I would like to greet all of you with respect and affection from the sacred lands where we make dua and supplicate for our nation, future, and the entire humanity together with our pains.

We are experiencing the pleasure and excitement of rejoining with the Eid al-Adha, which is one of the unique times that are bestowed to believers by Allah as an occasion of mercy, peace, and happiness.

Qurban is a symbol of submission, obedience, and closeness to Allah. It means getting closer to the Almighty Allah, each other, the good, and the truth.

The eids are the days of sharing and solidarity, which turn the life into serenity and peace and strengthen our bonds of love. They are significant opportunities to remember each other, renew our contract of brotherhood, and enhance our unity and solidarity.

Happiness becomes widespread and hearts get filled with affection if the days of eid are spent altogether and they have their real meanings if they become the joy of the whole earth.

In this respect, let us make their hearts happy by visiting our parents, elder members of our family, relatives, and neighbors with the occasion of the eid. Let us experience the baraqah of the eid altogether by remembering the lonely and the old people.

Let us be the happiness of eid of those who long for eids, namely the orphans, those who are in need, the aggrieved, and the poor people. Let us bring our children together with the enthusiasm of eid and leave permanent memories in their minds.

Let us make effort to bring the joy of eid to every member of the family of humanity in our world, which is surrounded by pains, grief, and tears regardless of language, race, color, culture, country, and geography.

With these thoughts and feelings, I would like to express my heartfelt congratulations for Eid al-Adha from Mecca, the city of revelation, to all our pilgrims who stop for waqfah in Arafat, to our dear nation, and all our Muslim brothers and sisters across the world.  May Allah the Exalted let this eid conduce to the establishment of a world in which peace, happiness, and tranquility dominate in each part of the earth.

Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş

President of Religious Affairs