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Rock 'n' roll imam

Jacob Resneck / lwOctober 12, 2013

Ahmet Tuzer is a practicing imam. For the past 15 years he has been calling the faithful to prayer; his remarkable voice even landed him a job in Istanbul’s most religious quarter. But he is also putting his talents to use elsewhere - in his own rock band.

https://p.dw.com/p/19yDR

Tuzer, who now works in the small village of Pinarbasi on the Turkish Mediterranean coast, has found himself under investigation from the state directorate for religious affairs due to his musical hobby.

His innovative form of "Islamic rock" has been met with mixed reactions in Turkey, where around 99 per cent of the population is registered as Muslim.

Although Turkey is officially a secular country, imams – prayer leaders in mosques – are employed by the state.

Despite criticism that his music runs counter to the teachings of Islam, Tuzer is convinced that his combination of traditional Sufi mysticism and classic rock will mean a greater audience for his spiritual message.

In a country often characterized by the discord between conservative religion and secularism, Tuzer explains how this new genre of music could help to create some harmony.