In an evening programme hosted by the Royal Ottoman Society, Tuğrul Selmanoğlu shared his reflections on the state of Muslim youth in Europe and Turkey, drawing on Qur’anic principles, early Islamic history and his own observations. The talk was an invitation to take up the responsibility we all share for nurturing the next generation.
Youth as the vanguard of the faith
From the outset, Tuğrul Selmanoğlu reminded us that the mission of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was carried on the shoulders of young companions. In the Dar al‑Arqam (Darül‑Erkam) in Mecca, he noted, around seventy percent of those taking part were under twenty. Hazreti Ali, who took on responsibility at ten, and Musab bin Umeyr, sent to Yathrib at nineteen, show how early Islam entrusted its most vital tasks to the young.
These examples are more than anecdotes; they are a living model. The energy, idealism and courage of youth are indispensable for any genuine revival. When a young companion knocked on every door and passed on the message until “no door was left unopened”, the result was a transformation that still resonates today.
The current situation in Europe and Turkey
Tuğrul Selmanoğlu observed a paradox in Muslim communities today. Young people are constantly visible on social media and travel across continents, yet many remain distant from organised religious life. In Europe and in Turkey alike, they gather in cafés, nightclubs and other secular spaces, while mosques and community centres struggle to reach them.
He named two connected challenges:
- Lack of purposeful activity: When an organisation exists without a clear mission (dava), it becomes an empty vessel that consumes resources but inspires no one. He illustrated this with the image of the “Kanarya Serenler”: an association without purpose cannot kindle the enthusiasm of the young.
- The language barrier in the diaspora: Among young people of Turkish origin in Germany and elsewhere in Europe, limited proficiency in Turkish is a further hurdle.
