A Nationalist Religious Man: Abdulgafur Istin (1882-1951) From Kuva-yı Milliye to Parliament

Abstract

During the National Struggle, like many religious officials, Muftizade Abdulgafur Istin, assumed important duties. He provided qualified services in the founding of the Kuva-yı Milliye, the meetings and congresses in the city of Balikesir, which was at a very critical point in terms of the period. As a religious officer,   he made important contributions to the National Struggle with the spirituality he provided to the people. Abdulgafur Istin not only influenced the people spiritually in this difficult phase, but also came to the fore with his political personality. He was a member of parliament during both the Parliamentary Assembly and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. He has many long speeches on the development of the new state, especially in the first term of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. In this study, we will evaluate Abdulgafur Istin’s life, his contribution to the National Struggle and his activities in the Turkish Grand National Assembly. During the research, archieve documents, officers records, oral history and research resources were used.