President of Religious Affairs and Chairman of Board of Trustees of Türkiye Diyanet Foundation Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş participated in graduation programme held in Istanbul for the students that Türkiye Diyanet Foundation (TDV) gave education support within the scope of scholarship programs.
Giving a speech at the Diyanet Scholarships Graduation Program, which was held with the title of “From Graduation to Responsibility” in the Bağlarbaşı Congress and Culture Centre, President of Religious Affairs Erbaş expressed his satisfaction for being together with the young people.
Stating that TDV has been working to make goodness prevail in the world since the day it was established, President Erbaş said, “One of the most important methods of realizing the goodness is education. It is to raise young people who will have science, understanding, knowledge and wisdom and to disseminate the goodness with science, understanding, knowledge and wisdom. “
Reminding the verse, “You are the best community ever raised for humanity—you encourage good, forbid evil, and believe in Allah,” President Erbaş used the following expression, “You will be the representatives of a great duty with your knowledge, culture, civilization accumulation and morals inshallah by representing İslam well, which is the greatest blessing sent to the humanity.”
“Goodness will change the world”
Remarking that the first thing of our Beloved Prophet (saw) did when he built al-Masjid al-Nabawi was to build the School of Suffa in it; President Erbaş Erbaş continued his words as follows:
“The most of the Companions, predecessors of all of us, who graduated from the School of Suffa were the young people just as you. Just as those young people turned Yathrib into a bright, civilized city, namely the city of civilization al-Madinah al-Munawara, you will enlighten your homes with the education, knowledge, wisdom and understanding you have received in your schools. You will turn your neighbourhoods into civilized neighbourhoods; you will turn your cities into civilized cities. If we, as their successors, act with the spirit of the Companions and I have seen this in you Alhamdulillah, inshallah, goodness will prevail in the world and goodness will change the world with this spirit.”
Uttering that they have full confidence in young people, President Erbaş talked as “As long as we follow the path drawn by khutbah that our beloved Prophet (saw) delivered in his Farewell Sermon and he entrusted to all humanity in Arafat square, I hope that goodness will change the world. ‘All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a White has no superiority over a Black nor does a Black have any superiority over a White.’ As it is here, our brothers and sisters from different colours are here, you are the most welcomed, and you are all in our hearts regardless of your colour, language and sect.
“Islam is not a religion to be feared, a Muslim is not a person to be feared”
Reminding the hadith, “The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the people are safe,” President Erbaş used the following expressions, “Inshallah, we will represent him all over the world with morals in accordance with this definition of our Beloved Prophet (saw). Islam is not a religion to be feared, a Muslim is not a person to be feared. Islam is not a religion to be turned against. Islam is the religion that will maintain the balance of the world, and the person who will maintain this balance is Muslim.”
“Türkiye Diyanet Foundation is on the watch in order to make the goodness prevail in the world”
“Congratulating the graduated students, President Erbaş continued his words as follows:
“We see that the efforts of our Presidency of Religious Affairs and Türkiye Diyanet Foundation do not go down the drain, may the Allah (swt) bless you. This movement of goodness has grown like a snowball since the day it established. Today, that trust is on our shoulders. Now, we are on the watch to hand over this trust to those who will come after us in the most beautiful way. The Board of Trustees of Türkiye Diyanet Foundation is on the watch. Our watch is for you, for humanity, for goodness, for goodness to prevail in the world, for goodness to change the world. You have come from 112 countries with our women’s branches and youth branches from 81 provinces and 922 districts in Türkiye and in over 120 countries abroad. The number of countries we have reached is not limited to 112. For example, on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha in 2019, we reached 149 countries and tried to deliver the benevolence of our nation. Türkiye Diyanet Foundation gives effort to reach everyplace where there are oppressed and victim people, where there are children and women that are the victims of war regardless of their colour, faith, sect, and country.”
“We must set an example in every field”
Asking students to live an exemplary life, President Erbaş continued his words as follows:
“You have finished your schools, you have graduated. The real work starts now. In which field you will work after graduation, you will be the best in that field, you will be the exemplary people in that field just like our Beloved Prophet (saw). Just as our beloved Prophet(saw) set an example in the Holy Qur’an with his morals, leadership, teaching, imamate, and being a father and head of his family, in every subject, we will set an example in every field no matter what field we work in as his ummah and his heirs, may the Almighty Allah (swt) help you. Good luck and May your graduation be blessed my dear brothers and sisters.
The Message of President Erdoğan was read
At the programme, message of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was read.
Greeting the participants of the programme, President Erdoğan used the following expressions in his message, “I congratulate all our students from 112 different countries who will graduate from their schools in Türkiye this year. Today, we consider each of our young people who experience the joy of graduation as the ambassador of our nation. I consider each of my student brothers who continue their education here as honorary representatives of the societies they come from in Türkiye. I believe that each of our children who successfully complete their education today will serve their country in the best way as future ministers, prime ministers, politicians, industrialists, and people of science, culture and art.”
Stating that he especially asked the graduates to convey greetings to their families, friends and people when they return to their countries, Erdoğan congratulated the students.
At the programme, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye in Dakar Ahmet Kavas and Ministry of National Education General Director of Religious Education Mehmet Nezir Gül also made a greeting speech.
At the programme, after the singing of Turkish National Anthem, the Holy Qur’an was recited by Enes Saatçi, who is a student of the International Theology Program of France. At the programme that mehter and music recitals were made, representational speeches were given by students.
Wife of President of Religious Affairs Erbaş, Seher Erbaş and Vice President of Religious Affairs Huriye Martı, General Director of Religious Publications Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatih Kurt, General Director of Human Resources Akif Pusmaz, Chairman of the Board of Examination and Recitation of Mushafs Hafiz Osman Şahin, Director of Department of Guidance and Inspection Fatih Mehmet Karaca, Mufti of Istanbul Prof. Dr. Safi Arpaguş, Vice Chairman of TDV Board of Trustees İhsan Açık and General Director of Türkiye Diyanet Foundation İzani Turan and a large number of students also attended the program.
