Türkiye’s secularization and laicity are under the spotlight, thanks to a declaration signed by 168 people, including prominent authors and actresses, who all claim that both are under threat and Türkiye is being “Talibanized.” The declaration coincided with the Ministry of National Education’s decision to introduce celebratory events for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan at schools.
Yusuf Tekin, the minister behind the campaign that involves schools decorating classrooms with images associated with Ramadan, denounced the declaration and branded those behind it as a “reactionary minority.” Tekin borrowed from the jargon of the secular elite who defended the 1997 coup against “reactionary forces” or observing Muslims who were barred from attending schools wearing the headscarf or working in the public sector simply because of attendance in daily prayers.
Tekin told broadcaster A Haber that the declaration contained nothing serious, “in an academic sense.” “(Criticism of Ramadan events) has no scientific basis and is based on prejudice. Our events only aim to endear children to school,” he said.
The minister said that laicity should be interpreted as a political regime securing freedom of religion. “What we see is outdated pressure on the faithful. The real reactionary forces are those who claim that the Ramadan events, where children joyfully attend in this Muslim-majority country, are a provocation of the reactionary minority,” he said. “Those identifying themselves as intellectuals have no right to insult this nation,” he said.
Since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the abolition of the Caliphate, Türkiye has prided itself as a secular state, separating religion from state affairs, but the concept has been muddled and exploited by anti-Muslim circles to disenfranchise Muslims from the political scene. Invariably, the incumbent Justice and Development Party (AK Party) governments, which rose to the occasion to represent disenfranchised Muslims along with other disadvantaged communities, are being accused of pushing an “Islamic agenda.”
The Muslim identity of the country becomes more prominent every Ramadan and days before, as evidenced in the skyrocketing popularity of a modern-day Islamic hymn or ilahi praising Hajj, a pillar of Islam in recent days. Tekin’s opposition to the “secular” declaration and his promotion of Ramadan events found support among several educational nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), which issued statements to that extent.
Devlet Bahçeli, leader of government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), was among those reacting to the declaration. Bahçeli told the parliamentary group meeting of his party on Tuesday that he fully supported Tekin’s actions and branded defenders of the declaration as “Haluks of today,” borrowing a term from late intellectual Cemil Meriç, who used it to describe intellectuals disconnected from their own culture and sought to integrate themselves with the Western mindset. Bahçeli said Ramadan has been a symbol of solidarity and charity, the peak of national and spiritual values. “It should be a duty to teach its meaning to future generations,” he said, adding that every Ramadan also had its share of those “disturbed by it.” “In this era of spiritual decay and moral erosion, we have to think about the children. Shouldn’t we instill them with the good features of the Muslim Turkish nation?”
He said the Education Ministry’s campaign for Ramadan was appropriate. Reminding that instructions by Minister Tekin to schools involved planning of social events to raise awareness among students for gaining a sense of sharing, charity and solidarity, Bahçeli said it was perfectly right. “Think about it, where is the Talibanization here?” he asked. Bahçeli said “rotten intellectuals” had no problem with religions except Islam and “sold their soul to the devil.” “They should come forward and openly voice their enmity. I wonder what part of the events empowering our cultural heritage contradicted with laicity. They have no problem with children going to church every Sunday and they expect us to remain silent when they question Ramadan,” he said. “These so-called academics and experts behind the declaration do not add up to one proper human being. They say they won’t give up in the face of darkness. You are the embodiment of darkness,” Bahçeli denounced the declaration.
