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naticism, is stripped of ali medieval rules, and has no role to play inshaping political institutions. It is, instead, a declaration of faith in Godand his messenger, and a moral message. As prescribed in the Holy Book,it enjoins man to abstain from evil, do good and carry out certainreligious rituals and social duties. It is a religion which is based on theprinciples of love, brotherhood, peace, equality and justice. The value ofislam for Turkish society is seen accordingly on several levels: It is aninstrument for elevating the moral standards of society; it serves, togetherwith national values, to combat foreign and destructive ideologies; andmost important, it plays a crucial role in unifying society and nation. Itdoes so because it is, after ali, the common denominator between peoplewhich transcends divisions of sect, religious order or ethnic backgroundand also because its very teachings do not permit rancour and feud, butspeak of love and brotherhood. As such it is closely bound with Turkishnationalism itself. This point was explained by Özal:What holds together or rather brirıgs together our urıity andour cohesiveness is the fact that we are ali citizens of theTurkish Republic. This is the fırst point. Everybody who livesin this land, everybody who was born here and everybodywithin the boundaries of the Turkish Republic who is a citizenof this country is a fırst class citizen... with no distinctionbeing made. Our state is secular. But wlıat holds our nationtogether and what serves in a most powerful way is our nationalcohesivenesss and what plays the essential role is islam5 .It is with this message of islam that, Turkish leaders have, not suprisingly,addressed the various religious and ethnic groups in the countrywhich in past decades have in some cases shown signs of alienation andrestlessness. It has been felt that islam, perhaps even more than nationalism,can bring the desired unity among ali these groups. Since Sunnis andAlevis are, after ali, Müslim, and so are Turks and Kurds, islam can serveas an effective link betvveen them. It is no wonder that in speeches deliveredin reegions where Sünni Alevi strife was evident, and where Kurdishmilitant groups have been active, Turkish leaders would often emphasizethis common religious belief.Furthermore, it is with this kind of islam, a religion of faith, ritualand moral and social message, that Turkish secularist leaders have beenready to promote among people, whether through sermons in mosques orin religious classes in the school system. Some secularist intellectuals, itis true; may have rejected any role in Turkey for islam, but virtually alipolitical leaders have seen the need for it. In this sense, the Türk islamSentezi, has not only been the article of faith of a particular group among5. Milliyet, 30 January 1989.199