“Defending secularism” has become a façade to hide the struggle to maintain the status quo. One hundred years ago it was the reactionary Islamic scholars who fought against change in the name of Islam; now it is reactionary positivist scholars who resist change in the name of secularism.
Secularism has been used as a proper tool to control social and political opposition directed to the beneficiaries of the status quo. The rising peripheral forces with their liberal, conservative and democratic credentials are intimidated by a language of “secularism under threat.”
To demonstrate that the fight is not about secularism per se but a power struggle between the elite and peripheral forces, it is necessary to look at the practice of secularism in Turkey and see if the Turkish practice is really “secular.”
A secular state refers to a particular form of relationship between the state and religion. This relationship includes two fundamental components: first, separation of the state from religion and second, the neutrality of the state towards all religions and beliefs.
Is the current practice of secularism in Turkey in line with secularism defined in terms of the separation of the state and religion? Absolutely not. The Religious Affairs Directorate is part of the state organization with thousands of staff and hundreds of local branches. That is to say that the state is organized to serve a particular religion or maybe to keep religion under the surveillance and supervision of the state. Either way, it goes against the principles of a secular state. While some are concerned that religion, in our case Islam, is influencing state affairs, what we see in practice is that the state claims a total control over religious activities through its apparatus dealing with religious affairs. Religious groups, circles and dervish orders do not officially exist. By this, the state does not recognize a social and indeed an individual space for independent religious organizations. It is the state that interferes with religion and religious activities, and such a state cannot be called a secular one.
Is the current practice of secularism in line with secularism defined in terms of neutrality of the state towards all religions, sects, and creeds? Absolutely not. The state-organized religious affairs under the directorate impose a particular form of Islam on its citizens. As such, it is not neutral but partisan. Non-Muslim minorities are discriminated against on religious grounds by this secular state as restrictions have been imposed with regard to educational activities and properties of non-Muslim minorities. The Religious Affairs Directorate does not serve or represent non-Islamic religions which are observed by some Turkish citizens. Even more dramatic is the denial of an Islamic sect, the Alevis, by the state’s religious apparatus. The directorate teaches, preaches and practices not only Islam but a particular form of Islam: the Sunni-Hanefi version. It is not neutrality of a secular state, but the imposition of a particular form of Islam on its citizens. How can a “secular” state teach compulsory courses on a particular interpretation of Islam in elementary and high schools?
All these are serious deviations from the conception of a secular state. The state cannot and should not dominate religion and religious affairs and vice versa.
To settle the question once and for all is to build a secular state by really separating it from religion (Islam) and neutralizing it toward all religions and creeds.
20.09.2007
Secularism has been used as a proper tool to control social and political opposition directed to the beneficiaries of the status quo. The rising peripheral forces with their liberal, conservative and democratic credentials are intimidated by a language of “secularism under threat.”
To demonstrate that the fight is not about secularism per se but a power struggle between the elite and peripheral forces, it is necessary to look at the practice of secularism in Turkey and see if the Turkish practice is really “secular.”
A secular state refers to a particular form of relationship between the state and religion. This relationship includes two fundamental components: first, separation of the state from religion and second, the neutrality of the state towards all religions and beliefs.
Is the current practice of secularism in Turkey in line with secularism defined in terms of the separation of the state and religion? Absolutely not. The Religious Affairs Directorate is part of the state organization with thousands of staff and hundreds of local branches. That is to say that the state is organized to serve a particular religion or maybe to keep religion under the surveillance and supervision of the state. Either way, it goes against the principles of a secular state. While some are concerned that religion, in our case Islam, is influencing state affairs, what we see in practice is that the state claims a total control over religious activities through its apparatus dealing with religious affairs. Religious groups, circles and dervish orders do not officially exist. By this, the state does not recognize a social and indeed an individual space for independent religious organizations. It is the state that interferes with religion and religious activities, and such a state cannot be called a secular one.
Is the current practice of secularism in line with secularism defined in terms of neutrality of the state towards all religions, sects, and creeds? Absolutely not. The state-organized religious affairs under the directorate impose a particular form of Islam on its citizens. As such, it is not neutral but partisan. Non-Muslim minorities are discriminated against on religious grounds by this secular state as restrictions have been imposed with regard to educational activities and properties of non-Muslim minorities. The Religious Affairs Directorate does not serve or represent non-Islamic religions which are observed by some Turkish citizens. Even more dramatic is the denial of an Islamic sect, the Alevis, by the state’s religious apparatus. The directorate teaches, preaches and practices not only Islam but a particular form of Islam: the Sunni-Hanefi version. It is not neutrality of a secular state, but the imposition of a particular form of Islam on its citizens. How can a “secular” state teach compulsory courses on a particular interpretation of Islam in elementary and high schools?
All these are serious deviations from the conception of a secular state. The state cannot and should not dominate religion and religious affairs and vice versa.
To settle the question once and for all is to build a secular state by really separating it from religion (Islam) and neutralizing it toward all religions and creeds.
20.09.2007
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