Turkey’s “Blessed Birth Week”

[Rehmat]

“If there are any among you who worship Muhammad, he is dead. But if it’s Allah you Worshipped, He lives for ever,” the first Khalifah of Islam, Abu Bakr al-Siddique, announcing the passing-away of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Turkey’s “Blessed Birth Week” marks the 1440th anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) birthday is being celebrated in Turkey from April 14-20. The week-long celebrations began with a major event organized in Istanbul’s Eyup district by Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs. The event was attended by thousands of Muslims including politicians from the ruling AKP and the Opposition. The main speaker at the event was President of Directorate of Religious Affairs, Ali Bardakoglu. The other dignatories who attended the event included Syrian Orthodox Bishop Yusuf Cetin, Turkish Parliament Speaker Mehmet Ali Sahin, State Ministers Hayati Yazici and Farul Celic, Grand Unity Party (BBP) leader Yalcin Topcu, Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbos, main Opposition party CHP leader Deniz Baykal and singer Ibrahim Tatlises. The celebration of ‘Blessed Birth Week’ originated in 1989.

The Directorate of Religious Affairs is also holding similar conferences in Azerbiajan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Crimea, the Turkish Republic of Cyprus, Romania and Mecedonia. Holy Qur’an had declared the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as the the greatest Mercy to the mankind. Many non-Muslim scholars agree that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the embodiment of the Biblical prophets auch as Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon and Jesus. A Christian scholar Michael Hart in his book ”The 100: Ranking of the most influential persons in history” – had ranked the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as No.1 world leader over his own Lord Christ.

Turkey’s “Blessed Birth Week” « Rehmat's World