Turkey Allows Women To Become Deputy Muftis

Deputy Director of the Religious Affairs Association (RAA) Fikrat Karman said the decision will enter into force in major cities, such as Istanbul and Ankara, first after necessary amendments are introduced in the by-laws of the state-run body.

Job applicants will have first to take obligatory tests starting Monday, July 12, and running for two days.

They will be vying for 147 religious jobs, including 98 for teaching the Noble Qur’an.

The move is part of a government plan to appoint 594 female employees in religious guidance jobs.

A four-year higher education in a related field and five years experience are a must to get the job.

Massoud Sabri, a researcher in IslamOnline.net’s Fatwa Section, said that Shari`ah does not ban women from holding such religious posts as long as they have mastered jurisprudence and can opine on religious intricacies.

Turkey has not appointed a Mufti since 1923, when Kamal Ataturk declared the republic and toppled the Ottoman emperor.

It has only set up fatwa departments in each province that are all affiliated with the RAA.

The move is part of recent reforms introduced by the governing Justice and Development party (AK) to adapt to the EU accession yardsticks.

Last January, the Turkish ambassador to the Council of Europe signed protocol number 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which provides for abolishing the death penalty in all circumstances, including times of conflict.

The EU is to decide in December 2004 if Turkey, a NATO member, has made enough progress in democratic reforms to open accession talks.