Mufti of Komotini İbrahim Şerif issues message for Laylat al-Qadr and Eid al-Fitr

Mufti of Komotini İbrahim Şerif issued a message on the occasion of Laylat al-Qadr and Eid al-Fitr to be celebrated on Friday 5 April.

The message signed by Mufti İbrahim Şerif is as follows:

"Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The night connecting Friday 5 April to Saturday 6 April is Laylat al-Qadr Night. Wednesday 10 April is Eid al-Fitr.

The 27th night of Ramadan is known and celebrated as "Laylat al-Qadr Night" in the Islamic World.

Laylat al-Qadr is the best and most blessed of nights. This night has been mentioned in a special surah in the Holy Qur'an. This surah reads as follows: "Verily, We revealed it (the Qur'an) on Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power). How do you know what Laylat al-Qadr is? Laylat al-Qadr is better than a thousand months. Angels and the Spirit (Gabriel) descend and descend on that night for every kind of work by the permission of their Lord. That night is peace until the dawn." (Surah al-Qadr)

As can be understood from the above verse, our book, the Holy Qur'an, which shows people the ways to be happy and enlightens humanity, began to be revealed in the month of Ramadan and on Laylat al-Qadr night. The descent of the Qur'an on this night has brought great honour to this month and glorified this month.

The descent of the Qur'an in this month, the fact that this night is better than a thousand months, and the announcement of a year's worth of what Allah Almighty has decreed in eternity to the angels in this night are the qualities that make Laylat al-Qadr Night superior. It is a beautiful manifestation of divine mercy that the Great Angel Gabriel (a.s.) descends to the earth on this night with the other angels, greets the servants who worship Allah and is in peace until the dawn of this night. Our Prophet (PBUH) used to worship more than usual in the last ten days of Ramadan, and he used to warn his family members about worship. Because he mentioned in his hadiths that Laylat al-Qadr Night could be in the last ten days, and it is accepted by the majority of scholars that Laylat al-Qadr Night is the twenty-seventh night. Since the Holy Qur'an descended to the earth on this night, the Qur'an should be read in abundance. Because our Prophet said, "Read the Qur'an. It will come as an intercessor for the reciter on the Day of Judgement." (Muslim, Misâfirîn, 252)

Our Prophet 'A'isha said to our Prophet: "O Messenger of Allah, how should I pray if I come across Laylat al-Qadr?" He prayed, "O Allah, you are forgiving, you love to forgive, forgive me." (Tirmidhi, Deawât, 85)

Dear Brothers and Sisters

After the blessed Laylat al-Qadr, we are about to realise Eid al-Fitr. Festivals have an important place on individuals and societies. Societies have their own days of collective joy and happiness. These times are called holidays. From the past to the present, all societies and people belonging to a religion have always had holidays. Eid is a day of happiness.
Religious holidays are the days when the feelings of social solidarity and brotherhood reach their peak. Because the offended are reconciled on Eid and the poor are helped with zakat and fitr.

Our religious festivals emerged when the Prophet migrated from Mecca to Medina. The Prophet stated that Allah Almighty had given the Muslims two better festivals than the two festivals of the natives of Medina, namely Ramadan and Eid al-Adha.

Festivals are not absolute days of worship, nor are they days of simple entertainment. They are days that bring these two aspects together. It is wrong to understand these days only as days of worship or only as days of entertainment. Entertainment within legitimate limits is the essence of festivals.

May He accept our fasts, worships, charity and good deeds that we have kept during the month of Ramadan. May He grant us all the opportunity to reach Eid purified. I congratulate your upcoming Laylat al-Qadr Night and the blessed Eid al-Fitr which we will celebrate afterwards, and I pray to Allah Almighty that it will be auspicious for the Muslim Turkish Minority of Western Thrace, the Islamic World and our compatriots living abroad."