Preparations have begun to mark the holy month of Ramadan in Türkiye, and the first Tarawih prayer is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, March 22, with the first iftar on Thursday, March 23.

"This Ramadan, we will share what we have with our citizens who suffered from the disaster of the century and support those who are homeless and helpless. This is the time when we have to prove our solidarity and brotherhood by feeding our brothers and sisters who need our material and spiritual support," said Idris Bozkurt, a member of the Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet).

To elevate the level of spiritual and physical submission to God by fasting, Muslims all over the world spend the month of Ramadan abstaining from eating, drinking, smoking and having sex from dawn to dusk.

According to the lunar month calculations of Diyanet, Ramadan will last for 29 days this year, as the crescent of the month of Shawwal will be sighted on the evening of the 29th day of Ramadan. The first Tarawih prayer of Ramadan will be held on Wednesday, March 22, the night that connects March 22 to March 23, and the first iftar will be held on March 23. In this month, acts of worship such as fasting, Tarawih prayers, Fitra (charity) and recitation of the Quran are performed as well as donations given for the needy.

Indicating that they have determined the theme of Ramadan this year as "Ramadan and Solidarity," as Ramadan is the month of mercy, blessings and forgiveness, it should be properly understood, Bozkurt underlined.

Fitr (Charity)M

Mentioning the Fitr charity, which is an example of cooperation and solidarity, as a special part of Ramadan, Bozkurt said, "By giving alms of Fitr, for those who have no financial means, we need to support the homeless and helpless from the recent disasters."

Stating that Türkiye has experienced back-to-back disasters via earthquakes and floods, Bozkurt added: " Ramadan is peace and serenity, an occasion for cooperation, solidarity and sharing. We all need to mark this month by sharing our meals with the earthquake victims and by contributing the amount of Fitr."