Turkey and Egypt: Islam’s Future?
Posted on 28. Jul, 2011 by Editor in Religion
By Haroon Moghul
Islam and Christianity are frequently described as “missionary religions.” Considering that well over half the planet’s population belongs in some way to either tradition, there’s no small truth in that. But Islam’s concern has often been preaching to the already converted; the tradition of tajdid, or renewal, goes hand in hand with islah, or reform.
Muslims often focus more on making Muslims better Muslims than on making new Muslims. Take the largest Muslim movement in the world, the Tablighi Jama’at; it’s a non-hierarchical movement of Muslims leaving their homes to visit other Muslim communities, encouraging congregations to renew their focus on core Islamic practices. Muslim reformers of all stripes seek to take Islam back to the spirit of the Prophet Muhammad, the embodiment of moral truth and good character—however differently they interpret him.
This historical tendency is often picked up by Muslim-majority nations, who pursue similar ends through modern means. These nations try to take the lead in shaping the return of Muslims to more ‘authentic’ expressions of their faith. Often this meant Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan pushing their religious agendas alongside their foreign policy objectives. It made for messy, even ugly, politics, with ideological wars complementing actual wars—and Islamic thought another victim.
Saudi Arabia funded madrasas in Pakistan, leading to Iran and Iraq funding madrasas in Pakistan; in generally more benign instances, Egypt dispatched scholars to other Muslim countries, and issued scholarships to bring scholars to study in Egypt. But whatever the specifics, it was hard to see these countries, as they’ve existed over the past few decades, offering models. Who wants to practice Islam like Pakistan, considering where Pakistan as a nation is? Is Saudi Arabia’s vision of a Muslim society actually compelling?
But in the last few years, there’s been a new player that combines religious activism, global reach, historical authenticity, and a national model that is genuinely impressive. I’ve spent the last few days meeting folks from a number of civil society organizations in Turkey.
They’re well-organized. They have fantastic facilities. And they have the desire to push their vision of Islam globally: Eastern Europe and Central Asia where Turks have historical and cultural links respectively, as well as West Africa and South Asia. These aren’t just ordinary organizations, either. There are TV stations, in several languages, private schools, journals and magazines, dialogue projects, and literary festivals.
I met young Albanians and Macedonians studying Islamic sciences, between themselves fluent in Albanian, Turkish, Arabic, Bulgarian, Macedonian, and English; they’re in
Istanbul for general studies and religious sciences, and they’ll complete their undergraduate educations in Turkey. Those who go back to Albania and Macedonia will be reacquainting their homelands with their faith tradition, from which Communism generally distanced them, filtered by a Turkish experience.
And it’s far broader than just Albania. I came across West Africans studying Qur’an—and speaking Turkish. Tourists from Indonesia, India, Egypt, and other Muslim societies, finding in Istanbul a cultural touchstone, an inspiring mix of the modern and the pious, challenging the traditional players in the politics of Islamic practice. They all come here for a reason; the visibility of Islamic practice a far cry from where the country was even two decades ago.
Turkey offers something fellow Muslim nations can’t: Access to the West, and the institutional sophistication to be attractive and engaging. But I think there’s another country, too, that will have a new part to play in the changing dynamics of Muslim reform movements. And that’s Egypt. This is something of a forecast, but I see promising conditions ahead.
Turkey is farther along, in terms of the statistics one often throws out in such discussions, but Egypt has potential advantages, too. Unlike Turkey, Egypt has no imperial legacy to overcome—Arabs and Kurds will always eye Turkey a bit suspiciously. And Egypt, being Arab, has cultural and social authority magnified in other spheres. The most popular Qur’an reciters, for example, are dominantly Egyptian.
Let’s hope Egypt develops democratically; in that case, very quickly we’ll see Egypt’s religious culture birth new movements and tendencies which seek to marry their historical religious legitimacy and the energy of their recent revolution. Without a doubt, Egypt has played a key and perhaps unparalleled role in the last two centuries of Middle Eastern Islam, and could do so again, with the added advantage of size and reach.
In that respect, Turkey and Egypt are less rivals than complements, with common strengths—but different regions of influence. Egypt looks across the band of the middle of the geographic Muslim world; Turkey has historically had a profound impact on Central Asia and the Balkans. They’re also more likely and able to challenge Iran and Saudi Arabia for the authority to speak to Muslims.
These are far better places to look to for future directions in Islamic thought and practice. Cairo and Istanbul, for example, will fairly or not overshadow Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta, if only because they’ve been central to the Muslim imagination for longer. And both Cairo and Istanbul are megacities, with robust tourist industries and diverse populations.
They are, in other words, open to the world, yet old enough to have a confidence in their place in the world. They’re used to folks from all over passing through, and not only for Islamic instruction. They have a very different take on centers of Muslim reform movements in the recent past—places like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Pakistan, and Iran.
The democratic structure solidifying in Turkey right now, and just emerging in Egypt (hopefully successfully) will have a deep impact on Islamic reformism across the region; if Egyptian democracy takes hold, it will help elbow out the Islamist movements we’re used to hearing about—narrowly ideological, and often disturbingly politicized—far more quickly than we’re ready to imagine.
Courtesy: Religion Dispatches
a WordPress rating system
7 Responses to “Turkey and Egypt: Islam’s Future?”
Leave a Reply
Join Us
| Subscribe to Opinion Maker |
| Email: |
Author Profile
Lulldapull
28. Jul, 2011
I totally disagree with this author regarding what role an apostate Egypt with its history of being colonized by all regional powers can play in the middle east. The 'Arab Spring' ……..evident to the trained eye…… is a phenomena being cultivated by the imperialists and being portrayed by the zionist media as something of some stupid Arab spring where these dumb ass Arabs will somehow become democratic and overthrow their imperialist masters. What a bunch of nonsense!
Everyone knows very clearly that the very corrupt Egyptian Generals and military junta is now in power, and this time around they will use force to kill people if they revolted. These bastards are all on the zionist dole. Lets not fool ourselves.
That other country called Turkey is another old Western agent and has so far proved its credentials as a strong proponent of 'regime change' and 'democracy'…….so as long as the order to do so comes from the West. Turkey has provided bases and facilities for France, UK and Italy to attack Lebanon, Iraq and more recently in Libya and Syria. A proven track record for serving the Western & Zionist agenda.
The author while on his trip to these two third class countries probably forgot to mention Saudi Haramia as the third most important country in the American 'Troika' of muslim chamchay and like the old U.S. rhetoric……… 'pillars of stability' in the Middle East?
.Saudi Aabia and Egypt in particular will end up on the wrong side of history. Turkey is no angel either. It's whole facade of being islamic and righteous has been laid bare in its very overt involvement in the zionist Arab Spring.
Anwar Rahim
28. Jul, 2011
All muslim governments, except Malaysia and Indonesia that too to some extent are stooges of USA and western powers. Rulers need this big power support to persist their rule and are not bothered to implement Islam. Majority of Muslim people in Muslim countries are against USA hegemonic designs and they deslike Western countries monopalies. The muslim people first have to bring true representative governments in their countries, after that they can sit for AJTEHAAD to implement Islamic Rule through out the Muslim Ummah in joint efforts. How ever I find Turkey in a better position being led by Tayyep Ardogan, who is showing hopes to a better and Islamic look of Turkey and that change if not interfered might be a start towards a better change in other Muslim countries.
Rehmat
28. Jul, 2011
Christianity has organized missionary (the Church), which is missing in Islam. Islam spread through the traders and sufis in India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Bosnia and China long before any Muslim soldier setting foot on some of those countries.
Turkey or Egypt cannot be Islam's future in the coming decades as both of these countries are still ruled by pro-Western, pro-Israel military or civilian elites. Furthermore, the regimes in both countries recognize the Zionist entity and maintain very close military relations with the US and Israel.
In religious sector, both Turkey and Egypt are Sunni-majority countries and most of their religious policies are influence by Saudi interpretations of Sunni sect. Saudi 'royals' are West's most admired puppets and morally totally corrupt.
The way things are moving in the region – it looks like Iran will be the symbol of Islamic Resistance against the Judeo-Christian West.
http://rehmat1.wordpress.com/2011/03/13/islamic-republic-beyond-israeli-hasbara/
Lulldapull
29. Jul, 2011
Rehmat, ASA…………I totally agree with you here, Saudi's have had their chance of leading the muslim world, and they have shown to the whole world, and most depressingly to us muslims that how devious, disgusting and fukking hollow their religion and ethics/ morals are. these Saudi's are number one in supporting the U.S. and zionist agenda in the greater ME, and thankfully our country Pakistan is moving away from both the terrorist U.S. and their zionist agent Saudi Haramia, and into the Iranian/ Chinese/ Russian spehere where dignity and honor lie.
Pakistan awam need to depose these bastards in power in islamabad, kill all the brain washed generals in Pindi/ Isloo and throw the U.S. out of the country for good, and take control of their own affairs. Much like what Ayatollah Khomeini did in 1979…………Kick out these terrorists and their supporters who are destroying Pakistan.
This is not about shia sunni barelivi sufi islamic or secular bullshit. We as a nation need to take our country back, and fukking throw out the farangi terrorists and kill all local collaborators/ traitors.
I hope the U.S/ Saudi Haramia coalition of zionism and terrorism and Pakistan have the nastiest divorce imaginable! It will be the blessing we have been waiting for the last 30 years now!
Fukk the U.S. Israel and Saudi Harami.
Pakistan Zindabad!
OooKhlaid
30. Jul, 2011
Interesting observation by the author. I agree that Istanbul and Cairo will become further legitimate as a destination for Islamic learning, as Islamist take-over is gradually implemented.
With Turkey firmly in the hands of the Isamist rooted AK Party (democratically elected for 3 consecutive terms), and Egypt on the road for democratic elections which will inshallah see the dominance of the Muslim Brotherhood, the yoke of secular stain will eventually recede.
Abul ala Maududi provided the ideology, Hasan al Bannh provided the methodology and Khomenei lighted the fuse for the global Islamist revolution.
Lulldapull
31. Jul, 2011
Gents, here's the real face of the military leaders from Egypt, Turkey & Pakistan. These Western supported military chamchay will go to any lengths to impose a Western agenda in these stupid sunni countries, and that means killing their own people if they need to be scarificed in line of imposing the Wests dictats. Sunni muslim world unfortunately is in the grips of the CIA/ MI-6 right now so don't have any high hopes. Iran is the only one that has broken free of this slavery. Until Saudi Arabia is cleaned up and a representative Sunni Governemt takes power, we will have no hope to see a proper Sunni ledership. Look at this article……..False flags at the behest of the CIA/ MI-6 are in vogue in Sunni muslim countries, including that stupid Turkey:
http://www.blacklistednews.com/Turkey%E2%80%99s_Military_Chiefs_Resign_Over_Staged_Terror_Plot/14952/0/38/38/Y/M.html
telson
31. Jul, 2011
Quran Sura 5:
20 both the Jews and the Christians say: "we are the sons of Allah, and his beloved." say: "why then doth he punish you for your sins? nay, ye are but men,– of the men he hath created: he forgiveth whom he pleaseth. and he punisheth whom he pleaseth: and to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between: and unto him is the final goal of all."
21 O people of the book! now hath come unto you, making things clear unto you, our apostle, after the break in the series of our apostles, lest ye should say: "there came unto us no bringer of glad tidings and no warner from evil": but now hath come unto you a bringer of glad tidings and a warner from evil. and Allah hath power over all things.
22 remember Moses said to his people: "O my people! call in remembrance the favor of Allah unto you, when he produced prophets among you, made you kings, and gave you what he had not given to any other among the peoples."
23 "O my people! enter the holy land which Allah hath assigned unto you, and turn not back ignominiously, for then will ye be overthrown, to your own ruin."
Muslims try to destroy Israel, and demand areas of Israel's land for themselves. Muslims say that some areas of Israel belong to the Palestinians. The Quran declares that Allah has given the land of Israel for Jews, which is their holy land.
The Muslims fight against the announcement of the Quran when try to destroy Israel and take over the land of Israel. The Palestinian issue and the Middle East problems would be solved if the Muslims would believe the Quran and to allow the Israelis to live in their own land, which belongs to them. Of course, it would be best if they would believe in the Lord Jesus and the Bible, because, then they really know to whom the land of Israel belongs to. The rich Arab countries could re-colonize the Palestinian Arabs, and to give them a good home and a livelihood, because they can afford to it by many billions of oil incomes. The Arabs don't want to do this, but they want to keep Palestinian Arabs in misery as well as a shield and an excuse against Israel.
The land of Israel is the target of ongoing Arab terrorism. Some of the attacks carried out through Palestine. That's why Israel has to keep tight control for Palestinian Arabs. The problem would be eliminated if the Arabs would believe the Quran, which says that Allah granted the land of Israel to the Jews. Resettlement of the Palestinian Arabs back to the various Arab countries would be the solution, where they are originally from. This would be very easy to organize for Arab multi-millionaires.
Whole article: http://koti.phnet.fi/petripaavola/differencesquranbible5.html