The Invitation and Youth Movement (Davet ve Gençlik Hareketi) has launched its new season of activities in Diyarbakır, bringing together a large gathering of young people for a program focused on faith, Islamic values, youth engagement and community outreach.

The event, held at the Selahaddin Eyyubi Mosque Conference Hall in the Yenişehir district, opened with a recitation of the Holy Qur’an by Ömer Akgül. The program also featured speeches, Islamic hymns, presentations on the movement’s activities and a theatrical performance.

Speaking on behalf of the movement, Muhammed Fatih Varol outlined its mission and called on young people to remain committed to faith, unity and service.

“This is not a time for fatigue, discord, sulking, or taking offense; it is a time to proclaim the truths of Islam in the loudest possible voice,” Varol said.

He said the movement was not focused simply on recalling the past, but sought to draw on its heritage while understanding the challenges of the present and working to shape the future.

“Change begins not with those who complain, but with faithful young people who put their hands under the stone and run day and night without pause,” Varol said.

He also expressed solidarity with Gaza and called for continued efforts concerning Jerusalem, describing the city as a trust associated with Salahuddin al-Ayyubi.

Göktaş stresses mosque-centered Islamic work

Theologian Mehmet Göktaş, who addressed the gathering, emphasized the importance of the mosque, congregational life and the role of young people in sustaining Islamic activities.

“No Islamic movement that is not based on the mosque has achieved lasting success in history,” Göktaş said, arguing that Islamic movements that sever their ties with mosques, congregations and imams risk losing their connection with society.

He also highlighted Diyarbakır’s role in Islamic community activities, saying efforts originating in the region had contributed to religious work in other Turkish cities.

“I believe that, by the permission of Allah, this movement we have started will soon encompass all of Anatolia,” Göktaş said.

Göktaş urged young Muslims to approach society through compassion and guidance rather than confrontation.

“We will be people who give hope to the people, not people who frighten them,” he said.

He cautioned against alienating ordinary Muslims over differences in religious practice, while stressing the importance of distinguishing between established Islamic teachings, innovation and superstition through knowledge and discussion.

“The primary agenda of a Muslim is not to fight over people’s acts of worship, but to bring them closer to Allah,” he said.

Call for knowledge and participation

Göktaş also called for greater participation by young women in Islamic activities, emphasizing that religious identity should be accompanied by education and knowledge.

He said young Muslim women should be able to represent their values confidently in universities, on public transport and in other areas of daily life.

“Simply dressing modestly beautifully is not enough. They must also equip themselves with knowledge,” he said.

Addressing broader social concerns, Göktaş said Islamic outreach should respond to what he described as growing immorality, weakening family structures and declining marriage rates. He stressed that such efforts should be pursued with the aim of guiding people rather than through hostility.

Youth seen as central to Islamic outreach

Göktaş placed young people at the center of the movement's outreach efforts, pointing to the prominent role of youth among the early followers of the Prophet Muhammad.

“The Messenger of Allah was always surrounded by young people. The great majority of the first Muslims were also young,” he said.

He described inviting people to prayer, the mosque and faith as a continuation of the Islamic tradition of da'wah, urging members of the movement to approach those who do not pray with mercy rather than contempt.

“We will approach our brother who does not pray with mercy; we will not belittle him, but try to be a means for his salvation,” he said.

Göktaş concluded by praying for the movement's activities to expand beyond Diyarbakır to cities including Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir and Van.

He said the region had contributed to the Islamic revival visible in mosques in several Turkish cities and prayed that the movement would grow in sincerity and produce generations committed to serving their communities.

The event concluded with further hymns and songs, a presentation titled “There is Invitation on the Street, There is Life in the Invitation,” and a theatrical performance by the “Scenes from the Walls” theater group. (ILKHA)