Cards are laid on the table: a religious community

Following the second defeat of the ruling Party of Justice and Development (PJD) in Istanbul on June 23, former Vice-Premier (May 1, 2009 - August 28, 2015), Foreign Minister (August 29, 2007 - May 1, 2009) and Minister of Economy of Turkey (November 18, 2002 - August 29, 2007) Ali Babacan declared his walkout of the PJD he had once initiated. It is no secret that he has always been advocated by former President and one of PJD founders Abdullah Gul. To all probability, Babacan"s walkout of the PJD was interpreted by President Erdogan as a first step toward the creation of a new party, especially as he told the public as follows: "I said to Ali-bey: "Don"t forget that you have no right to separate ummah (a religious community in Islam- ed.).But you do that".

Erdogan"s words were harshly criticized by opposition mass media and leftists. However, Erdogan"s "you separate ummah" does not contradict his political views. Secular opposition leaders, lefists and politicians are entitled to criticize him, so they are right.

However, if the subject is viewed in the light of world outlook and political activity of the PJD Chairman, President Erdogan that covered nearly 45 years, he deserves gratuity, not criticism. Seeing no need in applying a symbol or allegory, Mr. Erdogan reveals no code of extrinsic political outlook but his native approach to the matter that enskied to heights of policy and state management, and its name is ummah: Умма.

Yes, both testerday and today Mr. Erdogan has considered the Turkish society not as "nation" but "ummah". For nearly 10 years, since July 3, 2013 where as a result of a military coup "Moslem Brothers" were removed from power in Egypt, Erdogan regards himself as a leader of the Islamic world (Sunnites). Of the same view are "Moslem Brothers" movement and related societies. After Rejep Tayip Erdogan, guided by principles of democracy and humanism, as well as political standpoint, voiced his abrupt protest against the military coup in Egypt, relations between Ankara and Cairo were fully broken. So, it was no mere coincidence, he spread a symbol of "Moslem Brothers" - "Rabia sign" first among his adherents, and in 2017 introduced it into the political lexicon of Turkey and the PJD program (See.:https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/R4BIA).

Allowing for the above-mentioned, President Erdogan considers himself a leader of the "Islamic ummah" while "ummah stratum" of Turkey and "Islamic ummah" attached to "Moslem Brothers" also believe him to be their leader. There are no problems, so words addressed to Ali Babacan "You share ummah concept" has to be interpreted as a sincere expression of Erdogan"s political outlook. At any rate, Mr. Erdogan cannot be compared to communists who recently managed the atheistic society but having made a pilgrimage to Mecca have turned into "haji". In other words, he is much nore sincere, sequential and loyal to his world outlook and political principles.

Along with essenrial strengthening of the secular system of Turkey after the municipal election of March 31 in Istanbul and especially after the re-election of March 23 it became evident that transformations were inevitable in the right conservative policy. In an effort to keep power in his hands through its centralization chairman of the PJD and President Erdogan clearly understood the situation above. So it is currently obvious that Mr. Erdogan is eager to take "preventive measures". A question arisis: how should a phrase "Do you share a concept of ummah" be interpreted: as an aspiration to keep his adherents cohesively with the halp of "ummah" code or an attempt to pave way for making religious values more dominating in the state management to spite the secular system strengthening?

Note that both variants are probable. For some time past President Erdogan has stressed the necessity of "establishing a mosque-similar mode of life in the country. From the first years of political activity he has been known-for his unwillingness to reconcile with the secular system of management.

In the meanwhile, it was Mirza Alakpar Sabir who succeeded to translate the Azerbaijani society from a category of "ummah" into a category of "nation". He wrote (key translation):

"Help ummah with turning into a comprehensive whole

Waken up a sense of nation among people".