The Possibility of Intra-Islamic Pluralism in Non-Formal Religious Education: The Case of Şırnak

Abstract

The Presidency of Religious Affairs (PRA) in Turkey oversees voluntary non-formal religious education through mosques and Qur'an courses, aiming to serve all societal segments. However, challenges arise in addressing diverse demands stemming from intra-Islamic pluralism. These challenges include difficulties faced by imam-hatip and Qur'an course instructors in accommodating differences in sectarian interpretations and varying educational backgrounds. For this reason, it is necessary to investigate to what extent the religious education offered in mosques and Qur'an courses meets the different needs and demands arising from intra-Islamic pluralism, what are the problems faced by imam-hatip and Qur'an course instructors on these issues, and what activities the PRA is carrying out to address these issues. In this framework, the following questions were sought to be answered: 'What are the problems encountered within the PRA regarding intra-Islamic pluralism within the scope of non-formal religious education?', 'What are the opinions of Shafi'i imam-hatip and Qur'an course instructors about the textbook they use and sectarian differences?', 'What are the factors that are effective in the emergence of these opinions? The Presidency of Religious Affairs emphasizes a supra-sectarian approach, focusing on religious education based on the Qur'an and Sunnah. While this principle is upheld in theory, its practical implementation and adequacy remain under-researched. Additionally, there is a need for scholarly debate on the appropriate educational approaches for mosques and Qur'an courses to address sectarian diversity effectively. This study aims to make a contribution to fill this gap in the literature, as well as to discuss and evaluate the different demands arising from intra-Islamic pluralism in non-formal religious education activities and the religious education services offered. With the qualitative research method, it is aimed to examine the issue by conducting semi-structured interviews with imam-hatip and Qur'an course instructors in the province of & Scedil;& imath;rnak and examining the programs and course books published by the PRA. A total of 15 religious personnel working in & Scedil;& imath;rnak province were determined as the study group and the data obtained were evaluated by descriptive analysis method. The study was limited to the problems or difficulties noticed by the religious services personnel and their determinations regarding the textbooks and curriculum. The general opinion obtained from the collected data is that sectarian pluralism is ignored in Qur'an courses and mosque lessons and that there are problems in representing differences. In particular, the participants stated that Shafiism, is not sufficiently included in the PRA textbooks, curriculum and practice has led to a number of problems and that this situation marginalizes them. The participants stated that due to inadequate religious education, they obtained their knowledge on religious issues from their own environment outside of school and demanded that these deficiencies be eliminated by the PRA and that the representation of their sect in PRA institutions be increased. The findings underline the necessity of addressing intra-Islamic pluralism in non-formal religious education and propose solutions for improving representation and inclusivity in PRA's programs and services.