Menzil issues statement after controversial footage in İzmir: Secularism never came to Turkey!
Footage from an event organized by the Menzil sect in İzmir, which was shared on social media as a "sin-taking session," has sparked controversy. Saki Erol from the sect argued that the practice in question should be evaluated within the context of the tradition of repentance.
12punto
Public debate has erupted following the circulation on social media of images from an event held by the Menzil sect in İzmir.
Saki Erol, a member of the Menzil sect, responded to the criticism that the practices seen in the images amounted to "confession," speaking to Sözcü columnist Saygı Öztürk about the matter.
Erol stated that priests also hear confessions and said the following:
"Is there repentance in Sufism? Yes, there is repentance. It is mentioned in many places in the Quran. In my belief, being taken to repentance exists. Some may not believe it. A priest hears confessions, right? He believes he is absolving sins, so what is it to others? No one says anything about that. They say sins are forgiven in Menzil. God forbid, there is no such thing. You repent. Repentance is like this: 'Oh Lord! I regret all the sins I have committed. I wish I hadn't done them. I hope I will not do them again.' There is also an affiliation in Sufism. You say, 'I accept this person as my sheikh.' Let anyone who loves this country for the sake of God say whether there is any evil in this or not.
If God wills, He forgives; if He does not, He does not. One day a young man came to me and asked, 'What is the difference between you and a priest?' I said, 'Look, did you listen to us, to what we said?' He paused. Didn't we say 'Oh Lord'? Didn't we say 'I regret it, I wish I hadn't done it'? Didn't we say 'I hope I will not do it again'? Yes. After saying this, did I say, 'I have forgiven your sins or your sins have been forgiven'? No. But it is mentioned in the hadiths and books. This is a hadith. A person who repents is as if they have not committed a sin.
People ask: 'How do I know if my sins are forgiven; how are those sins forgiven?' If you do not commit that sin again, it is said that it has been 'accepted.' It is a sign. God knows the truth. There is no clergy in the Islamic religion. No one can forgive anyone else's sins. If it is a human right, one goes and pays their debt, or if it is between them and God, they repent. Otherwise, they repent. If God wills, He forgives; if He does not, He does not. If the person wishes, they may waive their right. Whether it is a lord, a sheikh, or a scholar; no one can waive someone else's right."
"SECULARISM HAS NEVER COME TO TURKEY"
Erol argued that Turkey has never been secular and spoke as follows:
"By God, there is no secularism in Turkey, it has nothing to do with secularism. There isn't even the 'L' of secularism. Secularism has never come to Turkey. I saw secularism in France. It does not interfere with the Directorate of Religious Affairs, it does not interfere with religion. It says, 'I will not pay the priest's salary.' Are there Imam Hatip schools here? Yes. Is there a Directorate of Religious Affairs? Yes. Does my state have its employees here? Yes. Is this secularism? Where is the separation of religion and state? It is not separate at all. The state has become the supervisor of religion. There is no clergy in Islam. Innocence belongs only to prophets and angels; this is the case in all religions. A priest may speak on behalf of God, but there is no such thing in the Islamic religion. If they believe, then good luck to them, the path is open."