Turkey's Directorate of Religious Affairs

With a budget that is the envy of many government ministries, Turkey's Directorate of Religious Affairs has been placed at the service of President Erdogan's Islamist agenda at home and abroad.

The leaders of opposition parties have called on the head of Turkey's Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) to resign after a visit he paid to a figure known widely for stirring controversy with remarks against Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey.

The head of Turkey's Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) on Jan. 31 slammed controversial TV personality and creationist Adnan Oktar, whose colorful TV shows blend religious talk with elaborately made up and surgically enhanced guests.

Turkey's Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) has suggested citizens practice "e-fasting" during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar when Muslims around the world abstain from food during daylight hours. 

Turkey's Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) will host an international meeting in Istanbul focusing on Jerusalem and its iconic Al-Aqsa Mosque, the authority announced on Jan. 27.       

Turkey's Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) launched an investigation against a mufti over his sexist comments insinuating women who do not wear the headscarf were like "products sold at half price" on Sept. 22. 

Ali Erbaş was appointed as the new head of the Turkey's Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) late on Sept. 16.      

Erbaş has been serving as rector of Yalova University and will replace Mehmet Görmez who retired from the post in July after serving in the office, Turkey's highest religious position, from November 2010.      

It all started with a news report two weeks ago. A half-famous, minor jet-set TV personality called Murat Başoğlu was "caught" by paparazzi in a boat off the Aegean coast cavorting with a woman who is not his wife.

Authority to register civil marriages should not be given to imams, Family and Social Policies Minister Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya has said, commenting on a recent draft law allowing "muftis," religious civil servants within Turkey's Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), to register marriages. 

Turkey's Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) head Mehmet Görmez retired from his post on July 31.