What is the Predominant Religion in Turkey?

Turkey is a country located at the crossroads between Europe and Asia. With a population of over 80 million people, it is home to a variety of cultures and religions. However, there is one faith that stands out as the predominant religion in Turkey – Islam.

Overview of Religions in Turkey

According to sources, over 99% of the population in Turkey identifies as Muslim. Within the Muslim population, an estimated 90% are Sunni Muslims, following the Hanafi school of thought. The remaining 10% of Muslims consist of Shia sects such as Alevis, Alawites, and Ja’faris.

Christians make up around 0.2% of the population, including groups like Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Syriac Christians. There are also small communities of Jews, Zoroastrians, Baha’is, and followers of Tengrism.

So while Turkey recognizes minority faiths, Islam undoubtedly makes up the vast majority. Let’s take a closer look at the history and statistics behind this predominant religion.

A Brief History of Islam in Turkey

Islam arrived in what is now Turkey during the 7th century with the Muslim conquests of the Byzantine/Eastern Roman Empire. This included areas that are now the country’s eastern provinces.
Over the centuries under Muslim rule, Islam became firmly entrenched in the region’s culture and society. This accelerated with the establishment of the Seljuk Turkish Sultanate in the 11th century
The Ottoman Empire then ruled modern-day Turkey from 1299 to 1922, further solidifying Islam’s status. During this period, most Turks adopted Sunni Islam.
With the founding of the secular Turkish Republic in 1923, the new government abolished the caliphate and Islamic courts. However, Islam remained ingrained in society.
Today, the state manages religious affairs through the Presidency of Religious Affairs, also called the Diyanet.

The Statistics Behind Turkey’s Muslim Majority

According to Turkish government records, over 99% of the population is registered as Muslim by default at birth.
However, academic surveys indicate the actual Muslim population may be slightly lower, in the range of 90-98%.
A 2021 survey found that about 92% of respondents identified as Muslim. Only 6% said they had no religion.
In a 2006 poll, 98.3% of participants self-reported as Muslim. Just 1.5% had no religion.
Research also suggests that Turkish Muslims are predominantly Sunni Hanafi, probably over 85% of the Muslim population.
Shia groups like Alevis make up around 10%. Smaller sects include Bektashis and Ja’faris.

The Public Role of Islam in Modern Turkey

Turkey has been a constitutionally secular state since 1928. However, Islam still plays a major public role.
The government finances Sunni mosques and imams through the Diyanet. Their budget was over $2 billion in 2020.
It is mandatory for all public and private schools to teach religious studies, focused on Sunni Islam.
Headscarves and religious dress are banned in governmental institutions, schools, and universities.
The state indirectly controls Islam through appointments of provincial muftis and ownership of around 80,000 mosques.

While Turkey is secular by law, Islam has a prominent place in public life and society. The vast majority of Turkish citizens adhere to the Sunni branch of Islam, predominantly the Hanafi school. Through state institutions like the Diyanet, the government regulates and propagates this faith. So there is no doubt that Islam, especially Sunni Islam, is the predominant religion in modern-day Turkey.

what is the predominant religion in turkey

Things to Know Before Arrival

For centuries, Turkey has served as the bridge between Europe and Asia, a place where east meets west. So, don’t plan your trip expecting only to encounter Islam.
Dress respectfully when visiting any religious site, no matter what faith it represents. For men, this means wearing long pants. For women, covered legs and shoulders are a must, and some attractions may request that head coverings are worn.
If you’re worried about packing extra layers, don’t stress. Most of the country’s prominent religious attractions offer rented or borrowed coverings to make your visit worry-free. But keep in mind that pants and long sleeves are an excellent way to protect yourself from the region’s powerful sun.
Dressing appropriately is a great way to honor Turkey’s religion and culture. It will help you earn respect with local people and allow you to blend in with the crowd.
On the whole, Turkey is a progressive country. Adherence to Islam is more evident in its dress, cuisine, and culture than its laws and politics.
Its modern government offers protection to religious, ethnic, and sexual minorities just like any developed nation. And it’s a highly safe destination for foreign travelers!

From the first temple of human being Gobeklitepe to the first Christian church in Antioch (Antakya), Turkey has been a crossroads for religion and there are numerous sites and landmarks you can add to your bucket list no matter what religious monuments you would like to visit.

Religion in Turkey Today

Islam may be the dominant religion in Turkey, but it is neither the oldest nor the only one. Long before Islam entered the country, religion included Buddhism, Christianity, and lesser-known sects like Tengrism and Manichaeism. This is why the country is home to religious sites of so many different faiths.

In fact, a trip through the country’s Golden Triangle of culture reveals a wealth of historical landmarks that far predate Islam. So, what changed?

The influx of Islam also introduced many of Turkey’s stunning cultural practices. The most famous of these is the whirling dervishes performing their ancient Sufi dance.

Even with the growing popularity of Islam, Turkey still maintained an incredible level of religious tolerance. For instance, the Jewish communities with roots in Anatolia and those that immigrated from Spain and Portugal were autonomous in their domestic affairs. The same applied to the Christian communities, which consisted of Roman Catholics, the Assyrian Orthodox church, and small groups of protestants. This tolerance resulted in large thriving communities of non-Muslim Turkish citizens in the country.

In the 19th century, this relatively peaceful coexistence was put under threat with the coming of ethnic-religious nationalism.

Therefore, many non-Muslim Turkish citizens emigrated to Bulgaria, Israel, Greece, and Armenia: leaving small minorities in Turkey.

Today, around 99% of the country’s population practices Islam. More than 70% of the Muslim population in Turkey is Sunni, a branch of Islam that gets its name from the word “sunnah” which is a reference to the prophet Mohammed. You’ll find way more Sunnis than any other religious group in Turkey today because this branch of Islam was introduced in the region way back during the Ottoman Empire’s reign.

The other branch is Shia, whose first practitioners came from nearby Arab countries like Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon. As a result, this faith was introduced later in the country’s timeline by immigrants from elsewhere in the region. In fact, during the Ottoman Empire, Shia believers were even persecuted by Sunnis’ majority population.

Nonetheless, these statistics tell you more about Turkey’s culture than religion. You will be surprised to learn that rather than being a strictly religious country, the majority of Turkish Muslims are liberal. These practitioners identify more with the culture of Islam than its religion. Therefore, they may identify as Muslims, but they don’t wear traditional clothing or adhere to strict religious practices. Don’t be surprised if you meet plenty of people who practice Islam at home but walk around in jeans and t-shirts just like you.

The rest of Turkey’s population belongs to religious groups like Christianity and Judaism. As Turkey has moved into modern times, more and more religious groups have come to call the country home. Major cities and cultural centers like Istanbul are globalizing quickly and are home to large ex-pat populations. In these areas, you can expect to encounter religions from all over the world.

For a taste of religion in Turkey now, pay a visit to any city center where you will feel the mix of different cultures right away. If you really want to understand the diversity of this cultural melting pot, add some of the region’s Jewish and Christian sites to your travel itinerary.

Now that you have a basic understanding of religion in Turkey, you’re ready to start planning your adventure. Start by considering which parts of the country you want to visit and which cultural and religious landmarks you can’t miss.

No vacation in this country is complete without a trip through the mosques, bustling markets, museums, and crowded public squares of Istanbul. This cultural hub is also a great place to sample Turkish cuisine, coffee, and its famous drink of choice, raki.

If you’re a traveling photographer, keep in mind that some museums and monuments will ask you to purchase a photography pass.

Remember that you should always ask for permission before photographing locals, especially while visiting religious sites. And, it helps to learn a few words and phrases in Turkish, too! Most people find it hard, and don’t worry if you can’t, as even the mimics will do it.

Our top tip for making the most of your time in Turkey is to arrive with an open mind.

On the whole, Turkey is a progressive country. Adherence to Islam is more evident in its dress, cuisine, and culture than its laws and politics. Its modern government offers protection to religious, ethnic, and sexual minorities just like any developed nation. And it’s a highly safe destination for foreign travelers!

Secular Islam is growing in popularity, especially among Turkey’s younger generations. Secular practitioners identify more with the culture of Islam than its religion. So, they don’t wear traditional clothing or adhere to strict religious practices.

Of all the countries where Islam is practiced, Turkey is quickly becoming one of the most secular! Don’t be surprised if you meet plenty of people who practice Islam at home but walk around in jeans and t-shirts just like you. The reason for this note is, both on movies and other media types, they give the message it is a religious country with a predominantly Muslim population. Such things, especially for those who follow the truth through these channels, end up with prejudice. After they visit Turkey, they quickly realize that what shown was not the same as what they saw.

The rest of Turkey’s population belongs to religious groups like Christianity and Judaism. But, major cities and cultural centers like Istanbul are globalizing quickly and are home to large ex-pat populations. In these areas, you can expect to encounter religions from all over the world.

Religion in Turkey explained | Tips for Foreigners, Non-Muslims

FAQ

What are the top three religions in Turkey?

According to the state, 99.8% of the population is initially registered as Muslim. The remaining 0.2% are Christians and adherents of other officially recognised religions such as Judaism. As much as 90% of the population follows Sunni Islam. Most Turkish Sunni Muslims belong to the Hanafi school of jurisprudence.

How strict is Islam in Turkey?

Most Turks consider themselves Muslims, but as in many countries, the practice of religious observance varies. While many people in Turkey might strictly observe religious customs, some may never go to the mosque, while the majority of the population is somewhere in between.

Is Christianity allowed in Turkey?

Unlike some other majority-Muslim countries, Turkey’s constitution defines the country as a secular state. It provides for freedom of conscience, religious belief, conviction, expression, and worship and prohibits discrimination based on religious grounds, according to the U.S. State Department.

When did Turkey convert to Islam?

Turks from Central Asia settled in Anatolia in the 11th century, through the conquests of the Seljuk Turks. This began the transformation of the region, which had been a largely Greek-speaking region after previously being Hellenized, into a Turkish Muslim one.