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News from Ila 📰

Welcome to the ILA Association blog! Here, we share our inspiring stories, updates, and important developments related to our mission. Thank you for joining us on this journey!

The courtyard of a complex established by a waqf in the Ottoman Empire: a mosque, a medrese with arcades, and a soup kitchen
Blog

How Did Waqfs Function in the Ottoman Empire? Waqf Deeds, Endowments, and Charitable Institutions

How were waqfs established in the Ottoman Empire, and what sources of income sustained them? A brief guide using the examples of the vakfiye, the trustee, the akar, the monetary waqf, and the Fatih Complex.
The interior of an empty mosque illuminated by a Kandilli chandelier: rows of worshippers on the carpet, the mihrab, and the wooden minbar
Blog, Islamic Jurisprudence, Ramadan

How to Perform the Tarawih Prayer: A Complete Guide to 20 Rak'ahs

July 29, 2026: Illustration of prayer. The Tarawih prayer is specific to the month of Ramadan and is performed after the Isha prayer...

July 29, 2026
After sunset, the slender Ramadan crescent above Istanbul’s mosques and the “RAMAZAN” sign between two minarets
Blog, Ramadan

When Does Ramadan Begin? A Comprehensive Guide to Its History and Significance

July 29, 2026: Illustration of Ramadan. The answer to the question “When does Ramadan begin?” does not depend on the solar calendar...

July 29, 2026
In a room with tiled walls, a bowl of aşure garnished with pomegranate, walnuts, and apricots sits on a rice tray; the mosque is visible through the window
Blog, Blessed Days

Ashura Day: Its Significance and Religious Practices

July 29, 2026: Ashura Day (illustration). Ashura Day falls in Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar...

July 29, 2026
What Are the Nights of Kandil? The 2026 Calendar of Blessed Days and Their Meanings
Blog, Islamic Jurisprudence

What Are the Nights of Kandil? The 2026 Calendar of Blessed Days and Their Meanings

June 17, 2026: Nights of Kandil—Blessed Days The Nights of Kandil are the most precious and blessed nights in the Islamic calendar...

June 17, 2026
On the terrace of the Ottoman observatory, astronomers are observing the crescent moon: one is taking aim with a quadrant, one is adjusting the celestial globe, and one is taking notes
Blog, Islamic Jurisprudence

What Is the Islamic Calendar? A Complete Guide to the 12 Islamic Months and Their Meanings

June 1, 2026 Islamic Calendar Religious Information The Islamic calendar—also known as the Hijri calendar—...

June 1, 2026
Eid al-Adha Guide: Prayer, Sacrifice, and Proper Etiquette — two sheep with henna on their foreheads and a mosque in the distance, watercolor
Blog, Sacrifice

Eid al-Adha Guide: Prayer, Sacrifice, and Proper Etiquette

Eid al-Adha Guide: How to Perform the Eid Prayer, the Takbirs of Tashriq, Sacrificial Slaughter, Distribution of Meat, and Recommended Practices...
May 24, 2026