As it must be disclaimed, the book ‘A revolutionary Approach to The Religion Problem’ is in its undeveloped, primitive form as self-criticized by the Peoples Leader, himself. These writings are not completely representative of the current stand of the PKK regarding the revolutionary approach to religion. There have been many developments released as part of defense writings ever since, due to constraints. Overall, the writings should be taken with a pinch of salt, as we continue to translate and analyze the topic.
The development of capitalism as a new form of production in this period, the representation of the backwardness of feudalism according to capitalism, the conservatism of the ideologies that have now dominated the religious direction, according to the capitalist ideology and the bourgeois ideology, and the emergence of their most negative features, occur during the reign of the Turkish Ottoman Empire.
It is a conservative and central authority that does not develop civilization much. Therefore, the empire’s power over peoples during this period has led to their decline. Historically, the feudal civilization has completed its period of progress. And in this respect, the Ottoman Empire, the most powerful feudal central empire, is in a position that is the most conservative and prevents the peoples own progress by diverting them towards the capitalist mode of production.
It played a role in the destruction of this civilization, as well as turning towards the Arabs, taking the Arabs back four centuries, breaking their state power, reducing the former clan and tribal communities to destruction. The Arabs under Ottoman rule, as if they were not the owners of a very great civilization, embraced a structure that symbolized the backward and outweighed the clan-tribal characteristics. Therefore, the role of the Ottoman Empire on the Arab people was negative and reactionary.
The Ottomans were in constant struggle with Iran. The Iranians resisted against the Ottomans in the concrete of the Safavid Empire with their emergence on the basis of Shiism, that is, Aleviism. So they refused their destructive occupation and oppression. They did not submit. The Iranians, even if they give a religious appearance to their own strengths, have found the power to live in a position that can have more nationalities, prepare more freedom for their development and maintain this in the struggle against the Ottomans. This has led them to keep themselves in a strong position until the present day in constant struggle.
The Ottoman policies on Kurdistan are well known. In the years when feudalism began in Kurdistan, feudalism developed in Kurdish clans and tribes. Feudal principalities had been developed. Principalities, as it is known, are mostly based on the rightist interpretations of Islam in their formation. So they become Sunni and accepted it as the official denomination, whichever empire exists under it.
The powerful empire of that time was the Ottoman Empire. Shiism, whereas, represents Iran. Therefore, being a lord, establishing a principal, or even ascending to the state of sovereignty according to the period, is achieved with an empire based on Sunniism.
These Kurdish lords have tens of thousands of soldiers. For example, this is the case of Emin from Bitlis. There are many Lordships like this. These powerful feudal Lordships see their interests in the Ottomans as they become governments. The Iranians, on the other hand, provoke these principals against the Ottoman Empire. Indeed, even today, Iranian officials are organizing more Alevism in Anatolia and driving them into a political fight and rebellion. At that time, there is a reality of massive revolts.
This was the case in the Seljuk period, as was the case in the Ottoman Empire. This fear leads the Ottomans to form alliances by giving the Kurdish Sunni lordships a wide autonomy and strengthens themselves with the Kurdish lordships. The Kurdish lordships see their interests in the Ottoman Empire. This is XVI. The century is a very developing situation in the first quarter. The Kurdish lordships, which have vast autonomy within the empire, are the buffer power of the empire in the east due to geographical positionings. They’re protecting the empire against Iran.
Therefore, they have broad authorities. They nourish the empire from a military perspective. Their number in the wars against Iran is half of the total soldiers. In fact, the number of Kurds in the armies of Alparslan in the Battle of Manzikert is close to 20 thousand in the decline of the Byzantium by the Turks. In this sense, the role of Kurdish lordships in the formation of Turkishness and the Turkish ruling class is very important and even decisive. In particular, the research on this topic is very important.
In contrast, the oppressed sections of the Kurds and those who do not want to submit to the Ottomans and their collaborators are concentrated in the Alevism sect under the influence of Iran. This is especially the case in mountainous areas. Again, the situation of those who do not want to accept Islam is as follows: Particularly a large section of the mountain tribes, the oppressed and exploited people, sees itself in a contradiction against the Ottoman influences and collaborators, and against its sectarian appearance of Sunniism, find themselves in resistance.
Briefly, the historical development of the Islamic religion up to the present can be summarized in this way. in particular, the emergence of Islam is a revolution. Some deviations have emerged since its birth and this has continued until today.
Islam has a progressive relay in the early stages of the development of feudal civilization in the early stages of the Arab expansion. It served a universal service in the development of feudal civilization. İt served the Arabs greatly in achieving a very advanced stage in military service, politics, and science.
As Islam spread and expanded, everyone wanted to adapt it to their own situation. This draws the oppressed peoples towards Imam Ali’s support. Those who are feudalized, that is, oppressors within the popular communities, are based on the more formal rightist, the Sunni ideological framework of Islam. Class and national fights have therefore become the contradiction between Imam Ali’s supporters and Sunnis throughout history, plotted by the Turkics. But the image, the ideological framework is religious, sectarian.
