Hemofilia A

The website of the ISN refers readers looking for answers to religious questions to the central Diyanet site in Ankara. When clicking the heading, ‘Dini Sorular’ (religious questions), the inquirer automatically arrives at the ‘Dini Soruları

Cevaplandırma Komisyonu Bilgi Sistemi’ (the data bank from the commission

providing answers to religious questions) section of the Turkish Diyanet website.97 The same thing happens when clicking in the ISN page on ‘Dini Bilgiler’ (religious information).98

97

In an interview with the President of ISN, Dr. Bülent Şenay responded to several of our questions on religious matters by handing over written statements from the President of Diyanet at the time, Professor Ali Bardakoğlu.

http://sorusor.diyanet.gov.tr/

98 _{http://www.diyanet.gov.tr/turkish/dy/Diyanet-Isleri-Baskanligi-AnaMenu-dini-bilgiler-}

These examples suggest that the ISN very much functions as an intermediary conveying messages from the central office in Ankara.

Bardakoğlu’s statements also underline the idea that providing religious guidance is more a responsibility of the central institution rather than the individual Diyanet representatives working at the regional or local levels. In an article about the duties of Diyanet, Bardakoğlu argues:

“Sound knowledge means a struggle against superstition, error, ignorance, injustice and religious abuse. In the Islamic tradition, it has been theologians that have been the ones who have continued [this] struggle (…) By basing its actions on sound religious knowledge and information, the Presidency of Religious Affairs does not tolerate hard-line tendencies that disturb social peace, and proceeds to educate, convince and inform people who have such tendencies. (…) Piety, which is based on emotion rather than knowledge, usually remains reserved and withdrawn. It becomes nearly impossible to enlighten people who have surrendered to a certain force, movement or centre of attraction in an emotional atmosphere with such sound knowledge. (…) Despite everything, centres of religious knowledge and the Presidency of Religious Affairs have managed to attain a level of success in this difficult tasks. Complete success is not possible, in any case.” (Bardakoğlu 2006: 16-18)

In this quote, Bardakoğlu positions his institution against a variety of deviations from ‘correct’ interpretations of Islam, instead of basing the authority of Diyanet on “sound knowledge” of the religion. At the same time, the quote locates this sound knowledge in “centres of religious knowledge and the Presidency of Religious Affairs”. He does not specify where “centres of religious knowledge” are, but we understand this as a reference to theological faculties in Turkey. Both the stress Diyanet puts on unity and the careful way in which the Ankara centre issues fatwa’s about religious questions leave little room for regional or local representatives (such as the ISN President in the Netherlands) to act independently.

On the other hand, both ISN activities and its magazine, the HDV Bülten (ISN bulletin), suggest that the ISN President does show leadership; the President himself claims that the ISN is more than an organiser of activities, and actually provides guidance. More than his predecessors, the current President tries to make himself more visible whilst creating an image of being ‘among’ and ‘above’ the people at the same time. In paragraph 4.2.3., we characterised the image of the President as a “religious expert, a (religious) leader, leader of the dialogue, and, on the other hand as a ‘man of the people’, who is everywhere: from conferences on topics related to religion to kick offs of soccer matches.” In this chapter on religious guidance, his position and initiatives as a religious expert are important. One way of communicating with the people are through monthly addresses in the above-mentioned ISN bulletin.

On the first page of the monthly, the President usually writes the leading article. The articles often begin with ‘değerli dostlar’ (dear friends), and the President later goes further to discuss a societal or religious topic. In his writings, he displays a sound knowledge and understanding of Dutch society. For example, in the April 2009 issue, he carefully depicts the religious landscape of the Netherlands, noting the various Muslim organisations, quoting the Minderhedennota of 1983 (official report on minorities, migration and integration), and speaking about the Dutch phenomenon of ‘pillarizasyon’ (pillarisation). The subject of this article is ‘equality before the law and freedom of religion’. In this context, the ISN is characterised as a leading party, a kind of ‘guide’ whose purpose is to meet the demands and needs of the Turkish community in the Netherlands, both inside and outside of the mosque:

“HDV, dini toplulukların din hizmetleri ihtiyacının karşılanması esasına

dayalı bir yapı içerisinde 300 bin civarında Hollandalı Türk topluluğa en geniş ölçüde, yani cami içi din hizmetleri ve cami dışı din hizmetleri kapsamında, Kur’an kursu, din eğitimi, ramazan, hac, kurban, cenaze hizmetleri, kadınlara ve gençlere yönelik eğitim ve kültür hizmetleri, spor etkinlikleri organizasyonu vs. mahiyetinde din hizmetlerini organize

etmekte ve rehber kurum görevini ifa etmektedir.” (In its effort to meet the

needs for religious services – in a broad sense, both inside and outside the mosque - of the Dutch-Turkish community of around 300,000, ISN organises religious services like Quran courses, religious education, Ramadan, Pilgrimage to Mecca, the ritual sacrifice, educational and cultural activities aimed at women and youngsters, sports, etcetera, and has the function of an institution of guidance).

The figure of around 300,000 in this above quote is interesting, as the number of Dutch people with a Turkish origin hovers around 380,000. Assuming that the President knows these statistics, he must have deliberately left out a portion of the Dutch-Turkish community. This could be taken to mean that the ISN’s target group is the Sunni community, not the Alevis. On the other hand, the number of 300,000 is high enough to suggest that the target group includes all the Sunni Turkish Muslims and not only those actually attending Diyanet mosques. The question of how the ISN positions itself in the wider landscape of Muslim organisations in the Netherlands will be discussed in the next chapter.

The various responsibilities and target groups of the ISN is also raised in an article series entitled, ‘Islam’da Maruf, Muamelat ve Toplum Ahlaki’ (correct behaviour, social regulation, and social ethics in Islam). In this articles, the President explains that the Muslim community is comparable to what is now called ‘civil society’ (“Islam toplumu modern zamanların ifadesiyle ‘sivil toplum’dur”), and points to the importance of the fact that the evolution of moral codes and ethics within society is a social process (HDV Bülten, May, June, July, August 2009). In the September 2009 issue, the President also points out the importance of religious and cultural activities organised by the ISN, which are aimed at preventing youth from losing their own cultural background:

“Gençlerimiz dini, sosyal ve kültürel ihtiyaçlarlarının karşılanması onların

her yönü ile hayata hazırlanmasının manevi sorumluluğu her an omuzlarımızdadır.” (Meeting the religious, social and cultural needs of our

youngsters and the moral responsibility of making them ready for life is always on our shoulders.)

In statements like this, the President of the ISN reveals his ambitions to lead and guide. However, the services rendered and guidance given are usually presented in the general language of moral education; this type of education could be given anywhere: locally, nationally and internationally, by imams and other religious personal employed by Diyanet. It does not suggest a broader ambition to develop a religious authority that operates autonomously from the centre in Ankara.