The Opportunities and Potentials of Campus Mosques According to Religious Officials
Öz
It is possible to classify mosques based on various characteristics such as their location, architectural features, size, and congregation capacity. Although the Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı) officially categorizes mosques into classes, (A-B-C-D-E) mosques can also be classified from alternative perspectives—such as imperial (selâtin) mosques, university mosques, neighborhood mosques, hospital mosques, industrial zone mosques, and transit-route mosques. In this regard, the subject of this study is campus mosques in terms of their facilities and potential. Although recent studies have focused on campus mosques, their number is still limited. This study differentiates itself from previous research—which generally concentrates on a single mosque—by collecting data from three different campus mosques. Accordingly, the main problem of this study can be expressed as follows: “What are the opportunities, possibilities, and limitations of campus mosques in reaching young people in terms of non-formal religious education?” Accordingly, the study sought answers to the following questions: What qualities should religious officials serving in campus mosques possess? What architectural design features should campus mosques include? What types of activities are organized for youth in campus mosques? How do campus mosque officials communicate with stakeholders? What kinds of resources and materials are available in campus mosques? Finally, do mosque officials have any unforgettable memories from their service experiences? The study employed a qualitative research method, with data collected through semi-structured interviews conducted with three religious officials working in three different campus mosques. The collected data were transcribed, then subjected to content analysis and systematically coded. Subsequently, these codes were grouped and evaluated under seven distinct themes: The essential qualities required of religious officials working in campus mosques; the congregation profile of campus mosques; the architectural and physical structure and design of campus mosques; activities conducted with young people in campus mosques and their impact on students; communication between campus mosques and stakeholders; resource materials needed in campus mosques; and emotional memories of campus mosque officials related to young people. Participants stated that working in campus mosques requires sincerity, self-sacrifice, effective communication skills, and the ability to answer young people's questions. They also expressed that campus mosques should be designed as a comprehensive complex (külliye) that addresses not only the spiritual but also the social needs of young people. According to participants, campus mosques should not be designed solely as places of worship. Instead, they should be multifunctional, incorporating features like reading rooms, shower facilities, cafes serving tea/soup, game areas for stress relief, and workshops for hobby activities, all tailored to the campus's geographical location and student needs. Campus mosques differ from other mosques in terms of their congregational profile. Their congregations are primarily composed of young people and the university's academic and administrative staff. Another distinguishing factor is the higher proportion of female congregants compared to other mosques. Religious officials working in these mosques report that they organize numerous activities with young people at campus mosques, and that these activities positively influence the mental development of the youth. These events cover a wide range, from in-mosque lessons and discussions to sports activities, workshops, social responsibility projects, Quran memorization studies, book/film analyses, tea/soup offerings, local and out-of-town trips, Ramadan iftars, and even parent/home visits. Participants generally stated that the Presidency of Religious Affairs provides resource materials in campus mosques. However, they also indicated that each campus is unique in its context and needs. Therefore, it is essential to emphasize the need for individual studies and separate needs analyses for each campus. According to religious officials, who emotionally recounted the intellectual transformations observed in young people, campus mosques hold significant opportunities and potential for reaching youth. An increase in both quantitative and qualitative studies focusing on different campus mosques would undoubtedly help to further uncover and realize this potential. It is clear that campus mosques differ from one another, and it is necessary to analyze each one based on its student profile and geographical location, creating a structural map. Activities and programs developed directly from field-based data will undoubtedly be more effective.
Anahtar Kelimeler
İmkân ve Potansiyelleri Bakımından Din Görevlilerine Göre Kampüs Camileri
Öz
Camileri bulundukları mekân, mimari özellik, büyüklük, cemaat potansiyeli gibi çeşitli özelliklerine göre sınıflara ayırmak mümkündür. Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı, camileri A, B, C, D, E sınıfı olarak kategorilere ayırsa da camiler selâtin cami, üniversite camii, mahalle camii, hastane camii, sanayi sitesi camii, güzergâh üzeri camiler gibi başka açıdan da kategorize edilebilir. Bu çalışmanın konusu imkân ve potansiyelleri bakımından kampüs camileridir. Bu açıdan amacı kampüs camilerini imkân ve potansiyellerini ortaya koymak olan bu çalışmanın temel problemi, “Yaygın din eğitimi açısından kampüs camilerinin gençlere ulaşabilme açısından imkân, fırsat ve sınırlıkları nelerdir?” sorusuyla ifade edilebilir. Bu doğrultuda çalışmada kampüs camilerinde görev yapan din görevlilerinin sahip olması gereken özelliklerin neler olduğu, kampüs camilerinin mimari tasarım açısından sahip olması gereken özelliklerin neler olduğu, kampüs camilerinde gençlere yönelik ne tür etkinlikler yapıldığı, kampüs camii görevlilerinin paydaşlarla iletişiminin nasıl olduğu, kampüs camilerinde ne tür kaynak/materyallere ihtiyaç duyulduğu ve cami görevlilerinin görev sürecince unutamadıkları hatıraları olup olmadığı sorularına cevap aranmıştır. Bu doğrultuda çalışmada nitel araştırma yöntemi kullanılmış olup, veriler ise yarı yapılandırılmış mülakat formu ile yapılan görüşmeler sonucunda toplanmıştır. Çalışmada üç farklı kampüs camiinde görev yapan üç din görevlisi ile görüşme gerçekleştirilmiştir. Elde edilen veriler, deşifre edildikten sonra içerik analizine tâbi tutulmuş ve kodlanmıştır. Daha sonra kodlar, 7 tema altında birleştirilerek değerlendirilmiştir. Kampüs camilerinde görev yapmanın samimiyet ve fedakârlık gerektirdiğini ifade eden katılımcılar, kampüs camilerinin gençlerin sosyal ihtiyaçlarını da karşılayacak bir külliye şeklinde tasarlanması gerektiğini ifade etmiştir. Kampüs camilerindeki bu ihtiyaçlar ise, kampüs camiinin bulunduğu üniversiteye, coğrafi konuma ve öğrenci özelliklerine göre değişebilmektedir. Cemaat profili açısından diğer camilerden ayrılan kampüs camilerinde gençlerle birlikte birçok etkinlik yaptıklarını belirten görevliler, bu etkinliklerin gençlerin zihinsel dönüşümünü de etkilediğini belirtmektedirler. Bu dönüşümleri duygusal bir şekilde hikayeleştirerek aktaran din görevlilerine göre kampüs camileri, gençlere ulaşma konusunda büyük bir potansiyel taşımaktadır. Kampüs camilerini konu alan çalışmaların artması bu potansiyelin ortaya çıkmasına da vesile olacaktır.
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