friends with Muslim students. As I listened to Islam from them, I realized that it encompassed my Mon-atheism religion. Unconsciously, I found and accepted Islam through reason. After listening to my friends, within two weeks, I became a Muslim by bearing witness in front of two witnesses. I was going to continue my life with a new belief, with faith. It was a wonderful thing; what more can I say? I was very happy.”

Their Love for Their Races Suppressed the Brotherhood of the Ummah

For Abdullah, who has just become a Muslim, a new hunger emerged. He wanted to get to know his fellow believers and learn more about his religion. While searching for Muslim friends, he noticed something:

“I really wanted to meet people who chose Islam like me. Therefore, I started to communicate with Russian, Armenian, Georgian, Korean Muslims. I tried to learn about all disagreements and problems, from the problems of the ummah in Russia to the problems of the Caucasus. I followed what was happening in the world. I noticed that when people accepted a belief, they did not give up their old religions, or they accepted similar beliefs, and although societies became Muslims, they wanted to be together with their race. Their love for their races suppressed the brotherhood of the ummah.”

Abdullah Vasily: I Love the Ottoman Empire

Actually, Abdullah shows us how precious the blessing of the brotherhood of the ummah is, which we are in and do not notice. He expresses not only the brotherhood of the ummah but also the value of our history, the legacy of our ancestors, and especially what is expected from Muslims living in Turkey from the perspective of the world ummah with these words:

“I love the Ottoman Empire, the greatest state of Islam. I want to express my positive feelings towards the rulers of the Turkish people and towards the Turkish society, who have served Islam properly. It is time for awakening for Ottoman legacy Turkey. I want to say that I wholeheartedly support the revival process going slowly but surely in Turkey, both for the congregation I represent and for myself. Although I do not want anything that will make me leave my homeland, if I have to leave Russia, I know that there is no other option for me except Turkey. Like all Muslims worldwide, we look at Turkey, follow it, and pray for Islam to rise again from this country.”