The first article analyzed public attitudes about the role of Sharia as a source of legislation, concluding that although perceptions vary greatly across the three countries, most Iranians and Egyptians (and even many Turks) say Sharia should be a source of legislation. The second article analyzed the attributes that Iranians, Egyptians, and Turks who have an opinion about the role of Sharia associate with religious law.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- "No Sharia, no coup." Last year, Turkish demonstrators were holding signs with this slogan on them in reaction to the decision of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP; usually identified as having Islamist roots) to nominate Abdullah Gul to become the next president of Turkey. Gul's wife wears a headscarf and the protesters feared that the secular symbol of the Turkish presidency would be in jeopardy were Gul to become president. With the AKP in control of the legislative and the executive powers, the protesters also feared it would become easier for the government to control the judicial system, thereby blurring the line of separation of powers. The government has repeatedly asserted its commitment to uphold the principles of the Turkish republic and that it has no plans to apply Sharia.
Although Gul did become president, the "No Sharia, no coup" slogan alludes to a rejection of religion (and military control of the government) in the public sphere, underscoring the fault line that has come to define the "two Turkeys." Results from a Gallup Poll conducted in the country during the constitutional and presidential crisis in May 2007 underscore the broad secular-religious divide that has come to define Turkey. But Gallup's findings also reveal that Turks who see no role for Sharia in legislation are often just as likely as those who see a role for it to make direct negative associations with Islamic law.
Gallup asked Turks whether they think Sharia should influence legislation. Just 7% of Turks say Sharia must be the only source, 26% say it must be a source, and 41% say it should not be a source. Of Turks who expressed an opinion on this topic, Gallup asked them if they associate certain attributes, positive and negative, with Sharia compliance. This analysis seeks to compare perceptions of Turks who say Sharia should influence legislation and those who don't.
Conventional wisdom may suggest that Turks who say Sharia should not be a source of legislation do not want a public role for Sharia because religion is not important to them. Of this group, however, 58% tell Gallup that religion is an important part of their lives, albeit far lower than among the group who say Sharia should influence national legislation (83%). Such findings suggest that many among those who see no role for Sharia in legislation are not necessarily hostile to it. Instead, they may prefer that religion remain a private matter.
Positive Attributes Elicit Large Differences of Opinions
Not surprisingly, Turks who say Sharia should be a source of legislation are far more likely to make positive associations with Islamic law than those who say it should not be a source. However, between one-fifth and one-quarter of those in the latter group and 10% to 19% of respondents in the former group say they don't know or refused to answer the Sharia attribute questions.
The greatest differences of opinions between the two groups are about associating Sharia compliance with the reduction of corruption (70% for those who say Sharia should be a source of legislation, compared with 22% for those who say it should not), justice for women (69% versus 21%, respectively), fairness of the judicial system (63% versus 17%, respectively), and protection of human rights (62% versus 17%, respectively).
Other significant differences of opinion focus on associating Sharia compliance with reducing crime (68% for those who say Sharia should be a source of legislation, compared with 27% for those who say it should not), promoting scientific progress (52% versus 12%, respectively), allowing people to have a say in their government (53% versus 14%, respectively), promoting economic justice (55% versus 19%, respectively), and protecting minorities (51% versus 16%, respectively).
Both groups, however, are almost equally as likely to associate Sharia compliance with limiting the power of rulers.
Most Negative Attributes Don't Strike a Nerve
One might expect that large percentages of Turks who say Sharia should not be a source of legislation would associate negative attributes with it. With a few exceptions, however, only minorities of Turks in this group do so. Just like for the positive attributes tested in the poll, large percentages of respondents in both groups say they don't know or refused to answer the Sharia attribute questions.
The most significant differences of opinion between the two groups are about associating Sharia compliance with oppressing women (22% among those who say Sharia must be a source of legislation, compared with 39% among those who say Sharia should not be a source) and promoting cruel criminal punishments (33% versus 47%, respectively).
The other four negative attributes elicit similar levels of associations from both groups. About one-third of Turks (32%) who say Sharia should be a source of legislation versus 37% of those who say it should not be a source associate Sharia compliance with limiting personal freedom. Twenty-one percent of the former and 24% of the latter associate Sharia with oppressing minorities.
Such an examination of the differences and similarities between the two groups is particularly relevant in light of the latest crisis, which saw the ruling party and members of the government, including the president, facing a political ban. Members of the secular establishment had accused the AKP of compromising Turkey's secular principles after the government lifted the ban on headscarves in public universities earlier this year. In its response to the indictment, the AKP wrote that their "understanding of secularism reflects an approach totally in harmony with the free secularism of modern democratic societies." In a close verdict at the end of July, Turkey's constitutional court did not ban the party and its members, including the president of the country. But the court did issue a "serious warning" to the ruling party about policies that could be perceived as bringing religion into the public realm and cut the party's financing for one year.
Overall, the poll findings underscore the divisiveness of the Sharia issue in Turkish society, especially regarding attributes such as justice for women, human rights, and corruption. Among Turks who say Sharia should be a source legislation, strong majorities associate Islamic law with positive attributes. But for those who do not want Sharia to be a source of legislation, only minorities associate Islamic law with negative attributes.
Survey Methods
Results are based on face-to-face interviews with 737 adults (who either say Sharia must be the only source of legislation, it must be one of the sources or it should not be a source), aged 15 and older, in Turkey in May 2007. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±5 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
