Mosques in Istanbul are decorated with mahyas

Creation Date: February 25, 2025 11:26

The tradition of hanging mahyas, which began in the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century, continues to decorate mosques during Ramadan today.

While mahyas are being hung on the grand and imperial mosques in Istanbul with only a few days left before Ramadan, the AA team captured images of the mahyas adorning the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, Eminönü New Mosque and Süleymaniye Mosque.

The Sultanahmet Mosque, which has had mahyas hung between its minarets since it was opened for worship in 1617, will not have a mahya hung this year due to restoration.

"THE TRADITION OF HANGING MAHYA CONTINUES TODAY WITH A FEW CRAFTSMEN"

Istanbul Mufti Prof. Dr. Safi Arpaguş, in his statement to AA correspondent, said that the tradition of hanging mahyas on mosques, which have an important place in the city's silhouette, continues today with a small number of craftsmen.

Expressing that they hung mahyas in mosques together with the General Directorate of Foundations, Arpaguş said that mahyas were hung in the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, Süleymaniye Mosque, Eyüpsultan Mosque, Büyük Çamlıca Mosque and Mimar Sinan Mosque this year, apart from the Sultanahmet Mosque, due to the restoration of its minaret.

Arpaguş stated that mahyas are a tradition that is placed between two minarets, especially in mosques with multiple minarets, and that they carry a message to the society with spot-on sentences, and spoke as follows:

"When we look at the historical process, very different mahyas have been prepared at different times, but during Ramadan, the focus is more on issues such as brotherhood, the joy of the holiday, the sanctity of the family, the importance of worship, fasting, prayer, almsgiving. Of course, it is also visually specific to Ramadan nights. Our minaret balconies are lit with iftar and closed with imsak. In other words, the fast ends when the minaret is lit, and the fast begins when the lights go out. In fact, this is a tradition that separates imsak and iftar from each other even in places where the sound and the call to prayer cannot reach."

Arpaguş reported that this year, there are references on the mahyas to the blessedness of Ramadan, the Quran and the month of fasting.

"WE DECIDED TO HAVE A COURT THAT EMPHASISES FAMILY FOR AT LEAST A WEEK"

Providing information about the statements to be included in the mahyas, Arpaguş noted the following:

"This year, there will be more mentions and references on the theme of 'goodness'. In the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, the Kalima Tawhid (La ilahe illallah) mahya is hung throughout Ramadan without changing. We thought it would be more appropriate for it to remain that way. In Süleymaniye, we have mahyas such as 'Welcome, month of mercy', 'Family is a great blessing', 'Is your provision for the hereafter ready?', 'Perform prayers, give alms' and 'Eid is brotherhood'. Since this year is the year of family in our country, we decided to have a mahya that emphasizes family for at least one week, especially since it is the year of family by our state."

Istanbul Mufti Arpaguş added that there will be mahyas in Eminönü New Mosque that read "Support goodness", "Perform prayer, give alms", "Look after relatives", "Don't forget your afterlife" and "Eid is joy"; in Eyüpsultan Mosque, there will be mahyas that read "Welcome to Ramadan ", "Family is the foundation of society", "Is your provision for the afterlife ready?", "May your Eid be blessed"; in Mimar Sinan Mosque, there will be "Ramadan is the month of the Quran", "Don't forget your afterlife", "Family is the foundation of society", "Is your provision for the afterlife ready?", "Eid is brotherhood"; and in Üsküdar Valide-i Cedid Mosque, there will be "Welcome sultan of 11 months", "Family is the foundation of society", "Be true to your promises" and "Eid is joy".