08.03.2025 13:10
Before Ramadan, the "Alo Fatwa Line" received an average of 4,000 to 5,000 questions per day, but during Ramadan, this number exceeds 18,000 questions daily. In terms of the provinces that ask the most questions, Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir lead the list, while the most frequently asked questions are about things that break or do not break the fast.
The Expert of the Religious Affairs High Council of the Presidency of Religious Affairs, Halil Kılıç, stated that the "Alo 190 Religious Questions Answering Line," which receives 4-5 thousand questions a day, answered more than 18 thousand questions daily during Ramadan.
EVERYONE OPENED UP AFTER 2021
Kılıç noted that the fatwa line was limited to the provincial muftis until 2021, and since then, they have transitioned to a call center system, allowing citizens to connect to the fatwa line regardless of their location.
TEACHERS UNDERWENT SERIOUS TRAINING
Emphasizing that they continue to improve the system every year, Kılıç stated: "As of December 9, 2024, we made a selection among our preachers in Turkey. We identified the best-performing teachers in this field and appointed them as fatwa preachers. Currently, approximately 300 fatwa preachers are providing services across Turkey. These teachers received serious training seminars before starting their duties. They have become competent in areas such as public speaking, diction, communication, and similar fields, and they have now actively started their duties."
A RECORD WAS BROKEN ON MARCH 3 MONDAY
Kılıç reported that regardless of where they are in Turkey, callers connect to the fatwa line in an average of 30 seconds, stating, "Before Ramadan, the fatwa line received an average of 4-5 thousand questions daily, while during Ramadan, we are seeing over 18 thousand questions every day. On March 3, Monday, we broke a record by answering 19,208 questions in this area. The most common questions we encounter are related to issues that break or do not break the fast."
THE 3 PROVINCES WITH THE MOST QUESTIONS
Kılıç expressed that data has been collected regarding which province received the most questions through the call center system, stating, "Istanbul is our province that receives the most questions, parallel to its population density. Ankara and Izmir follow. In other words, we see that the question statistics are increasing on a provincial basis in parallel with Turkey's population density. Istanbul ranks at the top with 5-6 thousand questions daily."
Kılıç mentioned that the fatwa line, which does not provide service on Sundays during normal times, operates from 09:00 to 22:00, and during Ramadan, it provides service every day of the week during the same hours. Kılıç noted that the High Council of Religious Affairs conducts serious research when issuing a fatwa on a matter and shares this with the fatwa preachers.