As Ramadan approaches, Taksim Mosque in Istanbul is gearing up for the holy month in a special way; the mosque, known for its iconic status in the city, recently underwent a thorough cleaning inside and out, using rosewater to make it smell nice and clean for worshippers during Ramadan.
Managed by the Taksim Mosque Islam Education Culture and Art Foundation with support from Beyoğlu Municipality, this annual cleaning tradition aims to create a fresh and pleasant atmosphere for visitors throughout Ramadan. The careful efforts include washing the mosque's exterior and interior with rosewater, a traditional practice that adds a lovely scent to the air.
This year, the mosque is also introducing digital illuminated texts, a modern twist on the traditional Ottoman illuminated texts, displaying different messages throughout Ramadan. The first message reads "La İlahe İllallah," reminding worshippers of the central belief in Islam.
In addition to cleaning, Taksim Mosque has planned various activities for Ramadan. These include serving iftar meals to thousands of visitors daily, reciting prayers during certain times, and hosting cultural events at the Taksim Mosque Cultural Center. One of the events is a calligraphy exhibition titled "Beautiful Morals," where visitors can see beautiful artwork.
The mosque also wants to involve the community, especially children. On the eve of Eid, a special program will be held at the Taksim Mosque Multipurpose Hall in collaboration with local authorities and organizations. This program will have fun activities and give gifts to 700 orphaned children from the Beyoğlu district.
