A few questions about turkey

[fobcoder]

Hey,
I got a few questions about turkey, and was hoping that the turkish members could shed some light
1. I understand the Arabs have problem with Iranians because of the sect difference, but since Turks (After the revolution) don't care much about Arab policies, why do they still have major disagreements with Iran?

From what I've read online, it seems like they haven't had any major conflict for a long time, and have secure/stable borders.

2. Is it true that the Athan (call to prayer) is said in the turkish language instead of Arabic in Turkey?

3. What is the popular opinion of secular minded muslims in Turkey regarding relationships with Arabs, and the Arab culture.

4. Is Ottoman history a mandatory topic taught in Turkey? (Since it is turkish history), and is it regarded as something to be proud of or as a mistake that shouldn't be repeated?

5. What are the major differences between Arab and Turkish traditions - in terms of the religious activities. For example, the veil is look upon as a cultural statement in Turkey, whereas in Arab states it is looked on as a religious symbol (and mandatory in some countries).

Thanks

 

[what]

1. The majority of Turkey is Sunni (around 15-20% are Alevi which is a Shia sect) and while law is secular people are not. There was violence against Alevis in the past and hate campaigns, because people believe that they are wrong and therefor deserve it. This is not against Iran directly but it shows in my eyes that there is a sectarian conflict even within Turkey, I've heard many friends calling Iranians names because they are Shia.

On the other hand Iran is a theocracy, known for supporting the PKK and in the last year they have on numerous occasions repeatedly said that they will attack Turkey if X or Y. Not exactly friendly behaviour.

And then there is also the historic rivalry.

2. It was changed to Turkish by Atatürk and only changed back to Arabic a few years (?) ago by the AKP.

3. Don't understand the question.

4. Not born or raised in Turkey, but some other users know that for sure.

5. Not a religious man, others will help you.

my 2cents

 

[fobcoder]

1. The majority of Turkey is Sunni (around 15-20% are Alevi which is a Shia sect) and while law is secular people are not. There was violence against Alevis in the past and hate campaigns, because people believe that they are wrong and therefor deserve it. This is not against Iran directly but it shows in my eyes that there is a sectarian conflict even within Turkey, I've heard many friends calling Iranians names because they are Shia.

On the other hand Iran is a theocracy, known for supporting the PKK and in the last year they have on numerous occasions repeatedly said that they will attack Turkey if X or Y. Not exactly friendly behaviour.

And then there is also the historic rivalry.

2. It was changed to Turkish by Atatürk and only changed back to Arabic a few years (?) ago by the AKP.

3. Don't understand the question.

4. Not born or raised in Turkey, but some other users know that for sure.

5. Not a religious man, others will help you.

my 2cents

Doesn't Iran have problems with Kurds as well? Why would they support PKK when they are fighting the kurds themselves? Is it for some political gain, and if it so what?

According to wikipedia (I know not the best source, but the only thing that turned up from google search) Iran and Turkey have no land disputes..so is it purely Sunni-Shia thing ? or Democracy vs Theocracy?

When Atatürk changed the language of Athan, what reasons did he give? (Why only change the language and not abolish it completely Were the religious texts also translated from Arabic to Turkish language?


My third question:
In most of the Muslim countries Arabs, and Saudi Arabia is idealised because it was the birth place of Islam. There are visible signs of Arab cultures in most of the muslim countries...does Turkey have that?

 

[TurAr]

2. It was changed to Turkish by Atatürk and only changed back to Arabic a few years (?) ago by the AKP.

It was changed back to Arabic in 1950 by Demokrat Parti.

When Atatürk changed the language of Athan, what reasons did he give? (Why only change the language and not abolish it completely Were the religious texts also translated from Arabic to Turkish language?

First accurate translation of Quran into Turkish was made by Atatürk's order. He didn't want people to blindly believe a book without understanding. -same reason why the prayer was changed into Turkish-
Also he wanted people to understand it without needing other people who might misinterpret it intentionally for their own agenda.

 

[LegionnairE]

1. We don't have any religious issues with Iran. Recently we have busted them in bed with PKK that's what all this is about. We've threatened Syria with war in 90ies for them to stop harboring terrorists. Eventually Syria will be dealt with, and we'll see about Iran.

3. Most Turks despise Arabs mainly because of cultural and historical reasons. Some Turks try to like them just because of religion..

4. Yes

5. I'm not a religious man either and i do think religious ideals mixing up with cultural values is very, very bad. There are always some ignorant people who embrace arab culture(sometimes even pagan traditions) as religion, we need to draw a clear line in between.

 

[Gaara]

1. The majority of Turkey is Sunni (around 15-20% are Alevi which is a Shia sect) and while law is secular people are not. There was violence against Alevis in the past and hate campaigns, because people believe that they are wrong and therefor deserve it. This is not against Iran directly but it shows in my eyes that there is a sectarian conflict even within Turkey, I've heard many friends calling Iranians names because they are Shia.

On the other hand Iran is a theocracy, known for supporting the PKK and in the last year they have on numerous occasions repeatedly said that they will attack Turkey if X or Y. Not exactly friendly behaviour.

And then there is also the historic rivalry.

2. It was changed to Turkish by Atatürk and only changed back to Arabic a few years (?) ago by the AKP.

3. Don't understand the question.

4. Not born or raised in Turkey, but some other users know that for sure.

5. Not a religious man, others will help you.

my 2cents

1. First of all, Alevism shares some common values with Shai Islam but it is absolutely NOT a Shia sect. Shias constantly refuse Alevisim.

Turkish-Iran rivalry is more than 1000 years old. It goes back to Ghaznavid Empire (963–1186) which is one of the Turkic dynasties that ruled Iran. The others were Seljuck Empire (1037–1194), Khwarazmian Empire (Persinated dynasty of Turkic origin between 1077–1231), Timurid Empire (1370–1405), Safavid Empire (1501–1736), Afsharid Empire (1736–1747), and Qajar Empire (1796–1925).

It was a more Turkish-Turkish rivalry untill 16th century. Since this century, it has become a Sunni-Shia rivalry becuase Safavids (a Turkish dynasty mentioned above) turned whole Iran from Sunni to Shia.

2. Ezan was NOT changed to Turkish by Atatürk. Ataturk was the President of Turkiye in 1931. It was changed to Turkish by Inonu who was the prime minister of Turkey at that time. And it was changed to Arabic original NOT a few years ago but in 1950 by Adnan Menderes (Actually the law that Adnan Menderes' government passed was not a law that ordered Ezan to be said in Arabic. They just lifted the law that had ordered Ezan to be said in Turkish and gave freedom to imams to choose the language they want to read the Ezan. Since then no imam has choosen to read the Ezan in Turkish.)

 

[what]

Doesn't Iran have problems with Kurds as well? Why would they support PKK when they are fighting the kurds themselves? Is it for some political gain, and if it so what?

According to wikipedia (I know not the best source, but the only thing that turned up from google search) Iran and Turkey have no land disputes..so is it purely Sunni-Shia thing ? or Democracy vs Theocracy?

When Atatürk changed the language of Athan, what reasons did he give? (Why only change the language and not abolish it completely Were the religious texts also translated from Arabic to Turkish language?


My third question:
In most of the Muslim countries Arabs, and Saudi Arabia is idealised because it was the birth place of Islam. There are visible signs of Arab cultures in most of the muslim countries...does Turkey have that?

My knowledge is as you can see limited and not 100% accurate. Again just my 2cents:

1. I don't understand it either, but without doubt the Iranian regime has supported the PKK with intelligence and weapons. There are numerous reports in Internet about that, you can google it if you like. There is this rumor about a deal the Iranians made with the PKK when they captured Karayilan who is pretty much the highest-leader nowadays in the PKK.

I do not understand what motivates them to support them, the majority of them are not Shia, they want to have a part of Iran too and they're not theocratic. It makes no sense to me.

2. I believe that there is a) the Sunni-Shia thing, b) theocracy vs secularism/democracy and c) the PKK and d) the historic rivalry.

3. Apparently Inönü changed the Ezan to Turkish (see Garaa's post) not Atatürk. I don't know why.

4. You can find those signs in very conservative people in Turkey but there are Muslims that don't ideolize Arabs, I have met many Turkish-Muslims who despise the Saudis for what they have done to the religion and holy sites in the country. You don't have to be an Arab or ideolize Arabs in order to be a Muslim as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Cherokee]

Don't know If the comment is offtopic but Muslim world needs a Dozen more Mustafa Kemal to Set things Straight . I respect him a lot .

 

[INDIC]

What is behind Turks problems with Greeks.

 

[Cherokee]

What is behind Turks problems with Greeks.

Cyrprus.....

 

[kobiraaz]

Don't know If the comment is offtopic but Muslim world needs a Dozen more Mustafa Kemal to Set things Straight . I respect him a lot .

oh yeah i know why you care that much! muslim world needs general like Ataturk but leaders like Mahathir!

 

[Vatoz]

Istanbul-Izmir-bursa

There were many Greeks living in western parts of modern turkey who had to leave to modern Greece.
Many of there grandsons are still dreaming of taking back "Greek lands" from barbarian Turks.

Even the name Istanbul is said to come from Greek word stam poli: the city.

Cyprus is an other headache for Greeks.

 

[Gaara]

What is behind Turks problems with Greeks.

1. Cyprus (well known massacres of Muslim Turks by Greeks, happened in 1964 and 1973)

2. Territorial waters dispute in Aegean Sea (Greece want to increase their territorial water from 6 nautical miles to 12 miles, but Turkiye sees this a action as a Casus belli, reason of a war)

3. Dodecanese (some islands in the East of Aegean Sea)

4. West Thrace (Turkish Muslim minority of west thrace still doesn't have the freedom of fundamental religion and language rights)

 

[Gaara]

In most of the Muslim countries Arabs, and Saudi Arabia is idealised because it was the birth place of Islam. There are visible signs of Arab cultures in most of the muslim countries...does Turkey have that?

It has been historically very limited, especially after the Ittihad and Terakki Party, which governed Ottoman Empire between 1909 and 1918, had the emotional breakdown in 1913. Although they were still Pan-Ottoman from 1909 to 1913 (they moved to Pan-Turkism after that time), the Arabian affect was still limited in Ottoman times because Ottomans' intellectual main lands were not Syria, Egypt, Hijaz, Libya or Yemen but they were West Anatolia and Balkans. (Thessaloniki, which is in Grece today, was the place which Ittihad and Terakki Party was founded.)

You can find your answer to why Ezan was changed to Turkish in 1931. The Turkish Republic was founded by the rest of the Ittihad and Terakki Party and they were trying to Turkify the country who had more Islamic reflexes than Turkish reflexes.

 

[Gaara]

oh yeah i know why you care that much! muslim world needs general like Ataturk but leaders like Mahathir!

Ataturk was not only a great general, he was also one of the greatest, the most visionary and the most intellectual leaders that has ever come to Muslim world. The world has seen many great soldiers and many great statesmen seperately but 20th century had only one person who had both skills: Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.