Salafism in Turkey: Between persistent radicalism and cultural resilience

Abstrakt

The purpose of the study is to introduce the question of intra-Sunni ideolog­ical rivalry in modern Turkey. An attempt has been taken to understand the contempo­rary, competing Islamic intellectual thoughts in Turkish society with special attention to Salafism – perceived as an important religious narrative. Thus, some fundamental ques­tions addressed in the article are: How does Salafism operate in modern Turkey and what position has it gained within Turkish Islam? What challenges does it pose to the Islamic philosophical and mystical tradition? Which strands within Salafism are gaining prom­inence in Turkey? How do Salafists define Islam, and how should politics and society be constructed according to their theology? Although the study is based on the questions posed above, its aim is not only to find the correct answers, but also to assist in a better comprehension of some of the intricate issues of Salafism in Turkey and its implications for the process of cultural resilience, which is subjected to shifting dynamics.