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Islamic reform and the mystic tradition in eastern Turkey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2009

Nur Yalman
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Extract

There is now increasing interest in the study of ideology in anthropology. We are disenchanted with community studies. They are obviously useful; but they provide a flat, two-dimensional picture; they are essentially a relic of the times when anthropologists were exclusively interested in primitives and when it was deemed possible to study an entire ‘tribe’ single-handedly. Turning to study the Tamils, Sinhalese, Turks, Kurds, or Circassians, if the anthropologist digs himself into a small peasant village, it is likely that most of the important and significant issues facing these cultures at that time will be lost.

Type
Survivances et permanences or Continuity and Re-enactment
Information
European Journal of Sociology / Archives Européennes de Sociologie , Volume 10 , Issue 1 , May 1969 , pp. 41 - 60
Copyright
Copyright © Archives Européenes de Sociology 1969

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References

(1) Bey, A. Rechid Safvet (Paris 1906)Google Scholar, from a Preface to L'effort ottoman, by Rousseau, L. (Paris 1907).Google Scholar

(2) For remarkably similar attitudes in China at this time, see Yang, C. K., Religion in Chinese Society (Berkeley/Los Angeles 1967)Google Scholar. There is the same despair about tradition, the same attitude to religion, e.g. religion is “a relic man's primitive ignorance” (ibid. p. 365).

(3) See Lewis, B., The Emergence of Modern Turkey (London 1961)Google Scholar; also, on the land reforms of the xixth century, Yalman, N., Land Disputes in Eastern Turkey, ap. von Grunebaum FestchriftGoogle Scholar (ed. Tikko, [n.d.] forthcoming).

(4) Sebilürreşat (1328), n° 27Google Scholar.

(5) The ‘pure’ Turkish word chosen to replace ‘Allah’ was ‘Tanri’ which appears to be Chinese in origin, from Tiengri ‘Lord of Heaven’.

(6) There are hints of special sexual customs among the Alevi. R. Grønhaug (University of Bergen, Norway) reports that initiated couples may share their spouses and are then known as musahip (co-owner), Hence the growth of the community as four, eight, twelve, etc. The practice, if extant, is still shrouded in secrecy.

* A version of this paper was read at the seminar of Professors E. Gellner and I.M. Lewis in London. I am grateful for their comments. I have also had the benefits of comments and discussions from scholars such as Professor A. Tietze, Professor N. Keddie of U.C.L.A. and some of their suggestions were incorporated. R. Grønhaug (University of Bergen, Norway) and M. Meeker (University of Chicago) have generously discussed their field work with me, some of which relates to the issues raised in the paper. I am grateful to Professor L.A. Fallers (Chicago) for many fruitful discussions on religion in Turkey.