Op-Ed: My Journey to a City of Timeless Wonders and Warm Welcomes

By: Mohamed Raygal

At the start of 2024, a new city joined my list of known destinations when I first heard of Sanliurfa in Southeast Turkiye after receiving a job offer from my employer. Like anyone would, I tried to learn more about the city—to the point that my internet search history was solely occupied by its name. I called my friends in Istanbul, but they had merely heard of it, just like me. “You’re going far, and good luck,” was almost the unanimous reply I received.

I had been to Istanbul, Ankara, and Antalya before, but I was excited to see how different Sanliurfa would be. After six weeks of waiting for my work permit, on April 25th, I embarked on my journey to Sanliurfa. I arrived in Sanliurfa the next day after a long flight from Hargeisa, with layovers in Dubai and Istanbul. It was an early, sunny Friday morning with few clouds in the sky. As soon as I landed, I realized that the city was different from the other Turkish cities I had visited before.

It did not take long to notice Urfa’s unique landscape and its distinctive semi-arid Mediterranean climate, with scorching, dry summers and cool, moist winters. I was attracted by its vast plains and rolling hills, dotted with large stones and cairns. As you tour around the city, you will smell and see the incomparable history that spans from Paleolithic times to the modern era. By turns, the city was ruled by Persian, Roman, and Islamic civilizations, and it is deeply connected to Islamic, Christian, and Jewish history. Locally known as the City of Prophets, Urfa is home to various holy sites linked to the Prophets Ibrahim, Ayub, and Yaqub. Religion holds a significant place here, and if you are a Muslim, you will find yourself warmly and genuinely welcomed.

With a population of around 2.5 million, the city is considered one of the largest Kurdish cities in the world. The majority of residents are Kurds, with Arabs from Iraq and Syria and some Turks making up the rest of the population. While the city is rich in history and civilizations, it seems less diverse than one might expect, and you could hardly see any foreigners apart from in the spring when tourists, mainly from Europe, visit the historic places. To many locals, I am the first African descendant they have ever seen, and everyone seems curious to chat, with many asking to take a photo with me.

In my first few weeks, I visited the iconic Balikligol—a place that takes you thousands of years back in the history of mankind. On one side of Balikligol, you can see an old mosque and a cave where Prophet Ibrahim is believed to have been born. On the other side, there is a pool named the Pool of Abraham, Halil-Ür Rahman Lake, associated with the famous confrontation story between Prophet Ibrahim and King Nimrod. It was at this site that King Nimrod threw Prophet Ibrahim into the fire, and Allah miraculously saved him. According to residents and visitors, the fish in the pool are sacred, and you are required to feed them as a tourist.

In the middle of the city, there is another fascinating monument that represents human patience: Prophet Ayub’s Cave. It is a 2-meter-deep cave where Prophet Ayub is believed to have lived during his illness and suffering. Next to the cave, there is a well connected to water pipes. It is thought that the water from this well is the spring of water that Prophet Ayub drank and washed with, which healed his blisters and regenerated his skin. I observed tourists drinking and washing with the water, believing it has healing properties.

On a very hot day with a temperature of 43 degrees, I visited Göbekli Tepe, located northeast of Sanliurfa, about 15 km from the city center. Göbekli Tepe, a UNESCO heritage site, is the world’s oldest known temple site, dating back 12,000 years. It was wonderful to see the circular structures decorated with intricately carved stone pillars depicting wild animals, offering an attractive glimpse into the dawn of civilization.

Culturally, Kurdish people are known to be very welcoming to guests. They are so kind that they invite visitors to their homes and offer food and drinks. I tried most of the traditional foods in the city, including roasted meat Urfa Kebab, Lahmajun—a flatbread topped with minced meat and herbs flavored with spices, Urfa Ciger—a typical Somali liver, eggplants, and others. Of all the delicious foods, shish tawook—skewered and grilled chicken cubes—was my absolute favorite. No matter the dish, the food in the city is mouthwatering, garnished with different spices such as salt, green pepper, black pepper, and chili flakes.

While Urfa is an idyllic place for tourists, communicating with the locals is a challenge as you will hardly find English speakers. Locals speak Kurdish, Turkish, and less commonly Arabic. When I try to communicate in my basic Arabic, the residents are surprised to see a Somali who is not fluent in the language. They assume that Somalis are Arabs who speak Arabic since Somalia is part of the Arab League. It takes time to convince them that Somalis are of African ancestry with their distinct and unique language. This surprises them, as they have their assumptions. They are less aware of African origins, diversity, communities, and cultures.

At the time of reading this piece of writing, most of you might not be familiar with this city, but I highly recommend adding Urfa to your travel list if you visit Turkiye. I can guarantee you will enjoy the stunning history of the city, the footprints of early civilizations, the flavorful and spicy cuisine, and most importantly, the welcoming, friendly people.

About the Author

Mohamed Raygal is a humanitarian and development practitioner who writes about social issues, politics, and governance of development in complex emergency and post-conflict contexts.

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