Mutual Embeddedness of the Religious and the Secular in Muslim Responses to Blasphemy
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19484067 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Nesrin ÜNLÜ (0000-0003-4981-1966, Marmara University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Pages | 561 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-07 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Religions (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2077-1444 • E-ISSN: 2077-1444 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT) |
| DOI | 10.3390/rel17050561 |
| OpenAlex | W7160551623 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 24 |
This article examines Muslim responses to two blasphemy controversies that provoked widespread public backlash in Türkiye in 2022 and 2024. Drawing on news coverage from three leading conservative newspapers (Sabah, Yeni Şafak, and Yeni Akit) and user commentary on X, the analysis explores how these reactions complicate the conventional religious–secular binary often applied to blasphemy disputes. The findings show that while piety and devotion to the Prophet Muhammad were central, responses also heavily employed the language of possession, identity, dignity, collective honor, and experiences of discrimination and exclusion. These dynamics demonstrate that Muslim reactions are not confined to religious experience, which may appear inaccessible to secular reasoning, but also draw on secular reflections that can be articulated within European human rights frameworks and resonate in broader public discourse. Given their deep attachment to faith, some Muslims may perceive such expressions as attacks on their religious feelings, identity, dignity, and security. At the same time, some may seek political advantage by demanding heightened deference to religious sensibilities or attempting to suppress critical opinions. Claims of religious injury in blasphemy disputes may therefore operate either as defenses of self and faith or assertions of identity and strategies of political contestation. The article concludes by highlighting the complex task of balancing the protection of believers with the safeguarding of freedom of expression
Apostasy · Blasphemy · Deference · Faith · Freedom of Religion · Islam · Islamophobia · Piety · Politics · Secularism · Hate Speech and Cyberbullying Detection · Religious Freedom and Discrimination · Turkey's Politics and Society
Islam and the Secular State
Liberalism, Multiculturalism and Toleration
Limiting Permissible Limitations
From Cartoons to Crucifixes
Blasphemy and Freedom of Expression
Echoes of the Danish Cartoon Crisis 10 Years Later
Blasphemy, Defamation of Religions and Human Rights Law
Genealogies of ‘Jews’ and ‘Muslims’
The politics of voluntary and involuntary identities
Refutations of racism in the ‘Muslim question’
Populism and Heritage in Europe
Speech and the Sacred
The Muhammad cartoons and multicultural democracies
Speaking about Muhammad, Speaking for Muslims
Religious Reason and Secular Affect
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |