XI. Alevis and Current Social Issues

Here are a few examples of the issues Alevis feel are important in Turkey today.

Women

Alevis are proud to point out that they are monogomous, Alevi women worship together with men, Alevi women are free to dress in modern clothing, Alevi women are encouraged to get the best education they can, and Alevi women are free to go into any occupation they choose.

Democracy

In a debate between democracy and Islamic law, or sharia (ferial), it would be almost impossible to find an Alevi who would argue against democracy and for rule by religious law. Nearly all Alevis are for equal rights for minorities and women, the rule of constitutional law, tolerance and equal rights for all religions, and freedom of speech.

Ataturk

Almost all Alevis speak of Ataturk (Muslafa Kemal Ataturk) with great respect. They believe his reforms placed Turkey on the road to become socially progressive, educationally advanced, and technologically modern. Many hang pictures of Ataturk in prominent places in

their homes, offices, associations, and worship centers right next to their pictures of Ali and Haji Bektash.

Secularity

Alevis are almost universally in favor of separation of religion and state, or secularity (laiklik). Alevis often discuss these main issues connected with secularity in Turkey today:

1. the required religion courses in schools;

2. whether Alevis should be officially recognized as a distinct religious group;

3. the existence, activities, and funding of the government's Department of Religious Affairs (Diya-net isleri Baskanligi).

For historical reasons that are beyond the scope of this handbook, the Turkish government recognizes Jewish and Christian minorities, but Alevis are not officially recognized as a religious minority. This fact has many effects. For example, children of recognized minorities can request to be excused from the required religion classes taught from elementary through high school, but Alevis cannot. Alevis complain that all religions are not taught objectively in the schools. They say the vast majority of religion teachers not only stress one type of Islam, but they show prejudice against Alevis. Many Alevis say the required religion classes should be abolished. Others say they should at least be administered

so that all religions are covered fairly and accurately by the teachers.

The Department of Religion receives its money from the national budget, which is funded with taxes from all Turkish citizens, including Alevis. One of the Department of Religion's functions is to recruit tens of thousands of Muslim imams, assign them to mosques, and pay their salaries. But because the Department of Religion does not recognize Alevi clergy (din adamlari} or Alevi places of worship, Alevis point out that none of the imams on the payroll of the Department of Religion are Alevi.

Two of the main activities promoted by the Department of Religion include arranging pilgrimages to Mecca and setting the calendar for fasting during Ramazan. These have no importance for Alevis.

Alevis claim that in addition to the Department of Religion denying by its actions that they exist, the department purposely appoints non-Alevi clergymen to Alevi villages and encourages the building of mosques in them. As mentioned above, the mosque is not an Alevi place of worship.

There are different opinions among Alevis regarding how to approach these issues. One group claims that, if Turkey is a secular state, the Department of Religion should be abolished. Or, they say, the Department of Religion should at least be funded privately with voluntary donations by citizens rather than from tax money coming out of the pocket of Alevis, who see no benefit at all (and some would say even receive persecution) from the Department of Religion.

Other Alevis argue that the Department of Religion should continue to exist as a tax-funded government agency, but should recognize Alevis as separate and equal to other religious groups. These Alevis think that the Department of Religion should then divide its budget proportionally, allowing selected Alevi representatives to distribute and administer the portion set aside for Alevis. In the current discussions of actual money distribution, an obvious major issue is deciding which individuals or organizations should represent Alevis to the Department of Religion.

These issues illustrate the significance of the many heated debates about the Alevis' identity within Islam, the size of the Alevi population, and how Alevi individuals and organizations should relate to the government.