Turkish Islamic cult to resolve inheritance dispute in own ‘sharia court’

Duvar English

The Menzil Islamic community in eastern Turkey’s Adıyaman province is setting up its own “sharia court” to resolve an inheritance dispute between the sons of its deceased leader, according to an Oct. 24 report by the online news outlet Euronews Türkçe. 

Sons Muhammed Saki, Muhammed Fettah, and Muhammed Mubarek have been disputing over the extravagant inheritance left over by Menzil leader Sheikh Abdulbaki Erol after his death on July 12, 2023.

The community, which had grown to include companies, foundations, and associations, essentially becoming a conglomerate, split into three parts. Muhammed Mubarek Erol took leadership of Semerkand, the most prominent foundation of Menzil, while Muhammed Saki Erol established the Serhendi Foundation and Muhammed Fettah Erol founded the Buhara Foundation. 

Most recently, Muhammed Saki Erol issued a statement accusing his brothers of failing to transfer certain properties to the foundation.

The inheritance dispute in Menzil has now spilled into public view. In a video of a meeting in Menzil village, the sons can be seen openly arguing in front of supporters. One brother was heard saying, “You talk like this, but on the second day after my father’s passing, your people stormed the lodge.”

A member of the Menzil community, who requested anonymity, stated that a decision was made to establish a Sharia court during what was described as a “meeting” by the online news outlet Euronews Türkçe. 

In the video, a moderator stated, “Forgive me for speaking here; we were compelled to address this because angels from the heavens are not going to come down to resolve it. This matter will be settled according to the inheritance laws of Prophet Muhammad.”

“First, the inheritance left by Abdulbaki Erol, including foundations, lodges, madrasas (Islamic schools), mosques, and other assets, will be part of this division. Second, the division of assets will follow the jurisprudence of the Shafi’i school.”

Sources speaking to Euronews Türkçe indicated that Muhammed Saki Erol favored a sharia court resolution but would turn to the Turkish judiciary if an agreement could not be reached with his brothers.

This approach showed that Saki Erol is attempting to resolve the matter within the family.

The cult is known for its grandiose development in the eponymous Menzil village. The village has turned into an autonomous religious center for the cult’s followers, obtaining disproportionate funding from other villages in the province. 

Some sections of the village are segregated based on gender. The local government is populated by cult members, from Mukhtar to the sanitation department. 

Upon former leader Abdülbaki Erol’s death, Turkish Airlines (THY) had scheduled flights at 15-minute intervals to Adıyaman province for the funeral. Around 250,000 people attended the funeral prayer in the remote village, including Great Unity Party (BBP) Chair Mustafa Destici. 

The cult’s name has been brought up many times in recent years after the suspicious death of children in the cult’s so-called education facilities.