Turkey has a long and chequered history of serving Muslim Ummah and leading the Islamic world. The Ottomans started their rise towards the end of 13th century and entered a period of great ascendancy and glory after conquest of Istanbul in 1453. For three to four centuries the Ottoman Empire was a formidable power which made a name for itself and left indelible marks in human history.
The 19th century witnessed the same Empire being nicknamed the Sick Man of Europe. The World War I struck the final blow to the Empire and brought to power the ultra secularist Mustafa Kamal Pasha. He de-Islamised Turkey brick by brick and imposed the worst type of anti-Islamic and anti-democratic secularism on this Muslim nation.
In 1924 the last caliph was dismissed and caliphate abolished. In quick succession the Shariah courts, the office of Shaikh al-Islam and the Ministry of Justice and Islamic Institutions were abolished. In 1926 the Islamic law was substituted with secular civil and criminal laws. During that period most of the Ulema were dismissed, mystical orders and Islamic institutions banned and lunar calendar replaced by solar calendar. The year 1927 saw imposition of Latin alphabet and from 1933 Azan and prayers in mosques had to be in Turkish instead of Arabic.
These un-Islamic impositions were strongly resented by Muslims who formed 99 per cent of population. But the military, under the strict surveillance of western powers, was not allowing any room for any assertion of Islamic identity.
Adnan Mundris tried to restore rights of Muslims to follow Islam and for this ‘crime’ was sent to gallows in 1961. In spite of worst repressive measures the Turks gradually moved towards Islam and Necmettin Erbakan played a leading role therein.
The present Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who was nurtured by Erbakan but separated from him is a democrat to the core and understands the mood and Islamic urges of his people. He is treading very carefully to facilitate Turkey’s march towards Islamic resurgence. His trip to Somalia and assurance of all possible help to the draught-stricken brother country indicates the humanitarian aspect of Turkey in world scenario.
Recently he concluded his tour of Egypt, Libya and Tunisia. The enthusiasm with which he was welcomed in those countries hints at the greater role Turkey is posed to play in shaping the future of Muslim world. He is quite correct when he says that there is no contradiction between Islam and democracy. The recent history bears witness to this fact that it is not Islam which hinders democracy but lack of democracy which blocks the rightful role of Islam in the Muslim world.