Quran-centered religious discourse (Quranic Islam in Turkey in the 2000s)

The Quran-centered religious discourse, which holds the belief that all the solutions to the questions related to religion and life can be found in the Quran, differs significantly in content from traditional views, featuring several themes that set it apart. In recent years, it has attracted increasing attention and has become more widely accepted among the public. The purpose of this study is to objectively understand and introduce this discourse, which, despite not being homogeneous, emphasizes the Quran as a common element, without marginalizing its adherents. The aim is to examine this discourse within the context of contemporary realities in Turkey, and to identify the similarities and differences between its followers and classical modernists. Given the complexity of covering the full spectrum of ideas attributed to this discourse, the study focuses on prominent figures from 2000 onwards to explore how these ideas manifest in Turkey. The methodology employed is qualitative research, using the discourse/content analysis method, which seeks to understand not what is said, but what is intended to be conveyed. A distinctive feature of this discourse, which differs from traditional views on the Quran, hadith-sunnah, and religious heritage, is the emphasis on the Quran as an exhaustive, clear, and detailed book that is sufficient by itself. According to this view, the Quran is the sole source of Islamic teachings, and only Allah, as the founder and giver of the religion, can interpret the Quran. Therefore, there is no need for other sources, nor does anyone else possess the authority to interpret it. Their perception of the Quran, hadith, and sunnah is not seen as a difference in interpretation, but rather as a rejection of hadith and a disregard for tradition.