A brother that I know, Dr Saleh al-Ayid, wrote the following just a few minutes after Turkey’s electoral authorities announced that Recep Tayyip Erdogan won the general Presidential Turkish Election:
In the summer of the year 1421 AH, 2001 CE, I was with a group of friends on holiday in Turkey. During our stay my colleague, Dr Khalid al-Ajimy and I visited the great scholar Mohammed Ameen Siraaj at his home in Istanbul. When we entered his house we found sitting with him Mr Recep Tayyip Erdogan. So we sat to discuss general affairs over tea and coffee, and we noticed Erdogan speaking in an impeccably polite manner with his Sheikh.
So my colleague Dr Khalid started to speak about Erdogan’s efforts in the Turkish renascence taking place in Istanbul during his period as mayor of the city, and he praised him abundantly while Sheikh Mohammed Ameen Siraaj was translating into Turkish for Erdogan to understand. Erdogan displayed extreme humbleness upon hearing his words. When my colleague finished speaking, Sheikh Mohammed Ameen Siraaj turned to us and said:
“It is neither our Ambition nor Recep Tayyip Erdogan‘s to succeed in leading a province even if it is the size of Istanbul, instead we are training him to be a successful President, and you will see him soon become the President of Turkey by the will of Allāh.”
Here we are now, 14 years later, witnessing the promise of Sheikh Mohammed Ameen Siraaj with the help of Allāh, come to life as Recep Tayyip Erdogan becomes the President of the nation of Turkey today. “And Allāh has full power and control over His Affairs, but most of men know not.”[1]
Muslims on social media, particularly Arabs, have been busy exchanging greetings and congratulations for the victory of Erdogan. News and comments about him and his victory even overtook the topic of Gaza. The question is, however: why? There are a multitude of reasons for this. Muslims have been wanting to prove to the whole world that if they were to be given the choice, they would choose a Muslim leader who is sincere in working for his Ummah.
Turkey is proof that if Muslims enjoy good leadership, they are capable of transforming their countries from so-called ‘developing’ ones to advanced, powerful countries as Erdogan and his party did. It is a matter of a few short years in which Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party, elected into power in 2002, transformed Turkey from a debt-ridden, ruined country, shattered by valueless secularism and deep-rooted corruption to one of the strongest countries in the world. In only 10 years, from 2002 to 2012, Turkish exports hit $152 billion, marking a ten-fold increase.[2] Turkey’s overwhelming annual inflation rate of up to 100% was watered down to single figures, whilst its GDP rose by over 45%. Erdogan is now resolute in bringing his economy into the top 10 in the world by 2023[3], having completely erased its 52-year-old debt to the IMF in 2013.
Born in 1954, Erdogan is the son of a coastguard in the city of Rize. During his early life he sold lemonade and buns for some pocket money, being a member of a poor family. Erdogan attended an Islamic school, before studying management at Istanbul’s Marmara University. Here he met Turkey’s first Islamist Prime Minister, Necmettin Erbakan, and began his fascinating political career.[4] In 1994, he became the mayor of Istanbul, converting the city from a slum into one of the world’s key destinations for tourism, and a beauty of a city for local residents. His commitment to Islām and its values were relentless and in 1998 he was detained for four months for reciting a poem on a public stage, containing line:
“The mosques are our barracks, the domes our helmets, the minarets our bayonets and the faithful our soldiers.”3
His release and rise in positions of leadership, from Prime Minister in 2003-2014 to now President—the first to be directly elected by the people in Turkey’s history with 52% of the electorate voting for him.[5] This landmark victory suggests that secularism is a foreign phenomenon for our Islamic societies. Despite the fact that Turkey was once the mother and heartland of secularism in the Muslim world, it can so easily turn to Islam once the socio-economic pressure applied by the secularists is lifted.
Many Muslims are ecstatic at the victory Erdogan has achieved. It marks a continuation to the unprecedented support Turkey has provided for the Syrian revolution. Many analysts confirm that had the authorities in Turkey acted against the interests of the Syrian people and their revolution, the tyrant regime in Syria would have regained power and wiped out the entire struggle. Turkey’s borders with Syria, particularly its southern border to Aleppo, are the major—if not the only—‘breathing space’ for the Syrian Islamic revolution.
Palestinians in general and Gaza specifically are particularly overwhelmed with joy. For too long they have witnessed the entire world turning against them while the very few who may support them do so for no political gain. No one can forget Israel’s raid on the Turkish, Gaza-bound flotilla and the political aftermath that ensued. No one can deny that it is Erdogan’s government, more than any other in the world today, that is ardently supporting Gaza and bitterly attacking Israel as much as the rules of international politics allow. The victory of Erdogan has moreover come as a slap on the face of the many Arab and Gulf countries that have paid millions and billions of dollars in support of his main, secular competitor.
There is no doubt that despite the atrocities the Ummah is going through, Allāh is showing us rays of light, and glimmers of hope, to keep us optimistic and motivated and to give us the ability to bear the responsibilities He commanded us to bear.
“Allāh has promised those among you who believe, and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession to (the present rulers) in the earth, as He granted it to those before them, and that He will grant them the authority to practise their religion, that which He has chosen for them. And He will surely give them in exchange a safe security after their fear (provided) they (believers) worship Me and do not associate anything (in worship) with Me. But whoever disbelieved after this, they are the Fāsiqūn (rebellious, disobedient to Allāh).”[6]
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Source: www.islam21c.com
Notes:
[1] Al-Qur’ān 12:21
[2] http://edition.cnn.com/2013/06/04/business/analysis-defterios-turkey/
[3] http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/09/turkey-instability-threatens-economic-success-erdogan
[4] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13746679
[5] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-28735915
[6] Al-Qur’ān 24:55
Assalamu Aleikum
Brother Erdogan is a gift from Allah because look Somalia example the whole world has give up for 21 years of war and it became heaven for terrorist but Erdogan is the one who risked his life in order to save our Muslim Brothers and Sisters in Somalia and now it is much better. For the beard is if you want to get more reward from Allah but it is not a sin and Allah said in the Holy Quran if you save one human being it is that you saved all mankind so Somalia is one of that Erdogan did and more like Palestine.
Those who are throwing “big words” against Erdogan must start with what they are doing and did for Islam in their lives in their lives till now!
Erdogan is a 5* Murtad.
Erdogan is a Murtad Kafir.
Well Abu Sumayyah, If President Erdogan is not a “Murtad Kafir,” then YOU just became one on 14/08/2014 at 4:27 am.
“Well said akhee. When discussing a political leader, his grooming is of utmost importance…”
Yes, Aboo Salafee. And even more important is to make absolutely sure that his armpit hairs are plucked and NOT shaved.
Oh yes, Aboo Salafee. It must also be ascertained that the political leader’s armpit hairs were plucked by hand and NOT by tweezer.
Ah, akhee, Aboo Salafee. A final point; It is of “utmost importance” that the political leader NOT use oil or wax when he plucked his armpit hair by hand, even if he “does support mass murderers.”
May Allah protect Erdogan, keep him upon true guidance and continue to elevate his status in this life and the next. May he serve the Ummah at large as a protector and helper and may the enemies of Allah be brought to their knees with the help of Erdogan. Ameen.
Hubbullah, wahubburrasool. Does this jolt your forgotten Islamic education? Why the easy acceptance in discarding of a sunnah of the prophet of Allah? I’ll tell you. The emotion of inferiority to the infidel and to those who challenge Allah’s law. To say that the beard is a minor thing is denying the fact that the rasool of Allaah kept it until his passing. He could have set an example of individual choice , but did he? Rather he instructed it’s growth. Remember, the removal of the beard is a negative sign to the faith of a Muslim since the unfaithful practice this anti-sunnah as a daily custom.
Do you believe in the guidance of the saheeh Ahaadeeth? A beard can be grown in less than a month if needed. The problem is in the fear by the masses of the secularists image of power. But Allaah’s power is greater when it is sought. Have love for Allaah’s soldiers and respect their effort and giving of life to protect the law of Allaah and the Ummah. Allah’s permission(as provided in Al-Qur’aan) is more effective than any political maneuvering. Especially when we have such a vast ocean of Muslims and the world of resources which Allaah may permit to be at our disposal. Are we Muslim? Do we believe this?
Salaam’alaikum Shaikh.
wanted to inquire about (WHEN) your book (release) ~ explanation of al-’Aqīdah al-Ṭaḥāwiyyah…?
Abu Salafi – the perfect humanbeing without any faults! Make duar for him and his guidance at the least instead of pointing that crooked finger infected with Arthritis…
You may be happy in the sense of “something is better than noting”, but the notion that this is a victory for Islam is a false one. Erdogan doesn’t implement the Shariah, under him the Turkish army is part of the occupation of Afghanistan, it is a main trades-partner to Israel. Just a few headscarves doesn’t mean a increase of the power of Islam. Yes something is better than nothing, but the way you quote the Quran revering to Erdogan is a disgrace to say the least….
Brother pls look beyond his facial hair. He is the only leader of a Muslim state in our living memory, Mashaalah, that has been loyal to Islam and the Muslims and stood up to the enemies of Islam. He has turned around a secular crippled country into a strong and confident Muslim nation set to be a future superpower. He has put the Arab dictators who openly support Israel to shame.
What nonsense is this? While Erdogan may be a good person wishing the Country of Turkey to be seen for it’s economic prowess, it has been no mean feat to see it’s economy boom. The sad part is that the boom is the effect of the strife brought upon by the infidel western nations on Turkey’s neighbours. But what is so sad to note here is that we have individuals and groups who want to prove themselves to the infidels. It almost makes me want to laugh.
So much more is needed and while Turkey is working it’s path away from Ataturk’s final nail to a (corrupted)Khilafa, it is not the ideal to becoming an Islamic state. And actually may never become one again(Allaah knows best).
Erdogan is going against the Sunnah by shaving the hair on his face and growing his moustache!! Astagfirullah
Well said akhee. When discussing a political leader, his grooming is of utmost importance. At least the noble King Abdullah has a beard (of sorts), even if he does support mass murderers.
The award of shallow response goes to – Abu Salafi!
Here is a man leading a Muslim nation of 75 million to becoming one of the strongest countries in the world, capable of helping oppressed Muslims all over the world, and here is Abu Salafi talking about grooming hair. Talk about going against the sunnah!! Astaghfirullah