The Presidency of Religious Affairs did not include the topics of "unfair gain" and "people's and public rights" in the Friday sermon it prepared regarding the funding process, which created public debate.
During the period when allegations of unfair gain and related fatwa and sermon expectations came to the fore, the title of Diyanet's Friday sermon dated October 9, 2026 was "Gaza, the Test of Humanity".
FUNDING DISCUSSION WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SERMON
In the Friday sermon of the Presidency of Religious Affairs, no evaluation was made regarding the economic and moral debates on the agenda in Turkey.
It was noteworthy that the sermon did not include headings such as "unfair gain", "people's rights" and "public rights".
While the Presidency's fatwas and sermons on different topics related to social life became a matter of public debate, it was considered a remarkable choice not to discuss the discussions regarding the funding process in the Friday sermon.
SUBJECT OF THE SERMON: GAZA
In Diyanet's Friday sermon dated October 9, Israel's attacks on Gaza were discussed.
In the sermon titled "Gaza, the Test of Humanity", harsh criticism was leveled against Israel based on what has happened in Gaza since October 2023.
In the sermon, it was stated that mosques, houses, schools and hospitals in Gaza were bombed, people were displaced from their homes and civilian casualties occurred.
A BOYCOTT CALL WAS MADE
In the sermon, in addition to the difficulties experienced by Palestinians living in Gaza, the responsibility of citizens in Turkey was also emphasized.
In the sermon of Diyanet, it was stated that those living in Gaza were tested by "being patient, resisting and struggling with poverty", while other people were responsible for "not forgetting, being sensitive and sharing their opportunities".
The sermon also drew attention to the importance of consumption power and called for the boycott to be seen as "a conscious and moral attitude against oppression".
The following statements were included in the sermon:
"Three years have passed since the genocide launched by the oppressors against our brothers in Gaza. Even today, in the city that has turned into rubble, mosques, households, schools and hospitals are being bombed. Our brothers' houses are being taken away from them, their vineyards and gardens are being plundered, and their workplaces are being burned and destroyed."
Following the conditions stated in the sermon that the people in Gaza are experiencing, it was said, "If the test of our Gazan brothers is to be patient, our test is not to forget; if their test is to resist, our test is to be sensitive; if their test is to fight against poverty, our test is to share our opportunities with them."
Regarding consumption preferences, Diyanet also called for "Seeing the boycott as a conscious and moral attitude against oppression, not a temporary reaction."
