Türkiye’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) has set this year’s Ramadan theme as "Ramadan, Mosque and Life,” aiming to highlight the connection between places of worship and daily life throughout the holy month.

Diyanet President Safi Arpaguş announced the theme Wednesday during the "2026 Ramadan Promotion Meeting” held at the institution’s headquarters in Ankara.

"We have determined this year’s Ramadan theme as ‘Ramadan, Mosque and Life.’ Through the programs we will carry out during the blessed month of Ramadan, we aim to draw attention to the importance of the bond between the mosque and life,” Arpaguş said.

Ramadan will begin with the first tarawih prayer on the evening of Feb. 18, followed by the first day of fasting on Feb. 19, he said, expressing hopes that the month would bring blessings.

Arpaguş noted that Diyanet selects a central theme each year during Ramadan to raise public awareness and guide its religious services and activities.

He said the 2026 theme seeks to promote a better understanding of Islam’s mosque-centered vision of life and to encourage the values represented by mosques to be reflected in everyday conduct.

Mosques as centers of life

Arpaguş said the world is undergoing a period of rapid change, with technological developments accelerating globalization and reshaping people’s perceptions of religion, society and life.

As a result, he said, material and spiritual crises, as well as instability and disorder, have become widespread in many parts of the world.

"At such a time, it is of great importance to bring back to the agenda the life-giving principles and truths of Islam and the values that define who we are,” he said.

He described mosques as among the most significant symbols of those principles and values.

"Throughout history, the values that concern both the inner world of individuals and social life have taken shape in mosques and have been carried into daily life from there,” Arpaguş said. "Islamic civilization flourished around places of worship. The bond between faith and life has always been kept alive through mosques and reflected in society.”

He pointed to the Kaaba, the focal point of Islamic monotheistic belief, and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina as examples underscoring the central place of mosques in Muslim life.

Beyond being places of prayer, mosques have historically served as multifaceted institutions where faith, morality, religious knowledge, virtuous living and social solidarity are cultivated, he added.

Call for collective awareness

Arpaguş said rapid urbanization in recent years has contributed to individualization and weakened social bonds, a trend that has also affected the relationship between mosques and daily life.

"In order to overcome problems such as selfishness and loneliness that threaten social life today, it is necessary to rebuild a mosque-centered, collective consciousness,” he said. "This can only be achieved by strengthening the bond between the place of worship and life.”

He described Ramadan as a major opportunity to reestablish and reinforce that connection.

"Ramadan is a school in which a person turns inward, directs himself to his heart and gives meaning to his life,” he said, referring to pre-dawn meals (suhoor), iftar dinners, tarawih prayers, Quran recitations, spiritual retreat (itikaf) and the Night of Power as manifestations of divine mercy.

Arpaguş emphasized the importance of encouraging children to participate in mosque life during Ramadan, saying their first experiences of tarawih prayers and congregational worship leave lasting impressions.

"At this point, parents bear great responsibility,” he said. "We should encourage our children to benefit fully from Ramadan’s spiritual atmosphere.”

Arpaguş also described Ramadan as a month of charity and sharing, saying acts of almsgiving, including zakat, fitra and voluntary donations, strengthen solidarity and reinforce brotherhood.

He said Diyanet and the Turkish Diyanet Foundation (TDV) will continue humanitarian activities in Türkiye and abroad to bring Ramadan joy to those in need.

At the same time, Arpaguş cautioned against the exploitation of religious sentiments in media programming during the holy month.

"Unfortunately, we witness that our nation’s interest in religious matters is sometimes abused,” he said. "In some platforms, issues incompatible with the spirit of Ramadan are raised merely to attract more viewers, and religious feelings are exploited.”

He urged both media professionals and the public to act with greater sensitivity and awareness, emphasizing the importance of respectful language when discussing religious matters.

Concluding his remarks, Arpaguş prayed that Ramadan would lead to forgiveness, spiritual purification and renewal for Muslims in Türkiye and around the world.