Turkey is both an alluring and a correct model / Saudi Gazette

by Aylin Kocaman

There has long been a debate about whether or not Turkey is a model for the Muslim countries of the world. Representatives of Arab countries themselves reiterate the need to base themselves on such a model. But a caption that appeared in the Financial Times the other day was particularly interesting: “The alluring but misleading Turkish model”! 

The article claimed that it was wrong to compare Turkey with Arab countries going through transitional stages and emphasized that becoming conservative but dynamic and prosperous societies was a remote possibility for Arab countries. It therefore suggested it was meaningless for them to aspire to be like Turkey. 

The analysis in question refers to infrastructure investments and the restructuring of the banking system and politics, but overlooked the most important point that makes Arab societies and Turkey one single body – Islam. 

Turkey is a correct model for Arab societies. Why? Let us go back a little, rather than looking at the present. Turkey is the heir to the Ottoman Empire. An empire that ruled three continents had one very important characteristic; it sheltered all faiths and nations with love and friendship. Nations and faiths were always content with the empire’s policy of love and friendship over 600 years. 

There was only one reason for that moral virtue; Islam. The Ottoman Empire was always determined to maintain the Islamic principles of affection, love, and respect that people have now forgotten. Since that inheritance was adopted when the Republic of Turkey was founded and the principle of democracy, another condition imposed by the Qur’an, was adopted, radical elements were never able to flourish inside it. Of course there are radical elements in Turkey, but their voice has never been strong. 

That is why Turkey’s resistance to communist and fascist elements after the Second World War was also successful. Indeed, Stalin said that of all the money sent to support communism across the world, only that sent to Turkey was wasted. When asked why that was, he said that Anatolia was loyal to its faith. To put it another way, the fact that Anatolia adhered to true religious values, untainted by fundamentalism, meant that it was able to repulse even such a bloody communist as Stalin.

That is why radicalism and socialism have never prevailed in Turkey. As a Muslim country and a bridge between East and West, Turkey had to assume the natural role of mediator and reconciler; and so it did. Turkey was the place where the Western world, Muslim Arab countries, Shiite Iran and the Middle East intersected. Aware of this important duty, and as required by Islam, it has always employed the language of peace. 

Neither the Ottoman Empire nor Turkey is perfect, of course. Many undesirable things have happened in Turkey. But that does not mean we should ignore “what needs to be done.” 

Arab societies are genuine, warm and loving. But three things damaged the Arab world after World War II: the socialism that infiltrated Arab states, the dictators that shaped their socialist focus mixed with Arab nationalism, and various fundamentalist traditions. 

It needs to be said that radicalism is a scourge in every society, every religion and every ideology. But if fundamentalism is practiced as a religion, then it becomes dangerous. Those fundamentalist traditions, and of course Marxist elements whose aim was to destroy religion, never permitted people in many sections of society to live by the true secular, democratic, libertarian and peaceful nature of Islam. Oppression led to revolt and degeneration increased, as of course did atheism. 

It is because that harm was never done in Turkey that it is a model for the Arab world, not because it is perfect. The reason for the economic well-being in a 99% Muslim country is not the banking system and infrastructure investment and the like. There is only one reason for it: Turkey has preserved a loving and democratic conception of Islam, far removed from fundamentalism. That is why Turkey is an intermediary and older brother in the region.  

Financial journals may have high hopes of banks and investment. But we are Muslims. If we seek a solution, we will look to the Qur’an. Allah imposes the condition in the Qur’an that all believers must be united. And He reveals a secret, that in the absence of unity “…there will be turmoil in the land and great corruption” (Surat al-Anfal, 73). So there is only one solution to this great turmoil in the world: Unification. In order to be a model for all countries of the world we must first open up the borders between Muslim countries first. We must establish a union of love in which visa and passport requirements are abolished and borders are purely symbolic. We must demand that weapons be destroyed, not just silenced. Muslims must abandon hatred and always seek to be united and then issue the same call to the whole world. Turkey is ready for the task. It is a most alluring and correct model for Arab countries. Not because it is perfect, but because it preserves the loving spirit of the Qur’an and desires union and brotherhood.

This article has been published on Saudi Gazette and can also be read at http://saudigazette.com.sa//index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130306155737&fb_action_ids=362835960496814&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582