The 2022 Ramadan Activities Promotion Meeting was held with the participation of Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş, Head of Religious Affairs and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Turkiye Diyanet Foundation.
Speaking at the meeting held in the Conference Hall of the Presidency of Religious Affairs, Erbaş, the head of religious affairs, expressed the joy and excitement of approaching Ramadan and said that after the first prayers to be held on Friday, April 1st, the first fast to be held on Saturday, April 2, will enter Ramadan.
President Erbaş stated that after the epidemic measures that have affected the world for more than two years, Ramadan will be realized with more excitement this year, “We hope that we will experience the peace of redemption together this year, which makes our prayers, our Dua, in short, the month of Ramadan meaningful and unforgettable. I endlessly thank Almighty Allah, who brings comfort with every difficulty and relief with every trouble. I wish humanity to get rid of this epidemic disease as soon as possible, and I pray to Almighty Allah to transform the whole world into a home of peace and tranquility with Ramadan. he said.
“The most comprehensive and greatest responsibility of man on earth is accuracy”
Explaining that they have set the theme of Ramadan 2022 as “Ramadan and Accuracy”, President Erbaş said, “As you know, every year during Ramadan, we carry out services, activities, and negotiations on the axis of that issue by taking an issue on our agenda in light of the life-giving principles of our great religion, Islam, to raise awareness in the community. We strive to raise awareness on this issue with conferences and seminars that discuss this issue with many of our people in Turkiye and abroad.”
President Erbaş emphasized that the most fundamental moral value that will lead to goodness in both the world and in the afterlife is accuracy, and “the truth that is the essence of the life order built to believe in Almighty Allah is the truth, the truth of the promise, the attitude and behavior in the heart in terms of goodness and sincerity. Accuracy is the most basic moral principle that concerns our entire existence and surrounds our entire lives. Thus, the most comprehensive and greatest responsibility on earth for a person created by Almighty Allah as a repeat being is honesty. The fulfillment of this responsibility is also a cornerstone of creating a peaceful and safe environment, one of the most important needs of the human being.” “he said.
“Accuracy is one of the reference concepts of the faith and morality of Islam”
Highlighting that it is only through establishing an environment of trust that any relationship with people, from individual to society, from family to environment, can progress, President Erbaş continued:
“The atmosphere of trust, on the other hand, becomes reality with the truth and honesty of everyone who makes up a society acquires integrity. Accuracy is not a society where lies, trickery, and deception are present. Where there is no accuracy, there can be no mention of peace, stability, brotherhood, solidarity, and cooperation. Accuracy, which is seen as the source of all kinds of fertility by our religion, is one of the reference concepts of Islamic faith and morality. It is the starting point of being able to build a society based on peace, prosperity, and a society based on justice, compassion, and conversation. Virtues such as loyalty, sincerity, love, generosity, Infaq, and otherness are moral values that rise above the concept of truth and accuracy. Therefore, our Beloved Prophet stated that the person who could not inspire trust in his neighbor by associating truth and accuracy with faith could not truly have believed.”
“Social media is the foremost among the places where the Accuracy is neglected”
Noting that the need for the vision of life and moral principles of Islam, especially accuracy, is becoming more and more felt in today’s world when the means of communication and interaction change, President Erbaş said, “Social media is one of the areas where truth is neglected the most and lies spread fastest. On the Internet and social networking platforms, some people can produce and share all kinds of lies without futurism. It can transmit everything it sees or hears to others without even feeling the need to confirm its accuracy. However, it is a great sign as a right of worship to cause the spread of lies by sharing the truth of news we hear without researching it. It is a stick of dynamite placed based on social unity. For this reason, we will strive to create sensitivity by putting the theme of “accuracy” on our agenda during Ramadan this year and processing it thoroughly.”
“To extend our helping hand to the needy siblings during Ramadan will be the greatest spiritual gain for us”
Pointing out that the world is going through difficult and troubling terms today, President Erbaş said, “Millions of people are deprived of even their most basic rights, especially in Islamic geographies due to wars, occupations, terrorist attacks, and forced migration events. Millions of children on earth pass away of poverty, desperation, and hunger. In times like these, the importance of helping, sharing, healing wounds, and alleviating pain is inexplicable. In the month of Ramadan, where blessings are shared multiply, reaching out to the needy brothers, the poor, the orphans and the poor will be the greatest spiritual gain for us. At this sacred time, it would be better for us to relieve some of the troubles of our brothers who are asking for aid from us than to receive all the blessings of the world.” he states.
“Let us strive to increase goodness and fertility, barakah, with our zakat, zakat Al-Fitr and iftar tables”
Uttering that month of Ramadan is a season of sharing, President Erbaş continued his words as follows:
“During this season, worship multiplies by sharing knowledge, love, effort, and bread; we relieve suffering by sharing sorrow. In the end, we will share the holiday to further strengthen our brotherhood and unity. Therefore, let us strive to increase goodness and fertility with our zakat, Zakat-Fitr, Zakat, and iftar tables. The month of Ramadan is a month in which zakat worship is especially intensely performed. Zakat is the right of the needy in the wealth of the wealthy. Therefore, neglecting Zakat or refraining from sharing zakat is both a violation of the right of worship and a great sin in the sight of Allah. And let us not forget that our zakats and all our good deeds are a sign of our sincerity, loyalty, and honesty towards Almighty Allah and faith. Almighty Allah will offer us all better than what we have offered, with the blessing of Ramadan.”
“Our duty, as parents, is to make our children benefit from the abundance of this month to the utmost”
Pointing out that Ramadan is also an opportunity for education, President Erbaş said, “Ramadan is also an important opportunity for our children’s education of faith, worship, and compassion. Therefore, we must demonstrate the excitement and happiness in performing the worship of our young people and children, by enabling them to grow up in the peaceful environment of our mosques. Our mosques are beautiful with our children, and meaningful to our youth. As parents, we must help our children make the most of the phases of this month and the spiritual atmosphere of our mosques. So let us encourage and support our children, our young, to enjoy the abundance of the field, the taste of the fast, and the joy of the Sahour. Let us raise our mosques with our children in a prayer of time, in response. Let them taste the beauty of worship together. Let them collect sweet memories of Ramadan in the worlds of the mind and the heart.” he made an assessment.
“We will try to satisfy the yearning of two years by illuminating our mosques”
President Erbaş reminded us that after two years of absence due to the epidemic, the prayers of the Tarawih will be carried out by the community in mosques this year, and said, “We carry the excitement of this, we live. This year, we will fill our mosques, and we will hopefully try to satisfy the yearning for two years. However, in this process, we must respect the sensitivities of the ongoing measures. The necessary measures such as cleaning and mask use taken by our Presidency will continue to be implemented in our mosques and masjids. I ask that our brothers and sisters who have symptoms of the disease do not join the congregation and be patient until the diseases pass.” he added.
Activities to be performed during Ramadan
Providing information on activities to be carried out in Ramadan, President Erbaş said:
“We will substantially perform our guidance activities face to face. Tarawih prayer will also be performed in our mosques in the congregation as a five-time prayer. We together will inhale the spiritual air of Ramadan with all of our family members by participating in tarawih prayers, conversations, and recitations. Recitations will be performed in our mosques and Qur’an courses. Our citizens who cannot participate in recitations in our mosques can follow the recitations to be performed on Diyanet TV every day during Ramadan. “Tarawih Prayers with Khatim” will be established in mosques and masjids that are deemed suitable by the Mufti’s Offices. The “190 Religious Information Line” will be at the service of our citizens between 08:00 and 22:00, 7 days a week during the month of Ramadan. Website special to Ramadan (ramazan.diyanet.gov.tr) which will include books, magazines, and other printed, audio visual materials prepared by our Presidency with the theme of “Ramadan and Righteousness” will be at the service of our nation. In our Diyanet TV, Diyanet Radio, Diyanet Qur’an Radio and Diyanet Risalet Radio, iftar and sahur programs will be carried out. Furthermore, our hodjas will carry out programs in our mosques, Qur’an courses, conference halls, TV-Radio channels, and internet platforms as face to face.
“It is a great plague that unspecified sources are carried to the screens to collect ratings and likes”
President Erbaş stated that the Presidency of Religious Affairs, sees Ramadan as an opportunity to bring the community together with true religious knowledge, and warned:
“We also appreciate those who see themselves as competent to say something in this matter and show a great effort and effort in this regard. However, we are deeply saddened to witness that our people’s interest and sensitivity in religious matters are abused from time to time in the media and social media platforms.
Let me make it clear that it is not an acceptable approach to make material for inappropriate and meaningless discussions about our beliefs and prayers. It is a great plague that unlikable, unhelpful, unworthwhile things that do not add value to our lives are randomly transported to the screens to collect ratings and likes. Therefore, everyone who makes, writes, and makes programs, writes and speaks on social media channels, especially television and radio channels, or at Ramadan events of municipalities, should use an elegant, constructive and unifying style in their words and behaviors by acting responsively; I specifically urge him to stay away from superstitions, agitation, and exclusionary attitudes.”
President Erbaş said that the events to be held during Ramadan should be planned after the prayers of the Tarawih and that people, especially young people, should not be forced to choose between the prayer and the event.
“We are planning to reach out to nearly one million siblings through donations.”
Stating that Turkiye Diyanet Foundation (TDV) is carrying out a project with the theme of “Hoped For Is You, May Bless Our Brotherhood be blessed with Zakat” together with the Presidency of Religious Affairs, President Erbaş said, “Our foundation will hopefully live the spiritual climate of Ramadan in 81 provinces and all districts in Turkiye with the support of our nation during Ramadan this year, and in the regions where there are oppressed, victimized and needy people abroad. As the Turkiye Diyanet Foundation, within the scope of the Ramadan aid program; We plan to reach nearly 1 million brothers and sisters with aid cards, food packages, iftar rations, Bairam clothes.”
President Erbaş noted that citizens who want to deliver aid to the needy through TDV can make their donations such as zakat, Zakat Al-Fitr, Fidiah, shopping card, food package, Bairam clothing, Iftar-rations during Ramadan through www.tdv.org and bagis.tdv.org addresses, provincial and district mufti, TDV branches and contracted banks.
President Erbaş concluded his speech with the following Dua:
“May that Ramadan will bring peace to our hearts, blessings to our homes, and goodness to our family, our country, and the Islamic world. I pray to The Almighty Allah that these blessed times lead to the guidance and goodness of mankind and the peace and tranquility of the earth.”
Ihsan Açık, II Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Turkiye Diyanet Foundation, Izani Turan, Director General of the Turkiye Diyanet Foundation, senior managers of the Presidency of Religious Affairs, and presidential staff attended the meeting.
