“5th International Benevolence Awards” are granted to the winners

“5th International Benevolence Awards” organized by Türkiye Diyanet Foundation (Turkey Foundation of Religious Affairs) with the slogan of “Benevolence will change the world” were granted to the awardees at the ceremony with the attendance of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President of Religious Affairs Prof. Ali Erbaş.

In the ceremony at the Beştepe People's Culture and Convention Center of the Presidential Complex, “5th International Benevolence Awards” were granted to seven persons selected from among more than a thousand real benevolence stories both from Turkey and abroad. The Fidelity Award 2019 was granted to the deceased Mahmut Celalettin Ökten, who as Turkey`s  first Principal Imam-Khatip  (Religious Vocational High School) dedicated his life to the imam-khatip schools and raising an enlightened youth. 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in his speech during the program stated, “Turkey is the voice of mercy, compassion and benevolence during a period in which unjustness and double standards loom over the world like a nightmare. We not only have opened our doors to, but also have embraced our 3.6 million Syrian brothers and sisters who had to leave their homes due to the the conflict in their country. We have never questioned the ethnic origin, religion, culture, disposition or sect of those who came to our door."

"We have never questioned the ethnic origin, religion, culture, disposition or sect of those who came to our door."

Noting that that the related expenditures made by Turkey exceeded 35 billion dollars, Erdogan expressed, “The European Union has not kept its promise. They had to pay us 1 billion 750 million dollars but they did not. Nevertheless, we continue supporting our refugee brothers and sisters whether the EU keeps its promise or not.”

"While the countries which have resources many times more than us condemn the refugees into the concentration camps, we have shared our meal table with our brothers and sisters. We have never questioned the ethnic origin, religion, culture, disposition or sect of those who came to our door. Just as we helped and embraced our Turkmen brothers and sisters, we have also helped and embraced our Kurdish and Arab brothers and sisters, too.  Just as we opened our doors to Muslims, we have also opened our doors to the Ezidi and Christians, too.  We believed in the blessed abundance of sharing power of mercy. This way, we have made Turkey the most generous country of the world."

"Just as our ancestors did, we raise the benevolence flag of Turkey on flagpole in four continents and seven climates.”

Erdogan, by emphasizing that they did not lay different plans under the name of “development aid” like the western organizations, has continued his words as follows: 

“We have left standing traces by the aid model which is peculiar to us, peculiar to the Turkish nation. We have tried to make the people living in the regions where we rushed to help to learn how to catch fish and to stand on their own feet. We have not made efforts to develop new dependency relations by means of humanitarian aid in the locations with rich resources such as Africa.  Today we continue to perform humanitarian aid activities by our TIKA, AFAD, Red Crescent and Foundation of Religious Affairs  and civil society organizations in the most challenging and troubled geographies.

Praise be to Allah, wherever we go whatever country we visit we encounter with the traces and works left by a Turkish relief organization. Just as our ancestors did, we raise the benevolence flag of Turkey on flagpole in four continents and seven climates. Although some of the careless and conscienceless ones among us do not comprehend we are going to continue share our resources with the oppressed. We will neither kneel down nor bend against the oppressors; and we will not applaud the oppression for a minor benefit."

"These awards are the best signs of our reverence to the benevolent and respect to the benevolence"

Erdogan by stating that poem and statesman Yusuf Has Hacip  advised in in his work named “Kutadgu Bilig” as “the Evil needs majesty and politics but the Good always needs reverence" has said that:

" These awards are the best signs of our reverence to the benevolent and respect to the benevolence. As the ummah of a Prophet who made a condolence visit to a child whose birth was died, our effort is to be conduce to the wetting of the dry hearts by mercy. No doubt that our Lord shall abundantly grant the real rewards of the soldiers of benevolence among us both in this life and eternity. The Supreme Mawla with the names of As-Shakur (The Rewarder of Thankfulness), Ar-Rahman (The All-Compassionate), Ar-Rahim (The All-Merciful) and Al-Karim (The Genereous) shall never refuse to reward these benevolences. Here we only try to pay back our debt of gratitude on behalf of our country and nation. I`d like to take this occasion to remind that to be a Muslim is a beautifying virtue and a blessing to be grateful to and proud of. "

“By means of the benevolence awards, one again we notice the true and permanent ones”

Underlining that thanks to the Awards, they are aware of the charitable activities which are valuable from each other and witnessed tearful stories Erdoğan has concluded his speech by stating that “Once again we notice the true, perpetual and permanent ones versus all the load, chaos and charm of this world. On behalf of my nation, Turkiye Diyanet Foundation and Religious Affairs organization I would like to thank once again to my brothers and sisters who are granted the awards in this ceremony. I would like to express my gratitude to you since you have made us proud with your stories of benevolence and green the seeds of hope in our hearts despite all the events which makes all human beings shame from being human. May Allah keeps us on the path of the good and faithful and keep our foot on the sırat-ı müstakim (path of righteousness) ".

President of the Religious Affairs Erbaş: “We believe that when each of us become a soldier of benevolence, all the humanity will reach to peaceful life”

President of the Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş,  by wishing that the award ceremony  which is organized to bring up benevolence to agenda become a fountain of benevolence for all humanity, has stated in his speech that “Benevolence is a life which is lived with consciousness of worship and responsibility by adopting good ethics”

Stating that to share not only the material assets but also knowledge, elbow grease, experience, pray, love, sorrow and trouble is a benevolence, President of the Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş  has said that “Life is a journey of benevolence for the faithful. Human is a passenger who comes to this world to believe in the Lord of the Worlds, to worship and do good works. The Hereafter is a land of perpetual happiness and salaam for the good”.

“The indispensable condition of benevolence is its sincere, far from vanity and disinterested nature”

Emphasizing that the benevolences shall have a meaning on if it includes undisguised belief and beneficence, President Erbaş stated that “Benevolences are performed only for Allah´s sake That is to say the indispensable condition of benevolence is to equip with sincerity, and be far from vanity and disinterested”.

President Erbaş has said that Turkiye Diyanet Foundation (TDV) which was founded 44 years ago with the ideal of transferring the charity and blessing ideal of Islam  and benevolence inheritance of Ancestry to today and future by consciousness of trust now has become a universal organization of charity that has been the address of benevolence in Turkey and 145 countries with its 1001 branch offices.

Stating the Presidency of Religious Affairs and TDV lend every needy location of the world its helping hand without any discrimination due to language, religion, race, sect and disposition, President Erbaş said that, “Presidency of the Religious Affairs and Turkiye Diyanet Foundation performs perform charity activities in a number of areas from social aid to training, from construction of the mosques to reviving the hearts. It has become the hope and happiness of the Muslim minorities, the one who undergone to wars, occupations and disasters, the poor, the nameless and desperate”.

“Our objective is to become acquainted with all the youth of the ummah”

Stating “Our objective is to touch all the youth of our country and become acquainted with all the youth of our ummah`s geography” President Erbaş continued his speech as follows: 

“To transmit truths of Islam to very corner of the earth in all the languages of the world. To lend helping hands much more to the oppressed and needy. Therefore, a great deal of services offered by us with the support of our state and nation and efforts of our members are going to continue increasingly with the spirit of mobilization.”

Stating that the benevolence will change the world, President Erbaş said that “When each of us become a soldier of benevolence, we believe that all the humanity will reach to a peaceful and honoured life”. 

7 pioneers of benevolence who are awarded

Names and stories of the 7 pioneers of benevolence who are awarded due to their benevolence activities in the “5the International Benevolence Awards” are as follows: .

HUZEYFE AYDIN

Born as visually impaired, 19 years-old Huzeyfe Aydın was appreciated by everyone for his ambition and diligence. As a result of his efforts, he managed to attend the faculty of law as a full scholarship student. Huzeyfe achieved even more. As soon as he entered the university, he started to work for his visually impaired friends by translating the 12th grade Arabic coursebook into Braille alphabet. Now he is distributing this coursebook to his visually impaired friends free of charge. Mustafa Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, President of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Exchange Commodities, granted his award to Huzeyfe Aydın.

ZİLHA ŞETA

Zilha Şeta is a benevolence volunteer from Sarajevo. She is serving food to the needy by means of the food bank founded by her years ago. While the food bank worked for the immigrants fled from the eastern part of the country at the beginning, now it is welcoming more than one thousand people in a day, and this number rises up to five thousands in the month Ramadan. Aunt Zilha lets everyone benefit from this food bank without any discrimination, so she is the Aunt Zilha for everyone not only for the Bosnian people. She puts benevolence and sharing in the centre of her life. Prof. Dr. Huriye Martı, Vice President of Religious Affairs, granted her award to Zilha Şeta.

OSMAN GÖKREM

Osman Gökrem, the Imam Hatip of the Selime Hatun Mosque in Beyoğlu, is known as a homeless friendly imam. He is a benefactor who welcomes the needy people in his mosque. Osman Hodja had a bathroom constructed on the ground floor of the mosque for the easy use of the homeless living in parks and gardens. He provides them with volunteer barbering service by shaving their hair and beards. He also serves tea, soup, and bagel in front of the mosque on Saturday mornings. Osman Hodja is happy to eliminate the sadness in their eyes even if just a drop and works to expand this wave of goodness day by day with the motto of Saving one life is as if saving humanity. Görkem received his award from Dr. Ekrem Keleş, the President of High Commission of Religious Affairs.

AYŞE MASLUHİ

Ayşe Masluhi lives in an apartment in Megaribe Quarter which is a Jewish settlement in Jerusalem. She continues to live proudly and faithfully despite the occupant settlements surrounding her house, the barricades set up in front of her house, and the cameras recording 24/7. She does not sell her 25 square meters house in spite of the insistence of Jewish residents and the high prices offered. Being an example for all Muslims with her opposition and nobility, she expresses that she will not sell her house to the Jewish occupants no matter how much they will be willing to pay her. She asks one thing from the Turkish Muslims: Do not leave Palestine alone! Ayşe Masluhi received her reward from Gays bin Mübarek El Kuvari, President of Foundations and Islamic Affairs of Qatar, who attended the ceremony as the guest of Erbaş, President of Religious Affairs.

TURGAY TANÜLKÜ

Also imprisoned at a young age, the artist Turgay Tanülkü has cared the children whose family are imprisoned, for over 20 years. He ensured that they got education and grew as useful individuals for the country and nation. He continues to help more than twenty children as their godfather and expands his family day by day. Goodness is being sometimes hope for someone and being sometimes shield against the evil. Tanülkü received his award from Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş, the President of Religious Affairs.

ŞENGÜL KAZAN

Şengül Kazan has been a volunteer for Darülaceze for 40 years. She undertakes the nail care of the residents by visiting Darülaceze two days in a week. She cares for various needs of the elderly such as their bath and food. She both laughs and gets sad with them. She feels a deep peace after she is done in Darülaceze. Şengül Kazan says that what the elderly in Darülaceze need most is love and asks the young to take care of the elderly. Kazan received her award from Vice President Fuat Oktay.

FREDERIC OMAR KANAUTE

Frederic Omar Kanaute is a Mali origin football player who managed to be regarded as a good person with his services. Having become Muslim in his 20s, the sportsman was touched by the poor children wandering in the streets of Mali and established a foundation for them. By means of this foundation, he established a village for hundreds of children in Mali and became hope for them. He also prevented a mosque in Spain from being demolished. Moreover, he bought the area in which the mosque is situated and handed it over to the Muslims. His award was presented by Metin Kıratlı, President of Administrative Affairs of Presidency.

Saadettin Öktem received the award granted to Mahmut Celalettin Öktem from President Erdoğan.

The ceremony started with Quran chant by Hacı Bayram Mosque Chief Imam Ahmet Karalı and First Lady Emine Erdoğan,  Vice President Fuat Oktay, senior executives of Presidency of Religious Affairs, and a good number of guests attended.