Islam in Turkey

Islam in Turkey

Etymology and Translations

• Arabic: الإسلام في تركيا (Al-Islam fi Turkia)
• Turkish: Türkiye’de İslam

Historical Context

Turkey, modern successor to the Ottoman Empire, is distinguished as the first secular state in the Islamic world. Following World War I and the fall of the Ottoman sultanate, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk established the secular Turkish Republic in 1923. Subsequently, the caliphate was abolished in 1924, reshaping Turkey’s religious and social landscape profoundly.

Secular Reforms

Atatürk’s vision of a modern, secular Turkey led to substantial changes:

• All educational institutions were placed under government jurisdiction.
• By 1929, Kemalist reforms had virtually excised Islam from political and public life:
  • Closure of Sufi Orders and Shrines: Sufi gatherings and dervish lodges were banned.
  • Dress Reforms: The fez was outlawed, compelling men to adopt Western styles.
  • Use of Gregorian Calendar and 24-Hour Clock: These replaced the Islamic lunar calendar.
  • Legal Reforms: A Swiss-based civil code supplanted the Islamic legal structures.
  • Script Change: Ottoman script was replaced with the Latin alphabet to increase literacy and modernize the nation.

Six Principles of Kemalism

Atatürk’s ideology, known as Kemalism, advocated six fundamental principles:

1. Republicanism (Cumhuriyetçilik)
2. Nationalism (Milliyetçilik)
3. Populism (Halkçılık)
4. Statism (Devletçilik)
5. Secularism (Laiklik)
6. Revolutionism (İnkılapçılık)

Guardianship of Secular Democracy

The Turkish military took upon itself the role of guardian of secular democracy. Historically, it intervened in politics during periods of perceived threats to secularism:

• May 1960 coup
• March 1971 coup (self-described as a “coup by memorandum”)
• September 1980 coup

In each instance, the military asserted control to reinstate secular principles, curbing political activity temporarily.

Contemporary Issues

The ongoing tension between state-imposed secularism and the religious aspirations of practicing Muslims in Turkey has produced contemporary conflicts:

• Headscarf Ban: In 1998, the National Board of Higher Education banned headscarves in universities. Female students wearing headscarves were not allowed to attend classes, take exams, or graduate.
• Religious Freedom: These restrictions sparked international debates on human rights and religious freedoms in Turkey.

Further Reading

• “Atatürk: The Rebirth of a Nation” by Patrick Kinross
• “Islam, Secularism, and Nationalism in Modern Turkey: Who is a Turk?” by Soner Çağaptay
• “Turkey: A Modern History” by Erik Jan Zürcher
• “The Turkish Transformation: Freemasonry and Politics in Turkey” by Zafer Toprak

Takeaways and Conclusion

The history of Islam in Turkey is replete with drastic transformations, from a prominent seat of Islamic power during the Ottoman Empire to a radically secular republic under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Turkish secularism, embodied in Kemalism and protected by military involvement, has significantly influenced the country’s sociopolitical landscape. The ongoing tension between secular laws and religious freedoms remains a dynamic and critical discourse in modern Turkey.

Each phase of Turkey’s evolution elucidates the complex relationship between religion, politics, and identity within a nation with a rich Islamic heritage and a steadfast commitment to secular reform.