Department of History of Islamic Sects

About Us

      Sects are human formations that emerged as a result of the institutionalization over time of differences in the interpretation of religion. Within the field of History of Islamic Sects there are two subfields: History of Classical Islamic Sects and Contemporary Islamic Movements.

     History of Islamic Sects is a scientific discipline that examines religious-social groups that emerged in the past and ceased to exist or continue to exist today, studying these formations objectively and comprehensively based on primary sources from many angles, such as the environment in which they were born, the reasons for their emergence, their formation processes, their ideas, their members, their literature, the regions they spread, and their contributions to Islamic thought. The scientific examination of classical Islamic sects and contemporary religious movements within the History of Islamic Sects contributes to highlighting the distinction between religion and sect, preventing sectarian understanding from being equated with religion. Furthermore, examining the historical, political, and social foundations of these differences will shed light on the points of contention between the sects, thereby drawing attention to the danger of unnecessary conflict and hostility in Islamic societies.

Academic Staff

Asst. Prof. Dr. Zeynep ALİMOĞLU SÜRMELİ (Department Head)