Sites of Power and Resistance or Melting Pots? A Gendered Understanding of Islam through Sufi Shrines in Turkey

Sebnem Koser Akçapar and Smita Tewari Jassal

Contemporary Review of the Middle East, 2014, vol. 1, issue 1, 95-110

Abstract: Turkey is located on ancient sacred geography comprising shrines or tombs of revered saints. Like in many other Islamic countries, visiting the shrines of Sufis ( ziyaret ) and saint veneration is an ancient practice. Based on extensive fieldwork, this article investigates the dialectical analysis of ‘official’ and ‘popular’ religion and shifts in meaning given to ziyaret in the Republican history. This article helps us understand that shrines in Turkey are indeed sites of power and resistance between the state and people coming from different sectarian and socio-economic background. We conclude that despite diverse attitudes toward ziyaret , Sufi shrines open up an opportunity to serve as a melting pot between Alevis and Sunnis. Sufi shrines also provide a space to rethink about gender in Islam, allowing ways for women to connect with others and to express a gendered understanding on Islam through rituals.

Keywords: shrines; Islam; Sufism; Ziyaret; Diyanet; Turkey; Alevis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:crmide:v:1:y:2014:i:1:p:95-110

DOI: 10.1177/2347798913518466

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