A Religious Administration to Secure Secularism: The Presidency of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Turkey
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17192/mjr.2007.11.3616Abstract
This article is primarily concerned with an agency, the Presidency of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, which was instituted to regulate Islamic services, but in actuality was used as a means of 'securing' secularism in Turkey for over a period of 80 years. This apparent paradox in terms was the muse which led me reflect on the representation of the construction (and deconstruction) of 'modernity' and of 'state and religion' in Turkey. In order to develop my argument I focus on the legal and bureaucratic structure of the Presidency of Religious Affairs.
References
i. Atatürk, Söylev ve Demeçler (Speeches and Statements) 1919-1938, v. 1, İstanbul 1945, 389.
ii. For speeches by the Seyhan deputy Sinan Tekelioğlu and the Erzurum deputy Vehbi Kocagüney see TBMM Zabıt
Ceridesi (GNA proceedings) VII, 25 (1950), 838.
iii. State Council Third Department, E. 1970/444, K. 1971/10, T. 9 January 1971. Danıştay Dergisi (State Council
Journal), 4 (1972) 69-70.
iv. For this decision see Danıştay Dergisi (State Council Journal), 4 (1972) 71-75.
v. According to a former Director of Religious Affairs, Dr. Lütfi Doğan, “In Islam, unlike Christianity, there exists no
organization for assuming this duty in the name of Allah. This is because a Muslim is only responsible for his/her
own beliefs, prayers and religious activities. Allah is the only judge. Allah is not represented by anyone. Those who
study religious sciences are not clergymen or mediators; they are only trainers who serve and help believers for being
good Muslims. For this purpose, the Directorate of Religious Affairs was established in 1924 with the objective of
protecting the beliefs and conscience of Muslims and helping them in their prayers”. See “Laiklik ve Yeniden
Yapılanma”, Milliyet, 4 March 1989.
vi. S. S. Onar, İdare Hukukunun Umumi Esasları, (Basic Principles of Administrative Law), Vol. 2, 3rd edition,
Istanbul 1966, 722-3.
vii. Süheyp Derbil, İdare Hukuku (Administrative Law), Vol. 2, Ankara, 1949, 466.
viii. T.Z.Tunaya, İslamcılık Cereyanı (Islamism), İstanbul 1962, 248-49.
ix. S. S. Onar, ibid, 722. According to Prof. Onar, a sociological approach to the concept of public service requires
that, if a need emerges in a certain field, and if such need is continuous and its non-satisfaction could damage public
order, a public service has to be provided in that particular field. See ibid, 37.
x. R. L. Chambers, The Civil Bureaucracy, Political Modernization in Japan and Turkey, Princeton-New Jersey,
1964, 107.
ii. For speeches by the Seyhan deputy Sinan Tekelioğlu and the Erzurum deputy Vehbi Kocagüney see TBMM Zabıt
Ceridesi (GNA proceedings) VII, 25 (1950), 838.
iii. State Council Third Department, E. 1970/444, K. 1971/10, T. 9 January 1971. Danıştay Dergisi (State Council
Journal), 4 (1972) 69-70.
iv. For this decision see Danıştay Dergisi (State Council Journal), 4 (1972) 71-75.
v. According to a former Director of Religious Affairs, Dr. Lütfi Doğan, “In Islam, unlike Christianity, there exists no
organization for assuming this duty in the name of Allah. This is because a Muslim is only responsible for his/her
own beliefs, prayers and religious activities. Allah is the only judge. Allah is not represented by anyone. Those who
study religious sciences are not clergymen or mediators; they are only trainers who serve and help believers for being
good Muslims. For this purpose, the Directorate of Religious Affairs was established in 1924 with the objective of
protecting the beliefs and conscience of Muslims and helping them in their prayers”. See “Laiklik ve Yeniden
Yapılanma”, Milliyet, 4 March 1989.
vi. S. S. Onar, İdare Hukukunun Umumi Esasları, (Basic Principles of Administrative Law), Vol. 2, 3rd edition,
Istanbul 1966, 722-3.
vii. Süheyp Derbil, İdare Hukuku (Administrative Law), Vol. 2, Ankara, 1949, 466.
viii. T.Z.Tunaya, İslamcılık Cereyanı (Islamism), İstanbul 1962, 248-49.
ix. S. S. Onar, ibid, 722. According to Prof. Onar, a sociological approach to the concept of public service requires
that, if a need emerges in a certain field, and if such need is continuous and its non-satisfaction could damage public
order, a public service has to be provided in that particular field. See ibid, 37.
x. R. L. Chambers, The Civil Bureaucracy, Political Modernization in Japan and Turkey, Princeton-New Jersey,
1964, 107.
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Published
2015-06-01
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Gözaydın, İştar B. (2015). A Religious Administration to Secure Secularism: The Presidency of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Turkey. Marburg Journal of Religion, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.17192/mjr.2007.11.3616
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