The Supreme Electoral Council (YSK) announced the final results of the second round of the presidential elections held in Turkey on May 28. Pursuant thereto, the candidate of the People’s Alliance and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won the election with 52.18 percent of the votes. Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the candidate of the National Alliance, received 47.82 percent of the votes. President Erdogan will remain in power for another 5 years until the next election. (Agencies)

Comment:
President Erdogan won the Turkish elections, which have caused great tension and polarization in the society since the date was determined, despite the economic crisis that has prevailed in the country and the negative effects of the devastating earthquakes that occurred on February 6. The election victory was followed by jubilant celebrations in some Muslim lands and European countries, especially by Muslims in Turkey who voted for Erdogan. The opposition, on the other hand, was deeply disappointed.

There is no doubt that the most important factor in Erdogan’s victory is the fact that the Muslim conservative segment, which constitutes the main backbone of the Turkish society, has supported him in every election with Islamic motivations, leaving aside all other parameters. This is because Erdogan’s main rival, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), is a registered Islamophobic party. The atrocities committed by the CHP against Muslims are still vivid in the memories. For this reason, the Muslim people of Turkey have never given the CHP mentality, the architect of the secular-Kemalist thought, the opportunity to rule alone.

Being aware of this, Erdogan and his party have symbolized the rhetoric of homeland and nation by provoking the Islamic sentiments throughout the election process. He ran an exploitative campaign, claiming that he received instructions from Allah and the nation, while his opponents received them from Islamophobic western countries and terrorist organizations such as the PKK. Similarly, pro-Erdogan scholars and opinion leaders continued to propagate the established perception that if Erdogan wins, Palestine, the Ummah and all oppressed people around the world will win. They invited Muslims to the democratic ballot box as if they were inviting them to jihad. In the end, the Islamic sentiments among Muslims prevailed over all the discourses and promises of the opposition and brought Erdogan back to victory.

But does President Erdogan really represent the Muslims who support him? Does he fulfill the wishes and aspirations of Muslims who see almost every election as a struggle between the truth and falsehood? Does he fight for the supremacy of the right and the destruction of the falsehood? In short, when Erdogan wins, does Islam and Muslims really win?

This is the main issue. Every Muslim with a sound mind and a heart of faith should focus on this point. Just as he was abstracted while participating in the elections, he should abstract himself from all material benefits after the elections and ask himself, “What has changed in terms of creating an Islamic life?” He should think about the exquisite words of Caliph Umar ibn Abdulaziz, which has shed light on the past and the present. For he said: “The state does not exist to make money, but to guide people to the true path (the good, the true and the beautiful).”

Yes, what has changed? Has the Republic of Turkey, which Erdogan has ruled for 21 years, been able to make our people find the true path? Has it been able to save its people from sin and oppression and make both their world and hereafter flourish? For example, has the sovereignty that belongs to the Lord of the Worlds been returned to its owner? Which of the evils that Allah has forbidden, such as drinking, interest, gambling, adultery, immorality, etc., which corrupt generations, have been prohibited? Has any work been done to prevent the 5 million crimes committed in Turkey every year? Have friendships with the kafir western states that attack Islam with deep hatred in their hearts been ended?

Have any of Islam’s solutions to the problems of our people living in crises been implemented? Unfortunately, none of this has been done. Nor will it be done as long as the Western secular republic, whose only criterion is self-interest, exists. As a matter of fact, the giant Mustafa Kemal poster hung on the presidential complex after Erdogan’s election victory, is an exemplary document of how the Muslims are deceived.

So, Islam has not won, nor is there a real victory to celebrate. There are Muslims who have been deceived by professional engineering and an election won at their expense. But this does not mean that Muslims will continue to be deceived. Because Muslims did not vote for the democracy that Erdogan has defended, but for the Islamic discourses that he has used as a tool of exploitation. In this sense, Erdogan’s victory is a false victory won by losing. And the era of democracy and its apostles will come to an end at the first breaking point in the path of winning the hearts of the Muslims by the sincere dawah carriers to Islam who are working very hard for the re-establishment of the Khilafah Rashidah (rightly guided Caliphate). Ultimately, Erdogan’s rule is mortal, while the love for Islam in the hearts of Muslims will endure until the Day of Judgment. Therefore, the love for Islam in the hearts of Muslims will sooner or later turn into a revolution of thought and bring Islam itself to power. Then the century of Turkey will be the century of Islam and the Khilafah.

[وَيَوْمَئِذٍ يَفْرَحُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ * بِنَصْرِ اللَّهِ يَنْصُرُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُالرَّحِيمُ]

“And on that day the believers will rejoice at the victory willed by Allah. He gives victory to whoever He wills. For He is the Almighty, Most Merciful.” [Ar-Rum-4-5]

Muhammed Emin Yıldırım