African Muslim Leaders and Turkey’s Diyanat

Turkish-African relations began with the formation of the Ottoman Empire.Early relations were confined to parts of modern-day Tunisia, Libya andEgypt, which the empire ruled for centuries. Later on, the empire spread toother parts of Africa, as shown by such emerging scholars as Hatice Ugur,who wrote Osmanli Afrikasi’nda Bir Sultanlik Zengibar (Istanbul: 2005),and the scholarly works of Eric Germaine and others. Their research hasbeen bolstered by the variety of extant documents that still need to be studied and explored (cf. A. Kavas, ed. Solidarity of Ottoman-African Muslims:Under the Light of the Documents [Istanbul: 2006]). However, emergingAfrican scholars interested in these manuscripts will have to be trained inand come to grips with Ottoman Turkish before making any headway.Renewed efforts are now undeway to forge links with Africa’s Muslimcommunities and representatives. The Research Center for Islamic History,Art, and Culture (IRCICA), an international institution that falls under theauspices of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), has created thenecessary opportunities to cement and strengthen links with African Muslimcommunities via specific structures, such as the Islamic University of Ugandaand the University of Johannesburg. In the wake of these significant efforts,the Presidency of Religious Affairs (more popularly known in Turkey as theDiyanat [hereinafter Presidency]) has also shown its desire to pursue externalrelations with religious communities outside Turkey. Over the past fewyears, the Presidency has played a significant role in “religious affairs” bothin and beyond Turkey in order to pursue its religious portfolio and religiousagenda. Although the predominantly Muslim societies of the Muslim heartlandsview Turkey, in general, as the most secular Muslim society, a strand ofreligiosity has been observed in its various social levels and sectors.Therefore, Turkish society cannot be said to be exclusively secular ...