“Ramadan, which brings excitement to our lives and brings beauty to our homes, is literally a school of wisdom. We learn to be patient with imsak. We taste the pleasure of giving thanks with iftar. We realize the value of the blessings we have. We always thank our Lord for what He has bestowed upon us. That alone is a huge win in itself.”
"RAMADAN BRINGS A STRONG STAND TO THE MUSLIM"
“The month of Ramadan, which we will revive with its meaning that gives direction to life and the worship it contains, will undoubtedly lead us to the consent of Allah Almighty. It will give us a strong stance against the provocative temptations, distractions and all kinds of negativities of the world.”
“TO EXTEND A HAND IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY OF FAITH AND SERVITUDE”
“Millions of our brothers and sisters in Islamic geographies are going through difficult and troubling times in the whirlpool of wars, occupations and terrorist attacks. To help them, to cure their problems, to heal their wounds and relieve their pain, is the responsibility of faith and servitude for us."
“RAMADAN, BUILDS UMMAH CONSCIOUSNESS”
Here, the month of Ramadan has an atmosphere that will eliminate individualization and therefore loneliness by building a strong consciousness of existence and ummah consciousness among believers.
Head of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş answered the questions of our newspaper about the month of Ramadan. Mentioning the importance of Ramadan, Erbaş also expressed how valuable cooperation is for Muslims. Underlining that the month of Ramadan is a school of wisdom, Erbaş said, "It will give us a strong stance against the provocative temptations, distractions and all kinds of negativities in the world."
What does fasting mean, can you talk about the month of Ramadan and the importance of fasting? What should Muslims do in this month, what should they pay attention to?
First of all, I congratulate the Ramadan of our beloved nation and the entire Islamic world. I pray to our Almighty Lord to revive Ramadan in the most beautiful way and bring us to the feast in health, welfare and well-being. Fasting means abstaining from eating, drinking and certain behaviors from dawn to dusk with the intention of performing the worship determined by Allah Almighty. It is one of the basic conditions of being a Muslim and one of the main worships of our religion. As in all other acts of worship, the main purpose of fasting is to obey Allah Almighty's orders with the awareness of taqwa and to gain His consent. He draws our attention to the fact that fasting is an act of worship that keeps the awareness of responsibility alive by saying, "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may fear Allah Almighty," our Lord said.
“FASTING IS AN EDUCATION OF WILL”
Since it is one of the longest worships in terms of duration, a fasting believer is in a state of worship all day long. Essentially, this is a training of willpower in the true sense of the word. Because during this period, a person finds the opportunity to strengthen his will by staying away from his human desires and some preoccupations of life. Thus, he learns to gain control over all his limbs not only his stomach, but also his hand, tongue, eye, ear etc. As a matter of fact, our beloved Prophet (pbuh), who said "Fasting is half of patience", also stated that fasting is a means of purification for our body with the hadith "Everything has zakat, the zakat of the body is fasting," he added. Just as zakat purifies wealth, fasting also purifies the body of its burdens and cleanses the soul of its impurities.
“FASTING IS A SHIELD FOR A MUSLIM”
The Prophet (pbuh) likened fasting to a shield. “On the day when one of you fasts, let him not utter bad words or quarrel. If someone insults or quarrels with him, let him say, 'I am fasting,'" he said. Emphasizing that fasting should keep people away from all kinds of negativity, evil and extremism that destroy the nature, such as lying, backbiting, bad words and fights. Fasting for the sake of Allah Almighty alone preserves a person's faith and direction. It gives the consciousness and will to take a stance befitting a believer in his words, attitudes and behaviors. Otherwise, the meaning of fasting and it has no value. In this context, "There are many fasting people; He will have nothing but dry hunger from his fast. There are many people who pray at night; The only thing left to them from their prayers is insomnia,” the Messenger of Allah Almighty (pbuh) added.
Fasting is an obligatory act of worship for the month of Ramadan. Ramadan is a month of fasting. In the verse that mentions the virtues of the month of Ramadan in the Qur'an, it is stated that "…whoever of you reaches this month, let him fast". Our beloved Prophet (pbuh) also informed us that "the gates of heaven are opened, the gates of hell are closed and the devils are chained," he said in Ramadan, which he describes as a "blessed and fruitful month". He emphasized the purifying aspect of Ramadan and fasting by saying, "Whoever fasts during Ramadan with faith and seeking reward from Allah Almighty, his past sins will be forgiven," he added. For this reason, the month of Ramadan is considered superior to other times in terms of the rewards bestowed on worship.
On the other hand, what makes Ramadan really worthwhile, the Qur'an, which was sent as a source of guidance, mercy and healing for humanity, was sent down in this month. Our Holy Book, which began to be revealed on the laylat al-qadr, which our Almighty Lord considers better than a thousand months, has become a life for hearts that have become barren due to the scorching effect of the evils besieging the earth. It has illuminated humanity, which has forgotten the meaning of its existence, with its light; justice, mercy, chastity and good morals.
“THE MONTH OF RAMADAN BRINGS A STRONG STANCE”
Therefore, as a time when it is more virtuous to turn to goodness than ever before, Ramadan is a unique opportunity for us to face ourselves, meet with our book, account for our lives, and turn to our Almighty Lord with our whole being, purifying from our mistakes and sins. In addition to fasting in this month, it is a duty of faith for us to spend our time reading the Qur'an, contemplating and asking for forgiveness, repentance and contrition. Our fitrah, zakat, alms and all our good deeds are a debt of gratitude for the countless blessings bestowed upon us by our Almighty Lord. With this awareness, the month of Ramadan, which we will revive with its meaning that gives direction to life and the worship it contains, will undoubtedly lead us to the consent of Allah Almighty. It will give us a strong stance against the provocative temptations, distractions and all kinds of negativities of the world.
“WE SHOULD TURN SAHUR AND IFTAR TABLES INTO VALUES EDUCATION”
There are important time periods such as iftar and sahur moments during the month of Ramadan. How should we evaluate these times, what are your recommendations about iftar and sahur tables?
Adding excitement to our lives and bringing beauty to our homes, Ramadan is literally a school of wisdom. Each of the important moments it contains teaches us something. We learn to be patient with imsak. We taste the pleasure of giving thanks with iftar. We realize the value of the blessings we have. We always thank our Almighty Lord for what He has bestowed upon us. Just this, it's a big win in itself.
However, both iftar and sahur times are important opportunities to remember our values that we have forgotten or neglected due to worldly occupations. We meet around the same table with our family, relatives, friends and neighbors with the awareness of worship in the feelings of unity, togetherness and brotherhood. We experience the peace of coming together for Allah Almighty. We multiply our joys by sharing, and we relieve our sorrows by sharing.
Therefore, we should see these times as an opportunity to experience the same spiritual pleasure and to get closer to each other. For the same purpose, with the same feelings, we should all feel the taste of being around the prayer table and let our children feel it. We turn our iftar and sahur tables into a values education school, especially for our children and youth; We must strive to turn it into a gathering of gratitude, contemplation and prayer.
“TABLES SHOULD BE AWAY FROM WASTE, VANITY, EXTREMENESS”
At this point, I would like to underline one point. Extravagance, vanity and all kinds of extremism should definitely be avoided at the iftar tables. In terms of eating, drinking and consuming, we all have to behave and act in accordance with the spirit of Ramadan and the meaning of fasting. In addition, we should be excited to allocate a place for orphans, the poor, the homeless, relatives and neighbors at our iftar tables. Even if we cannot find the opportunity to do this in our homes, we should look for ways to contribute to the iftar or sahur table of a distant brother.
“TO EXTEND A HAND IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FAITH AND SERVITUDE”
The month of Ramadan is a time when helping each other come to the fore. Could you talk about the importance of helping each other during Ramadan?
Besides being a month of worship, Ramadan is also a climate of goodness and abundance. It is the season of cooperation and sharing. In this season, we share worship, love, labor and bread. After the feast of worship we live in the unique atmosphere of Ramadan, by sharing bairam, we strengthen our brotherhood and unity even more.
As you know, our world is going through extraordinary processes in the age we live in. Especially in Islamic geographies, millions of our brothers are going through difficult and troublesome times in the whirlpool of wars, occupations and terrorist attacks. Millions of people, deprived of even their most basic rights, struggle to survive in the throes of poverty, hunger and desperation. Reaching out to them, curing their troubles, relieving their pain by wrapping their wounds, is, in itself, the responsibility of faith and servitude for us. Sharing the blessings and opportunities that Allah Almighty has given us at such times, and especially in Ramadan, is the most valuable deed we can do. As a matter of fact, the Messenger of Allah Almighty (pbuh), "Which charity is more virtuous?" when asked; He said, “Alms given in the month of Ramadan!” gave the answer.
“HELPING IS BETTER THAN ALL THE WORLD'S BENEFITS”
In ramadan, where good deeds are rewarded many times over to reach out to our brothers in need, the poor, the homeless and orphans in this month; It is better for us to be able to alleviate the troubles of our brothers who put hope in us, even if only for a little bit, than to have all the blessings of the world. Therefore, we should strive to increase goodness and abundance with our zakat, fitra, charity and iftar tables on the occasion of Ramadan. As Allah Almighty has bestowed upon us, we should also bestow favors on our brothers and sisters in need, especially those close to us; We should give generously without expecting anything in return. We should not forget that our zakat, fitrah, alms and all our good deeds are an indication of our sincerity, loyalty and honesty towards our Almighty Lord and faith. Undoubtedly, our Almighty Lord will bestow on us something better than what we give, with the blessings of Ramadan.
“BEING INDIVIDUAL IS NOT THE SAME THING WITH INDIVIDUALIZATION”
By postponing individualization, Ramadan makes important contributions to social cohesion and acting together, what would you say about this subject?
One of the most fundamental problems of modern people is loneliness. Unfortunately, individuality, which is brought forward with various propagandas, is actually one of the biggest obstacles to peace, unity and solidarity in social life. Individuality is a manifestation of detachment from one's self, values and environment. Individualization is not the same as being individual. Being an individual is a process that expresses being aware of existence, knowing oneself and being able to explain it to the environment, which forms the basis of healthy socialization. As a matter of fact, the Islamic Ummah expresses the unity of believers who came together with the realization of being an individual.
“RAMADAN BUILDS THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE UMMAH”
Here, the month of Ramadan has an atmosphere that will eliminate individualization and therefore loneliness by building a strong consciousness of existence and ummah consciousness among believers. All prayers that make Ramadan meaningful and valuable, especially fasting, encourage believers to be good, to do good, leads to competition in goodness and piety. It helps to get rid of negative feelings such as selfishness, arrogance, greed, and avarice, and to equip virtues such as altruism, humility, sincerity and contentment. It makes life meaningful with sublime values such as justice, mercy, love, fortitude, gratitude and repentance.
This month, in which the sensitivity of cooperation and solidarity is realized in the social dimension, is a fruitful time that brings together the believers on the axis of the belief of tawhid. Ramadan, which is revived together with its sahur, fasting, iftar and tarawih; It is the scene of the best examples of social cohesion and solidarity. Ramadan, which rebuilds hearts with the mercy and forgiveness of our Almighty Lord, establishes the peace, security and happiness of the society by bringing the hearts of believers closer to each other with zakat, charity, treats and alms.
“CARRYING SUPERSTITIONS TO THE SCREENS FOR RATING IS A SIN”
In recent years, the number of people speaking on behalf of religion on screens and social media has increased. It is also very, very prominent in this month of Ramadan. This as well raises the problem of access to authentic religious knowledge. What ways should citizens follow and what should they pay attention to in order to reach authentic religious knowledge?
As the Presidency of Religious Affairs, we see these beautiful times, when religious feelings intensify, as an opportunity to bring our society together with authentic religious knowledge. Of course, we appreciate those who want to guide our people with the same sensitivity and those who put forth effort and endeavour in this regard.
However, I would like to bring this issue, which I have expressed on every occasion, to the attention of our nation through you. From time to time, we witness that matters related to our religion and worship are discussed indiscriminately in the media and social media. It saddens us deeply to see that our people's interest and sensitivity in religious matters are abused in this way. It is seen that such programs, which are made with baseless and unprincipled approaches and in a style far from politeness and grace, are turned into a tool of exploitation. It is open.
Let me clearly state that it is not an acceptable approach to use the life-giving principles and values of Islam as material for pointless and meaningless discussions. The randomly transfer of superstitions to the screens, which will be considered a slander for our religion and belief; It is a great sin to tell people about these as religion just for the sake of getting ratings and admiration. I urge everyone to act responsibly in this regard.
My request from our nation is to be vigilant against those who display a marginalizing, exclusionary and populist attitude while explaining religion. They should not respect those who cast a shadow on the spiritual atmosphere of Ramadan with baseless, worthless and useless information. Our most basic measurement is the Qur'an and the Sunnah. And thank Almighty God, we have ample opportunities to reach authentic religious knowledge under the guidance of the Qur'an and Sunnah. The way to reach the right information is to reach the right sources with the right method. In this sense, our Presidency has both printed and I especially recommend them to follow their broadcasts in visual, audio and digital media. As you know, we have presented thousands of religious works, especially the Religious Encyclopedia of Islam, the Tafsir of the Qur'an and the Hadith and Islam, free of charge to our nation and generations. All these works, which are as rich as a treasure, are now as close as a mobile phone. During the month of Ramadan, "Hello 190 Religious Information Line" will be at the service of our citizens between 08:00 and 22:00, 7 days a week. On the other hand, Diyanet TV, Diyanet Radio, Diyanet Qur'an Radio and Diyanet Risalet Radio provide services like schools.
“TO SHARE EVERYTHING HEARD WITHOUT INVESTIGATION FOR ITS ACCURACY IS ENOUGH AS A SIN”
The concept prepared by our Presidency of Religious Affairs for the month of Ramadan this year; Ramadan and truth. What would you like to express from this perspective?
We live in a world where means of communication and interaction change their forms. On a plane where faith, values and morality are neglected and postponed, the need we feel for the life concept and moral principles of Islam is making itself felt more and more every day. Undoubtedly, first one of these principles is truthfulness. Truthfulness, which constitutes the essence of the order of life built on faith in Allah Almighty, is the obedience of the word to the essence. The intention in the heart is one with attitude and behavior. Truthfulness, which is a manifestation of sincerity and faith, is the most basic moral value that will lead people to goodness both in this world and in the hereafter.
The reference concept of our religion at the point of being able to build a life based on peace, welfare, tranquility and a society based on justice, compassion and love is truth. Righteousness is the source of all blessings. Therefore, our beloved Prophet (pbuh), associating honesty and trust with faith, stated that a person who cannot inspire confidence in his neighbor cannot truly believe.
Unfortunately, Truth is something that many people lose today, it is neglected to the utmost, especially in social media. Some people can produce and share all kinds of lies on the internet and social networking platforms. However, it is a sin for a person to share everything he hears without examining the truth. Intentionally causing the spread of lies is, first of all, a great sin as a rightful due. It threatens togetherness of society that unity of it is in the greatest danger.
That's why this year, we have put the issue of "correctness" on our agenda as the theme of Ramadan. We aim to create a social awareness by working on this issue in detail for a month. Because, as a principle that encompasses our entire life, honesty is the most comprehensive and greatest responsibility of man on earth. It is only possible for people to live a peaceful and secure life on earth, and to find a healthy basis for every relationship, from family to environment, whose subject is human, only if this responsibility is fulfilled. Both, just as it is impossible to talk about a society of trust where lies, deception and cheating exist; peace, tranquility, brotherhood, solidarity and cooperation cannot be mentioned too.