In an aggressive move to position itself as the intellectual centre of the Muslim world, Turkey announced in late October plans to open an Islamic university similar to Egypt’s Al-Azhar, the oldest and most respected centre of Islamic learning.
Ankara’s announcement comes amid years of legal stonewalling for Turkey’s Christian minorities to build their own seminaries. The Turkish Ministry of Religious Affairs put forth plans in October to transform the private Istanbul 29 Mayis University into an Islamic school. According to state officials, it will become an ‘example’ to Al-Azhar.
‘We want to found an international Islamic university in Istanbul and this is an important project for humanity’, Turkey's Department of Religious Affairs head Mehmet Gormez said in a public statement. Turkey’s relations with Egypt have soured since the Muslim Brotherhood was removed from power in July 2013.
