FATMA ALIYE’S WRITING OF RELIGION, MODERNIZATION AND RENEWAL

This study aims to examine how the concepts of religion, modernization, and religious renewal are addressed in Fatma Aliye’s works. The modernization process experienced in the Ottoman Empire during the nineteenth century created a tension between tradition and Western thought, during which religion emerged as both a protective and transformative element of the social structure. In this context, Fatma Aliye stands out as an important female intellectual who seeks to establish a balance between tradition and modernization. In this research, the author’s novels, articles, and especially her works touching upon the field of kalam (Islamic theology) were analyzed using document analysis and thematic analysis methods. The study reveals how Fatma Aliye grounds issues such as women, education, marriage, and social roles within Islamic references and the attitude she develops toward modernization. Her approach to the women’s question based on the essence of Islam rather than Western feminist discourse demonstrates her intellectual originality. In addition, the study examines her kalam-based critiques of movements such as materialism and positivism, evaluating her discussions on matter, spirit, and existence. In this respect, it is concluded that the author is not only a literary figure but also a thinker who advocates the idea of religious renewal. As a result, this thesis aims to contribute to the literature by analyzing Fatma Aliye’s relationship between tradition and modernization from the perspectives of women and kalam.