roots

clergy and Islam
In Islam, there is no special class equipped with holy abilities to speak on behalf of God and religion. Yet, since the early days of the Prophet, there have been imams and religious officials who render religious services and administer practices of worship in society. The idea which suggests that there is no clergy in Islam is a higher, more theological idea that pertains to the origins of theology and the message conveyed by religion in the world. On the other hand, the presence of a class that renders religious services relates to practical life, and in this sense there has always been a class of religious officials. The organization of this class has been shaped by the social structures, institutional culture and the traditions of society; it has existed in various forms, such as independent, free, semi-public or public. The absence of clergy in Islamic theology does not mean that religious services were delivered in a haphazard fashion or that they were not subject to any organization in the historical experience of Muslim societies.

the ottoman period

The Presidency of Religious Affairs is not a novelty in Turkey; its roots can be found in Ottoman history. The Presidency, which is a modern expression of our culture and civilization, can be associated with our past.

The Presidency of Religious Affairs is not exactly a continuation of the Ottoman institution of Şeyhülislâmlık (the office of the Sheikh-ul-Islam) or its structure. These two institutions differ in terms of their functions and mandates. Nevertheless, in Ottoman society, the relations between religion and politics and the organization of religious affairs were regulated under the authority of the institution of Şeyhülislâmlık which was granted a certain degree of autonomy. This was largely preserved

and continued during the Republican period with some limitations in the field of authority..

Religious education was a major area of activity for the office of the Sheikh-ul-Islam, while all of these functions were separated in the Republican period, with religious education and training being annexed to the Ministry of Education. In the past there was a Ministry of Şer’iye ve Evkaf (Religious Affairs and Charitable Foundations), but later on charitable foundations were separated from the ministry as an independent division. The Presidency of Religious Affairs was also created with a new structure under the Republican system as the institution that carried out religious affairs in society, which informed society about religion and administered places of worship.  

the republican period

The Presidency of Religious Affairs, which was created in the Republican period, continued the Ottoman experience to a certain extent, but was given a structure that complied with the secular structure of the state; it was given the mandate to carry out religious affairs pertaining to faith, worship and moral principles, to inform society on religion and to administer places of worship.

features

diyanet

In the Turkish title of the Presidency is used the term diyanet (piety). In classical religious literature diyanet is used as an antonym of kaza, i.e. the judiciary. Kaza expresses the judiciary and the process by which legal, political and administrative relations among all people are regulated by worldly institutions through worldly sanctions, while diyanet expresses a higher value; the spiritual and moral aspects of life. In other words, kaza is a judgment made by the judiciary in the present sense and diyanet is the process by which people discuss and evaluate their own actions within their hearts and also take heed of their responsibilities before God. Sometimes the decisions of the judiciary do not satisfy people. They can go beyond the strict and normative approaches of the judiciary in their internal world. So the term diyanet signifies the consistency, integrity and spiritual piety in a person’s internal world. In that sense, the choice of the word diyanet in the Republican period, rather than simply using the term ’religious affairs’ —din işleri - can be interpreted as an effort to provide for religiousness based on a moral foundation.

aim and structure

The Turkish Directorate for Religious Affairs (DIB) is one of the first and primary organisations founded by the Turkish Senate (TBMM) on the ground of fundamental principles of the republican regime, during the War of Independence. The establishment of such religious organisation came out of the necessity to make people well-informed about religious issues on the one hand, and to carry out the religious services within a sound knowledge as well as properly maintained public unity and order on the other.

The Presidency is an official organisation giving public service on religious issues. Currently, it is divided into five main departments, namely High Counsel for Religious Affairs, Education, Services, Publications and Public Relations. Domestic services are provided via muftis and religious personnel all over the country and for the services taking place in abroad religious counsellors, attaches and other personnel are appointed.

the presidency of the higher committee 

of religious affairs

The Presidency of the Higher Committee of Religious Affairs is an advisory committee for the Presidency of Religious Affairs. Its elected members

are made up of distinguished religious scholars. Its main duty is to fulfill the researches about the religious issues which are debated among the people and share their outcome with them, and give full information to the people’s questions in relation to religious issues in a complete scientific and open manner.

a public institution

In terms of its structure, the Presidency of Religious Affairs is a public institution. In other words, it is located within the state organization. This approach enables communication, solidarity and cooperation towards developing society further.

As also the Ottoman example illustrates, it is a relationship based on mutual respect and balance.

The structure of the Presidency of Religious Affairs does not contradict secularism, basing its judgment on the following facts: (1.) Religion does not dominate or influence state affairs. (2.) Unlimited and non-discriminatory freedom is granted to the spiritual lives of all individuals, thus providing a constitutional guarantee to religious rights. (3.) In order to protect public order and interest, provisions are made to limit religious actions and behavior that go beyond the spiritual world of the individual and which have an effect on social life. (4.) The state is given supervisory powers over religious rights and liberties as the guardian of public order and public rights.

The public nature of the Presidency of Religious Affairs stems from organizational aspects. What matters is the kind of religious services the Presidency of Religious Affairs shall render and the kind of information it will produce during the rendering of these services.

a scholarly free institution

Intellect, individual initiative and interpretation all play a special and exclusive role in Islam. However, this broad possibility for interpretation does not mean that Islam is ambiguous, that it is completely open to interpretation or that it can evolve in different ways through personal interpretations. No matter how open Islam may be to interpretation, it is the holy texts that define the limits of interpretation. Therefore, the holy texts and the authentic structure of Islam include both the possibility and the impossibility for interpretation.

Religion is a sociological phenomenon, an experience that reflects daily life, something that people live and experience and that serves the common interests of people rather than a science fiction narrative constructed and produced at a desk. This is the reason why the Presidency of Religious Affairs always acts on free information in its mission to enlighten the public, why it produces knowledge freely and abstains from extreme or paradoxical explanations. Our religious tradition and our historical religious experience thus remind us that we operate within an area of limited freedom, which stems from the nature of the religion, the possibility granted by the religious texts and our historical experience.

a civil institution

Since the majority in Turkey is Muslim, they need to be able to fulfill their religious needs and to practice their religion freely, equipped with true and accurate information; such institutions as the Presidency have emerged independently. In other words, the Presidency of Religious Affairs is an institution that is both democratic and civilian. It is not a hierarchical institution that is detached from the real religious life or the demands of the people. So, while we render the services of the Presidency of Religious Affairs, deliver religious services and inform the society about religion, we also take our scholarly freedom into account and pay attention to remaining loyal to the Islamic methodology established by the learned generations. We also take into consideration the experience of the Islam of our people, as well as their demands and inclinations.

The Presidency of Religious Affairs is an

institution which takes the religious demands and traditions of people into account, and if there are any diversions from these, one which tries to improve them with true and authentic religious knowledge; this is an institution that tries to inform our people by providing them with training and education under the light of a scientific and sound religious knowledge.

The purpose and arrangement of the Presidency allows to shape the form and contents of its services in accordance with the requirements and demands coming directly from the people. Building up new mosques, for instance, entirely depends on and is accomplished by the people themselves, with no involvement of the Presidency or any other state organisation. The Presidency comes in when there is a demand of the local people to appoint an official imam to lead the service in a particular mosque.

embracing

services

At the Presidency of Religious Affairs, we aim to produce a service policy that embraces all of our population. Our human nature is our common denominator and our common identity. In terms of the services rendered by the Presidency of Religious Affairs, Islam is our common identity. We have adopted the goal of embracing all people, regardless of their religious awareness, striving to serve and inform them. This is required by our interests, knowledge and our experience. This goal also covers members of other religions.

main approaches 

emphasis on true knowledge

Knowledge lies at the foundation of society. Therefore, a Muslim society is one that generates sound knowledge, rejects misinformation and thus develops and takes knowledge as authority. Muslims do not derive their power, authority or dignity from sacred men and institutions, but from scientific knowledge that overlaps with the main sources of religion which are derived from tradition and interpreted according to the needs of the time. However, this is not a positive science. It is a form of knowledge that is authentic, free and sound within its own methodology. Therefore, the Presidency of Religious Affairs needs to strike a fine balance between its knowledge-based freedom and respect for civil initiative. For the Presidency it is equally important to protect scholarly freedom and civil initiative as it is to take into account public sensitivity and neutrality that have been brought about by its public nature. In its objective of attaining a sound religious knowledge, the Presidency follows a method that is in a thorough conformity with the authorised islamic sources but at the same time takes account of a centuries-old and continuing religious tradition as well as the latest developments taking place in other fields, such as technology, psychology and medicine. Thus it enjoys a reasonably progressive yet legitimate stand in its approach to tradition and contemporary world view.

and civil initiative as it is to take into account public sensitivity and neutrality that have been brought about by its public nature. In its objective of attaining a sound religious knowledge, the Presidency follows a method that is in a thorough conformity with the authorised islamic sources but at the same time takes account of a centuries-old and continuing religious tradition as well as the latest developments taking place in other fields, such as technology, psychology and medicine. Thus it enjoys a reasonably progressive yet legitimate stand in its approach to tradition and contemporary world view.

moral foundation

No need to say that moral values and ethics, which is a prerequisite for the establishment and maintenance of global peace, have always been common inheritance of all religions and shared by the whole humanity. Despite certain differences between religions in practical issues, which are greatly bound on time and space, all religions see it their primary and unchanged duty to make moral individuals and moral groups. In this sense, islam has been defined by the prophet muhammad as “the quintessence of a good morality.” Thus such piety that derives its essence and motive from ethics displays its positive effects on a variety of areas ranging from prayer to relations with other peoples, one’s responsibilities toward their country and environment. Accordingly, the presidency strongly advocates making use of religious principles and values such as virtue, justice and peace in addressing the common problems of the humanity.

Islam and woman

The presidency, in line with its emphasis on taking into account the needs of the time, has been arranging various activities and making new regulations to strengthen the position and role of women in the society, thus taking up a pioneering role in the muslim world regarding the women issues. In this respect, 7 women have been appointed as vice mufti so far and in order to answer the questions of women and help sort out the problems related to women special family bureaus have been established in 21 different cities.

peaceful coexistence

Our need to listen to and understand each other is undeniable. This is an aspect that is always necessary, because where there is knowledge there will always be self-confidence and freedom. A knowledgeable person is one who has self-confidence and who is able to leave a sphere of freedom for others. The road to freedom progresses through self-confidence. Persons or systems without self-confidence will also restrict the spheres of freedom. Religious knowledge should take on a form that will bring peace, trust and the joy of peaceful coexistence.

The piety and religious experiences of Turkey play a very important role and constitute an exemplary experience. Both due to its dynamism and transparency and due to its political flexibility and secularity, Turkey’s piety and view of religion constitute a special example and an experience which provides a major opportunity to examine. This experience has a great deal to contribute if we want to lestablish a common ground for peace, which also means realizing our differences and coexisting without exaggerating and worrying about them. Creating uniform and heterogeneous groups of people with no significant differences is not the way to establish peace. What is essential is that we love each other despite our differences.

international relations

The presidency also has been running various projects to help establish a firm and lasting peace between muslims and other religious groups, based on common values and principles. So the presidency cherishes a firm belief in the natural prospect of the alliance of civilizations and human beings on the grounds of those common values and ideals. Being aware of the cultural and historical differences, it also sees the continuing process of turkey’s entry into eu as a tremendous opportunity for a mutual learning and understanding, which should be considered as a win/win process for both parties.

charity programmes 

supporting the handicapped 

The presidency sees it as an important duty to make appropriate changes and arrangements in the internal or external structure of the mosques so that handicapped people can have an easy and full access to the services. It also arranges social activities to inform the people about the needs and expectations of the handicapped.  

religious support for prisoners

The presidency has also been reaching out to prisons with its 61 preachers actively working with prisoners in order to inform them on religious issues and give them a moral support. In addition to this, it has been donating its publications to prisons for the last two years. 

charity programmes  

The presidency takes up a leading role in running charity campaigns to help people suffering from earthquakes, flood and famine, both within and without the country.

I hope this will be beneficial.