THE CAUSES OF RELIGIOUS RADICAL MOVEMENTS AND TERROR IN MUSLIM COUNTRIES: TURKEY AS A CASE STUDY

MEHMET DALKILIÇ-RAMAZAN BİÇER

ABSTRACT

In this article we try to clarify some ideas concerning Islam and terrorism in Muslim
countries, and specifically in Turkey. Many important issues, which have recently been
published in Turkey, lay stress on two opinions: Firstly a real Muslim cannot be a terrorist.
Secondly religion does not permit to kill a man in order to reach a goal. Generally
speaking, it is safe to say that religions exist only for the happiness of humankind. This
is valid not only for individuals but also for the communities and societies. Nonetheless,
it is also an undeniable historical fact that many religions, with their aims to ensure
happiness of humankind, contain violence in their several applications. According to
Muslims, the main concern of Islam is to make people happy in this world, and then,
what are the main characters of these modern violent movements in the Islamic world
and Turkey? In this juncture, it is safe to assume that some minority radical groups
base their intolerable attitudes on their religious understanding and philosophy. In other
words, they think that they try to please God by this religious violence and intolerance.
So, what they have done is carried out in the name of God; therefore they even take
serious measures against their co-religionists not thinking like them. There are two
main reasons for radical movements in the Islamic country especially in Turkey. First is
the arguments derived from some Qur’anic verses and prophetic hadiths, as well as the
jihad. In fact, theologically, these could not to be interpreted in support of such actions.
Their actions are very closely related to their abuse of Islam with their narrow-minded
understanding. Secondly, there are some governmental pressures; for instance, secular
pressures and autocratical-monarchic pressures. At the same time, non-democratic
and radical secular statements caused some radical religious movements in the Islamic
country. Thus, democratic improving could be proposed to alleviate these religious
radical movements in the Islamic world and in Turkey.