News that Turkey is to publish a modernised revision of the Hadith – the traditions that govern the practice of Islam – will come as a shock to those Turks who think the government wants to turn their country into a hardline Islamic theocracy. Rather than returning to the past, the AK Party is attempting to bring Islam into the present, modifying those traditions that beat down women, encourage “honour killings” and trash other religions in order better to reflect the values of 21st century society.
Not before time, I hear you cry. But don’t get too excited; some Muslim countries see Turkey as a traitor to Islam due to its support for America and its aggressive secularism, while others are just too far gone in the retreat to the dark ages to take any notice. There is resistance at home, too; as one Islamic sheikh darkly warned, “There are established views on Islam and how it should be practiced that have been in place for 1400 years. And they aren’t going to change any time soon.”
