This past weekend I traveled to Turkey—an often-held model for the integration of ‘Western’ and ‘Islamic’ values. Istanbul, with its enchanting mosques, active sea port, and trendy streets, was vastly different from my study abroad nation of Egypt. In Egypt I feel that religion, for better or worse, is prominent in the public sphere: women cover themselves from head to toe, the call to prayer is repeated five times daily, alcohol is limited, and I often hear blessings bestowed between people.
In modern Istanbul, however, the influence of religion is more subtle: women dress more liberally, alcohol is prevalent, and the call to
prayer is heard less frequently. Wearing head scarves is banned in
government buildings. If it were not for the
beautiful mosques in the background, it would be easy for one to forget
that she is in a Muslim society. On the other hand, the Asian side of Istanbul, closer to Mecca,
is the home of many mosques and is dramatically more pious. Here the
population is more traditional, and women dress more conservatively.
While touring Istanbul, it becomes evident that Islam has a complicated relationship with the state. During the Ottoman time period, Sultan Muhammad II limited the role of religion in the society by placing religious institutions under state control, and Sultan Abdulhamid II reversed this policy by using Islam as a rallying tool to unify the nation and strengthen the state. Ataturk, the most famous Turkish leader, further curtailed the role of religion.
Why is it that the Egyptian state espoused Islamic values and the Turkish state became secular? Is it possible for secularism to work in and develop like it has in Turkey? Possibly. As I mentioned in my previous essay, religion has taken a more important role in society and the state in the past two decades. In the past Egyptian intellectuals (like Taha Hussein, the author of The Future of Culture) declared that Egypt was not just Islamic but also Mediterranean and European. This statement is more shocking now than it was in 1938. Similarly Nasser, former president of Egypt, locked up Islamic groups like the Muslim Brotherhood. The role of religion here is constantly fluctuating and thus could change at any moment—the possibility should not be ruled out.
While touring Istanbul, it becomes evident that Islam has a complicated relationship with the state. During the Ottoman time period, Sultan Muhammad II limited the role of religion in the society by placing religious institutions under state control, and Sultan Abdulhamid II reversed this policy by using Islam as a rallying tool to unify the nation and strengthen the state. Ataturk, the most famous Turkish leader, further curtailed the role of religion.
Why is it that the Egyptian state espoused Islamic values and the Turkish state became secular? Is it possible for secularism to work in and develop like it has in Turkey? Possibly. As I mentioned in my previous essay, religion has taken a more important role in society and the state in the past two decades. In the past Egyptian intellectuals (like Taha Hussein, the author of The Future of Culture) declared that Egypt was not just Islamic but also Mediterranean and European. This statement is more shocking now than it was in 1938. Similarly Nasser, former president of Egypt, locked up Islamic groups like the Muslim Brotherhood. The role of religion here is constantly fluctuating and thus could change at any moment—the possibility should not be ruled out.
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