The Pro-state Attitude

For the sake of the state, you support Çiller. You have said to those around you: "When someone in power is unsuccessful they shouldn't be pulled down, as Demirel did to ozal. Demirel shouldn't be pulled down either." Doesn't this approach put you in the position of naturally supporting every ruling party?

We don't support those in power in any case. It is clear in the Constitution how one or a party comes to power and goes. If you don't like their performance, you can resort to democratic ways. Here I should remind an important principle expressed by our Prophet: "You are ruled how you are (that is, according to your belief, worldview, and life-style.)" If people want a good government, first they should improve themselves intellectually, morally, and spiritually. Opposing the government or being displeased with it should not mean criticizing it bitterly and in a way that produces pessimistic people and an anarchic atmosphere. Nor should it allow opposition to the state and degrading it in the view of people.

OK, you are opposed to using the ruling party's mistakes against the government and state as institutions. But doesn't refraining from struggling against these mistakes eventually lead the state to a dead end?

Very negative propaganda would sabotage the state. The state means authority. It is the final point where a community's diverse trends are united. Therefore it is important; without it anarchy arises. If there is no trust in the state, different conflicts can occur. Islam does not allow anarchy and terror. If there were some anarchic and terrorist activities in the history of Islam, they either took place via foreign powers, hypocrites within the community, or heterodox deviationists. The Sunni majority always refrained from such things. From this perspective, I'm opposed to both provocative and anarchic movements and activities. From now on I'm going to try and be the same. I am giving sermons at mosques. Some even wanted to bring disorder to the mosque courtyard, and shouted slogans there. I stopped giving sermons. I haven't given them for 3 years now. Nuriye Akman, Sabah daily, 1/23-30/95