Islam in Turkey

Turkey has opened the ancient Chora church, one of Istanbul's most celebrated Byzantine buildings, to Muslim worshippers after it was used as a museum for more than 70 years, making it the second such major conversion under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) suspended the imam of a mosque in Istanbul's Sultangazi district on May 23 after his disputed remarks during a sermon calling on everyone to "take up arms on election night."

Türkiye's top religious official will send letters to many countries around the world over Sweden's permission for a planned burning of the Quran, Islam's holy book, near the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputies have submitted a bill to the parliament for the Culture and Tourism Ministry to cover the lighting expenses of the cemevis, Alevi houses of worship.

The bill also proposes that the water costs will be met at a discount or free of charge.

Diyanet & Turkish Scouting Federation signed a cooperation protocol in 2021 announcing that the young people who attended services at mosques would receive scouting training

Gulsen. Photo: Gulsen/Facebook

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office said that Gulsen "incited people to hatred and animosity" with her comment.

During a concert in April, Gulsen called a religious high school graduate a pervert. She insisted in her testimony to the prosecutor that it was a "joke between colleagues".

Following President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's statement that the government is extending efforts to meet Alevi-Bektashi citizens' demands, local media has alleged that five regulations will be made for cemevis, Alevi houses of worship.

Istanbul Police Department has assigned a special team to inspect the attack carried out by two assailants on Selami Sarıtaş, the head of a cemevi in Istanbul's Kartal district, on Aug. 5.

One of the two motorcyclists, who allegedly made a scouting trip on the street before, approached Sarıtaş, who was returning home in his car, under the pretext of asking for an address.

Mahmut Ustaosmanoğlu, a Turkish Sufi sheikh and the leader of the influential İsmailağa Jamia of the Naqshbandi-Khalidiyya Tariqah, died on June 23 at the age of 93.

According to a statement by the tariqah, his funeral service will be held on June 24, in Istanbul's Fatih district where the movement is centered.

Ahmet Muhsin Tüzer, who once made headlines in local media as "rock singer" imam, has applied to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to get his job back.

While serving as an imam in the Mediterranean province of Antalya's Kaş district, Tüzer formed a band named "FiRock" with famous rock guitarist Doğan Sakin and released a single in 2013.