Study: Turkey remains a committed Muslim society despite 94 years of secularism

[AUz]

Despite being a politically secular country for almost a century, Turkey has remained a remarkably Muslim nation in its culture, traditions, and identity--especially compared to European countries where secularism swept away Christianity. This thread will discuss Turkish culture, values, society, norms, and attitudes of Turkish people--in the context of the prevailing central social cultural force in Turkey--Islam.

Let's see how much influence Islam enjoys in the public/personal life of Turks living in the Republic of Turkey. All the data is from PEW's global surveys and studies on morality and religious values.

Importance of Islam for common Turks
88% of Turks (males and females) regarded Islam as an important part of their lives (67% of Turkish Muslims regarded Islam as "very important" in their lives, and 21% more answered Islam is "important" in their lives)

Attendance of religious services
44% of Turks attended religious services at Mosques atleast once a week (This figure does not include Turkish women who, by tradition, mostly pray at home and do not have Mosques for them in many places).

Performing of prayers and Islamic rituals
77% of Turks can be deemed as quite religious who perform their ritual Islamic prayers regularly for the most part (60% of Turkish Muslims pray daily! Furthermore, 11% pray several times a week, and 6% more pray atleast once every week)

Belief in God deemed necessary to be a good moral person
70% of Turkish Muslims (males and females) believe that believing in Allah ) is necessary to be a moral person and have good values in life

Unanimous rejection of Homosexuality
85% of Turkish people regard homosexual behavior as completely morally unacceptable (abiding by the traditional/classical Islamic views towards the issue)

Universal rejection of extra-marital sexual relations
91% of Turkey's citizens completely rejected the notion of sex outside marriage

Support for Alcohol consumption is limited
70% of Turks regarded drinking Alcohol as morally unacceptable. However, 17% of Turks found it acceptable if others drink alcohol.

A slight majority held unfavorable view of abortion
52% of Turks viewed abortion as unacceptable/morally wrong (Islam's stance on abortion is very moderate/relaxed compared to Catholicism etc. Abortion is allowed within 120 days according to most scholars)

Overwhelming majority spoke against forcing religion on people
90% of Turkish Muslims believed that women should have the right to decide whether they want to wear a hijab/veil

Plurality of Turks regarded Western pop culture's effect on Turkey as Negative
50% of Turkish people surveyed believe that Western music, movies, and television shows have a negative impact on the moral fabric Turkish society.

Sources: http://www.globalreligiousfutures.org/explorer

http://www.pewforum.org/2013/04/30/the-worlds-muslims-religion-politics-society-morality/

=========================

Turkey is very Islamic in its culture, beliefs, societal norms, practice, and identity. Political secularism did not create a secular society in Turkey....as was the case in Christian majority nations of Europe, North America, Australia, and Latin Americas. All major Muslim countries throughout the world are deeply Islamic in nature. The secular Turkey seems to be no exception (although it might be less religious comparitively to Islamic states such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan etc...but from international standpoint, Turkey remains a very comitted Muslim nation).

 

[Deliorman]

What do you mean by

Political secularism did not create a secular society in Turkey....as was the case in Christian majority nations of Europe, North America, Australia, and Latin Americas.

?

How should a secular society look like?

 

[Hassan Guy]

I could've sworn I saw this video of a mullah going off how Pakistan isn't an islamic country...

 

[AUz]

What do you mean by



?

How should a secular society look like?

I can not say how should it look it. It can look like the way it wants.

What my point was that unlike in Latin America, North America, Europe, Austrailia etc...Political "Secularism" did not create a "secular society" in Turkey. By secular society, I mean a society that has given up religion for the most part and does not believe and adhere to the religious beliefs in their lives anymore (even if they are 'registered' as followers of a religion...like majority of people in West get registered as "christians" but do not actually believe in it, nevermind practicing it).

So unlike in historically 'christian' countries, where christianity died after political secularism, in Turkey Islam continues to thrive despite almost a century of political secularism that was, at times, even imposed on people to 'de-Islamize' them in public (ban on headscarves and all).

Turkey is easily the most religious/conservative high-income ($20k+), industrialized developed country in the OECD. In the world, Turkey is only surpassed by other Muslim nations like Malaysia or GCC Arab countries etc in terms of being more religious countries in high-income bracket. But these Muslim countries are Islamic by their constitution...so the comparison is not entirely correct and hence I didn't make it.

I could've sworn I saw this video of a mullah going off how Pakistan isn't an islamic country...

Lol, it's pretty common.

Many many people would believe that, even in Pakistan. I never understood why but then I took a class called Political Philosophy by a visiting Oxford Professor. Thank God, he explained it to me as to why would people believe such thing.

So in short, there's a thing called "perfectionism" in political philosophy. Any deviance from perfectionism is deemed as the negation of entire political foundation. American Neo-Conservativism is same. They make the argument that America isn't a free country and government is too big/controlling/dominating lol..

So what happens is that people in Pakistan see many things that aren't perfectly Islamic, and thereby they feel that Pakistan isn't a true Islamic state because in their worldview, 'true Islamic state' is a perfectionist image and any deviation from that negates the entire basis of political foundation (i.e Pakistan being an Islamic Republic).

Sorry for confusing you. Understand this: Pakistan is an Islamic state---but not a perfect one (As there can not be a perfect Islamic state ever since perfection does not exist in real world. Same people will argue that Saudi Arabia is not an Islamic state either...bc lots of things in Saudi system aren't perfectly Islamic).

There is no and can not be any true "Islamic state" in the world just as there can not be any true "capitalist" or communist or "socialist" state in the world and so on.

That doesn't mean that capitalist states do not exist or that Islamic states do not exist. They do, but just not in their perfect form imaginable.

 

[Zarvan]

Despite being a politically secular country for almost a century, Turkey has remained a remarkably Muslim nation in its culture, traditions, and identity--especially compared to European countries where secularism swept away Christianity. This thread will discuss Turkish culture, values, society, norms, and attitudes of Turkish people--in the context of the prevailing central social cultural force in Turkey--Islam.

Let's see how much influence Islam enjoys in the public/personal life of Turks living in the Republic of Turkey. All the data is from PEW's global surveys and studies on morality and religious values.

Importance of Islam for common Turks
88% of Turks (males and females) regarded Islam as an important part of their lives (67% of Turkish Muslims regarded Islam as "very important" in their lives, and 21% more answered Islam is "important" in their lives)

Attendance of religious services
44% of Turks attended religious services at Mosques atleast once a week (This figure does not include Turkish women who, by tradition, mostly pray at home and do not have Mosques for them in many places).

Performing of prayers and Islamic rituals
77% of Turks can be deemed as quite religious who perform their ritual Islamic prayers regularly for the most part (60% of Turkish Muslims pray daily! Furthermore, 11% pray several times a week, and 6% more pray atleast once every week)

Belief in God deemed necessary to be a good moral person
70% of Turkish Muslims (males and females) believe that believing in Allah ) is necessary to be a moral person and have good values in life

Unanimous rejection of Homosexuality
85% of Turkish people regard homosexual behavior as completely morally unacceptable (abiding by the traditional/classical Islamic views towards the issue)

Universal rejection of extra-marital sexual relations
91% of Turkey's citizens completely rejected the notion of sex outside marriage

Support for Alcohol consumption is limited
70% of Turks regarded drinking Alcohol as morally unacceptable. However, 17% of Turks found it acceptable if others drink alcohol.

A slight majority held unfavorable view of abortion
52% of Turks viewed abortion as unacceptable/morally wrong (Islam's stance on abortion is very moderate/relaxed compared to Catholicism etc. Abortion is allowed within 120 days according to most scholars)

Overwhelming majority spoke against forcing religion on people
90% of Turkish Muslims believed that women should have the right to decide whether they want to wear a hijab/veil

Plurality of Turks regarded Western pop culture's effect on Turkey as Negative
50% of Turkish people surveyed believe that Western music, movies, and television shows have a negative impact on the moral fabric Turkish society.

Sources: http://www.globalreligiousfutures.org/explorer

http://www.pewforum.org/2013/04/30/the-worlds-muslims-religion-politics-society-morality/

=========================

Turkey is very Islamic in its culture, beliefs, societal norms, practice, and identity. Political secularism did not create a secular society in Turkey....as was the case in Christian majority nations of Europe, North America, Australia, and Latin Americas. All major Muslim countries throughout the world are deeply Islamic in nature. The secular Turkey seems to be no exception (although it might be less religious comparitively to Islamic states such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan etc...but from international standpoint, Turkey remains a very comitted Muslim nation).

Nothing can defeat Islam it's way too powerful to be taken down by man made notions of secularism

 

[Aramagedon]

Let's also see how much Sharia is popular in Islamic countries:

Many Turks, Iranians, Egyptians Link Sharia and Justice
by Magali Rheault and Dalia Mogahed
Egyptians most likely to make positive associations with Sharia

The first article analyzed public attitudes about the role of Sharia as a source of legislation, concluding that although perceptions vary greatly across the three countries, most Iranians and Egyptians (and even many Turks) believe Sharia should be a source of legislation.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Gallup asked respondents who had an opinion about the role of Sharia as a source of legislation (those for whom Sharia should be the only source, one of the sources, or not a source) whether they associate certain attributes with Sharia compliance. Ninety percent of Iranians, 91% of Egyptians, and 74% of Turks expressed an opinion about the role of Sharia in national law. The following analysis focuses on the subgroups of individuals who say Sharia should be a source of legislation to better understand why they think Sharia should influence legislation.

Overall, the poll results show that among those who think Sharia should be at least a source of legislation (either as the only source or as one of the sources), Egyptians are far more likely than Iranians and Turks to make positive associations with Sharia compliance.

Although Sharia often connotes the image of a restrictive society, where residents are forced to comply with rules and obligations they would otherwise eschew, the Gallup Poll findings show that majorities of those who favor Sharia as a source of law associate it with many positive attributes. Ninety-seven percent of Egyptians, 76% of Iranians, and 69% of Turks in this group associate it with justice for women. Strong majorities in Iran (80%), Egypt (96%), and Turkey (63%) also think of Sharia as promoting a fair justice system. Additionally, majorities in Iran (77%) and Turkey (70%) associate Sharia with reducing corruption.

Most Egyptians (64%) polled say Sharia must be the only source of legislation, but few Turks (7%) say the same, which is why it is perhaps not surprising that the greatest differences of opinion are between these two populations. Among Egyptians and Turks who favor Sharia to be at least a source, differences range from 44 percentage points on the item about the promotion of scientific advancement (96% and 52%, respectively) to 26 points on the reduction of crime (94% and 68%, respectively) as well as a limit on the power of rulers (49% and 23%, respectively). But Egyptians and Iranians who favor Sharia's influence on legislation also differ on the associations they make with it. The gap in differences of opinion between Egyptians and Iranians ranges from 37 points on the issue of the promotion of scientific advancement (96% and 59%, respectively) to 3 points on limiting the power of rulers (49% and 46%, respectively).

Even though Gallup could not ask questions about several negative attributes in Iran and Egypt, the poll findings show that those who say Sharia should be at least a source of legislation are less likely to make negative associations with Sharia compliance. But 69% of Egyptians say they associate Sharia with the promotion of cruel criminal punishments.

While 28% of respondents in Iran associate Sharia with giving government unlimited power, they are more likely (46%) to view it as limiting the powers of rulers. In neighboring Turkey, about one in five respondents associate religious law with giving unlimited power to government and curbing the power of rulers. In Egypt, Gallup did not ask respondents the "gives government unlimited power" question, but 49% associate Sharia with limiting the power of rulers.

Additionally, about one-third of respondents in Egypt (35%) and Turkey (32%) who say Sharia should be a source of legislation associate religious law with limiting personal freedom. But Egyptians (4%) are far less likely than Turks are (26%) to associate Sharia with being an obstacle to scientific advancement. Views about Sharia as oppressing women, which across all three countries is among the least likely of the attributes to be associated with it, are shared by less than one-quarter of Turks (22%) and Iranians (16%) and few Egyptians (2%) who say it should be a source of legislation.

 

[AUz]

Let's also see how much Sharia is popular in Islamic countries:

Many Turks, Iranians, Egyptians Link Sharia and Justice
by Magali Rheault and Dalia Mogahed
Egyptians most likely to make positive associations with Sharia

The first article analyzed public attitudes about the role of Sharia as a source of legislation, concluding that although perceptions vary greatly across the three countries, most Iranians and Egyptians (and even many Turks) believe Sharia should be a source of legislation.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Gallup asked respondents who had an opinion about the role of Sharia as a source of legislation (those for whom Sharia should be the only source, one of the sources, or not a source) whether they associate certain attributes with Sharia compliance. Ninety percent of Iranians, 91% of Egyptians, and 74% of Turks expressed an opinion about the role of Sharia in national law. The following analysis focuses on the subgroups of individuals who say Sharia should be a source of legislation to better understand why they think Sharia should influence legislation.

Overall, the poll results show that among those who think Sharia should be at least a source of legislation (either as the only source or as one of the sources), Egyptians are far more likely than Iranians and Turks to make positive associations with Sharia compliance.

Although Sharia often connotes the image of a restrictive society, where residents are forced to comply with rules and obligations they would otherwise eschew, the Gallup Poll findings show that majorities of those who favor Sharia as a source of law associate it with many positive attributes. Ninety-seven percent of Egyptians, 76% of Iranians, and 69% of Turks in this group associate it with justice for women. Strong majorities in Iran (80%), Egypt (96%), and Turkey (63%) also think of Sharia as promoting a fair justice system. Additionally, majorities in Iran (77%) and Turkey (70%) associate Sharia with reducing corruption.

Most Egyptians (64%) polled say Sharia must be the only source of legislation, but few Turks (7%) say the same, which is why it is perhaps not surprising that the greatest differences of opinion are between these two populations. Among Egyptians and Turks who favor Sharia to be at least a source, differences range from 44 percentage points on the item about the promotion of scientific advancement (96% and 52%, respectively) to 26 points on the reduction of crime (94% and 68%, respectively) as well as a limit on the power of rulers (49% and 23%, respectively). But Egyptians and Iranians who favor Sharia's influence on legislation also differ on the associations they make with it. The gap in differences of opinion between Egyptians and Iranians ranges from 37 points on the issue of the promotion of scientific advancement (96% and 59%, respectively) to 3 points on limiting the power of rulers (49% and 46%, respectively).

Even though Gallup could not ask questions about several negative attributes in Iran and Egypt, the poll findings show that those who say Sharia should be at least a source of legislation are less likely to make negative associations with Sharia compliance. But 69% of Egyptians say they associate Sharia with the promotion of cruel criminal punishments.

While 28% of respondents in Iran associate Sharia with giving government unlimited power, they are more likely (46%) to view it as limiting the powers of rulers. In neighboring Turkey, about one in five respondents associate religious law with giving unlimited power to government and curbing the power of rulers. In Egypt, Gallup did not ask respondents the "gives government unlimited power" question, but 49% associate Sharia with limiting the power of rulers.

Additionally, about one-third of respondents in Egypt (35%) and Turkey (32%) who say Sharia should be a source of legislation associate religious law with limiting personal freedom. But Egyptians (4%) are far less likely than Turks are (26%) to associate Sharia with being an obstacle to scientific advancement. Views about Sharia as oppressing women, which across all three countries is among the least likely of the attributes to be associated with it, are shared by less than one-quarter of Turks (22%) and Iranians (16%) and few Egyptians (2%) who say it should be a source of legislation.

What's your point? Lol

 

[Aramagedon]

What's your point? Lol

If I want to answer in general, 75% of Iranians see Allah wish/Islam the first matter in thier life. For example whatever we want to do we say 'Inshallah' 'only if God wants'. Or if we hope something good happen in future we say 'we trust God, we hope it from God' - be omide khoda. For example I say to my friend I hope you will be successful in your exams, we trust God. Or if we want to do something but we are doubtful about its positive result (be it very low or high) we say 'tavakol bar khoda' 'Trusted God'. Or if we are worried about something bad in present or future we say 'God is great' - khoda bozorge. Or if want to bash someone due to his behavior toward me, us or a absent third person(s) we say ' God will not forgive your sin' [your behavior was bad].

Gossiping is haram. If someone tells something bad about someone else if the object person is not present, we say stop gossiping - don't talk behind someone when he is absent. Another example is don't do sin ' God is seeing you '

There are many more examples.

50% (out of 100%) Iranians are practical that means they do everyday Islamic duties, prays very carefully. They won't ever leave 5 times salat temporarily or for a long time except for exceptions such as illness, accident, a disaster etc... Among the rest of 50%, half of them (25% of total) become practical only sometimes. For example they pray temporarily or do their duties carefully only in ramadan month. They do sins like parties, dating with opponent gender classmate etc. These group of people say God is very kind, God is very forgiver, Ultimate kind God will forgive all of sins, God will forgive us because God see our hearts not our actions, our hearts is pure and very close to God, our hearts are free from sins, our hearts are clean and pure etc.

The rest 25% see their everyday life matters first then Islam. When someone say 'Inshallah' they might think they are the only ones that can change their life with behavior and efforts.

I am among temporarily practical group but sometimes I was full practical.

 

[AUz]

If I want to answer in general, 75% of Iranians see Allah wish/Islam the first matter in thier life. For example whatever we want to do we say 'Inshallah' 'only if God wants'. Or if we hope something good happen in future we say 'we trust God, we hope it from God' - be omide khoda. For example I say to my friend I hope you will be successful in your exams, we trust God. Or if we want to do something but we are doubtful about its positive result (be it very low or high) we say 'tavakol bar khoda' 'Trusted God'. Or if we are worried about something bad in present or future we say 'God is great' - khoda bozorge. Or if want to bash someone due to his behavior toward me, us or a absent third person(s) we say ' God will not forgive your sin' [your behavior was bad].

Gossiping is haram. If someone tells something bad about someone else if the object person is not present, we say stop gossiping - don't talk behind someone when he is absent. Another example is don't do sin ' God is seeing you '

There are many more examples.

50% (out of 100%) Iranians are practical that means they do everyday Islamic duties, prays very carefully. They won't ever leave 5 times salat temporarily or for a long time except for exceptions such as illness, accident, a disaster etc... Among the rest of 50%, half of them (25% of total) become practical only sometimes. For example they pray temporarily or do their duties carefully only in ramadan month. They do sins like parties, dating with opponent gender classmate etc. These group of people say God is very kind, God is very forgiver, Ultimate kind God will forgive all of sins, God will forgive us because God see our hearts not our actions, our hearts is pure and very close to God, our hearts are free from sins, our hearts are clean and pure etc.

The rest 25% see their everyday life matters first then Islam. When someone say 'Inshallah' they might think they are the only ones that can change their life with behavior and efforts.

I am among temporarily practical group but sometimes I was full practical.

Thanks for the insight Appreciated!

 

[Ahmer Rana]

Nikal kr sehraon se jisne palat diya roma ko
Suna ha qudsio se mene wo sher phr hoshiar hoga
#Iqbal

 

[Aramagedon]

Thanks for the insight Appreciated!

You are welcome.

 

[Saho]

I wish those figures were true but sadly, it isn't and they're far from it.

 

[flamer84]

Never met a Turk who doesn t drink alcohol,and I've met plenty...

 

[xenon54 out]

Let's also see how much Sharia is popular in Islamic countries:

Many Turks, Iranians, Egyptians Link Sharia and Justice
by Magali Rheault and Dalia Mogahed
Egyptians most likely to make positive associations with Sharia

The first article analyzed public attitudes about the role of Sharia as a source of legislation, concluding that although perceptions vary greatly across the three countries, most Iranians and Egyptians (and even many Turks) believe Sharia should be a source of legislation.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Gallup asked respondents who had an opinion about the role of Sharia as a source of legislation (those for whom Sharia should be the only source, one of the sources, or not a source) whether they associate certain attributes with Sharia compliance. Ninety percent of Iranians, 91% of Egyptians, and 74% of Turks expressed an opinion about the role of Sharia in national law. The following analysis focuses on the subgroups of individuals who say Sharia should be a source of legislation to better understand why they think Sharia should influence legislation.

Overall, the poll results show that among those who think Sharia should be at least a source of legislation (either as the only source or as one of the sources), Egyptians are far more likely than Iranians and Turks to make positive associations with Sharia compliance.

Although Sharia often connotes the image of a restrictive society, where residents are forced to comply with rules and obligations they would otherwise eschew, the Gallup Poll findings show that majorities of those who favor Sharia as a source of law associate it with many positive attributes. Ninety-seven percent of Egyptians, 76% of Iranians, and 69% of Turks in this group associate it with justice for women. Strong majorities in Iran (80%), Egypt (96%), and Turkey (63%) also think of Sharia as promoting a fair justice system. Additionally, majorities in Iran (77%) and Turkey (70%) associate Sharia with reducing corruption.

Most Egyptians (64%) polled say Sharia must be the only source of legislation, but few Turks (7%) say the same, which is why it is perhaps not surprising that the greatest differences of opinion are between these two populations. Among Egyptians and Turks who favor Sharia to be at least a source, differences range from 44 percentage points on the item about the promotion of scientific advancement (96% and 52%, respectively) to 26 points on the reduction of crime (94% and 68%, respectively) as well as a limit on the power of rulers (49% and 23%, respectively). But Egyptians and Iranians who favor Sharia's influence on legislation also differ on the associations they make with it. The gap in differences of opinion between Egyptians and Iranians ranges from 37 points on the issue of the promotion of scientific advancement (96% and 59%, respectively) to 3 points on limiting the power of rulers (49% and 46%, respectively).

Even though Gallup could not ask questions about several negative attributes in Iran and Egypt, the poll findings show that those who say Sharia should be at least a source of legislation are less likely to make negative associations with Sharia compliance. But 69% of Egyptians say they associate Sharia with the promotion of cruel criminal punishments.

While 28% of respondents in Iran associate Sharia with giving government unlimited power, they are more likely (46%) to view it as limiting the powers of rulers. In neighboring Turkey, about one in five respondents associate religious law with giving unlimited power to government and curbing the power of rulers. In Egypt, Gallup did not ask respondents the "gives government unlimited power" question, but 49% associate Sharia with limiting the power of rulers.

Additionally, about one-third of respondents in Egypt (35%) and Turkey (32%) who say Sharia should be a source of legislation associate religious law with limiting personal freedom. But Egyptians (4%) are far less likely than Turks are (26%) to associate Sharia with being an obstacle to scientific advancement. Views about Sharia as oppressing women, which across all three countries is among the least likely of the attributes to be associated with it, are shared by less than one-quarter of Turks (22%) and Iranians (16%) and few Egyptians (2%) who say it should be a source of legislation.

But this is the result when you ask Turks whether they want sharia or not.

 

[Aramagedon]

But this is the result when you ask Turks whether they want sharia or not.

Turkey only 12%? In addition I heard somewhere only 20% of Turks are practical.