Tonight, we shall comprehend the sacred Lailat al-Bara’ah which is an occasion of forgiveness, mercy, and purification, with the grace and blessing of the Almighty Allah (swt).

Bara’ah which is a sign of mercy for all living beings and of infinite obedience and devotion to our Almighty Allah (swt) teaches us the avoidance of faults and wrongdoings, the redemption, and being merciful as well as being forgiven, and raises our awareness on the issue of being able to excuse as well as asking to be excused, by adopting the awareness of servitude to Allah (swt).

Allowing us to review our journey of servitude to Allah (swt) with a continuously determined and stable attitude and leading us to take precautions in this world in order not to be present before Allah (swt) with the burden of sins on the Day of Judgement, Bara’ah is an important glad tidings which brings us together with our fitrah (human nature) and informs us of being free from sins.

Bara’ah strengthens our iman by bringing us closer to the Almighty Allah (swt), cements our will to obey His commands and prohibitions, and finally, polishes our rusted hearts by bringing us together with serenity. It prepares us especially to the month of Ramadan whose bright shadow has started to fall on us. From this point, Bara’ah is a blessed intimacy which directs us from decadence to maturity and brings us together with our Almighty Allah (swt) on the grounds of worship and obedience with a fresh mind and a clear heart.

Anyone who comprehends the Lailat al-Bara’ah should turn to his essence, keep his hopes alive, and strengthen his emotions of forgiving and being forgiven by bearing in mind the glad tidings of the Almighty Allah (swt) in the Holy Quran, "Say: ‘O my servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the mercy of Allah: For Allah forgives all sins for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." and the addressing of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw), “O Allah! I resort to your forgiveness from your azab (punishment) and to your consent from your ghadab (wrath)...”

With these feelings and thoughts, I congratulate the Lailat al-Bara’ah of especially our dear nation and of all the Islam world. May this blessed night conduce to the establishment of a world in which peace, happiness, and tranquility dominates in each part of the earth. And May the Almighty Allah (swt) let us enter the month of Ramadan as free from all kind of burdens of trouble, difficulty, and sin. 

Prof. Dr Ali ERBAŞ

The President of Religious Affairs