The 2026 Semester Umrah Program organized by the Near East University Faculty of Theology has been completed. Students and academics welcomed Ramadan at the Kaaba with an organization departing directly from Ercan Airport, while the worship process was addressed practically with academic guidance.

The “2026 Semester Umrah Program”, organized by the Near East University Faculty of Theology, has been completed. The program, notable for its direct departure from Ercan Airport, allowed students, academics, and parents to welcome Ramadan at the Kaaba. The raising of the TRNC flag in the holy lands was also recorded as one of the significant moments.

As part of the program, visits to Mecca and Medina were made, and the miqat regions, ihram practices, and the practical aspects of the Umrah worship were addressed practically with an academic approach. The organization, guided by the Dean of the Near East University Faculty of Theology, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Mahfuz Söylemez, and Fatih Bellek, included Near East University Faculty of Theology faculty members Prof. Dr. Ahmet Erhan Şekerci and Specialist Meryem Sezgin, along with alumni Esra Nur Yıldız and Muhammet Mert Demir. The program, organized on a voluntary basis, was attended by faculty members, alumni, students, and parents.

Visits, worship, and historical awareness combined!

During the Medina leg of the program, visits were made to the Prophet’s Mosque, the Rawda al-Mutahhara, and the Jannat al-Baqi Cemetery, as well as the Masjid al-Ghamama, Quba, and Qiblateyn mosques. In the Uhud region, important sites such as Mount Uhud, the Uhud Martyrs’ Cemetery, the Archers’ Hill, the Tooth Cave, the Battlefield of the Trench, the Seven Mosques, and the Gars Well were examined on-site, while the Ottoman Train Station was also included in the program as part of Medina’s historical heritage.

On the way from Medina to Mecca, the ihram was entered at the Dhul-Hulayfa Miqat area. In Badr, the Badr Martyrs’ Cemetery and the Hill of Angels were visited, allowing for a firsthand assessment of the historical context. In Mecca, the Jannat al-Mu’alla, Jinn, and Fath mosques were visited, along with the Hira Cave on Mount Nur and Mount Thawr. Additionally, the Arafat, Mina, and Muzdalifah regions were visited as part of the program, and the Umrah rituals were performed at the Miqta locations of Jirana, Tan’im, and Hudaybiya, where the Ihram garments were worn. The visits were supported by an academic framework, with explanations from Prof. Dr. Mehmet Mahfuz Söylemez and Fatih Bellek on Islamic history and the Prophet’s biography.