CYPRUS:
Hala Sultan Tekke
The Hala Sultan Tekke Mosque which contains the shrine of Umm Haram, the
`foster-mother` of the Prophet Muhammad, is considered one of the holiest
sites in Islam. The complex is situated in a quiet garden on the shores of a
salt lake, 6km west of Larnaca, on the south coast of Cyprus. An ancient
Turkish account of the old woman`s demise, says she broke her neck in a fall
off a mule, while riding on the lakeshore in AD 646. Local myth claims her
tomb was found by a wandering Dervish who reported that its stones seemed to
have healing powers. On touching them, cripples were seen to rise and walk
and other pilgrims also had their maladies miraculously cured. In 1760, the
Ottoman Sultan in Istanbul, ordered a mosque to be built over the tomb. The
chamber containing the tomb is located behind the mihrab prayer niche in the
mosque. It stands within a trilithon whose cross-piece is a slab of fallen
meteorite, similar to the sacred ka`aba in Mecca. Though very simple, the
present mosque, built in 1816, exudes a special spiritual quality which is
remarked on by both Muslim and Christian visitors. Basic pilgrim
accommodation is available.