Many people have asked me whether there is a Muslim secular state in existence. My answer is "yes". I know of two of them namely Albania( I have never visited) and Turkey, which I have visited twice. As I roamed the streets of Istanbul, I was struck by the European atmosphere enveloping the city. There was not a burkha in sight and all the women wore skirts and short dresses. What a contrast from other Muslim countries.

I delved deep into history and learn't that this modernization of Turkey was mainly due to an army general of the Turkish army during the days of the Ottoman Empire. He was Mustapha Kemal Ataturk, who was a general of the Ottoman army and led the Turks in World WarI

Ottoman Empire

The greatest and longest lived empire in world history was the Ottoman Empire. In effect it was a Turkish empire and lasted for over 600 years and at its apex controlled the entire Middle East, North Africa and East Europe. The greatest of the Caliphs was Sulieman the Magnificant who was both a great and benevolent ruler. Despite this, the the Turks imposed the Jizzia tax on Non-Muslims and many wanted to break away from Turkish rule.

The Ottoman Empire sided with Germany and the Central powers  during World War I ( 1914-18)and was defeated. The Allies broke up the Empire and the Turks felt humiliated. In the reigning chaos Kemal seized power and promised to restore the pride of Turkey. Mustapha Kemal was a progressive general who had been in combat in close quarters with the Allies and was particularly impressed with western civilization . He had also visited Paris and other places and realized that Muslim dogma  could not lead Turkey forward. He was lucky as he had the backing of the army and was thus able to bring about the desired reforms.

Kemal Ataturk and Turkey

When Kemal seized power and proclaimed a dictatorship the people were enthused and chanted " we are  returning to the days of the first Caliphs". Kemal Mustapha however had a different agenda and had decided that the time had come to move Turkey forward. For this he was ready to use force if necessary. He remained in power till 1938, becoming president in 1923. He had entered the government in 1920.

Kemal took some far reaching steps and one wonders why his example is not followed by many of the peoples of the world including India. Among the steps taken by Mustapha kemal was complete abolition of all religious schools. He outlawed the Sharia as well as the Sharia courts and introduced a modern criminal and civil code based on French and other European principles. In addition 

> He abolished the Caliphate and dropped the preamble of an Islamic state and replaced it with a Secular state.

> Muslim personal law was abolished and polygamy outlawed. Women and men were given equal rights under the constitution in all matters like divorce, property and inheritence. In addition he also banned the burkha and the head scarf. He encouraged women to dress as European women. There are reports that in the early years soldiers stood in the streets and with their swords and cut the long hijabs of the women above the knee so that legs were in view. It was a revolutionary step and slowly western dress and attire became the more in Turkey.

> He established a secular  state and curtailed the power of the Imams. In the constitution of 1924 he removed the proviso "Religion of the state is Islam". This tradiation has continued and the 1982 constitution neither recognises an official religion nor any promotion. This is a big step and when one looks around , one wonders why India cannot take a leaf from the book of Kemal Mustapha and Turkey.

Turkey is a de jure and de facto secular state and it is on record that two parties namely the  Welfare Party and the Virtue Party were ordered to be closed by the Constitutional court in 2001 for Islamist activities, for their attempt to redefine the concept of seculrism as laid down by Kemal Mustapha.

Last Word

Kemal Ataturk is a shining example of a military dictator taking a nation forward. It is all the more creditable that he took an Islamic state out of the cluthes of bigotry and intolerance. He desrves the title 'The Great" and all Turks honor him as one of the greats of the 20th century. One wishes India and Pakistan can follow the principles of Kemal and do away with the approach of furthering votebanks by pandering to Muslim fundamentalism.