Prof. Dr. Safi Arpaguş, the mufti of Istanbul, has been appointed as the new president of Türkiye’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), according to a presidential decree published Thursday in the Official Gazette.

The appointment, made under Articles 2, 3, and 7 of Presidential Decree No. 3, ends the tenure of Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş, who has led the Directorate since 2017.

Born in 1967 in Amasya’s Gümüşhacıköy district, Arpaguş completed his education at Gümüşhacıköy Imam Hatip High School in 1985 and graduated from Marmara University’s Faculty of Theology in 1990. He began his academic career as a research assistant at the same faculty in 1992, earning his master’s degree in 1994 and his doctorate in 2001.

Arpaguş became an associate professor in 2008 and a full professor in 2014, serving as deputy dean at Marmara University’s Faculty of Theology between 2011 and 2021. On October 15, 2021, he was appointed as the mufti of Istanbul by presidential decree, where he also headed the university’s Department of Sufism.

His academic work has focused on Islamic Sufism, particularly the life and teachings of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi, the Mesnevi, and the Mevlevi tradition.

Arpaguş’s appointment is expected to shape the future direction of the Directorate of Religious Affairs, which plays a key role in Türkiye’s religious life, mosque administration, and public engagement on matters of faith. (ILKHA)