Prof. Fuat Sezgin was commemorated at Üsküdar University on the 100th anniversary of his birthday!

Within the scope of the UNESCO Commemoration Program, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Prof. Fuat Sezgin's birthday, the international symposium "Human Health and Soul-Body Integrity Approaches in the History of Medicine of Islamic Civilization" was held at Üsküdar University in cooperation with the Kerim Foundation.

On behalf of the Fuat Sezgin Research Foundation for the History of Islamic Sciences, Mecit Çetinkaya, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Trustees, Bilal Erdoğan, Members of the Board of Trustees, and Prof. Şükrettin Güldütuna, who was also the guest of honor of the Symposium, talked about Professor Fuat Sezgin and his works in the opening part of the Symposium. Prof. Nevzat Tarhan stated that "Islamic civilization has been a source for many civilizations. Unless we synthesize religion and science, we will continue to miss out on innovations."

Bilal Erdoğan stated that "Fuat Hodja proved to us that it is possible to live by dedicating his life to a blessed cause in this era."

Cemalnur Sargut stated that "Fuat Sezgin had two types of knowledge..."

Prof. Güldütuna stated that "Our professor Fuat Sezgin believed that his work would awaken a revival and a rise in the Islamic world."

 

Within the scope of the UNESCO Commemoration Program, the 'Human Health and Mental-Body Integrity Approaches in the History of Islamic Civilization Medicine' Symposium, organized by Üsküdar University Faculty of Medicine, Kerim Foundation and Üsküdar University Institute for Sufi Studies between November 2-3, 2024, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Prof. Fuat Sezgin's Birth, was completed at Üsküdar University NP Health Campus İbni Sina Auditorium.

The opening speeches of the event were delivered by President of Üsküdar University Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, Prof. Fuat Sezgin Research Foundation for the History of Science in Islam Chairman of the Board of Directors and Board of Trustees Mecit Çetinkaya, Member of the Board of Trustees of the 'Prof. Fuat Sezgin Research Foundation for the History of Science in Islam' Bilal Erdoğan, Üsküdar University Vice Rector Prof. Hikmet Koçak, Dean of Üsküdar University Faculty of Medicine Prof. Haydar Sur, Üsküdar University Advisor to the Rector Cemalnur Sargut and Üsküdar University Institute for Sufi Studies Prof. Reşat Öngören.

After the opening speeches, the guest of honor of the symposium, the late Prof. Fuat Sezgin's fellow and private physician for 38 years, Prof. Şükrettin Güldütuna gave a speech titled 'Professor Fuat Sezgin with Memories'.

Prof. Tarhan: "He argues that loving science is a religious justification"

Speaking at the program where participation was intense, President of Üsküdar University Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan said that the services provided by Prof. Fuat Sezgin were much greater than expected. Tarhan stated that "He uncovered a hidden treasure and dispelled many prejudices. He started researching after a teacher said, 'religion is a reason for progress'. At that time, there was domestic Islamophobia. Westerners understand Fuat Sezgin better than we do. Unfortunately, we also have an Islamophobic point of view that still cannot understand Mr. Fuat Sezgin. That is why it was not taken care of. Prof. Fuat uses the methodology in science with research. In fact, it reveals that science is respected on religious grounds in the Islamic world. He argues that loving science is a religious justification."

Reminding that there are names such as Ebubekir Razi and İbn-i Sina in the history of medicine, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan continued his remarks as follows:

"We forget all this. It was not taught during our student years. I do not think it is properly taught now. We have an education style such as 'The West is the superior culture, and we are the low culture, so we should be like the West'. Therefore, there is a false cultural modernization. In other words, when we should be modernizing by preserving our own cultural identity, a wrong choice was made to modernize by abandoning our own identity."

Prof. Tarhan: "Unless we synthesize religion and science, we will continue to miss out on innovations"

Expressing that he commemorated Prof. Fuat Sezgin with mercy, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan talked about the museum prepared by Prof. Fuat Sezgin and expressed that "A beautiful museum was built. There are models there apart from the observation books. There are scalpels, cautery, models of many medical devices related to the whole history of medicine. Thus, we have a history that can walk around with our heads held high."

Pointing out that civilizations grow, age and pass away like humans, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan made the following remarks:

"Islamic civilization was also born, grew and in some cases atrophied; however, it has been the source of many civilizations and is still doing its duty in this period. In the 1500s and 1600s, Islamic civilization declined, and we missed the industrial revolution. Let us take the value of the past and let us understand it. If we do not see our mistake, we cannot correct ourselves. We always look for the fault in someone else, and we need to look for it in ourselves. There is the fact that we have missed civilization, that we have neglected the progress of thought, beyond the natural aging of the Ottoman Empire. It is up to us to revive it. Unless we synthesize religion and science, we will continue to miss out on many innovations. Without mental transformation, there is no social transformation, and there is no scientific discovery. There has to be a mental transformation first."

Bilal Erdoğan: "Professor Fuat Sezgin proved to us that it is possible to live in this era by dedicating his life to a blessed cause"

Member of the Board of Trustees of the 'Prof. Fuat Sezgin Research Foundation for the History of Science in Islam' Bilal Erdoğan attended the event and made a speech, and Erdoğan expressed that "Our professor Fuat Sezgin was an example of dedicating his life to a blessed cause." Stating that he was lucky enough to know Fuat Sezgin, Bilal Erdoğan continued his speech as follows:

"We should focus on studies that will promote not only his works but also his life and personality. In this era, he proved to us that he could live by dedicating his life to a blessed cause. What was the cause of the blessed cause? From this point of view, I want Muslim youth to see what they can do. There is no such thing as 'we are backward because we are Muslims'. When it comes to technological development in Türkiye, we see that religious people are at the forefront. Human beings are beings who need to know themselves. The system prevents people from taking the time to get to know themselves. When we start complaining about someone, when we start to condemn, criticize, and gossip about someone. We stop ourselves from seeing our own mistakes and trying to correct them, and let alone sin."

Stating that the happiest thing about Prof. Fuat Sezgin in his last years was the young people who listened to him and read his books, Bilal Erdoğan concluded his speech with the hope of keeping his legacy alive and raising intellectuals who will work on his path in such meetings.

Cemalnur Sargut: "For body and mental health, two glasses near and far should be used together."

Advisor to the Rector of Üsküdar University Cemalnur Sargut gave an example from her own life in her opening speech, based on Ken'an Rifâî's statements that there are three types of glasses. Sargut stated that "Unfortunately, I have always worn far glasses throughout my life. When you put on the far glasses, you are always busy with the other world. In other words, spiritual relaxation, struggle with your soul, working to please God... However, I neglected this realm. I neglected my well-being. Now that I am older, I realize how much I have neglected. However, I was still thankful that I did not use the close-up glasses, in the sense of just working for this world. In fact, if you use two glasses together, you feel that both the health of your body and your spiritual development are much more balanced in that health."

Cemalnur Sargut: "Professor Sezgin had two types of knowledge..."

Stating that the definition of scholar in the dictionary literally means one who knows, comprehends and sees the truth of everything, Sargut expressed that "When I met him, he believed in his heart that he was a scholar. There are heart-to-heart paths, and in that going, I realized that because we were meeting for the first time, we were working towards the same goal. We are working for the same meaning. And he is a special person.

Why is he a special person? There are three kinds of scholars for children. First of all, ‘alîm is one of the attributes of Allah, it is only Allah, "a'lem", who knows everything in the most perfect way, who knows his own person.

Second, "alîm" is knowing with the knowledge that Allah has bestowed on man. This is the knowledge that Allah has bestowed on man and found the knowledge that he has gifted. He was working entirely for Islam and there was something extraordinary. And the third is "allâme". I saw this in Professor Fuat Sezgin. This is the knowledge gained by studying. That is to say, he had two types of knowledge: He was a fortunate person whom Allah had bestowed upon him, who was not in a normal person, who commanded him to work, but at the same time taught his heart what to do, and who was blessed with his own knowledge."

Prof. Öngören: In the history of medicine, we see that mental therapy is given importance as well as physical therapy"

In his opening speech, Prof. Reşat Öngören from Üsküdar University Institute for Sufi Studies reminded that the Symposium was organized jointly by the Faculty of Medicine and the Institute for Sufi Studies and touched on the relationship between medicine and Sufism. Pointing out the methods of treating diseases of the people of Sufism through the relationship between Allah, the universe and man, Prof. Reşat Öngören continued his speech as follows:

"In the universe, which is a manifestation of the names and attributes of God and is expressed as ‘macrocosm’, man is defined as ‘microcosm’, that is, it is accepted that the whole universe is formed in man. Therefore, there is an overlap and a response at the level of these two entities. For this reason, ancient physicians were called both ‘physicians’ and ‘judges’ because they were interested in natural philosophy as well as the human body. In this understanding, it is possible to use various plants, stones, sounds, etc. elements in the universe for the treatment of human ailments.

On the other hand, it is seen that since the early period in the history of medicine of Islamic civilization, the treatment of the soul (tıbb-ı rûhânî) has been emphasized as well as the treatment of the body (tıbb-ı cesedânî). Physicians who talk about spiritual medicine state that excessive passion for worldly blessings such as wealth, position, and fame causes extreme sadness and depression when these are not obtained or what is at hand is lost, and on the other hand, feelings of hatred, anger, envy and jealousy against those who have them cannot be controlled. This leads to the emergence of problems in the spirit worlds and the emergence of ‘psychosomatic’ disorders in today's terms.

To avoid such ailments, it should be said that Sufi education performs important functions as ‘preventive medicine’. Because Sufi education primarily frees the human soul from excessive dependence on the world, and ultimately aims to ensure that it is completely free."

Mecit Çetinkaya: "We give scholarships to students studying the history of medicine"

Speaking at the opening, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Board of Trustees of the 'Prof. Fuat Sezgin Research Foundation for the History of Science in Islam' Mecit Çetinkaya thanked the organizers and participants of the Symposium. Giving information about the 'Prof. Fuat Sezgin Research Foundation for the History of Science in Islam', Mecit Çetinkaya said that "We established such a foundation on the occasion of our teacher Fuat, and we brought its library to Türkiye within the foundation. Unfortunately, we still have not been able to get some of his works, especially his manuscript notes. The process on this issue is ongoing. We give scholarships to students studying the history of medicine, and we are instrumental in allowing them to study at the university for free."

Prof. Koçak: "Fuat Sezgin saved all scientists living in the Islamic geography from their inferiority complex"

In his speech, Üsküdar University Vice Rector Prof. Hikmet Koçak said that "Professor Fuat Sezgin was a person who was fully worthy of the phrase 'the value of a person is in proportion to his benevolence'. The works he has done throughout his life have given a sense of confidence to all scientists living not only in Türkiye, but also in the Islamic geography today, and saved them from an inferiority complex."

Talking about his memories with Prof. Fuat Sezgin, Prof. Hikmet Koçak said that "I hope you will come to beautiful places by taking Prof. Fuat Sezgin as an example and benefiting from his works."

Prof. Sur: "Competence is not enough, predisposition is required"

In his speech, Üsküdar University Faculty of Medicine Dean Prof. Haydar Sur expressed that "There is a professor like Fuat Sezgin. There is Islamic civilization and the history of medicine, which constitutes a very important part of it. The fact that Üsküdar University hosts such esteemed guests on the 10th anniversary of its establishment creates an excitement."

Stating that they included the 'Humanities in Medicine' course in the curriculum during the establishment phase of Üsküdar University Faculty of Medicine, Prof. Haydar Sur made the following remarks:

"This is a very important lesson. At first, this lesson could not be understood much; however, we were not exposed to anyone's objection. There is only one book published in Turkish on this subject. We also published it among the publications of Üsküdar University Faculty of Medicine. We continue to work to make a new one. In the course of Humanities in medicine, there is spirituality, there are positive sciences, and there is art. The issue of whether medicine is a science or an art was discussed and a statement was published 'Medicine is a branch of art that uses science the most.' Ultimately, it comes down to skill. Competence is not enough, and predisposition is required. This is the part of it that is bestowed by God. When I see that some physician friends who know the books are not very successful in the clinic, I say, 'God has not blessed with talent'. In other words, the acquired part is not enough."

In his speech, Üsküdar University Vice Rector Prof. Hikmet Koçak stated that "Mr. Sezgin was a person who was fully worthy of the phrase 'the value of a person is in proportion to his benevolence'. The works he has done throughout his life have given a sense of confidence to all scientists living not only in Türkiye but also in the Islamic geography today and saved them from an inferiority complex."

Talking about his memories with Prof. Fuat Sezgin, Prof. Hikmet Koçak said that "I hope you will come to great places by taking Mr. Sezgin as an example and benefiting from his works."

Prof. Güldütuna: "Our professor Fuat Sezgin believed that his work would awaken a revival and a rise in the Islamic world"

The guest of honor of the symposium, Prof. Şükrettin Güldütuna, who is also the fellow and private physician of Prof. Fuat Sezgin from Frankfurt Goethe University Faculty of Medicine for 38 years, gave a speech titled 'Professor Fuat Sezgin with Memories'. Thanking those who contributed to the organization of the program, Prof. Şükrettin Güldütuna emphasized that Prof. Fuat Sezgin made an important contribution to the history of the Arab-Islamic Cultural World with his 17-volume work and made the following remarks:

"This work has put our professor Fuat Sezgin in the place he deserves in world history. He believed that this great work would awaken a revival and uplift in the Islamic world. That was actually the purpose of all the work. To achieve this goal, an intelligence with analytical thinking was not enough. First, there was a need for an inner strength based on faith and trust in God. This spiritual strength gave him the strength to work at the institute he founded in Frankfurt every day, including holidays, for the rest of his life. When evaluating the works and works of Fuat Sezgin, it is necessary to understand and see the spirituality and philosophy of life that lie behind them."

Prof. Şükrettin Güldütuna also talked about his important memories based on his 38 years of acquaintance with Prof. Fuat Sezgin.

The symposium lasted 2 days

On the first day of the two-day symposium, which was broadcast live on the ÜÜTV and Üsküdar University YouTube account, the panel chaired by Prof. İlhan İlkılıç, Head of the Department of History of Medicine and Ethics of the Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, cardiologist Dr. Zahide Özkan, who did her doctorate with Fuat Sezgin Hoca, Prof. Detlew Quintern, a historian of sciences in the field of orientalism, one of Fuat Sezgin's colleagues, and Necmettin Erbakan University, an expert on the relationship between Sufism and medicine Prof. Hülya Küçük from the Faculty of Theology made her presentations. Dr. Özkan focused on the views of al-Balhi, one of the founders of the field of psychology and psychiatry, on how human beings should be handled in diagnosis and treatment, with his study titled "Psychosomatic Medicine and Its Place Today in Abu Zeyd al-Balhî's 'Masâlih al-Ebdân wa'l-Anfus'". In his speech, Prof. Quintern Gābir from the Turkish-German University talked about the works of Ibn al-Hayyān and er-Rāzī and stated that "healing is the subject of many sciences as a universal heritage" and that it concerns all humanity. Prof. Küçük, who also contributed as a Thesis Advisor in the doctoral studies carried out at Üsküdar University Institute of Sufi Studies, gave a speech titled "Sûrî (Physiological) and Spiritual Hygiene Recommendations from Tabib Sufis".

On the second day of the program, the first panel was held under the chairmanship of Prof. İhsan Karaman, a faculty member of Istanbul Health and Technology University Faculty of Medicine, urologist, and also a doctorate holder in the field of History of Medicine and Ethics. In the panel, Dr. Sema İskit, a pediatric surgery specialist from the Institute for Sufi Studies, Islamic Civilization Thought, History and Literature Ph.D. Program, and Asst. Prof. Yosun Mater and family medicine specialist Dr. Hüdayar Işık presented their ongoing doctoral research. The last panel of the symposium was held under the chairmanship of Prof. Mevlüt Sait Keleş, a faculty member of Üsküdar University Faculty of Medicine.

It was completed with the speeches of specialist physician and Institute for Sufi Studies Asst. Prof. H. Dilek Güldütuna and Prof. Nil Sarı, one of the doyens of the History of Medicine and Ethics from Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine. Asst. Prof. H. Dilek Güldütuna talked about her doctoral studies in which the medical works of Sufi physicians were examined, which were examined on the subjects of soul and body integrity at the Institute, and in her speech, she talked about the 'Islamic Medicine' Series among the publications of the Frankfurt Institute for the History of Arab-Islamic Sciences, prepared by Prof. Fuat Sezgin. Prof. Sarı's speech titled "What is Expected from the Physician in the Context of a Holistic Approach to Human Physical and Mental Health in the Ottoman Medical History" was met with great interest from the audience. Prof. Sarı made evaluations through her studies examining the relationship and institutions of medicine and human beings in the tradition, talked about the niceties of the profession and the importance of a holistic approach.

 

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)