By Faruk Zorlu
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan celebrated the Muslim holy night of Laylat al-Raghaib on Thursday.
"I congratulate our dear nation and the Islamic world on the blessed night of Laylat al-Raghaib. I pray to God that this noble night will bring peace, tranquility, and blessings to all humanity, especially our Palestinian brothers and sisters who are going through difficult times," he wrote on X.
May the night be blessed, he added.
Laylat-ul-Raghaib marks the beginning of three holy months on the Islamic Hijri calendar -- Rajab, Sha'ban and Ramadan.
Raghaib comes from the root "regabe" in Arabic, which means to desire, seek or tend toward.
It is marked on Thursday night, preceding the first Friday in the month of Rajab. Muslims perform special prayers and read from Islam's holy book, the Quran.