Private meeting between government and religious order

Following the failed coup attempt, Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs held meetings with supreme leaders from different religious orders, despite the constitutional ban on religious order in Turkey
Friday, 13 January 2017 02:25

Turkish Religious Affairs (Diyanet) President Mehmet Görmez will meet with the İsmailağa religious order, which did not attend the meetings with other religious communities after the coup attempt in July 15. Close relation between the government and the religious orders has recently attracted attention.
 
Following the failed coup attempt, Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs held meetings with supreme leader from different religious order, despite the constitutional ban on religious order in Turkey. According to Karar newspaper, İsmailağa representatibes, who were invited to the previous meetings stated that they preferred to have a private meeting with Diyanet. Mehmet Görmez announced that he is going to meet with a representative who will be appointed by İsmailağa leader Mahmud Ustaosmanoğlu.

RISING INFLUENCE OF ISMAİLAĞA 

İsmailağa religious order, the main group that represents the Nakshi traditions in Turkey, is known to have good relations with AKP government and has increased its influence in politics especially after the coup attempt.

One day before the presidential elections in 2014, then-Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan had visited İsmailağa leader Mahmut Ustaosmanoğlu. Former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and former President Abdullah Gül also met with the representatives from the religious order.

Following President Erdoğan’s call for people to take the streets against the coup attempt, members of the İsmailağamarched in İstanbul chanting “Allahu Akbar”. İsmailağa community also made a statement against the participation of women in the protests.

The talks between İsmailağa and the government about the girls’ attendance at school was reflected in the press in 2012, shortly before the approval of "4+4+4" education system in the parliament. 4+4+4 education system is considered as a part of AKP’s reactionary policies in education and paved the way for religious schools.