Recep İhsan Eliaçık (born December 23, 1961) is a Turkish Islamic theologian and writer. He is the founder of the Turkish Islamic socialist organisation Anti-Capitalist Muslims.[1][2] He has over 20 books, including a translation of the Quran into Turkish.

İhsan Eliaçık
Born
Recep İhsan Eliaçık
NationalityTurkish
EducationErciyes University
Occupation(s)Theologian, writer
SchoolIslamic socialism
Notable ideas
Founder of the Anti-Capitalist Muslims
Websitewww.ihsaneliacik.com

Biography edit

Having completed his primary, secondary and high school education in different schools in Kayseri and Kırşehir, Eliaçık studied at Erciyes University Faculty of Theology between 1985 and 1990. He is married and has five children. He speaks Arabic and lives in Istanbul. He is known as the "taboo breaker".[3]

During the Gezi Park protests, he used expressions such as "dictator, harasser, provocateur, insolent, liar" for Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Twitter, and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan filed a lawsuit for compensation of 50,000 TL against him.[4]

Views edit

Eliaçık believes that it is mandatory per Quranic verse 4:136 for all Muslims to donate everything they do not use.[5] He stated in an interview that he believes the Islamic duty is not just caring for the poor, but overthrowing the "capitalist devilish system" that he thinks makes them poor,[6] "just like the Islamic prophets overthrew the devilish systems of their times".[7] He continued by saying that they want a world without exploitation and privileges.[8]

He claimed that many use Islam to advance their interests, and countries such as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Afghanistan all interpret Islam with an "extreme understanding".[8] When asked him about secularism, he stated that "classical secularism" excludes the holy book, and an alternative way can be found.[8]

He advocates for a "borderless world of peace".[9] On evolution, he commented that it is a matter for science to discuss, not religion, and that Islam will never be proven wrong anyways.[10] On polygamy, he stated that the verses about polygamy are widely misunderstood and that Islam is strictly against the practice.[11][12]

References edit

  1. ^ "Antikapitalist Müslümanlar Derneği". Archived from the original on 2 October 2012.
  2. ^ "1 Mayıs'ta önce namaz sonra meydan". "1 Mayıs'ta Fatih'te ölen işçiler için gıyabi namaz kılınacak" Şükrü Oktay Kılıç. Radikal Gazetesi. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016.
  3. ^ HAKAN, Ahmet (14 March 2007). "Hz. Muhammed bugün yaşasaydı nasıl giyinirdi". www.hurriyet.com.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 2022-04-18.
  4. ^ "Başbakan Erdoğan'dan yazar İhsan Eliaçık'a dava". Aksam.com.tr. Akşam Gazetesi. 8 July 2013. Archived from the original on 14 July 2013.
  5. ^ ""Ey İman Edenler; İman Edin!"". İhsan Eliaçık. ihsaneliacik.com. 21 November 2011. Archived from the original on 25 November 2015.
  6. ^ Akyol, Mustafa (2013-07-17). "Why Turkey Has 'Anti-Capitalist Muslims'". Al-Monitor. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  7. ^ "Antikapitalist Muslumanlar". 2016-03-04. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2020-12-22.
  8. ^ a b c "Anti-Capitalist Muslim leader says Gezi youth want new approach to Islam – Turkey News". Hürriyet Daily News. 21 July 2013. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  9. ^ "İslam'ın 'devlet' talebi var mı?". İhsan Eliaçık. ihsaneliacik.com. 1 February 2007. Archived from the original on 22 April 2016.
  10. ^ "İslam ve Evrim Teorisi". İhsan Eliaçık. Evrim teorisinde, İslam itikadını sarsacak bir durumun olmadığını, hiçbir halde de olmayacağını yazmıştır. ihsaneliacik.com. 16 March 2009. Archived from the original on 13 September 2015.
  11. ^ "Sübyanla evlilik, çokeşlilik, kadın dövmek". İhsan Eliaçık. ihsaneliacik.com. 16 March 2009. Archived from the original on 25 January 2016.
  12. ^ "Muhafazakar Zamparalığa Dini Kılıf: Çok Eşlilik". İhsan Eliaçık. ihsaneliacik.com. 25 May 2011. Archived from the original on 25 November 2015.