Religion and Leadership

The Turkish term “lider” is derived from the English word “leader”, which denotes the concept of leading or advancing. This term has been adopted into Turkish with a similar meaning. In Turkish usage, the term "lider" often implies the concept of "önder" (guide), and similarly, "liderlik" is associated with "önderlik" (guidance). The introduction of various adjectives has expanded and diversified the application of the term. For example, terms such as religious leader, political leader, community leader, transformational leader, and charismatic leader illustrate this broad usage.

In the context of the “Religion and Leadership Workshop” organized by the Quran Research Foundation (KURAV), the term "lider" should primarily be interpreted as referring to a “religious leader” or a “leader in religion”. However, it is important to recognize that a religious leader may also exhibit social, cultural, charismatic, and transformative attributes, thereby integrating aspects of political, social, or charismatic leadership. The ideal framework for such a leadership, as exemplified by prophets, represents an aspirational model, though real-life leaders may vary in their alignment with this ideal. This dimension of leadership is also explored in our workshop through papers, discussions, and contributions when they touch on the realities and contemporary situations.

The Religion and Leadership Workshop features four principal papers, including an inaugural conference, and the final volume of proceedings encompasses a total of five papers. These are Yalçın Akdoğan’s "Religion and Leadership" (Inaugural Conference); Yusuf Şevki Yavuz’s "Leadership in the Quran"; Adem Apak’s "Muhammad (pbuh) and His Leadership"; Bayram Ali Çetinkaya’s "Turkey-Centered Politics in Contemporary Islamic Thought and Leadership Quests", and Mehmet Ali Büyükkara’s "Religious Leadership in Turkey".

In addition to these papers, brief discussions contributed by Adnan Demircan, Ahmet Yaman, Bünyamin Erul, Yusuf Şevki Yavuz, and Cağfer Karadaş provide further insights. The workshop is also enriched by individual assessments from participants, including Mustafa Gencer’s "Ottoman Modernization in the Tanzimat and Meşrutiyet Periods"; Mustafa Tekin’s "Religion in Leadership and Leadership in Religion", and Şaban Ali Düzgün’s "Process Analysis of Modernization from the Ottoman Empire to the Turkish Republic". These contributions collectively offer valuable perspectives and enhance the scholarly discourse of the event.