Cemaat and the City: Muslim Reconstruction in Modern Turkey

This article examines the transformation of Islamic religious communities in Turkey since the 1950s, highlighting their adaptation to urbanization, secular education, and new organizational forms. It traces how traditional Sufi as well as other Sufi-inspired networks transition into more bureaucratic and service-oriented communities, known as cemaats, focusing on education, civic engagement, and the cultivation of Muslim awareness. The article explores how collective learning practices and mediatized religious discourse replace the role of charismatic masters, as groups like the Nur movement and the Gülen community emphasize text-based guidance over personal allegiance. It also analyzes how Naqshbandi groups navigate Turkey’s modernization processes by leveraging educational and media institutions to expand their influence in public life. The article concludes that while these transformations ensure Islam’s continued relevance in modern Turkey, they also reshape Muslim religious authority, fostering new forms of organization that differ significantly from their Ottoman and early Republican predecessors.