Turan Dursun

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Turan Dursun (* 1934 in Şarkışla / Sivas province ; † September 4, 1990 in Istanbul ) was initially an imam and mufti who, after studying religion intensively, became a well-known Turkish critic and civil rights activist .

life and work

Dursun grew up in a religious family, his father worked as an imam. Dursun first attended so-called gizli medreseler , religious schools that continued to provide traditional religious education despite the ban. He then attended courses at the Office of Religious Affairs and was recognized as a Mufti in 1958. He worked as an imam in several villages for the religious authorities. The more intensively he dealt with religion, the more he interpreted individual elements as weaknesses. He doubted more and more and finally turned away from religion due to his newly acquired knowledge and insights. So he accepted the theory of evolution and dealt withAnthropology . From then on, he dealt critically with Islam in the Turkish media. In 1987 he met Doğu Perinçek and began to write for the magazine 2000'e Doğru (Towards the Year 2000). Articles by him have also been published in other journals.

Assassination of Turan Dursun

On September 4, 1990, Turan Dursun was shot dead after leaving his home in Istanbul . Four years later, a case against members of an organization called "İslami Hareket" (Islamic Movement) was opened. One defendant was therefore sentenced to life imprisonment, but the real murderer is said to be on the run.

Turan Dursun was buried in the Cebeci Municipal Cemetery.

Books (selection)

  • Müslümanlık ve Nurculuk ( Muslimentum and the Nurcu Movement), İstanbul, Kaynak Publishing House, 4th edition (1st edition 1971), ISBN 9753431155
  • Din bu (This is religion), 3 volumes
  • Kutsal Kitapların Kaynakları (The Sources of the Holy Books), 3 volumes
  • Turan Dursun hayatını anlatıyor (Turan Dursun tells about his life), report with Şule Perinçek, İstanbul, Kaynak Publishing House, ISBN 9753430477

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Turan Dursun'un katili nerede? In: Istanbul Gerçeği. September 4, 2012, accessed October 24, 2012 (Turkish, "Where is Turan Dursun's killer?").
personal data
SURNAME Dursun, Turan
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Turkish critic of religion and civil rights activist
DATE OF BIRTH 1934
PLACE OF BIRTH Şarkışla
DATE OF DEATH 4th September 1990
Place of death Istanbul