Preserving the Sacred Text: An Appraisal of Recent Meâl Bans in Türkiye

Abstract

Abstract Recently, there have been heated debates in Türkiye as a result of the legal action taken by the Presidency of Religious Affairs (pra) to ban the translations of the Qur'an on the grounds that it contains “objectionable” interpretations of passages contrary to “the fundamentals” of Islam. This study argues that, throughout history, the sacred text has been of symbolic importance and thus the authorities have sought to exert control over it. After a review of the recent cases, a conclusion is drawn that the political views as well as the unconventional religious interpretations may have been the driving factors in the decision to ban meâls. Moreover, there is the distinct possibility that the spread of modernist Islamic interpretations via the Internet, particularly Qur’anism, which has been directly targeted by the pra in official sermons, may be another contributing factor in translation bans.