Eid al-Fitr Celebrations to Begin in Northern Cyprus this Weekend

Tomorrow marks the start of the Eid al-Fitr holiday for Muslims. By decision of the Council of Ministers of the TRNC, the holiday in the country has been extended to nine days.

Tonight, Muslims observe Laylat al-Qadr - the Night of Power, also known as the Night of Decree. On the occasion of this event, the President for Religious Affairs, Ahmet Yunsal, and the President of the Association of Religious Officials, Gokan Inik, addressed the believers.

In a statement released by Ahmet Yunsal, it is noted that the Night of Power holds sacred significance as it is the night when the Holy Quran was revealed to Earth.

"As we prepare to bid farewell to the sacred month of Ramadan, let us set aside our grievances and pray for the strengthening of our brotherhood and solidarity," the address states.

In Gokan Inik's message, it is emphasized that the descent of the Holy Quran to Earth is the most important event of the Night of Power. Therefore, "prayers and worship performed on this night will be considered as if they were performed for a thousand months." The statement calls for spending the Night of Power in worship and prayer.

"Let us pray for our brothers affected by the genocide in Gaza and for all the oppressed, wherever they may be," the address concludes.

It is worth noting that during its meeting on March 26, the Council of Ministers of the TRNC decided that civil servants would be sent on administrative leave for 1.5 days before the Eid al-Fitr holiday, which begins on April 10.

The holiday has been extended to 9 days: Monday, April 8, and Tuesday, April 9, which coincides with the eve of the holiday, have been declared public holidays.

In his statement after the meeting, Prime Minister Unal Ustel announced that civil servants would be sent on administrative leave one and a half days before the start of the holiday and expressed his wish for Eid al-Fitr to be beneficial for all citizens of the TRNC.