15.01.2026 08:40
Ali Erbaş, the former president of the Directorate of Religious Affairs, has been appointed as a faculty member at 29 Mayıs University.
On September 18, 2025, Ali Erbaş, who was removed from the position of President of Religious Affairs by a presidential decision, began his new career.
Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş joined the academic staff at Istanbul 29 Mayıs University, which he founded under the Religious Foundation. His name was listed in the 'Academic Staff' section of the university's official website.
Additionally, it is planned to update Erbaş's profile on the university's website in the coming days.
WHO IS ALİ ERBAŞ?
He was born in 1961 in Yeşilyurt village, Kabadüz District, Ordu province. He attended Yeşilyurt Village Primary School for his elementary education. He graduated from Sakarya Imam Hatip High School in 1980 and from the Faculty of Theology at Marmara University in 1984.
Between 1982 and 1993, he served as a religious official in various mosques affiliated with the Istanbul Fatih Mufti's Office of the Presidency of Religious Affairs.
In 1987, he completed his master's degree with a thesis titled "Repetitions in the Quran" in the Department of Tafsir at the Faculty of Theology of Marmara University, and in 1993, he completed his doctorate with a thesis titled "Belief in Angels in Divine Religions" in the Department of History of Religions.
Between 1988 and 1990, he attended a specialization course opened for master's and doctoral students at the Istanbul Haseki Training Center.
In 1993, he was appointed as an Assistant Professor in the Department of History of Religions at Sakarya University. In July and August 1994, he conducted research in the field of history of religions and religious studies at the libraries of the Centre George Pompidou and Sorbonne University in Paris. Later, from the beginning of the 1996-1997 academic year, he conducted research related to his field as a visiting faculty member at the University of Strasbourg for one year.
At the beginning of the 1997-1998 academic year, he returned to Turkey and became an associate professor in November 1998 and a professor in January 2004.
Between 1993 and 2006, he served as the Head of the Department of History of Religions and also as the Head of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies during the same period.
Between 1997 and 2002, he served as the Vice Dean of the Faculty of Theology at Sakarya University for five years, and from 2006 to 2011, he served two terms as the Dean of the same faculty.
Between 2003 and 2011, he served as a Senate Member at Sakarya University, and between 2006 and 2011, he served as a Board Member at the same university.
In 2011, he was appointed as the General Director of Educational Services at the Presidency of Religious Affairs.
Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş was appointed as the Rector of Yalova University on June 8, 2017.
On September 17, 2017, he was appointed to the Presidency of Religious Affairs. He continued his duties until September 18, 2025. On that date, he transferred his position to Prof. Dr. Safi Arpaguş.
Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş has twelve books, numerous articles, and many symposium papers and conferences presented both domestically and internationally. He is proficient in Arabic and French.
Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş is married and has four children.