Clarifying Misunderstandings About ‘Turki’

What is “Turki”?

11/5/2026

I am often puzzled by how misconceptions form in people’s minds and then grow until they seem like undeniable truths, immune to any challenge. Perhaps the most curious aspect of human nature is how a fleeting word can be spun into a complete narrative, which is then recounted with the confidence of a historian recounting established facts.

Such is the case with the word “Turki” in my writings. In recent years, I have frequently penned articles under this title, discussing a dear friend of mine, Sheikh Turki Al-Fadhli, a pure Arab from Mecca, renowned for his dedication to Hadith and its chains of transmission, his refined literary taste, and his gatherings that blend knowledge with camaraderie, making time fly unnoticed for those in his company.

Yet, people—may Allah forgive them—are quick to jump to conclusions, much like horses racing to the field. Upon seeing the word “Turki,” they assumed I was continually writing about Turkey and its people, imagining that my pen was devoted to singing the praises of Istanbul, Ankara, Bursa, and beyond.

This assumption was further fueled by the fact that I have indeed written extensively about Turkey—not just one or two articles, but a long series chronicling my travels there, my observations, my meetings with its scholars and students, and the remnants of Islamic civilization in its mosques, schools, libraries, and institutes. A selection of these articles was compiled into my book “Journey to Turkey,” intended to record reflections and impressions, not in the manner of geographers cataloging buildings and streets, but as one who views the land through the lens of history, spirit, and culture.

I still have many such articles and memories yet to be published, which will, God willing, appear in future volumes. For the discussion of Turkey is extensive, and this country is not a mere footnote in Muslim history but a significant chapter in their glory and a cornerstone of their collective memory.

Herein lies the source of confusion; people saw the book “Journey to Turkey,” read my repeated articles about my travels there, and then encountered the title “Turki,” leading them to believe it was all part of the same narrative, that my affection for Turkey was so consuming that I wrote of nothing else.

Some readers from Turkey might have been greatly pleased by this misconception, imagining me as a late Ottoman court poet! Perhaps one sat down to read an article titled “Turki,” expecting tales of the Bosphorus and Hagia Sophia, only to find me discussing a Meccan sheikh narrating chains of transmission, charming his companions, or reciting a line of ancient Arabic poetry, leaving the reader bewildered as if they had entered an entirely different room than intended.

I do not blame them much, for Turkey itself is a land that captivates hearts and evokes an unmistakable affection in Muslims. Anyone who visits and contemplates its Islamic relics, witnessing the enduring spirit of history, knows that this country was never a peripheral entity in the life of the ummah but a beating heart among its great hearts.

I have written about all this in my articles and travels, noting the architectural beauty, the people’s dedication to knowledge, and the lingering majesty that still resides in some of its ancient mosques and grand structures. Walking through its neighborhoods, I often felt that history whispered softly, heard only by those who listen intently.

Yet, despite all this, the “Turki” I refer to in those articles is not Turkey, but Sheikh Turki Al-Fadhli, my friend whom I cherish for his pure character, noble conduct, and pleasant companionship.

He is a man who, if heard speaking for even an hour, would leave no doubt of his Meccan roots; his speech carries the spirit of the Hijaz, his tongue the accent of the Arabs, and his nature the simplicity found in scholars untainted by titles or pretensions.

Perhaps I was drawn to write about him because he reminds me of that generation of scholars who combined dignity with a light-hearted spirit, never burdening people with feigned sternness, nor using knowledge as a cloak of arrogance and superiority.

I felt compelled to write this brief clarification to prevent this misconception from spreading further and to inform the reader that the “Journey to Turkey” articles are one thing, and the “Turki” articles are another; the former is about a cherished country that holds a place in my heart and memory, while the latter is about a dear friend who holds a place in my affection and life.

For those who still insist that “Turki” means Turkey, I fear that if I write tomorrow about “the Indian,” they might think I am composing a new book on the geography of India!