VOA慢速英語(yǔ): 土耳其啟動(dòng)國(guó)際清真寺的修建計(jì)劃

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Turkey currently is building 18 large Islamic religious centers around theworld. The projects include a mosque in Tirana, Albania which will hold morethan 4,000 worshippers. Turkey will also build mosques in the United States,Russia and Kyrgyzstan. It has similar projects set for the Philippines, theUnited Kingdom, the Palestinian Territories and Somalia.

Observers say President Erdo?an's goal is to establish Turkey as leader of the Muslim world. This was the country’s position during the Ottoman Empire,which ruled from the 14th century through the early 1900s.

Asli Aydintasbas writes about politics for Turkey’s Milliyet newspaper. Shesays the president cares very much about his historic legacy and hisinternational legacy.

She also says he wants Turkey and the world to see him as a person whohas advanced the interests of Islam and Muslims. She says this is why he sostrongly supports the mosque-building project.

Yuksel Taskin is an expert on politics at Istanbul’s Marmara University. He says President Erdogan and his ruling AK Party share the goal of returning Turkey to the power of its Ottoman past.

Mr. Taskin says the party is trying to re-create the golden age of Islamiccivilization. He says the AKP see Turks as the leaders of such a rebirth.

The Diyanet is the government group that administers the Islamic faith inTurkey. President Erdo?an has expanded the group’s international office.Supporting religious education is a main element in Turkey’s campaign forgreater influence over Islam internationally. Turkey has offered financialassistance to foreign students who want to attend its universities. Thegovernment also supports international student exchanges.

However, Turkey is not the only country interested in leading the Islamicworld. Other Muslim countries, especially Saudi Arabia are also seeking to fillthe role. For many years, Saudi Arabia has been spreading its oil moneyaround Islamic countries.

Istar Gozaydin is a professor of religion and politics at Istanbul’s Do?u?University. She says the Balkans is the main region for the competitionbetween Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

She says she thinks the two countries once balanced each other in efforts tobuild mosques and create communities for them. But now, she says, it ismore of a competition, especially in Bosnia.

In this 2008 file photo, Albanian Muslims pray to mark the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. Turkey is planning to build a mosque for Albanians in Tirana.

Experts say President Erdo?an may well be looking to the language of thestreet to rise above such obstacles. Increasingly, his speeches appear to beaimed at ordinary Muslims, in Turkey and around the world. His talks ofteninclude a strong anti-Western message.

Politics writer Asli Aydintasbas says the president is behaving as if he alreadyleads the world's Muslims. She says she thinks Mr. Erdo?an believes hewould be elected leader of the Muslim world if the community could hold sucha vote.

President Erdogan is increasingly campaigning against what he considers thegrowing threat of Western "Islamophobia," – prejudice against or fear of thereligion of Islam and Muslims. He is also demanding that the United NationsSecurity Council create a permanent seat for a Muslim nation.

Observers warn that such rhetoric is likely to continue as Turkey’s campaignto lead the Islamic world progresses.

I’m Jim Tedder.

Dorian Jones reported this story. Marsha James adapted it for LearningEnglish. Caty Weaver was the editor.

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Words in This Story

legacy – n. something that happened in the past or that comes from someonein the past

rebirth – n. a period in which something becomes popular again after a longperiod of time when it was not popular

faith – n. belief in the existence of God; strong religious feelings or beliefs

region – n. a part of a country, of the world, etc., that is different or separatefrom other parts in some way

obstacle – n. something that makes it difficult to do something

rhetoric – n. the art or skill of speaking or writing formally and effectivelyespecially as a way to persuade or influence people