Briefly, although Islamic countries are rich in economic terms, but in reality they are poor in terms of rights, law and fair administration. European oppressors and Asian hypocrites seem to grab not only their financial potentials, but also ‘their human rights to life.’

Although these countries should be the most advanced in compliance with rights and laws, fairness, mercifulness, but in reality the situation in today is truly miserable and heartbreaking. No doubt, it is a great discrepancy that any “Islamic Country” is not under an administration which has the basic principles of Islam, such as rights, law and Justice? Is it possible to explain that the people living in one Islamic country have to seek rights and law in ‘foreign’ countries when necessary?

Indeed, in the ‘Islamism Index’ ranking, which measures the conformity degree of the countries with Islamic criterias, the “Islamic countries” were not in the front ranks, but unfortunately in the last ranks. New Zealand, which recently came up with mosque attacks and gained appreciation for its country's attitude after the attack, received the highest score for the third time. (euronews.com, 19th. May. 2019) The study, conducted since 2015 by the Islamic Foundation, founded by Hussein Askari, an Iranian academic in the United States.

So, New Zealand, as a ‘secular country’ inhabited by the Christian majority at the point of conformity to Islamic measures, has taken the front row. On the other hand Turkey has been retrograded 14 rows to 95th. rank among 153 countries compared to the previous year. Can we progress towards “greater Turkey” with a decline of 14 rows in a year while we must get better?

Of course it is possible to object to this index. But isn't the general opinion already like so? That is, can any expert, including those who run Turkey, say: “No, we should be at the top of this list. They took our rights, they set us up. The smear campaign has been organized, or they conspired against us?"

It does not matter whether it is called ‘humanity’ or ‘Islamism,’ Turkey's current situation is not at a satisfying level. Turkey should not be at a place where injustice, lawlessness and unfairness are at the top. In the same way, ‘Islamic countries' should see that their status is not adequate and they must take steps to progress in rights, law and justice. It does not benefit to resent the declared index or those who have prepared it and condemn them.

According to the researchers' declaration, the “Islamic Index” hasn’t been limited to not only the countries that the majority of their populations are Muslim. Scoring is carried out in four main categories: 

Economy, Justice and Administration, Human Rights and Political Rights, International Relations.

With regard to scoring who can say that Turkey has no problems with the economy, justice, human rights and political rights? Unfairness, lawlessness and injustice come across at every point. Then we need to take decisive steps to eliminate the problems accordingly.

Wouldn't that be great if Turkey was the first Islamic country to eliminate these deficiencies, and to be a model for other Islamic countries? Our wish and prayer is to have highest rankings on the next lists.

Faruk Çakır

Translation: Özden Atukeren

For Turkish version: İslam ülkelerinin derdi