Should Pakistan copy the Turkish state system for religious affairs?

[Khanate]

@Kaptaan @That Guy @waz @Oscar @Khanate

What do you guys think about this topic? Can you explain me the current system in Pakistan? Who is controlling the mosques? Who is paying the Imam?

I've been looking into Diyanet and gathering my thoughts on this matter.

I have a few points:

• Opposing views:

1. Turkiye: Turkish government's view on religion is posted on Diyanet website, "religious services has always been considered as a public service." If a government takes this line of thought, its only natural that it would extend authority over mosques and sermons. And from what I've read this policy is a continuation of Ottoman tradition so there is consensus on it in Turkish society.
   
   
2. Pakistan: If you visit the Ministry of Religions Affairs (MoRA) website, it only speaks of Hajj prices and safety issues. MoRA has few tools to do what Diyanet does. The primary tool is Madrassah Education Board and the Dini Madaris Model. Now this is not an election issue so you are not going to win votes by reforming religious seminaries. Ergo, reforms are slow. Naturally the focus is on economic/infrastructure development.
   
   
3. Public Education: This is GoP's preferred way of exerting influence. To create uniformity, a standard set of Islamic education is imparted in schools in the form Islamiyat / Islamic studies. From what I've heard, a move towards comparative religions study is being made to allow broader context, its something Turkey does.

Comment: I'm not convinced that a Turkish model can be applied to Pakistan nor will it fit.

To begin with, there is provincial politics where Federal control is not welcomed so its likely each province will implement its own standards which is already happening in my province Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (KPK). GoP's offer is simple: reject foreign funding, take state funding, and reform Madrassah education by teaching the standard curriculum, like English, Maths, Urdu etc. and include some comparative religions study. MoRA has also stopped the publication of religious literature from seminaries. One aspect that has been criticised is enforcement. If a Madrassah is unregistered and it hasn't provided bank statements then it must be banned however you need law enforcement to shut it down. Since 2015, this is happening more increasingly under the National Action Plan (NAP). NAP recommended Madrassah reforms and the Army is really pushing for the implementation of NAP.

Already you can see the religious affairs system in Pakistan diverges from Turkiye. I do see useful stuff in Diyanet which can be implemented down the line but, again, these are not election issues so reforms will be slow.

 

[Zibago]

In Turkey, the Presidency of Religious Affairs (Turkish: Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı also Religious Affairs Directorate, and normally referred to simply as the Diyanet) is an official state institution established in 1924 in article 136 of the Constitution of Turkey by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey as a successor to the Sheikh ul-Islam after the abolition of the Ottoman Caliphate.[1]​

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidency_of_Religious_Affairs

Every mosque, every Imam, every muezzin in Turkey is under the supervision of the Turkish authorities. According to Turkish law, Imams are considered as civil servants trained by the state. Without a state license, it is illegal to preach a sermon in the mosque. Right now the Diyanet controls aprox. 87000 mosques (85k in Turkey, 2k abroad). Every Friday sermon across Turkey is delivered by Diyanet. So, you and your friends are going to listen to the same sermon even if you don't live in the same state/province/city. And of course, every religious school/madrasa is controlled by Diyanet as well in Turkey.

Webpage of the Presidency of Religious Affairs: http://diyanet.gov.tr/en/home


Presidency of Religious Affairs
Basic Principles and Objectives

To carry out work on Islamic belief, worship and ethics, enlighten society on religion and administer places of worship (Article 1, Law No.633) in line with the principle of secularism, by staying out of all political views and thinking and aspiring to national solidarity and integration (Article 136 in the Constitution).

-To take substantial information based on the Quran and Sunnah, that are two fundamental sources of religion as a basis while enlightening society on religion,

-To take into consideration Muslims’14 centuries long religious experience and value modern life and common heritage of mankind.

-To offer services according to the principles of citizenship without distinction of sect, understanding and practice regarding religion.

-To continuously produce knowledge, share this knowledge with society and make timely statements on current issues.

-To accept that standing by people who need care and support like the disabled, homeless, elderly, poor and prisoners is an inseparable part of religious service.

-To have religious officials who have assimilated Islamic faith and its practical principles, have a high educational and cultural level, are at peace with themselves and society, play a pioneering role in human relations, understand their counterparts and can produce practical solutions to religious issues, can use religion and scientific date together and live an exemplary life with their words and behavior.

-To contribute to Turks living abroad not to lose their self-identity and be in harmony with the society they are living in without being assimilated.

-To introduce Turkey’s experience and heritage in the field of religion abroad, enable Islam to be correctly understood, closely follow discussions about religious understanding and practices in both EU member states and Turkey and give accurate information to the public opinion in the West on this matter.

http://www.diyanet.gov.tr/en/category/basic-principles-and-objectives/23

This system proved to be extremely successful to counter religious radicalism.To tell you the truth, reality is a bit more complex. Diyanet was and still is a heritage of the Kemalist revolution under M.K. Atatürk.

Maybe this system isn't fitting exactly to Pakistani needs but I'm sure that Pakistan needs urgently more centralization and more regulation in religious affairs.
(Sorry for my bad English.)

Pakistan is too ethnically and sectarian wise diverse for this we would need multiple bodies for different sects and regions but we could in a sense make them obey certain rules