Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emrullah Tuncel (b. 1981, Istanbul) is a Turkish academic and the Mufti of Istanbul. He has academic research in the fields of qiraat, tajwid, and tafsir.

Youth and Education

Emrullah Tuncel, originally from the Niksar district of Tokat, was born in 1981 in the Tuzla district of Istanbul. After completing his hifz, he received education in qiraat, classical Arabic, and Islamic sciences. He completed his undergraduate studies at the Faculty of Theology, Marmara University, in 2003. He earned his master’s degree at the Institute of Social Sciences, Marmara University, in the Department of Fundamental Islamic Sciences, specializing in Arabic Language and Rhetoric, with a thesis titled “Exaggeration in Arabic Language and Rhetoric.” He completed his doctorate at the same institute’s Department of Tafsir with a thesis titled “Abu al-Qasim al-Balhi’s Approach to the Qur’an in the Context of the Tafsirs of Abu Ja'far al-Tusi and Fakhr al-Din al-Razi.”

Career and Achievements

Tuncel has continued his academic career in the field of fundamental Islamic sciences and was appointed associate professor in the Department of Qur’an Recitation and the Science of Qiraat in 2024. By Presidential Decree No. 2025/376 dated 3 October 2025, he was appointed as the Mufti of Istanbul. In addition to his academic and administrative duties, he has played an active role in civil society organizations. He has served as an educational consultant for various institutions and within the framework of YEKDER (Association for Widespread Education and Culture), contributing to the development of programs focused on religious education and character building for gifted and talented students.

The inauguration ceremony of Istanbul Provincial Mufti Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emrullah Tuncel (Presidency of Religious Affairs)

Key Works and Contributions

Tuncel’s areas of research include Qur’anic sciences, qiraat, tajwid, tafsir, Qur’anic education, hifz, and religious education. In addition to his academic publications, he conducts work within the scope of religious services and widespread educational activities. In this context, during Ramadan 2026, he presented the tafsir-based recitation program “On the Trail of the Qur’an,” produced by TVNET. In this program, he provided explanations on the tajwid, tafsir, legal rulings, and moral dimensions of Qur’anic verses alongside their recitation.

Books and Projects

Books

• The Methodologies of Abu al-Qasim al-Balhi (Ka‘bi) in Interpreting Qur’anic Verses
• Methodology in Qur’an Teaching (Strategy, Methods and Techniques)
• Qiraat/Recitation Methods in Terms of Letter Pronunciation, Vocal Usage and Recitation Aesthetics
• Qiraat Styles According to the Classification of Hasan ibn Ali al-Ahwaizi

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

• Ishba‘ in Qur’an Recitation and the Science of Qiraat (2023)
• Interest, Preparation, Perception, Attitude and Expectations of International Theology Program (ITP) Students Towards Qur’an Recitation and Tajwid Courses – Based on the MÜİF Scale (2023)
• A Qualitative Study on the Experience of Hifz in Conjunction with Formal Education (2022)
• The Importance and Methodologies of Letter Instruction in Qur’an Teaching (2021)
• The Influence of the Lahn Phenomenon on the Formation of Early Tajwid Texts (2020)
• Abu al-Qasim al-Balhi’s Approach to Qiraat (2020)

International Symposium Papers

• “The Importance and Methodologies of Developing Qur’an Recitation Skills in Preparing Theology Students for Professional Life,” International Symposium: The Contribution of Religious Knowledge Produced in Türkiye to Religious Services and Diyanet Academy, October 2024.
• “The Most Distinctive Example of Loyalty to Allah and His Messenger: Loyalty to the Qur’an.” International Mawlid al-Nabi Symposium: Our Prophet and the Society of Loyalty, Full Text Book (October 29–31, 2021). (Ankara: Publications of the Presidency of Religious Affairs 2022), 288–318.
• “Obstacles and Solutions to High-Quality Qur’an Recitation and Education.” 8th International Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities (ISPEC-2021), Full Text Book (December 24–25, 2021). Ed. Hülya Hamurcu and Ferit Yücebaş. (Bingöl: ISPEC Publications 2021), 304–325.
• “The Importance of Establishing Justice as an Ethical Value in Educational Settings and Proposed Solutions to Unjust Attitudes in the Educational Process,” II. International Symposium on Religion and Humanity (UDİS – 2021).
• “Proposals for Mosque and Qur’an Course Teachers to Enhance the Effectiveness of Services for Children.” International Mawlid al-Nabi Symposium: Our Prophet and Children, Full Text Book (November 6–8, 2020). (Izmir: Publications of the Presidency of Religious Affairs 2020), 957–983.
• “The Importance of Method in Preserving the Original: Bridging the Language of the New Generation with the Language of Religion,” I. International Symposium on Religion and Humanity, Eskişehir Osman Gazi University Faculty of Theology, October 10–12, 2019.
• “A Method Proposal for Islamic Education in Formal Educational Institutions: Analogical/Metaphorical Narration,” International Congress on Islamic Education, Istanbul, 2018.