The latinization and evaluation of pages 2-130. of the book titled "Turkish Sermons" authored by Uryânîzâde Ali Vahîd

Belief is an inherent aspect of human nature. In Islamic thought, God created humankind upon a pure disposition and entrusted its preservation to human responsibility. The safeguarding of this natural state has been supported through guidance, exhortation, and invitation to the right path. Prophets, sent by God to communicate His commands and prohibitions, strove to preserve this purity by calling people to goodness and truth while warning them against evil. Among the forms of religious oratory, the sermon has served as one of the most significant means of conveying Islamic belief to the Muslim community. Since the earliest periods of Islam, sermons have been delivered during collective acts of worship such as the Friday and Eid prayers, aiming to instruct believers on matters of faith, worship, morality, and social conduct. In the final period of the Ottoman Empire, the issue of whether sermons should continue to be delivered in Arabic or in Turkish became a subject of debate. Following the proclamation of the Republic, the language of the sermon was officially changed to Turkish by decision of the parliament. This thesis examines Turkish Sermons by Uryânîzâde Ali Vahîd, a work composed in the early Republican era. The study focuses on the latinization and analysis of the first fourteen sermons (pp. 2–130). The significance of these sermons lies in their ability to shed light on religious perceptions during the transition from empire to republic. By transcribing the sermons from Ottoman Turkish into modern Turkish and analyzing their thematic content, this study identifies major areas of focus including belief, worship, morality, education, and social issues. The analysis further demonstrates that these sermons, written immediately after the establishment of the Republic, reflect the state's effort to communicate with its citizens through religious discourse. Beyond the emphasis on religious obligations, the sermons address contemporary social and economic realities, encouraging citizens to contribute to national resources, to embrace labor and perseverance, and even to comply with public health responsibilities such as vaccination during epidemics. In conclusion, this thesis aims to contribute to the understanding of religious thought and practice in the early Republican period. By contextualizing Uryânîzâde's sermons within their historical and social framework, it provides insight into the transformation of religious discourse in the transition from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic and offers a comparative perspective between past and present sermons.