HÜDA PAR Chairman Zekeriya Yapıcıoğlu said politics should be understood as a means of serving the nation rather than pursuing personal or political gain, stressing that public office is temporary and should be used in accordance with principles of justice, responsibility and faith.

Yapıcıoğlu made the remarks during a meeting with young people organized by the HÜDA PAR Siirt Provincial Youth Branches, where he answered questions on politics, public service, communication with society and the religious and moral principles underlying his approach to political life.

Addressing the importance of direct communication, Yapıcıoğlu said political parties cannot rely solely on the media to explain themselves to society. He acknowledged that there are still people across Türkiye whom HÜDA PAR has not been able to reach and urged young people who have direct contact with the party to convey what they observe accurately.

“Those who are present here should tell those who are not”

Yapıcıoğlu referred to the Prophet Muhammad’s address during the Farewell Pilgrimage as an example of how a message can reach people far beyond those who hear it directly.

He noted that the Prophet addressed more than 100,000 companions at Arafat at a time when modern communication technologies such as microphones, cameras and journalists did not exist.

Recalling the Prophet’s instruction that those who were present should convey the message to those who were absent, Yapıcıoğlu said people who meet HÜDA PAR representatives should similarly communicate what they see without exaggeration or distortion.

“A person who comes into direct contact with HÜDA PAR or sits down and talks with a HÜDA PAR official should take whatever they see, without diminishing or adding anything, without praising or criticizing, just as if taking a photograph, and place it before the people,” he said.

Yapıcıoğlu also criticized what he described as attempts by certain circles to portray HÜDA PAR in an extremely negative manner, arguing that the party should instead be judged through direct interaction and observation.

“Politics is a means of serving the nation”

A major theme of Yapıcıoğlu’s address was his party’s understanding of political responsibility.

“Politics is a means of serving the nation,” he said, arguing that politicians should be prepared to put the interests of society and the country ahead of their own interests when the two come into conflict.

He stressed that neither individuals nor political groups should place their own interests above the broader interests of society.

“If on one side there is our interest and on the other side there is the general interest of the nation, and if the two conflict or clash, we will give up our own interest,” Yapıcıoğlu said.

He added that political positions should not be viewed as privileges or opportunities for personal status.

“Politics is not a means of putting on airs before the nation”

Yapıcıoğlu said holding political office does not make a person inherently more valuable than other members of society.

Referring to privileges associated with parliamentary office, he questioned whether becoming a lawmaker gives anyone the right to consider themselves superior to ordinary citizens.

“Just because I have parliamentary immunity, just because I sit in those seats—does that make me more valuable than you in the sight of Allah?” he asked.

He emphasized that political positions are temporary and should be regarded simply as additional opportunities to serve if they are undertaken with sincere intentions.

Reflecting on his own experience as a lawmaker, Yapıcıoğlu said becoming a member of parliament did not make him physically or inherently more valuable.

“Just because I became a member of parliament, neither did my height increase, nor did my weight increase, nor did my value in the sight of Allah increase,” he said.

He added that a political position could have spiritual significance only if it were used sincerely to serve the nation and seek God's pleasure.

“Death is being born into a new life”

Yapıcıoğlu also devoted part of his address to the temporary nature of worldly life and accountability in the hereafter.

“Death is not non-existence. Death is a new beginning,” he said, describing death as a transition from this world to the hereafter.

He stressed that people would ultimately be accountable not only for their actions but also for responsibilities they were expected to fulfill but failed to carry out.

The HÜDA PAR chairman said this belief should influence how people conduct themselves in political and social life, including the decisions they make while holding positions of responsibility.

“We will not sacrifice our hereafter for worldly offices”

Yapıcıoğlu said political considerations should not lead people to compromise their religious principles merely to gain public approval, political support or applause.

“I cannot do actions that would distance me from my Lord’s pleasure just so that some people will be pleased with me,” he said.

He added that worldly political positions should never be prioritized over the hereafter.

“With Allah’s permission, we will not sacrifice our hereafter for our world, for worldly offices,” he said.

Faith should guide all aspects of life

Yapıcıoğlu further argued that religious values should not be confined to acts of worship but should guide a person's broader conduct, including politics, business and relations with other people.

“My prayer, my acts of worship, my life, my death, my politics, my trade, my love, my hatred, my anger—all of them are for Allah, the Lord of the worlds,” he said.

He urged people to ensure that even their feelings of affection and dislike remain within what they consider to be morally and religiously appropriate boundaries.

“If you love, love for the sake of Allah. If you hate, hate for the sake of Allah,” he said.

Call for unity among Muslims

Concluding his speech, Yapıcıoğlu called for Muslims to avoid hostility and enmity toward one another and prayed for greater solidarity within the Muslim community.

“O Allah, make us beloved to those You love and make those You love beloved to us. Leave no enmity in our hearts toward any believer,” he said.

Yapıcıoğlu concluded by describing HÜDA PAR's political approach as one that regards politics and political office as tools for serving society and ultimately seeking God's pleasure.

“We are cadres who try to conduct politics for the sake of Allah, who try to gain Allah’s pleasure, who try to serve their nation for the sake of Allah,” he said, adding that those who sincerely follow this approach would succeed while those who pursue other aims would ultimately lose. (ILKHA)