Türkiye Marks Mawlid al-Nabi With Nationwide Mosque Observances
Worshippers gather across Istanbul, Ankara and other provinces for Qur’an recitations, salawat and prayers for Palestine, Gaza and other conflict-affected communities
By Abdullahi Yusuf
Mosques across Türkiye were filled with worshippers on Tuesday as Muslims gathered to mark Mawlid al-Nabi, the occasion commemorating the birth of Prophet Muhammad.
Special programmes were held in Istanbul, Ankara and other parts of the country, bringing worshippers together for Qur’anic recitations, religious hymns, salawat and collective prayers.
In Istanbul, large congregations gathered at some of the city’s prominent mosques, including the Çamlıca and Eyüpsultan mosques, where special recitations were held ahead of the night prayer.
The programmes began with Qur’anic recitations before the night prayer and continued with religious hymns and odes honouring the Prophet Muhammad. Worshippers later joined in collective prayers as the observances concluded.
At the historic Fatih, Eyüpsultan and Sultanahmet mosques, teams from Türkiye’s Presidency of Religious Affairs, known as Diyanet, distributed traditional drinks to worshippers as they left the gatherings.
The Mawlid observances extended beyond Istanbul, with mosques across the country holding similar programmes to mark the occasion.
In the capital, Ankara, a special Mawlid al-Nabi Night programme was held at Beştepe Nation Mosque following the evening prayer.
The gathering featured Qur’anic recitations and the reading of the Mawlid, while a Diyanet choir performed religious hymns.
Worshippers also joined collective recitations of salawat and takbir during the programme.
The prayers took on a wider humanitarian dimension, with special supplications offered for Palestine, Gaza, East Turkestan and Myanmar, as well as for those described as martyrs and deceased veterans.
The nationwide observances reflected the continued place of Mawlid al-Nabi in Türkiye’s religious calendar, bringing communities together in mosques for worship, remembrance and prayers for Muslims facing hardship around the world.
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