Punch attack on imam during debate over teaching children to be muezzins: 'The people with us did not separate us'

In Isparta, a dispute that occurred at the Yılmazlar Mosque during the teaching of children to be muezzins turned into a physical assault with punches after prayers. According to the information obtained, a disagreement recently began between Yasin Veli Doğan, the mosque imam, and a citizen who had volunteered to help with the construction of the mosque, which opened about two months ago. Doğan, who has been working to help children get accustomed to the mosque and teach them to be muezzins since the mosque opened, said that tension arose during the Sunday evening prayer when a young child, who was excited while being taught to be a muezzin, had the microphone taken out of his hand. Doğan alleged that on Monday, while he was taking off his robe, a person who had previously walked toward him began shouting insults and then struck him in the eye with a punch. 112 Emergency Service teams were called for Doğan. It was reported that Doğan was taken to the hospital, received a medical report for his injuries, and filed a complaint against the attacker.

"If he cannot digest it, does not want to listen, or is uncomfortable, he can leave"

Doğan stated that he initially got along very well with the person who volunteered to help build the mosque, but that things had recently taken a different turn, saying, "We were actually getting along very well with this brother. There are certainly those who are filling his head. Also, this brother had many 'don't do this, don't do that, don't pray like that' type of comments. In fact, we achieved most of the work with him. That was until this morning's prayer. We have mosque lessons implemented by our Presidency of Religious Affairs. We need to implement these lessons for 5–10 minutes before or after prayers. However, this brother started with this: 'Keep the talks short, is there anyone listening here? You will reduce the number of congregants, you will drive the congregation away,' and things like that. Yet, the congregation says, 'May God be pleased.' If he cannot digest it, does not want to listen, or is uncomfortable, he can leave. For example, this brother also interfered with me registering the entrance section of the mosque as a youth center. I registered this area as a youth center to attract our youth and children here. He first started interfering with the signs. 'What is the need for a youth center, w

"Our brother who stutters also read it super well"

Describing the day of the incident, Doğan continued his words as follows:

"In yesterday's incident, both adults want to be muezzins, and I have them perform the call to prayer as a choir to teach the children. Yesterday there were 3–4 children. Finally, when we came to the 'Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar' part, one of our children said 'Subhanallah'. The brother in the middle was a bit small. That brother took the microphone from his hand and gave it to the other child. Now, I had thought of the child in the middle there; because he was a bit excited, his excitement needed to be overcome. He was hopeful because it was his turn. When our brother did that, I didn't say anything wrong there. I said, 'Brother, please don't intervene; I am already explaining here, the child is repeating.' Our brother must have been offended by this, so he didn't interfere. Then we gave the microphone to the child in the middle, and he read it very beautifully until the end with my guidance. Our brother who stutters also read it super well. After the prayer, I said this: 'Respected congregation, these children are already coming on Saturdays and Sundays. Let's not say let's not teach these children.' Anyway, when I started the talk after the night prayer, they got up and left. I said 'Give the microphone to that child,' I guess they got offended and left," he said.

"I defended myself because he was going to come at me more there"

Stating that the microphone issue was with another citizen, Doğan said, "Right there while I was taking off my robe, he said, 'You talked behind our backs last night.' He was shouting, he was speaking with such anger that I froze, I stayed silent for a long time. A muezzin brother and a few people from the congregation were there, they were listening too. When he kept shouting at me, I broke my silence. When I said, 'These children come on Saturdays and Sundays. These children will be muezzins here. The children will not be hindered. You pray your prayer, don't interfere with these conversations,' he punched me in the eye. The people with us did not separate us at first. I said, 'You cannot hit me.' At first, there was pushing, there was no stopping. When he started raising his tone of voice even more, I pushed him too. I defended myself because he was going to come at me more there. That is what the situation consists of. At first, the area under my eye where he punched me was hurting a lot. I called 112, the ambulance came. I was treated, I received a medical report for the assault. I filed a complaint," he said.