General Questions

Is it possible to ask the academics at İSAM for fatwas on religious issues?
The official institutions responsible for answering such questions are the Presidency of Religious Affairs and the Istanbul Mufti’s Office. You can browse the fatwas previously issued by the High Council of Religious Affairs of the Presidency of Religious Affairs at kurul.diyanet.gov.tr or you can consult the “Fatwa Hotline” at Alo 190.

Is İSAM affiliated with the Presidency of Religious Affairs?
ISAM is a research center operating in cooperation with the Presidency of Religious Affairs within the body of the Religious Foundation of Turkey, which is subject to the Law on Foundations.

Is İSAM a public institution? Does it have a relationship with the Council of Higher Education (YÖK)?
ISAM is a private law legal entity and has no public character and no relationship with the Council of Higher Education (YÖK).

What are İSAM’s sources of income?
İSAM’s main source of income is the Türkiye Diyanet Foundation.

Does İSAM pursue a profit-making purpose and does it make profit?
ISAM is a non-profit organization.

Does İSAM have a branch office, and if not, are there plans to open one?
Organizations using the name “Centre for Islamic Studies” or the abbreviation “İSAM” or similar names have nothing to do with the Türkiye Diyanet Foundation Centre for Islamic Studies (İSAM). There is no plan to open a branch.

What is İSAM’s academic staff recruitment policy? Which specializations are employed?
ISAM occasionally employs research staff and specialists in the fields of social sciences and religious sciences, taking into account its own Working Instructions, the Deed of the Religious Foundation of Turkey, and the needs of the country in general and the institutional service areas in particular.

What do you need to do to be informed about the activities at İSAM?
It is necessary to subscribe to the ISAM e-mail list and/or regularly follow the announcements on the website.

Where can İSAM publications be obtained?
They can be obtained from the bookstores of the Türkiye Diyanet Foundation and diyanetvakfiyayin.com.tr.

 

Training

Are training programs organized at İSAM?
İSAM only organizes courses and seminars on topics of interest. You must be at least an undergraduate student to participate in these programs.

Is the Researcher Assistance and Training Project accepting applications?
The Researcher Assistance and Training Project which is a scholarship program of İSAM, is currently not accepting applications. As of now, there is no specified application schedule for the project, which has only been conducted for three terms so far.

 

Library

Why are readers not allowed to borrow books from İSAM Library?
The right to borrow books from İSAM Library belongs to the permanent and full-time researchers of our institution and the staff of the Diyanet Encyclopedia of Islam. Books cannot be lent to anyone other than these groups, as they may be needed at any time in connection with İSAM’s research activities.

What should the reader do for books and journals that they cannot find in the library?
They should apply to the library floor staff and the staff of the application unit.

Can the reader request the purchase of works that are not available in the library?
Researchers who are members of our library can fill out the publication request forms in the application unit and submit them to the İSAM Library Directorate in order to obtain books, journals, and theses related to their fields, or they can fill out the contact form at isam.org.tr/iletisim/iletisim_formu and send it by selecting “library” from the “to” section. Written suggestions are evaluated by the relevant committees and publication procurement activities are carried out according to a certain policy and planning.

Why are the texts of the books and periodicals in the library not transferred to databases and made available online?
This is a copyright issue and it is technically impossible for İSAM to purchase the right to publish all books online. In addition, since such services are offered through various websites, they are not considered a priority.

Can microfiche and microfilm be printed?
Positive and negative microfilms and microfiche can be printed and burned to CD.

Can the sources in the document files be photocopied?
Yes, photocopies can be made from the sources in the document files within the knowledge of the staff working in the relevant service. When the photocopying service is busy, an appointment system is applied.

In order to provide better quality service by improving its human resources, the Centre for Islamic Studies would be pleased to receive any written feedback about its staff. You can drop your note in the suggestion and wish box in the library or write to isam@isam.org.tr / kutuphane@isam.org.tr.

Can library readers enter the research building?
If they make an appointment with the person they want to meet, they can enter the building with the help of the application officer.

Can the IT staff at İSAM be asked for help with special tasks?
Due to their heavy workload, IT staff are only responsible for the computers within the institution.