Sufism was discussed in terms of art, culture and cinema

Üsküdar University Institute for Sufi Studies Deputy Director Asst. Prof. F. Cangüzel Güner Zülfikar and Director Nilgün Akıncı attended the workshop titled "Sufism: Art, Culture and Cinema" organized by Humboldt University of Berlin. Zülfikar, who participated in the workshop organized at the invitation of Prof. Tûbâ Işık, one of the professors of tat Institute of Islamic Theology at Humboldt University of Berlin. She gave information to the participants about the history of the establishment of the Institute for Sufi Studies within Üsküdar University, its master's and doctorate programs, and the staff of the institute. Nilgün Akıncı, on the other hand, talked about new film projects and pointed out that it is necessary to work together to embody hopes for the future.

The workshop, held at Humboldt University Berlin, was held in two sessions.

Attention was drawn to the work of the Institute of Sufi Studies

Üsküdar University Institute for Sufi Studies Deputy Director Assist. In her speech at the first session, Asst. Prof. F. Cangüzel Güner Zülfikar talked about the studies of Cemalnur Sargut, who pioneered the establishment of the institute with Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, who is still the Advisor to the Rector of Üsküdar University and the President of TÜRKKAD İstanbul, about Sufi studies in universities and the teaching of Sufism in the academic environment. She also informed the participants about the history of the establishment of the Institute for Sufi Studies within Üsküdar University, the master's and doctorate programs, and the staff of the institute.

In this respect, Zülfikar made statements about the brother institutions of the Institute for Sufi Studies in the international academic relations network and the national and international projects carried out in this context.

Stating that the institute has created an important academic atmosphere that encourages interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches, since the students at the Institute for Sufi Studies are professional employees from all professions, Dr. Zülfikar stated that the institute responds to the need for human-oriented and humanitarian-centered studies. Dr. Zülfikar answered the questions of the audience after an hour-long conference.

She stated that it is possible for art to benefit from the language of communication

In the second session, Asst. Prof. F. Cangüzel Güner Zülfikar stated that Sufism is an art of living by giving examples from the works of the Sufis. She stated that it was possible to benefit from the communication language of art by showing excerpts from the film titled 'The Last Prophet' prepared by Cemalnur Sargut.

Akıncı defined herself as a Muslim activist...

Director Nilgün Akıncı, on the other hand, focused on the role of the film industry in the self-representation of Turks and Muslims living in Germany as a film director. Sharing the troubles of the identity confusion she experienced, Akıncı defined herself as a Muslim activist in her struggle for existence.

Akıncı, who also offered solutions, asked questions about the place of art in human life. Akıncı shared excerpts from a short introductory film she prepared about the Berlin Museum of Islamic Art.

It is necessary to work together to embody hopes for the future...

Nilgün Akıncı talked about new film projects in the second session and explained that it is necessary to work as a unit to embody hopes for the future. Emphasizing that there is a Muslim population of 2 billion in the world, Akıncı stated that Muslims are aware of world problems such as environmental and climate pollution and need a conscious collective solidarity to take essential measures.

A bilateral cooperation project on Masnavi-Child is being carried out

Deputy Director of the Institute for Sufi Studies Asst. Prof. F. Cangüzel Güner Zülfikar is in Berlin at the invitation of Humboldt University of Berlin to carry out the bilateral cooperation project on Masnevi-Children.

The project is about interdisciplinary research on the evaluation of the stories in Mevlana's Masnavi in children's religious and moral education.

Faculty members, doctoral and master's students from Üsküdar University and Berlin Humbolt University are involved in the project. On October 11-14, 2024, the two universities will jointly hold a comprehensive congress titled 'Mawlânâ Jalâladdîn Rûmî in Today's Education: Rethinking Methodologies', where the first outputs of the project will be evaluated.

 

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)