Sociology of Popular Religious Music: The Case of Celal Karatüre

This research investigates the dimensions of the impact generated by Celal Karatüre’s performance of the hymn “Pilgrims in the Kaaba Chant Hu, Allah” (Kabe'de Hacılar Hu Der Allah) on digital platforms, utilizing qualitative content analysis from a sociology of religion perspective. The study aims to analyze the hybridization dynamics of religious content in the post-digital era and how this performance transformed into a global phenomenon. The research sample consists of the video titled Hayırlı Cumalar (Blessed Friday), posted on Karatüre’s official Instagram account on October 17, 2025, which garnered 18.1 million views and 4,897 comments and features a performance of the hymn Kabede Hacılar Hu Der Allah (Pilgrims in the Kaaba Chant Hu, Allah). MAXQDA Analytics Pro was used for the systematic analysis of audience comments. The analysis revealed five primary categories: 1) The Hymn Trend as a Space of Cultural Resistance, 2) Mediatization of Everyday Routine, 3) Paradoxical Reality: Street-Style Spirituality and Meme Culture, and 4) Participatory Culture and Interactive Repertory Requests. Ultimately, the mediatization of religious symbols through popular culture constructs a sincerity-oriented habitus that reaches audiences beyond formal discourses, rendering religiosity more accessible, emotional, and independent of space.