Religious leader bans dolls for flock
Güncelleme Tarihi:
OKAN KONURALP
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Temmuz 08, 2009 00:00
ANKARA -A religious leader in Istanbul has banned life-like dolls, arguing that the long legs and natural hair of some versions could excite an individual.
The influential leader of the İsmailağa sect of the Nakşibendi order, Ahmet Ünlü, known as Ahmet Hodja, released a statement on his Web site, stating, "They make dolls with hair that can be combed and with long legs. These are not permitted because they can arouse an individual. They are very life-like. Moreover, they are semi-naked."
In a new list of what is allowed and what is not, Ünlü shared his thoughts on photos, artificial insemination and male doctors.
He said photos were allowed only if one did not hang them on the wall and prayed in front of it. "However, what are banned are statues. In other words, images that have life-like shadows are banned. A statue of scenery is not banned but an animal statue is."
On the issue of artificial insemination, he said the process was banned if a couple already had a child. "Allah gave you a child. What else do you want? If a couple wants a second child through artificial insemination because the first child was a girl, it is not allowed. For those who do not have any children, this process is a need," he said.
He, however, qualified his approval, noting that the process needed to be done by a female doctor.
"Why should a man see the private parts of a woman? Only if the woman’s life is in danger, should a man see it. Then a male doctor can help to save a woman’s life. If there is no option but for a male doctor to perform the operation, he should be accompanied by another person," he said.
The controversial religious leader came under fire from groups within the İsmailağa sect in May for hanging the photo of Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in the offices of his magazine called Kasr-ı Arifan and for owning Lalegül FM radio station. Some parts of the sect believe music is a sin and are against the secularist principles of Atatürk. Ünlü was criticized for praising Atatürk on a television show. Some claim the criticisms directed against Ünlü are based on the leadership competition between various groups within the İsmailağa sect as the head, Mustafa Ustaosmanoğlu, gets older.
The 44-year-old Ünlü remains a popular figure within the movement, and his Thursday sermons are shared on YouTube. There are 680 of his sermons on the video-sharing site, and most having been viewed tens of thousands of times. Most popular of his sermons are the ones on sex according to the rules of Islam and the inappropriateness of using the call to prayer as mobile phone music.
Ünlü made headlines in 2007 when he was photographed in Malta on a jet ski.
At the time, he defended himself by saying that he was not against swimming but against men and women swimming together.
In a new list of what is allowed and what is not, Ünlü shared his thoughts on photos, artificial insemination and male doctors.
He said photos were allowed only if one did not hang them on the wall and prayed in front of it. "However, what are banned are statues. In other words, images that have life-like shadows are banned. A statue of scenery is not banned but an animal statue is."
On the issue of artificial insemination, he said the process was banned if a couple already had a child. "Allah gave you a child. What else do you want? If a couple wants a second child through artificial insemination because the first child was a girl, it is not allowed. For those who do not have any children, this process is a need," he said.
He, however, qualified his approval, noting that the process needed to be done by a female doctor.
"Why should a man see the private parts of a woman? Only if the woman’s life is in danger, should a man see it. Then a male doctor can help to save a woman’s life. If there is no option but for a male doctor to perform the operation, he should be accompanied by another person," he said.
The controversial religious leader came under fire from groups within the İsmailağa sect in May for hanging the photo of Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in the offices of his magazine called Kasr-ı Arifan and for owning Lalegül FM radio station. Some parts of the sect believe music is a sin and are against the secularist principles of Atatürk. Ünlü was criticized for praising Atatürk on a television show. Some claim the criticisms directed against Ünlü are based on the leadership competition between various groups within the İsmailağa sect as the head, Mustafa Ustaosmanoğlu, gets older.
The 44-year-old Ünlü remains a popular figure within the movement, and his Thursday sermons are shared on YouTube. There are 680 of his sermons on the video-sharing site, and most having been viewed tens of thousands of times. Most popular of his sermons are the ones on sex according to the rules of Islam and the inappropriateness of using the call to prayer as mobile phone music.
Ünlü made headlines in 2007 when he was photographed in Malta on a jet ski.
At the time, he defended himself by saying that he was not against swimming but against men and women swimming together.