Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş Guest of Honour at the Traditional IBQS Iftar

The traditional Türkiye iftar of the International Union of Braille Quran Services (IBQS) was held on the evening of Sunday, 15 March 2026, at the Ümraniye Anadolu Judges' House. This year's guest of honour was Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş, former President of the Presidency of Religious Affairs of Türkiye. Many figures from the bureaucracy, academia and civil society attended.

The program opened with live connections to Gambia, France and Togo. IBQS President Halis Kuralay then introduced the African guests who have come to Türkiye for Braille Quran training: Nassiva Sherafe from Uganda and Alusine Jallow from Sierra Leone. Both said they want to teach the Braille Quran to visually impaired people in their countries when they return home. Alusine Jallow recited Surah Abasa from the Braille Quran.

Speaking after the iftar dinner, Halis Kuralay said the whole world is beginning to understand that there is no path to happiness other than Islam. The Union's vision, he said, is to keep working until not a single visually impaired person in the world who wants to learn the Quran is left without the means to do so. Founding President Dr. Selahattin Aydın thanked everyone who contributed to organizing the iftar.

In his address, Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş reminded the guests that we are sent to this world to be tested, and said that the Union's work and that evening's gathering were in keeping with what the Quran asks of us. Describing the services for people with disabilities carried out during his term at the Presidency of Religious Affairs, he singled out the "Dictionary of Religious Terms" prepared for the hearing impaired.

The program ended with Halis Kuralay presenting a gift to Ali Erbaş.