Even though secularism is claiming that it separated religion and state-world-politics from each other, and is standing at an equal distance to all the beliefs and life styles – these are the words from the book –, in practice this isn't so in the West and East. States are benefitting from religion, religion also benefits from states, and the other religions, which are different from the majority's religion, are not being treated equally.
Religion exploitation is a matter of faith and ethics. The politicians and civil society members, whose faith and ethics are weak, can exploit religion. The people, who had been conducting certain religious duties since the times when they had no relation with politics, naturally will not be accused with “exploitation”, when they continue the same routine after becoming a statesman.
In Turkey, during single party periods, the state limited the freedom of religion for both Sunnis and others. However, in our present day, every belief and disbelief are liberated; the state is not interfering with anyone's religious belief and implementation. For example, mosques and djemevis are being constructed, and in those places believers are acting according to their beliefs, despite this it's not fair to talk about a limited freedom of religion saying, “the government is not officially accepting djemevis as a sanctuary”. Actually according to the words in the book, a secular state cannot call any place a sanctuary or not.
The ones, who established the Directorate of Religious Affairs and Imam Hatip schools, wanted to legitimize the secular system by using those and provide support for the civilization and culture change. However, the truth is, neither of those institutions were ever useful in that manner; on the contrary, both were quite helpful in the protection of Muslims' beliefs, worships and ethics.
Most of my life passed in Imam Hatip schools, High Islamic Institutes and Divinity Schools. I also had a continuous relationship with the Directorate of Religious Affairs. From what I've known, seen and done; the learning and teaching of the authentic Islam as a whole was an encouragement of the implementation. If you look at my books and other books that are taught in schools for years, you will see that generally authentic Islam had been taught. In some periods, the fatwas and guidance of the Directorate of Religious Affairs' officials were limited with “belief, worship and ethics”; however, by cutting across those, the community learned whatever they wanted to. Even today, any question presented to the related units of the Directorate of Religious Affairs, from any field (belief, worship, ethics, procedure, punishment, etc.) had received an answer. If we look at the publications of the Directorate of Religious Affairs, we can see that a secular state does not disrupt the religion, on the contrary, it would be understood that the Directorate of Religious Affairs is serving Islam by benefitting from the opportunities of the state.
Especially in the last decade, the Directorate of Religious Affairs' and Foundation's services in our country and world will be going down in history as glory, honor, praise and blessings.
On top of that, let's conceive that the religious education and organization is left to the control of the civil society.
It's necessary to record this first; in this field, it's not like the civil society has its hand tied, at the moment there are various activities being conducted under the name of “religious service”, secretly and openly. Instead of reinventing the wheel, it's sufficient to look at this implementation.
First of all, the civil society is not civil. They are in close relationship with the politics and state, and also with various groups and tribes. The damage inflicted on religion by some part of the activities conducted in the name of religious education, service and implementation are considerably large. Everyone has a different view, different claims from each groups are being dispersed, some groups are being represented almost as other religions, the activities of their leaders, pioneers and elders are forestalling Quran and Sunnah in practice. Leaving the community to the hands of these uncontrolled groups, in the name of democracy or secularism, is equal to entrusting the pigeons to the cat.
In this country, some time ago, the construction and administration of some mosques and prayer rooms were left in charge of civil society. The congregation representatives were choosing the imams and the congregation was paying their salaries. In this implementation, it was seen that the imams and religious scholars are acting within a narrower field of freedom and making compensations in order to satisfy their employers.
Shortly and precisely, the Directorate of Religious Affairs can be more free and autonomous; however, removing it will never be a service for Islam. Besides, it's not logical or wise to object to benefiting from the opportunities of the state in religious education and teaching.
