Turkey’s religious body: It is Allah who determines the prices
As Turkey dives into a cost of living crisis with skyrocketing inflation, Turkish Religious Affairs High Council blamed it on heavens as it said: "It is Allah who determines the prices, who gives the shortage and abundance"
The High Council of Religious Affairs regularly issues fatwas related to the questions asked over the phone or on the internet. Selected questions and fatwas on some subjects are constantly published on the website and some of these fatwas find their way to the social media of the religious body, when the subject is a current topic to be of interest to the general society.
Likewise, the fatwa on the prices also showed up on its Twitter account on July 20.
❓Ticarette kâr haddi var mıdır?https://t.co/FgmBpeUyMZ#ticaret #karzarar #altın #döviz #alışveriş #islamahlakı pic.twitter.com/wR39MNbl1R
— Din İşleri Yüksek Kurulu (@dinisleriyk) July 20, 2022
As per a question asking “Is there a profit margin in trading?” the fatwa stated that "Islam religion does not impose a definite profit limit in buying and selling contracts, it is left to market conditions. Regarding the issue, the prophet of Allah, when asked to intervene in this situation when prices started to increase, said: 'No doubt, it is only Allah who determines prices, gives poverty and abundance, and provides sustenance.’”
Diyanet’s response was heavily criticized by the opposition. Veli Agbaba from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) said “They blame Allah just so they don't blame Erdogan. Does God also determine your salaries and your vehicles?”
#Diyanet: “Fiyatları tayin eden Allah’tır”
— Veli Ağbaba (@veliagbaba) July 27, 2022
Bir dönem faiz sebep, enflasyon sonuçtu, şimdi “Allah sebep, fiyat artışı sonuç” oldu. Sırf Erdoğan’ı suçlamamak için Allah’ı suçluyorlar. Ballı maaşları, makam araçlarınızı da mı Allah belirliyor?
Allah size akıl fikir versin! pic.twitter.com/6Xecu7bX4j
Diyanet’s 12 billion annual budget is bigger than several ministries in Turkey. When a luxurious car for the president of the religious body created havoc, he had to give up that vehicle and rent a VIP minibus instead.
