Reconsidering the Turkish–Islamic Synthesis: Emergence of Iran and Shi‘ism as the Rivals of the Turkish–Islamic Identity

Abstract

Turkish–Islamic Synthesis has been an influential doctrine since the 1970s in Turkey. It emerged as a national/cultural reaction against the rising influence of the leftist and radical Islamist movements and has been discussed within these contexts. This study will expand the scope of the concept and offer Iran/Shi‘ism as a threat to Turkey’s national/religious integrity within the context of Turkish–Islamic Synthesis. The historical/ideological rivalry between the Sunni/Shi‘a and Turks/Iranians reached its peak after the Iranian Revolution in 1979. This study, which examines the issue with regards to the otherness and friend/enemy distinction perspectives, aims to include Iran and Shi‘ism in the discourse on Turkish–Islamic Synthesis and will use primary sources on the subject. © Nail Elhan and Başar Şirin, 2023.