Man posing as ‘holy person' sparks debate

DİYARBAKIR

An individual who introduces himself as a "holy person" in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır and allegedly makes around 1 million Turkish Liras daily, with an average of over 300 devotees visiting him on a single day, has set social media abuzz.

In a house surrounded by security cameras and barbed wires in Diyarbakır, a man identified only by the initials A.A., who poses as a person deemed as a "holy man" in Muslim communities, otherwise known as a "sheik," makes amulets consecrated with prayers for some 300 people a day, local media reported.

It was learned that the individual’s establishment works with an appointment system, and people who want to see him get a white or green-colored receipt from the attendant at the door to purchase an amulet for prices ranging from 250 to 500 liras.

The majority of visitors are women who want to get these amulets, believed to have protective power, for their children, while customers can also get these amulets plated with iron for an extra fee of 30 liras.

It was stated that A.A.'s monthly earnings were over 1 million liras and that he also made amulets for wealthy or famous people under the name of "VIP services," in a different house in Kayapınar district in the evenings.

The "sheik," who allegedly earns income by manipulating people's religious beliefs, has sparked controversy.