Perhaps you hear the echoes of youthful voices. They once filled the air within the Dilek Cami. This mosque isn’t just bricks and mortar. It is a community hub and a place of learning.
The Dilek Cami has a story to tell. It is a story of community, youth and devotion. Ankara’s Keçiören district is home to this beautiful mosque. It is more than just a place of worship. It is a center for community engagement.
Imagine the scene on a Sunday morning. The Dilek Cami is filled with young people. They have come to participate in a special program. It is called “Haydi Anne-Babalar Çocuklarınızı Camiye Gönderin Projesi.” This translates to “Come on Parents Send Your Children to the Mosque Project.” It is an initiative designed to connect young people with their faith.
The project encouraged youngsters to attend morning prayers at the Dilek Cami for 40 days. Those who completed this religious commitment were rewarded. Thirty-three bicycles were given as gifts. This encouraged regular attendance and a sense of community.
On one particular Sunday in January 2019, the Dilek Cami buzzed with activity. Future leaders gathered to pray. The youth represented the next generation of Selahaddin Eyyubis and Sultan Alparslans. They were also future Fatih Sultan Mehmets. The service included recitations from the Quran. A young man from Keçiören Merkez Cami shared his beautiful voice. Another young man, this time from Hayırsevenler Cami, sang an ilahi. This is a type of Islamic hymn. Youths from Yalçınkaya Camii and Dilek Cami recited 14 Hadith-i Şerifs. A participant from İyisu Üstü Cami delivered Esmâ-ül Hüsnâ. It is a recitation of the 99 names of Allah.
Mehmet Şahin addressed the congregation. He thanked Ankara’s deputy provincial muftis. Fazlı Mutlu and Âdem Karadeniz attended the event. He expressed gratitude to the young people who memorized hadiths. He also thanked those who contributed to the program. These included Dilek Cami’s Müezzin-Kayyım Hafız Fatih Meşe. The Wakil Imam-Khatib Oğuzhan Albayrak also received thanks. Recognition went to İyisu Üstü Camii’s Imam-Hatip Hafız İbrahim Turaç. Yakacık Camii’s Imam-Hatip Hafız Ramazan Aktaş was thanked. Çiğdem Camii’s Müezzin-Kayyım Hafız Orkun Görgün was appreciated. Esertepe Merkez İbrahim Melih Gökçek Camii’s Chief Imam-Hatip Hafız Ekrem Aygün was recognized. Bedir Mescidi’s Imam-Hatip Hafız Yunus Düzgöllü was appreciated. Keçiören Merkez Camii’s Müezzin-Kayyım Etem Karabatak was thanked. Hayırsevenler Camii’s Expert Imam-Hatip Hafız Mustafa Karoğlu was recognized. Ufuktepe Yeşildilek Camii’s Imam-Hatip Hafız İsmail Şimşek was thanked. Süleyman Çelebi Camii’s Imam-Hatip Hamdi Bayramoğlu was appreciated. Hacı Gülizar Mescidi’s Imam-Hatip Hafız Abdulsemet Derdiyok was also thanked. Yiğit Yıldırım and Şehit Bülent Aydın Imam-Hatip Middle School teacher Selahaddin Eyyubi Acaroğlu were acknowledged. Hafız Mustafa Özcan Güneşdoğdu and the mosque association presidents were thanked. He noted that such projects help people learn Islam. They learn the commands of their religion. They understand and apply the Sunnah. They find salvation.
15 Temmuz Veteran Abdülaziz Güven spoke. He highlighted the bond between mosque and school. The event concluded with a hearty breakfast. The Dilek Cami is a place where community bonds are strengthened. It is a place where future generations are nurtured.