Istanbul mufti named head of top religious body
ANKARA
Istanbul mufti Safi Arpaguş has been appointed as the new head of Diyanet, Türkiye's top religious authority, according to a presidential decree published on Sept. 18 in the Official Gazette.
Arpaguş, 57, succeeds Ali Erbaş, who completed an eight-year term as head of the body.
Born in the northern city of Amasya in 1967, Arpaguş graduated from Marmara University’s Faculty of Theology in 1990 and has remained closely tied to the institution throughout his academic career.
He became a research assistant in the department of Sufism in 1992, earned his master’s degree in 1994, and completed his doctorate in 2001 with a thesis on the Islamic mystic Mevlana.
Arpaguş was promoted to professor in 2014 and has authored numerous works on Sufism. In 2021, he was appointed as Istanbul mufti while continuing to teach at Marmara University.
The Diyanet was established in 1924 by modern Türkiye founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk as an institution affiliated with the prime ministry.
Its mission is to oversee Islamic practices in Türkiye, guide society on religious matters and manage places of worship.
Since July 2018, the institution has been attached to the presidency.
