Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, during this period fasting is observed from dawn until sunset..

Istanbul's Yeni Mosque displayed the final message of this year's traditional Ramadan mahya lights on Saturday, March 14, 2026, with the illuminated phrase 'Zakat brings blessings' hung between its twin minarets.

Footage showed workers who installed the lights, which marked the last inscription which appeared at the mosque during the holy month.

Kahraman Yildiz, a mahya master with more than 50 years of experience, said the message was the fifth and final one featured at the Yeni Mosque this Ramadan.

"The committee sets a theme for Ramadan. This year's theme is 'Ramadan, the mosque and life.' Based on that theme, the Istanbul Muftiate prepares a list of sayings. From those, we select the ones that will be displayed. I'm invited to join the process as well. Together we choose the inscriptions according to the size of the mosques and the meaning of the day," he explained.

Yildiz also described the challenges of the work, which included climbing hundreds of steps and the installation of the lights high above the ground, often in difficult weather conditions.

"We've been caught in many storms. We've worked through heavy snow and rain and faced a lot of difficulties. Once we climbed up the Bursa Ulu Cami in the morning and didn't come down until 11 p.m. because the strong southwesterly wind made it impossible to work. But thank God, we eventually finished the job," he explained.

Mahya is a centuries-old Ottoman tradition in which illuminated messages are suspended between the minarets of major mosques during Ramadan. Dating back around 450 years, the practice remained a distinctive feature of Istanbul's skyline during the holy month.

Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic lunar calendar and considered one of the holiest months for Muslims.