Erkal: “We are against a stateless, national identity-less utopia.”

Mustafa Erkal, the President of the Aydınlar Ocağı, stated that Turkish nationalists belong to the Islamic ummah, saying, “Nation and religion are not rivals to each other. They are separate things.”

Erkal pointed out that there are those who write about the ‘Turkish-Islamic synthesis’ as if they have discovered something important without being knowledgeable, stating, “This synthesis idea is not a product of the 12 September 1980 period.”

Erkal described that they have seen so-called intellectuals who aim to tarnish the Aydınlar Ocağı, appearing serious but actually far from seriousness, and continued: “There was a well-known writer who attributed a meeting of intellectuals held in Bodrum, which had nothing to do with us, to us with his thick books. He confused our late presidents Prof. Dr. Süleyman Yalçın with Prof. Dr. Aydın Yalçın. Unfortunately, there are many such examples.”

Stating that the synthesis idea is not a product of the 12 September 1980 period, Erkal said, “Well, the 12 September generals read the publications of Aydınlar Ocağı, were influenced, and immediately implemented them! It is indeed astonishing. These generals were not young people who had just graduated from high school. Aydınlar Ocağı was among the associations whose activities were halted on 12 September. The Turkish nationalists suffered the most damage from the 12 September generals. There was no limit to the torture and insults inflicted. They considered hanging an equal number of Ülkücü (idealists) to be neutral in the case of leftist militants to be executed. A lot of wrong was done for such a strange neutrality.”

“The expression ‘Turkish-Islam ideal’ is more appropriate”

Erkal expressed that they find the expressions “Turkish-Islam ideal” and “Turkish-Islam culture” more appropriate, and he continued: “The emergence date of the concept is much earlier than the 12 September 1980 coup. The CKMP (Republican Peasant National Party) congress held in Adana prepared the ground politically for the emergence of this concept. In this congress, two fundamental elements of our culture were taken as a basis, unnecessary discussions were prevented, and our basic cultural feature was connected to living Islam within Turkishness and the Turkish style. The youth and party emblems were changed and have been used until today. The party emblem became three crescents, and the youth emblem became a crescent and grey wolf.”

“We are a non-partisan organization”

Mustafa Erkal stated that Aydınlar Ocağı is a non-partisan organization, saying, “Our organization, which is connected to the founding will and philosophy of our state, is not at odds with the Republic and national identity, and it should now be distinguished from some. Especially after 1988, opportunities have always been sought to attack Aydınlar Ocağı; however, not many opportunities have arisen. Members of Aydınlar Ocağı are as sensitive to their nationality and national identity as they are aware of the religion they belong to. Nation and religion are not rivals to each other. They are separate things.”

Mustafa Erkal stated that Turkish nationalists are Muslims and part of the Islamic ummah, saying, “We are against a utopia without a flag, homeland, national identity, and national borders under the name of political Islam.”

“They are disturbed by Aydınlar Ocağı being national”

Erkal concluded his remarks by explaining that those who remain attached to ‘political Islam’ are some stateless and nationless segments of the right: “They can be easily used. Aydınlar Ocağı is completely against these ideas and is a national and local organization that mentions service to Turkish nationalism in its association charter. In this respect, those who attack Aydınlar Ocağı like stones thrown at aydede and see the Turkish-Islamic synthesis as a so-called tactic linked to the green belt movement are those who are disturbed by Aydınlar Ocağı’s activities in line with the interests of the country and nation. The Turkish-Islam ideal defines the fundamental elements that constitute our national identity and national culture. We understand the Turkish-Islam ideal as feeling Turkish, feeling a part of the Turkish nation, living Turkish culture, and living Islam in a style unique to the Turkish nation. This Islam is the Quran Islam.