The Journal of Near East University Islamic Research Center

Abstract

The island of Cyprus has been home to different religions in different periods of history. In the last century, the island has gone through an intense and conflicted period, and the religions living on the island have also been affected by these conflicts. In 1878, the administration of Cyprus was left to the British by the Ottoman Empire, and the British unilaterally annexed the island in 1914. In 1923, the official recognition of the annexation by the Lausanne Treaty set the stage for Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots to experience many events in a short period of time in the process leading to the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus. In this context, while the Greeks adopted the thesis that the island should be annexed to Greece as both a national and religious ideal, the Turks adopted the theses of returning the island to the Ottoman Empire (indirectly to Turkey), partition (separation of the island into two parts) or federation with national considerations. Religious thoughts, which were emphasized by the Greeks, remained in the background for the Turks under the conditions of the period. During these years, the wars that were previously fought for the sake of religion turned into a national struggle, defense of the homeland and struggle for existence. While there was only a Muslim-non-Muslim understanding during the Ottoman period, the Turkish Cypriots, who were in search of a new identity as a result of the pressures of the British and Greeks during the British rule, have adopted a Turkic-Nationalist identity in the longing for the homeland and the struggle for existence rather than an Islamic identity since 1923. However, the Islamic identity of Turkish Cypriots has always existed, albeit in the background. While analyzing the political, social and economic history of Cyprus in every aspect, it is of great importance not to ignore its religious history. In this study, the situation of Turkish Cypriots in the relevant periods will be analyzed through the writings of Hizber Hikmetağalar, who defines himself as a sacred Turkish, in Islamist journals. In his writings, Hikmetağalar especially emphasised the distorted understanding of secularism of Turkish Cypriots struggling for national existence. In his writings in Islamist Journals, Hikmetağalar frequently emphasized that the Turks struggling for existence in Cyprus should embrace the cause of Islam as much as the cause of Turkishness. Hikmetağalar's articles such as Dânâ Efendi, the Mufti of Cyprus, the religious situation in Cyprus, the conflict between Turkishness and Islam, Hala Sultan and Evkaf are noteworthy. When we look at the typology of the magazines, he sent his articles to, it is seen that these were publications that were sacredist, focused on the problems of Muslims, were interested in foreign policy, and at the same time exhibited Turkish-Islamist characteristics. Hizber Hikmetağalar, who wrote articles in Islamist journals published in Turkey and concerned with foreign policy, was not mentioned in any of the sources providing information about him. Although Hizber Hikmetağalar's poetry books, his duties in non-governmental organizations, his articles published in newspapers and magazines and especially his books on Nicosia are known, there is no information in any source about his articles in Islamist Journals and the content of these articles. This study is important in that it deals with Hikmetağalar's writings in Islamist journals and provides information about the content of these articles. In this respect, it will contribute to the religious history of Cyprus and especially to the knowledge of Cypriots who struggled for Islam. It is aimed that the study will be an eye-opener for the identification of Cypriot writers in Islamist Journals, foreign policy-related Cyprus writings in Islamist Journals and the determination of History of Religions studies. The study is limited to the writings of Hizber Hikmetağalar that can be accessed in the catalogue of the Islamist Journals Project (IDP).