Abstract

The Islamic Wave Hits Turkey

Islam is playing a growing role in the nation's politics and influencing Turkey's foreign policy. When the Moslem month of Ramzan began, state-run Turkish radio and television stations increased the number of Islamic programs. The government was keeping pace with a continuing drift toward an Islamic revival in a country that, under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Women wearing veils or head scarves are becoming a common sight even in the cosmopolitan metropolis of Istanbul. Since the abolition of the caliphate, in 1924, the construction of Turkish mosques has been funded by voluntary contributions from the faithful. The adoption of Islamic dress by more and more women of all classes can be partly attributed to Islamic programs on television.