The Union of Scholars and Madrasahs (ITTIHADUL ULEMA) recently held a ceremony to celebrate the achievements of 74 male students who successfully completed their Islamic studies program. Ten of these graduates even achieved the remarkable feat of memorizing the Quran in its entirety.

The ceremony commenced with a recitation of the Quran by Assoc. Dr. Rıfat Ablay, setting a solemn and auspicious tone for the event. The 74 graduates, who had dedicated themselves to roughly four years of intensive study, excelled in core Islamic disciplines such as Sarf (Arabic morphology), Nahw (Arabic syntax), Tafsir (Quranic interpretation), Hadith (teachings of the Prophet Muhammad), and Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence). Their dedication and academic achievements were recognized and celebrated by a distinguished audience of scholars and community representatives who hailed from both Türkiye and abroad.

Importance of Islamic Knowledge Highlighted

ITTIHADUL ULEMA Board Member Mullah Abdulkuddüs Yalçın opened the ceremony with a speech. "We are here today to celebrate the accomplishments of these remarkable students," Yalçın said. "Their dedication to Islamic knowledge is an inspiration to us all." He expressed his sincere gratitude to everyone who had contributed to the success of the program and the ceremony itself.

Following Yalçın's address, ITTIHADUL ULEMA General President Mullah Kılıçarslan took the stage. "We learn knowledge to recognize Allah's enemies," Kılıçarslan declared. "We read knowledge to learn the Quran. The Quran is the word of Allah. Why did Allah send us this Quran? To know Him, to gain His pleasure, to go to His Paradise, and to know the enemies of Allah." He emphasized that Islamic knowledge equips individuals to recognize Allah's enemies and to gain a deeper understanding of the Quran's message. Kılıçarslan further stressed that the pursuit of knowledge should not be driven by materialistic desires. "We do not read knowledge to earn a salary, to collect fitrah and zakat," he said. "We learn knowledge to know Allah."

Jihad and the Responsibility of Muslims

Kılıçarslan also addressed the concept of jihad. "If Islamic lands are under the domination of disbelievers, jihad is obligatory on Muslims," Kılıçarslan asserted. He challenged the audience to consider the current state of the Muslim world. "Is there any Islamic land under the rule of Muslims anywhere from one end of the world to the other today? Is the Quran dominant on those lands? Is the Sunnah of the Prophet dominant?" he asked. Kılıçarslan concluded by reminding everyone that Allah will hold them accountable for their actions. "Let us teach the Quran, let us teach the Sunnah of the Prophet," he urged. "Let us not accept the domination of disbelievers over us."

Importance of the Quran and Scholarly Discussions

Dr. Vasfi Ashur, another prominent speaker at the ceremony, expressed his appreciation to ITTIHADUL ULEMA. "Thank you for organizing such scholarly and shari' programs," Ashur said. He spoke passionately about the importance of the Quran. "The Holy Quran is the tight rope of Allah," Ashur explained. "Whoever clings to it will find the truth, and whoever does not cling to it will find misguidance." He declared the Quran to be the very soul of the Muslim community.

Speeches on the Purpose and Obligation of Knowledge

Dr. Nawaf Takruri aimed his message directly at the graduating students. "Everyone needs to know what they can do with knowledge," Takruri said. He emphasized the importance of students reflecting on their motivations for seeking knowledge. "Have you learned it to live by it, or to learn it for money?" Takruri asked the graduates. He challenged them to introspect on their true purpose for acquiring knowledge.

Sheikh Muhammed Haznawi also addressed the gathering. "Allah created us for His worship," Sheikh Haznawi reminded everyone. "The most beautiful way to worship Allah is to gain Islamic knowledge," he declared.

During the ceremony where 74 students, including 10 memorizers, received their ijazas, Hafiz Ömer Algül made a speech on behalf of the mucazs (the students who have completed the basic studies of Islamic law and theology and are ready to specialize in a particular area).

After the speeches, ijazas (a certificate of authorization that is granted to a student who has successfully completed their studies and is deemed qualified to teach or practice Islamic law) were given to the hafizs (someone who has memorized the entire Quran) and other students who had completed their studies. (ILKHA)