Message from Advisory Board President and İskeçe Mufti Mustafa Trampa on Mawlid al-Nabi

Mustafa Trampa, President of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority Advisory Board (BTTADK) and Mufti of İskeçe, released a message marking the upcoming Mawlid al-Nabi, which will be observed on the night of September 3, 2025.

In his statement, Mufti Trampa emphasized the significance of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) birth as a source of guidance, light, and salvation for humanity, describing him as “the best example for those who seek God’s pleasure and happiness in both worlds.” He cited verses from the Qur’an highlighting the Prophet’s exemplary character and urged Muslims to follow his teachings and convey them to future generations.

Trampa particularly stressed the importance of children’s religious and cultural education, urging parents to support minority schools and Qur’an courses. He warned against attempts to discourage families from enrolling their children in Turkish Minority schools, describing such efforts as a threat to the preservation of identity:

“If we want to protect our children, we must not fall for these lies. Minority schools are essential to maintaining our national and religious values. Many successful professionals are graduates of our minority schools.”

The Mufti also criticized recent legislative efforts by Greece’s Ministry of Education, Religion, and Sports, which propose granting a separate legal religious status to Alevi-Bektashi Muslims in Western Thrace. He argued that such measures aim to divide the Turkish Minority along sectarian lines and violate the principles of the Lausanne Treaty:

“This attempt to create a separate legal personality for Alevi-Bektashi Muslims is unacceptable. It would foster division, undermine unity, and extend long-standing policies of denying the Turkish identity of our community into the religious sphere.”

Concluding his message, Trampa called on the community to pray for global peace, particularly for an end to the suffering in Gaza, and to strive to embody the Prophet’s example in daily life:

“On this blessed night, let us celebrate the Prophet’s birth by following his example. Let us pray for an end to the tragedies in Gaza and around the world, and remember that the path to salvation lies in the life and teachings of our beloved Prophet.”