Dear brothers;

We are delighted to have the Lailat al-Qadr which has crowned these last days of the month of Ramadan which is the month of mercy and forgiveness and offers us the opportunity to reach salvation from the eternal torment. Tomorrow evening, we will realize and revive the Lailat al-Qadr together, Insha Allah.

One of the qualities that make this night superior to all other times is the fact that the Quran which is our life guide that has been hauled down as the greatest symbol of the Almighty Allah’s (swt) mercy to his servants and illuminates the horizons of the humanity for 14 centuries hauled down this very night. As the Almighty Allah (swt) declared with the verse “We have indeed revealed this (Message, Qur’an) in the Night of Power (Qadr)” (Al-Qadr, 1), this night is the night when the world met the last revelation that hauled down as the most beautiful of words, healing of the believing hearts, salvation guidance for the humanity and the source of right and wisdom.

The Lailat al-Qadr which is better than a thousand months is an important opportunity to review our relationship with the Qur'an and to reorganize our relations with firstly the Almighty Allah (swt), ourselves, our environment and all the universe in terms of tawhid, justice, mercy and good ethics.

As a matter of fact, the first Muslims who built a new life 14 centuries ago under the guidance of the Qur'an and the example of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw) who turned it into a life became a light of hope for the world. I should sincerely express with great importance that today, the humanity’s salvation from the economic, ethical and moral crises which all the humanity has been suffering from is only possible with the guidance of the Qur'an and the Sunnah. With this reason, reading, understanding and living the Qur’an which informs the humanity of the purpose of creation and shows the way to an honorable and chaste life in the axis of justice, mercy and good ethics and telling the messages of it that are full of wisdom to the world is the most important responsibility and ultimate goal for us. Undoubtedly, those who equip themselves with the universal principles of Islam and walk to such goal will always find the grace and might of Allah (swt) with them.

Therefore, we should consider this peaceful night when the infinite mercy of Allah (swt) surrounds the world as an opportunity for the compensation of our past years with negligence and benefit from it in the most efficient way. First of all, we must perform tawbah for all our mistakes and sins and ask forgiveness from the Almighty Allah (swt) with the determination and consciousness of not approaching the same mistakes again. As a matter of fact our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw) stated “If one revives the Lailat al-Qadr by believing and hopes the reward of it from the Almighty Allah (swt), his past sins are forgiven” regarding this holy night, and recommended us to make duas as “O my Allah (swt)! You are the forgiver, love to forgive, please forgive me too” this very night. 

Tonight, we must renew our determination to work for the construction of a life and world where there is no grudge, envy, hatred, fear, hopelessness and alienation, but dominated by trust, love, respect, brotherhood and solidarity by adding all humanity to our sincere and heartfelt duas. When we can accomplish this, peace and exhilaration will be in our hearts, and peace of mind and abundance will be in our households, and mercy and justice will dominate our social life; and therefore, the world will turn into the land of welfare which is the ideal of Islam.

Acting with those feelings and thoughts, I celebrate the Lailat al-Qadr of our nation and the Islamic World, request the Almighty Allah (swt) deem accepted our fasting and all worships, and wish this very night to contribute to the unity and solidarity of the Islamic World, and the health, salvation, peace and tranquility of the humanity.

Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş

The President of Religious Affairs