Johannes Avetaranian

Who was Johannes Avetaranian?

Johannes Avetaranian, born Mehmet Şükri, according to his autobiography a Turkish descendent of Prophet Muhammad, was originally a mullah in Turkey who converted from Islam to Christianity, and later became a missionary for the Swedish Mission Covenant Church in Southern Xinjiang. He translated the New Testament into the Uyghur language

Avetaranian was born in Erzurum, in 1861, to a Muslim family. His mother was deaf, blind, and mute, and died when Avetaranian was only two years old. His father was a dervish.

He took the Armenian name of John Avetaranian and was baptised in Tiflis, Russia on 28 February 1885.

In his biography "A Muslim Who Became a Christian", Aveteranian states to have been unaware of his descent from the Islamic prophet, Muhammad, until a trip with his father to Erzurum. During the trip, Aveteranian and his father had put on the Green turbans, to which only the Sayyids or descendants of Muhammad are entitled. Prior to this, he had only worn this once in his childhood. The Green turban had been a gift which was presented to him by his maternal aunt. A local Mullah was astonished to see the green turban, and inquired as to from where he had obtained it. Then he requested Aveteranian to ask whether his aunt was aware that only Sayyids were entitled to wear green turbans. He did so, and the next day, his aunt went to the Mullah and clarified the Mullah's doubts as to their descent when she revealed her father's name. After this incident, Aveteranian gained respect from the Mullah, who would always defer to him, while in Avetaranian's presence.