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DOI :10.26650/SJ.2024.44.2.0697   IUP :10.26650/SJ.2024.44.2.0697    Full Text (PDF)

The Homeless, the Imams, and the Transformation of the Mosque: The Case of Istanbul Hz. Kaab Mosque

Şevket Ercan Kızılay

The aim of this study was to examine the social service activities carried out for homeless individuals at Hz. Kaab Mosque in Ayvansaray Neighbourhood of Eyüpsultan district of Istanbul and to understand the role of the mosque as a faith-based organisation in rehabilitation processes in this context. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with a total of 13 people, including 1 mosque Imam, 7 homeless individuals who were staying in the mosque guesthouse at the time of the research, 4 former homeless individuals who were rehabilitated at the Human Touch Centre, and 1 neighbourhood resident. It is seen that the Human Touch Centre established within Hz. Kaab Mosque has an important function both in meeting the urgent needs of the homeless and in their rehabilitation. Restructuring of social service practises for homeless individuals in Hz. Kaab Mosque as the Human Touch Centre shows that faith-based social service practises have been transformed to respond to modern needs. It was concluded that the shelter, food, cleaning, psychosocial support and vocational rehabilitation services provided at Hz. Kaab Mosque should be considered as an example of social service practise, especially at the point of reintegrating substance-addicted homeless individuals into social life. At the Human Touch Centre, an inclusive and supportive rehabilitation programme that aims to reduce the risk of social exclusion of homeless individuals is implemented on the basis of volunteerism and civil initiative. In addition to meeting the basic humanitarian needs of individuals, the programme aims to ensure their reintegration into society through socialisation and vocational rehabilitation. In this context, since its establishment, the Human Touch Centre has successfully implemented rehabilitation programmes on 350 homeless individuals, and their reintegration into society has been ensured.

Keywords: Homelessness, Faith-based organisations, Mosque, Imams, Social policy
DOI :10.26650/SJ.2024.44.2.0697   IUP :10.26650/SJ.2024.44.2.0697    Full Text (PDF)

Evsizler, İmamlar ve Caminin Dönüşümü: İstanbul Hz. Kaab Camii Örneği

Şevket Ercan Kızılay

Bu çalışmanın amacı, İstanbul’un Eyüpsultan ilçesi Ayvansaray Mahallesi’nde yer alan Hz. Kaab Camii’nde evsiz bireylere yönelik gerçekleştirilen sosyal hizmet çalışmalarını incelemek ve bu bağlamda inanç temelli bir kuruluş olarak caminin rehabilitasyon süreçlerindeki rolünü anlamaktır. 1’i cami imamı, 7’si araştırmanın yapıldığı sırada cami misafirhanesinde kalmakta olan evsiz birey, 4’ü İnsana Dokunma Merkezi’nde rehabilite olmuş eski evsiz birey, 1’i de mahalle sakininden oluşmak üzere toplamda 13 kişi ile yarı yapılandırılmış derinlemesine mülakat yapılmıştır. Hz. Kaab Camii bünyesinde kurulan İnsana Dokunma Merkezi’nin evsizlerin hem acil ihtiyaçlarının karşılanmasında hem de rehabilitasyonlarında önemli bir işlev üstlendiği görülmektedir. Hz. Kaab Camii’ndeki evsiz bireylere yönelik sosyal hizmet uygulamalarının İnsana Dokunma Merkezi olarak yeniden yapılandırılması, inanç temelli sosyal hizmet uygulamalarının modern gereksinimlere cevap verecek şekilde dönüşüm geçirdiğini göstermektedir. Özellikle madde bağımlısı evsiz bireylerin toplum hayatına yeniden kazandırılması noktasında, Hz. Kaab Camii’nde verilen barınma, gıda, temizlik, psikososyal destek ve mesleki rehabilitasyon hizmetlerinin bir sosyal hizmet uygulama örneği olarak dikkate alınması gerektiği sonucuna varılmıştır. İnsana Dokunma Merkezi’nde tamamen gönüllülük ve sivil inisiyatif esas alınarak, evsiz bireylerin sosyal dışlanma riskini azaltmayı hedefleyen kapsayıcı ve destekleyici bir rehabilitasyon programı uygulanmaktadır. Program, bireylerin temel insani ihtiyaçlarını karşılamanın yanı sıra, sosyalleşme ve mesleki rehabilitasyon yoluyla topluma yeniden entegrasyonlarını sağlamayı amaçlamaktadır. Bu kapsamda, İnsana Dokunma Merkezi kuruluşundan bu yana 350 evsiz birey üzerinde rehabilitasyon programlarını başarıyla uygulamış ve bu bireylerin topluma yeniden entegrasyonu sağlanmıştır.

Keywords: Evsizlik, İnanç temelli kuruluşlar, Cami, İmam, Sosyal politika

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APA

Kızılay, Ş.E. (2025). The Homeless, the Imams, and the Transformation of the Mosque: The Case of Istanbul Hz. Kaab Mosque. İstanbul University Journal of Sociology, 44(2), 555-558. https://doi.org/10.26650/SJ.2024.44.2.0697


AMA

Kızılay Ş E. The Homeless, the Imams, and the Transformation of the Mosque: The Case of Istanbul Hz. Kaab Mosque. İstanbul University Journal of Sociology. 2025;44(2):555-558. https://doi.org/10.26650/SJ.2024.44.2.0697


ABNT

Kızılay, Ş.E. The Homeless, the Imams, and the Transformation of the Mosque: The Case of Istanbul Hz. Kaab Mosque. İstanbul University Journal of Sociology, [Publisher Location], v. 44, n. 2, p. 555-558, 2025.


Chicago: Author-Date Style

Kızılay, Şevket Ercan,. 2025. “The Homeless, the Imams, and the Transformation of the Mosque: The Case of Istanbul Hz. Kaab Mosque.” İstanbul University Journal of Sociology 44, no. 2: 555-558. https://doi.org/10.26650/SJ.2024.44.2.0697


Chicago: Humanities Style

Kızılay, Şevket Ercan,. “The Homeless, the Imams, and the Transformation of the Mosque: The Case of Istanbul Hz. Kaab Mosque.” İstanbul University Journal of Sociology 44, no. 2 (Feb. 2025): 555-558. https://doi.org/10.26650/SJ.2024.44.2.0697


Harvard: Australian Style

Kızılay, ŞE 2025, 'The Homeless, the Imams, and the Transformation of the Mosque: The Case of Istanbul Hz. Kaab Mosque', İstanbul University Journal of Sociology, vol. 44, no. 2, pp. 555-558, viewed 4 Feb. 2025, https://doi.org/10.26650/SJ.2024.44.2.0697


Harvard: Author-Date Style

Kızılay, Ş.E. (2025) ‘The Homeless, the Imams, and the Transformation of the Mosque: The Case of Istanbul Hz. Kaab Mosque’, İstanbul University Journal of Sociology, 44(2), pp. 555-558. https://doi.org/10.26650/SJ.2024.44.2.0697 (4 Feb. 2025).


MLA

Kızılay, Şevket Ercan,. “The Homeless, the Imams, and the Transformation of the Mosque: The Case of Istanbul Hz. Kaab Mosque.” İstanbul University Journal of Sociology, vol. 44, no. 2, 2025, pp. 555-558. [Database Container], https://doi.org/10.26650/SJ.2024.44.2.0697


Vancouver

Kızılay ŞE. The Homeless, the Imams, and the Transformation of the Mosque: The Case of Istanbul Hz. Kaab Mosque. İstanbul University Journal of Sociology [Internet]. 4 Feb. 2025 [cited 4 Feb. 2025];44(2):555-558. Available from: https://doi.org/10.26650/SJ.2024.44.2.0697 doi: 10.26650/SJ.2024.44.2.0697


ISNAD

Kızılay, ŞevketErcan. “The Homeless, the Imams, and the Transformation of the Mosque: The Case of Istanbul Hz. Kaab Mosque”. İstanbul University Journal of Sociology 44/2 (Feb. 2025): 555-558. https://doi.org/10.26650/SJ.2024.44.2.0697



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Submitted23.09.2024
Accepted08.12.2024
Published Online03.01.2025

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