The Political Theology of Political Islamists of Turkey

Abstract

In the late nineteenth century, pan-Islamism emerged as a reaction to western colonialism. The followers of this ideology argued that European colonial powers were occupying Islamic lands and aiming to change Muslims’ culture and belief. They used a religious concept “umma” to unite Muslims and fight colonial powers. Neo pan-Islamists, the AKP, and Erdogan follow the same ideology in relevance to uniting Muslims and calling them to fight the west. Political Islamists of Turkey aim to abolish the secular system and establish the Shariah in Turkey. They support the caliphate of Erdogan by presenting him as the leader of the Ummah. They argue that through creating a universal leader (a caliph), the goal of practicing the Shariah and establishing Islamic state can be actualized. In order to make the political theology of Political Islamists of Turkey be more understandable, this chapter provides their opinions on key issues such as Islam and politics, democracy, nationalism, caliphate, umma (Muslim Nation), Islamic state, the shariah, excommunication and religious extremism, education, and lastly terrorism and radicalism.