The Faculty of Theology held its 2023-2024 Academic Year graduation ceremony. The ceremony, held on Thursday, May 23 at our University's Prof. Dr. Uğur Oral Cultural Center, was attended by the 17th President of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Mehmet Görmez, Mersin Justice Commission President Mustafa Kahveci, our Rector's Advisor and Dean of the Faculty of Theology Prof. Dr. Erdal Baykan, Mersin Provincial Mufti Aydın Yığman, Memur-Sen Mersin Provincial President Abdulla Çelik, Eğitim Bir-Sen Mersin Universities Branch President Dr. Ömer Özbilen, former President of the Turkish Language and Literature Association Mersin Branch Mustafa Erim, representatives of civil society organizations, our faculty members, administrative staff, graduates and their families.

Following the moment of silence and the singing of our National Anthem, a Quran recitation was performed by Faculty of Theology Lecturer Muzaffer Ä°nneci. The ceremony continued with opening speeches.

Beginning his remarks by stating that planning had been made for him to deliver the first lecture at our University's Faculty of Theology, but that due to his busy schedule at the time, he was destined to deliver the Faculty's last lecture, the 17th President of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Mehmet Görmez said, \"Your presence here is a prayer. Today we are at the graduation ceremony of Mersin University Faculty of Theology graduates. This graduation ceremony is also a great prayer. We dedicate this prayer to all students in Gaza who have been deprived of their schools for a year, whose schools have been bombed, yet who teach the entire world from the streets. May God accept it.\"

The 17th President of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Mehmet Görmez: \"Angels Spread Their Wings for the Student of Knowledge.\"

Offering some advice to our graduating students who have reached a very important point in their academic lives, the 17th President of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Mehmet Görmez said, \"You will leave behind a very important phase of your lives. This phase did not actually begin here 4 years ago. It began in your mother's arms, at your father's hearth. Then through elementary school, middle school, university, you went through difficult processes. Today you have reached the end of your university life. What comes next is more important. You have received a key. This is a key to enter the palace of knowledge, thought, ideas, values and morality, to correctly read both God's written book and the book of the universe. From now on, you will begin to acquire knowledge. If you continue to be students of knowledge, God will open much greater doors for you. My first advice is, never abandon the pursuit of knowledge. When you say 'I am done,' you remain ignorant. Never deprive yourselves of this. In no literature in the world are there expressions as powerful as those of our beloved Prophet in exalting and elevating knowledge. When praising the student of knowledge, our Prophet says: 'Angels spread their wings for the student of knowledge.' My other advice is: do not fall from the wings of the angels. Never abandon the pursuit of knowledge throughout your lives. Another piece of advice: always set your goal to become a scholar. Our conception of knowledge, scholar, and the world is the same. These concepts come from the same root. A scholar is a world unto themselves. To become a scholar, one must address the world. My next advice is that in order to address the world, you need to read well. By reading well, I don't mean only reading books in a specific field. Read 3 books together. One is God's book, the Holy Quran; another is God's other book, the human being; and the third is God's great book, the universe.\"

Stating that we live in a world where the sea of information leaves us ignorant, the 17th President of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Mehmet Görmez concluded by saying, \"Knowledge has now been reduced to data. We are nourished by this data. As our information increases, our true knowledge decreases. As our knowledge increases, our morality decreases. However, God's book did not say this. Our Almighty Lord in His book accepted knowledge not merely as information, but as a set of values that brings value-laden morality and responsibility,\" and thanked the families and professors of our graduating students.

Our Rector's Advisor and Dean of the Faculty of Theology Prof. Dr. Erdal Baykan: \"Wherever You Go, Never Forgetting That Islam Is Goodness and Optimism, Being Individuals Who Care for the Orphan and the Poor, Who Comfort the Fatherless, Who Explain Religion in This Dimension to Humanity and Society by Living It — This Is Our Greatest Wish as Your Professors.\"

Beginning his remarks by stating that he had not prepared an opening speech today, that the podium belonged to our graduating students, and expressing the pride felt at the 17th President of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Mehmet Görmez not refusing our invitation and attending the graduation ceremony, Dean of the Faculty of Theology Prof. Dr. Erdal Baykan said, \"Our graduates will be carriers of true hope for those seeking new hope. Our faith, trust, and effort is for this. The Palestine issue became our teacher. It became the teacher of all Muslims in the world. But it did not only become the teacher of us Muslims. It also became the initiator of a heartfelt resistance that led to the awakening of all peoples of the world, all the oppressed, those innocent people and youth in places that call themselves developed countries. The world will, God willing, no longer be the world it was before October 7. A more questioning generation is coming — not only among us but throughout the world — where lies, falsities, fake freedoms, and fake human rights have ended, and where truth, genuine knowledge, and the reasons for being a good human are examined.\"

Also addressing the families of our graduating students, Dean of the Faculty of Theology Prof. Dr. Erdal Baykan said, \"I congratulate you for raising such bright children. My final advice to our graduates is: wherever you go, never forgetting that Islam is goodness and optimism, being individuals who care for the orphan and the poor, who comfort the fatherless, who explain religion in this dimension to humanity and society by living it — this is our greatest wish as your professors. May your path and fortune be open.\"

Speaking on behalf of our graduates, the Faculty of Theology's top-ranked graduate Hayrunnisa Can said, \"We all come from different stories. I want to talk about the story that brought me here,\" and highly emotional moments were experienced during her speech. Hayrunnisa Can concluded her speech by thanking her family and our faculty members.

Following the musical performance by artist Bayram Bilge Tokel with his saz, ceremonial diplomas, plaques and awards were presented to our top-ranking graduates. The ceremonial diploma, plaque and award of the faculty valedictorian Hayrunnisa Can was presented by the 17th President of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Mehmet Görmez. After the ceremonial diploma, plaque and award of the faculty's second-ranked graduate Güldenur Gültekin was presented by Mersin Justice Commission President Mustafa Kahveci, the ceremonial diploma, plaque and award of the faculty's third-ranked graduate Zeliha Türüt was presented by our Rector's Advisor and Dean of the Faculty of Theology Prof. Dr. Erdal Baykan.

At the end of the award ceremony, our Rector's Advisor and Dean of the Faculty of Theology Prof. Dr. Erdal Baykan presented his gift to the 17th President of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Mehmet Görmez. The gift for artist Bayram Bilge Tokel was presented by Memur-Sen Mersin Provincial President Abdullah Çelik.

Following the group photo of the protocol members, the ceremony continued with events organized by the Faculty of Theology, including poetry recitations, Palestinian folk dance, and video screenings.

After the presentation of ceremonial diplomas and plaques to our Faculty of Theology graduates, the ceremony concluded with the graduation prayer read by the Faculty of Theology's Vice Dean Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zeki Uyanık, immediately followed by a group photograph of the protocol members and our graduating students.

Press and Public Relations Branch Directorate