In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful!

Our esteemed compatriots, dear Muslim brothers and sisters!

I congratulate the Muslims of Azerbaijan and the world who have reached the joy of the blessed Ramadan holiday—the dear day of the Islamic world— and I pray to Almighty Allah for the acceptance of our fasting and for your prayers to be answered.
This year, the holy Ramadan holiday, a mandatory divine command of our Lord, coincides with the Novruz holiday, which holds a special place and national significance in the centuries-old history of the Azerbaijani people; this further increases their blessedness and sublimity. Praise and glory be to the Supreme Creator; we Muslims value and give thanks for these holy and blessed holidays as moments that, by the Grace of our Great Lord, urge the children of the Motherland toward good deeds, noble and charitable works, and revive the sublime desires in their hearts.
Many thanks to Almighty Allah that our dear holidays contribute to the successful development of our state and nation, the continuation of our Path of Victory, and the conquest of new heights on an international scale. The large-scale construction work in liberated Karabakh and East Zangezur, the Great Return of our compatriots to their ancestral homelands, and the provision of high-level living conditions gladden the hearts of each of us. Our people see the guarantee of this progress in the victorious state policy, wise projects, and initiatives carried out with firm will by our esteemed head of state, President Ilham Aliyev, and appreciate the path of rising achievements gained in all fields.
Praise be to Allah that our state leader's respectful attitude toward our national-spiritual values, Islamic heritage, and universal culture finds its high manifestation today in the magnificent construction works in the field of restoring our religious and cultural monuments liberated from captivity in Karabakh. The rising sounds of the Adhan from the minarets of our cultural capital Shusha and the mosques of liberated Karabakh embody the restoration of historical and divine justice. Today, we offer endless praise and glory to the Supreme Creator for letting us and all our people experience the joy of the holiday during holiday prayers in all liberated areas of Karabakh, including free Shusha and Khankendi, and around Novruz bonfires in accordance with ancient traditions; we express our deep gratitude to the victorious Commander-in-Chief of our people and our heroic army.
The Karabakh Victory has always been in the prayers of every Azerbaijani. For the sake of the Victory we longed for, our children sacrificed their lives in the way of Allah, for the freedom of the Motherland and the nation. Each of them has a right over us; it is our debt of loyalty to remember with prayers of mercy our heroic children who were martyred for the Motherland and gave their lives for the sake of the Azerbaijani flag waving in Karabakh during these dear days of Ramadan and Novruz, to offer condolences to their families and loved ones, and to ask for healing from Almighty Allah for our veterans and the wounded.
According to the information provided to the Caucasus Muslims Board by the Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory named after Nasreddin Tusi of the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and also based on the Fatwa adopted by the Fatwa Council operating under the Council of Heads of Muslim Religious Administrations of the Organization of Turkic States – Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan – the 1st of the month of Shawwal, the Ramadan holiday, will, God willing, coincide with March 20 of the Gregorian calendar. The time for fitra zakat, which is one of the important acts of fasting, is after the Maghrib prayer on the last day of the month of Ramadan—the eve of the Holiday. According to the Fatwa of the Council of Ghazis, it is recommended that every person who has the means give 10-15 manats of fitra zakat per person. According to Sharia, fitra is the alms of the soul, and it is mandatory for a Muslim who has the means to bring out fitra zakat for every member of the family and give it to the destitute and families in need. This is intended to give every family a holiday mood.
Dear compatriots! Once again, we sincerely congratulate all the Muslims of the world who have reached the happiness of the dear holidays—Eid al-Fitr—as well as our people experiencing the joy of Novruz, and we convey our blessings. May Almighty Allah accept all our prayers and worship, and always be our helper! May Almighty Allah grant that conflicts in the world end soon through peace and negotiations! May our Great Lord make our independence eternal, our state leader victorious, and our people always triumphant! May Almighty Allah protect Azerbaijan! AMEN.

Baku city, March 18, 2026.