A Chinese couple living in Beijing set out on a world tour about two years ago after leaving their jobs. Their experiences of the warmth and hospitality shown by Muslims in Indonesia sparked their curiosity about Islam. During their travels, they also visited Türkiye, where they met a retired couple, Aysel and Abdurrahman Akgüç, while sitting in a park. After being invited into the Akgüç family’s home, the couple began reading the Holy Qur’an presented to them by Aysel Akgüç. They eventually decided to embrace Islam and expressed their wish to do so in Antalya, prompting them to return to the city. At a conversion ceremony held at Akdeniz University Mosque, attended by the Akgüç family, the Chinese couple embraced Islam. They were given the names Muhammad Murat and Leyla Betül.

“We feel greater inner peace”

Song said that those around them had also supported their decision to become Muslims. “Since embracing Islam, we have felt greater inner peace. When faced with difficulties, we remained calm and prayed, and this helped us greatly. For us, being Muslim means remaining good and sincere under all circumstances,” he said.

“He prayed with tears in his eyes”

Abdurrahman Akgüç said that a family bond had developed between them and the Chinese couple after they first met. He added that the couple had begun addressing him and his wife as “yeye”, the Chinese word for grandfather, and “nene”, meaning grandmother in Turkish.

Recalling that Moyuan Song had once expressed his wish to accompany him to the mosque, Akgüç said: “Song was deeply moved during the prayer. He prayed with tears in his eyes.”

Yeni Asya English