Last three decades have
seen a drastic shift in the global political scenario. Earlier decades were marked
by national liberation struggles; focus on the issues related to ‘this World’.
Many a countries who came out from the grip of colonialism, under different
banners gave primacy to industrialisation, education and agricultural growth.
India, Vietnam, Cuba being some of those, which despite the remnants of
fundamentalists, marched towards the states upholding the concerns of the
struggling and deprived people of the countries, away from the stifling grip of
politics in the name of religion. Of course there were some of the countries
where the rulers allied with the clergy to keep alive the feudal norms,
perpetuating the grip of backwardness. These had sectarian approach to their
policies. Our two neighbours Pakistan and Myanmar do fall in this category.
From the decade of 1980s
many factors contributed to the retreat of secular democratic forces and
politics wearing the clothes of religion marched trampling the inclusive ethos,
marginalising the welfare policies and giving a go by to development and progress
as far as industrialisation and education is concerned. Last three decades in
particular has seen the increasing hegemony of politics in the name of
religion. Terminologies like Islamism, Hindutva, Christian fundamentalism,
Buddhist fundamentalism have come to the fore, becoming more assertive and
taking these countries down from the path development and worsening the lot of
large sections of society.
Currently in the US,
Donald Trump is making subtle and overt appeal in the name of Christianity and
Ashin Wirathu in Myanmar has been promoting violence in the name of Buddhism.
Similar is the phenomena in Sri Lanka, where Wirathu’s clones are on the
ascendance. In India the Hindutva has made massive strides. In Afghanistan, Al
Qaeda Taliban has tormented West and Central Asia apart from Afghanistan
itself. The most blatant expressions of these have been the mutilation of the
idols of Lord Gautama Buddha in Afghanistan. Similarly demolition of
Babri Mosque in Ayodhya is a painful chapter which was used as springboard by
Hindu nationalists.
These are just visible
symbols, while the socio economic impact has been dangerously retrograde, the
status of rights as citizens, rights of minorities have suffered a severe
setback at the same time. This does reflect the direction of global trend. Many
slogans have been dominating the scene. Earlier the major propaganda from
imperialist forces was ‘Free World versus authoritarian system (socialism)’,
later in the aftermath of 9/11 the ruling phrase has been ‘Islamic terrorism’.
Currently different fundamentalisms are ruling the roost, stifling the
democratic ethos and undermining human rights in general.
It is in this background
that conversion of Hagia Sophia from a museum to Mosque can be understood.
Turkey was one of the major countries which under the leadership of Kemal
Ataturk had embraced the path of secularism, overthrowing the Caliphate the
carryover of Ottoman Empire. This Caliphate even had some approval from section
of global Muslim community. Ataturk had unshakable commitment to secularism and
Hagia Sophia, which initially was a Church and changed to a mosque in 15th Century
was converted to a Museum, a space for all with equal and due respect. Erdogan,
who has been at the forefront of power from last many years; has been gradually
shifting to Islamism. Islamism is to Islam what Hindutva is to Hinduism or
Christian fundamentalism is to Christianity. Erdogan rose in the power
hierarchy from the competent mayor of Istanbul to later become Prime Minister
of Turkey. After the initial years where he could deliver on economic front, he
slipped into self adulation and power hunger kept him shifting the fulcrum of
politics towards Islamic identity. The downslide in the condition of the
citizens was pathetic and it also got reflected in Erdogan loosing the local
body elections.
This is when his turn to
Islamism has become more overt and this grand structure of Istambul, more or
less the most important architectural symbol of Turkey, was converted in to a
mosque. Sections of Muslims are celebrating this as ‘victory of Islam’. Other
Muslims more committed to values
and
humanism of Islam;
are severely critical of this move of Erdogan. They point out that there is no
compulsion in Islam in matters of religion. (To you your religion, to me
mines). This is in contrast to the popular belief that in India Islam spread on
the point of sword.
These serious scholars
of Islam also remind us that, at one point of time Prophet Mohammad even
invited non Muslims to the mosque to offer their prayers. Of course each
religion has multiple sub sects and multiple philosophies associated with each.
Islam has the range of Shia, Sunni, Khoja, Bohra and Sufi with various legal
streams like Hanafi, Hannabali etc. Christians, do have Catholics with few sub
streams and Protestants again with many streams. Each claims to be the ‘real’
one. While perhaps what is real in the religions is the love and compassion for
fellow human beings. Some aspects of religions are just a cover for lust of
power. So we also see that some will approve Jihad, others will defend Crusades
and yet another will uphold Dharm Yudh.
The turning of Hagia
Sophia to a mosque has two dimensions, one of the
losing
popularity of
Erdogan so resorting to populism of religion as a crutch to hold to power, and
other is the impact of global rise of fundamentalism in many a countries. In
1920s Kemal Ataturk could take on the mighty institutions of ‘religion’ to
introduce the secular policies on solid secular foundations. In turn of events
during last many decades the fundamentalism has hit back. The main reasons have
been the role of America in propping up Al Qaeda to counter the Russian army in
Afghanistan and later decline of Soviet Union leading to emergence of America
as sole super power for some time. America did proactively promote
fundamentalism at multiple places. That set the ball rolling and gradual
occupation of secular space by the language of religion. What we are witnessing
in Turkey is yet example of this retrograde phenomenon.
(Published on 10th August 2020, Volume XXXII, Issue 33)
