Long-awaited handover ceremony takes place at the Diyanet: He kissed his hand

Ali Erbaş, one of Turkey's most controversial Presidents of Religious Affairs, has stepped down. Safi Arpaguş has succeeded Erbaş.

Throughout his tenure, Erbaş's use of luxury vehicles, his foreign expenditures, and his family's lavish lifestyle had been the subject of media reports.

Erbaş spoke at the farewell ceremony at the Presidency of Religious Affairs. After embracing Arpaguş, he helped him put on his robe and turban. While putting on the turban, Arpaguş kissed Erbaş's hand.

Furthermore, in his speech, Erbaş asked for forgiveness and for those present to bear witness. Highlights from the speech of Erbaş, who is reported to be receiving a pension of 101 thousand liras, are as follows:

"I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all my colleagues, coworkers, staff at every level of our Presidency of Religious Affairs, and the devoted administrators, employees, and members of our Turkey Diyanet Foundation, with whom I have carried the heavy responsibility of this honorable duty, the trust of which I have shouldered, and I say may Allah be pleased with them all. I pray for them and greet each of them with affection. I also await their prayers. God willing. I would like to once again express my gratitude to our esteemed President, who entrusted this sacred duty to me for two terms.

I would especially like to express my great satisfaction in handing over this sublime trust to my dear brother, my old friend, with whom I graduated from the same faculty and with whom I have done very beautiful work for many years, especially during my time as the Mufti of Istanbul, Professor Doctor Safi Arpaguş.

Just as we took him as an example, as an heir to our Prophet, we took him as an example and, without caring about the blame of those who blame, by braving difficulties, we strove to bring the point and stage that the 17 Presidents of Religious Affairs before me had brought by weaving it stitch by stitch, to even higher levels together with all my colleagues. Praise be to God. I hope the prayers we have received will appear in our book of deeds.

I now want to hold you as witnesses. My esteemed teachers, would you bear witness together that during my time at the Presidency of Religious Affairs, we worked with sincerity, passion, and excitement for the sake of Allah, day and night, without saying day or night, to bring the presidency and the foundation to better places? May Allah be pleased with you.

On this occasion, I would like to thank my family, my esteemed wife, and my children, all of them, who braved the difficulties with me during these 8 years that we wore this shirt of fire.

May they grant me their forgiveness. Perhaps we tired them out and upset them a lot, but this is the fate of this duty. May the Almighty God be pleased with them. I thank you all again. May Allah be pleased with you."

News Source: 12punto