Islam in Turkey
From International Business Wiki
Islam, the religion of the Prophet Mohammed, is the primary religion of Turkey. While many other Islamic nations operate in accordance with the theocratic rule of Islam, Turkey has not remained among them since the downfall of the Ottoman Empire. In its final days, Islam was taken out of Turkey’s ruling body and a tradition of modernity, westernization, and secularization took its place, at least on paper that is. While constitutions can be changed overnight, cultural habits and attitudes tend to take considerably longer. The truth of this allows one to see that one of the stabilizing forces of a people is its culture, as well as its government. This is especially true in the Middle East, an area of the world held together, and sometimes blown apart, by its one unifying factor, the religion of Islam.
Turkic-speaking people began converting to the faith of Islam as early as the late 7th century. By the 11th century, Anatolia, (96% of modern Turkeys land area) was “colonized and settled…in the name of Islam” . Today the CIA Worldfact Book reports that 99.8% of Turkey’s population is Muslim. With nearly a thousand year history in the land, the presence of Islam permeates most all things of the secular Turkey today, even Turkish business dealings.
For instance, Muslims pray 5 times a day: at dawn, midday, afternoon, sundown, and night. Therefore one would not attempt to schedule a business meeting at these times. Where Saturday is the day to be set apart for prayer and rest amongst the Jewish religion, and Sunday is the day of rest for the Christian religion; for Muslims, the set apart day is Friday, which technically begins at sundown on Thursday. Even with nearly 1,000 years of Islam throughout the land, in Turkey, this is not followed as strictly as in other Islamic nations. However, appointments may still not be available latter in the week, especially at the time of Friday afternoon prayers. Then there is the holy month of Ramadan in which Muslims fast from dawn to sundown for the entire month. While business still continues, business luncheons do not, so other forms of meeting would be arranged. There are two national holidays celebrated in Turkey that correspond to Islam . The first is Kurban Bayram, a 4-day national holiday commemorating Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Ishmael to God and concludes the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, the Hajj . The latter is Seker Bayram, a 3-day national holiday that closes up the month of Ramadan . It is common for businesses to close for these days and lots of people to be traveling. Women have a special place in Islam. So special that many women of Islam wear a head covering called a hijab. In Turkey, one of the most progressive of Islamic nations, not all women cover their heads. It’s actually banned as a form of religious dress not allowed in public places. However, women are encouraged to dress modestly and conservatively if they wish to be recognized as worthy of respect, i.e. thighs covered during dinners and shirts that cover at least the upper arm. According to Hassan, interestingly enough, “the purpose of the Qur’anic legislation dealing with women’s dress conduct (Surah 24:An-Nur:30-31, Surah33: Al-Ahzab:59) was to make it safe for women to go about their daily business… without fear of sexual harassment or molestation…”. (1995) Today, Turkey’s Muslim women are exercising their right to vote for or against the hijab in the selection of their leaders. (Boland, 2007) Even though the outward presence of Islam may not be as visible in contemporary fashion, its roots in Turkish culture can never be changed, and maybe that is a very good thing. The mosques, minarets, the belief in strong family ties, respect for elders, relationship oriented business dealings, month long religious observances; these are all the worldly benefits of piety, not just profit.
Submitted By: Gwendolynne Noack
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Turkey 11/01/07 https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tu.html#top 11/01/07 http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/articles/article/Turkey/Religious-holidays-in-Turkey/157 11/01/07 http://islam.about.com/od/hajj/a/adha.htm 11/01/07 http://islam.about.com/od/ramadan/f/eid_fitr.htm 11/01/07 VINCENT BOLAND (2007, July 17). Crescent rising Why modern Turks are less willing to jettison tradition :[LONDON 1ST EDITION]. Financial Times,p. 11. Retrieved November 1, 2007, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1306840661). Hassan, Riffat (1995). Rights of women within Islamic countries. Canadian Woman Studies, 15(2/3), 40-44. Retrieved November 1, 2007, from GenderWatch (GW) database. (Document ID: 419287851).
