Yasir Qadhi urges Muslims to vote for Erdoğan as the ‘lesser of two evils’ in Turkey’s elections

“Those who are able to should try their best to bring about the ‘lesser of two evils’, especially when the other side is explicitly anti-religion.” 

This quote is from a series of tweets by American Muslim scholar Yasir Qadhi on May 11, 2023, in which he expressed his support for Erdoğan and his AK party in the upcoming Turkish elections. He also cited a statement signed by over 50 scholars from around the world endorsing Erdoğan.

The five tweets by Yasir Qadhi on Erdoğan are:

1/ The upcoming elections in Türkiye is one of the most significant ones in recent history, for political and religious reasons. In an unprecedented move, over 50 reputable ulāmā from around the world have signed a statement explicitly endorsing Erdoğan.

2/ I am well aware of the criticism some have against him. Going back to my recent discussion on Pragmatism, Politics and Power, when these global scholars, many of whom I myself greatly respect on a personal level, endorse Erdoğan, they are clearly not endorsing his mistakes.

3/ Rather, they recognize that between the viable, available candidates, he represents the best and has the most potential for the Ummah. As I said, politics by its nature is a messy business. It makes senes to try to get the 'best of the worst' in office rather than do nothing.

4/ Doing nothing will at best have no effect, & at worst allow the actual worst to take charge. In this upcoming election, one side is explicitly religious, endorsing values based on Islam, whereas the other is explicitly endorsing secular Kemalism with a history of anti-Islam.

5/ It's not rocket science. Those who are able to should try their best to bring about the 'lesser of two evils', especially when the other side is explicitly anti-religion. May Allah protect the people of Türkiye, bless the better candidate to win, & use him to help the Dīn!

It is not clear whether another prominent American Muslim scholar and leader Hamza Yusuf supports Erdoğan or not. He has praised him for his economic achievements and criticised the Western media for portraying him negatively, but he has also expressed concern about the human rights situation and the crackdown on dissent in Turkey.

“Why is Erdogan being demonised as a tyrant, when he has shown incredible fiscal responsibility for his country with immense growth?”

 He made this comment in a video posted by ReThink Turkey on Facebook on April 25, 2013. The video was titled "Hamza Yusuf on Turkey" and it showed him speaking at an event in London. 

Hamza Yusuf’s recent relation with Erdoğan seems to be cordial but not very close. He has not publicly endorsed Erdoğan or his party in the upcoming elections, unlike some other Muslim scholars. However, he has expressed admiration for Erdoğan’s economic achievements and defended him against Western criticism. He has also praised Turkey’s humanitarian efforts and its role in hosting Syrian refugees. Therefore, his relation with Erdoğan seems to be respectful but not very active.

One old quote from European muslim scholar Tariq Ramadan on Erdoğan is:

"He [Erdoğan] should listen to what he said to Mubarak: 'You should leave.'

This quote is from a speech by Tariq Ramadan at the Reviving the Islamic Spirit convention in Toronto in 2013, in which he criticised Erdoğan for his authoritarian tendencies and his handling of the Gezi Park protests. He also urged Erdoğan to respect democracy and pluralism in Turkey.

It is not clear whether Tariq Ramadan likes or dislikes Erdoğan personally, but he had some admiration for his political achievements and vision in the past. However, Ramadan’s view of Erdoğan and Turkey may have changed over time, as Turkey’s foreign policy became more assertive and ideologically driven, and as Erdoğan faced criticism for his authoritarian tendencies and human rights violations.

“I am not a politician. I have often been approached in this regard, but I have always declined these sorts of offers. I am an independent intellectual and I do not want to be instrumentalized by any political party or government. I have always been critical of all governments, including the Turkish one.”

Therefore, it seems unlikely that Ramadan supports Erdoğan in the 2023 election, but he may also not openly oppose him. He may prefer to remain neutral or silent on the matter.