Summer Courses in Mosques: Aim to Fill Capacity
The President of Religious Affairs, Ali Erbaş, attended the opening ceremony of the 456-year-old Ahmet Çelebi Mosque, which was restored by the Istanbul Governorship, Üsküdar Municipality, and Üsküdar Mufti. Prior to the opening, Erbaş delivered the Friday sermon on “Hearts Find Peace by Remembering Allah” and emphasized that mosques are the ornaments of cities.
Erbaş explained that the restoration of the mosque has been completed and added that now the interior needs to be prospered. He stated that mosques should not be a place that is only opened and closed for prayer and that every mosque is a school. He also stated that the teachers are ready to teach the Qur’an and catechism at any time and that mosques are also a school. Erbaş said, “If we haven’t learned it at school, our mosque is ready. Our summer Qur’an courses will open at the beginning of July. We want all our mosques to be filled and overflowed in our courses.”
Erbaş also spoke about the importance of teaching children values such as loving the little ones, respecting the elders, and loving parents, Allah, and the Prophet in the Qur’an courses. He stated that women come running to the tarawih prayers and that a teacher lady will be assigned to the mosque to give lessons to make up for deficiencies in religious matters.
The mosque, which was built in 1567, became unusable in the fires it was exposed to twice throughout history. It was rebuilt in 1789 and reached the present day. The opening ceremony was attended by Üsküdar Mayor Hilmi Türkmen, Istanbul Mufti Safi Arpaguş, Üsküdar District Governor Adem Yazıcı, District Mufti Esat Yapıcı, and citizens.
