Prof. Nevzat Tarhan: “Growth begins when we face difficulties”

President of Üsküdar University and psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan met with students of Gaziantep Prof. Mehmet Görmez Anatolian Imam Hatip High School. Tarhan offered important advice to young people regarding life and their career journeys. Emphasizing that access to information is now rapid, he stated that artificial intelligence should be used with good, correct, and beneficial intentions. He underlined the importance of continuous self-development for young people and pointed out that knowledge (ilm) and wisdom (irfan) should coexist in education. Tarhan emphasized that success cannot be achieved without a willingness to face difficulty and that personal development begins with confronting challenges. He described hardships as opportunities for growth.

The talk was held at the İbni Sina Auditorium on Üsküdar University’s NP Health Campus, with participation from Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, Vice Rectors Prof. Hikmet Koçak and Prof. Türker Tekin Ergüzel, Head of the Department of Health, Culture, and Sports Sadık Paksoy, as well as students and educators.

The session was moderated by Sadık Paksoy, Head of the Department of Health, Culture, and Sports.

Prof. Hikmet Koçak: “To deeply understand and apply knowledge correctly requires more effort”

Vice Rector Prof. Hikmet Koçak addressed the students visiting from Gaziantep with a welcome speech: “You are in a special educational environment where you have the opportunity to study both religious sciences and natural sciences together and to evaluate them collectively. I congratulate you on this. But this also brings a great responsibility because you must strive to be good on behalf of the values you represent.
By ‘being good,’ I mean that you should train and develop yourselves in the best possible way and enter society as well-equipped individuals. You must step into life with self-confidence and strong character. Indeed, you are a bit more fortunate because you have quick and easy access to information. You have teachers to guide you, reference books, and technological resources. But along with these advantages, your competition is also tougher. In today’s world, reaching information is easier, but understanding it deeply and using it correctly requires much more effort. Don’t let this difficulty discourage you — let it empower you. Perhaps today you are sitting in these student seats, but I hope that in the future, you will be the ones standing at this podium, speaking to others. What you strive for today will determine your success tomorrow. I sincerely congratulate both you and your esteemed teachers who are shaping you.”

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan: “Among all belief systems, tawhid is the most rational”

Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan suggested that positive psychology education can be integrated into academic subjects: “When there is a need and the solution exists, that solution will eventually be found. Imam Al-Ghazali, the star of the 10th century, was like the sun of his era and enlightened his time. Now, if we look back on that era and use his teachings only as footnotes to solve today's problems, it wouldn’t be an effective method. Instead, we should bring Imam Al-Ghazali into the present, and ask ourselves, ‘What would he say today under current conditions?’ If we do that, we can build a bridge between the past and the future.
Today, practices such as positive psychology and multiple intelligences are entirely inspired by Eastern wisdom, Anatolian insight, and the teachings of Rumi. These were systematized, given a methodology, and labeled as ‘positive psychology.’ Currently, values education is mostly given as a one-time conference or as a separate course. This leads young people to ask, ‘What use is this to me?’ and causes them to disengage from learning. However, this kind of education can be integrated into every subject, from math to physics, especially in project-based and science high schools. It is now evident that natural sciences and religious sciences are nourished by the same truth. Our mathematical minds confirm this.
There are four ways to reach truth: first, through experimentation and observation; second, through reasoning; third, through rational intuition; and fourth, through rational belief. Rational belief is belief aligned with reason. Currently, there are nearly 4,300 religions in the world, each claiming to be the most correct. Among these belief systems, the one most compatible with reason is the belief in tawhid (the oneness of God). Given where science has reached today, explaining this has become much easier,” he concluded.

“Young people are currently experiencing a shift in belief”

Addressing the global shift in belief systems, Tarhan said: “Young people are currently experiencing a shift in belief. In this regard, students attending Imam Hatip schools are fortunate, as they are being educated with a foundation that helps protect them against the global trends of belief displacement. However, once they graduate and enter social life, especially in diverse environments, and how they respond to the questions they encounter becomes critically important. There is a well-known saying: ‘A bird cannot fly with one wing — knowledge and wisdom must unite.’ That is, material knowledge and spiritual knowledge must be gained together. This is something today's world needs. There are two major dangers awaiting young people: one is egoism (pride and self-centeredness), and the other is secularism (worldliness). One is related to belief, the other to social life. Under the influence of secularism, people today live as if the afterlife doesn't exist. Never before in human history has there been such a period where God and the afterlife are so forgotten. This is often referred to as a sign of the end times. We are truly living in such a period. I always say: a young person who performs their basic religious duties, fulfills their obligations, and avoids major sins is almost like a saint (wali) of the past in today’s world — because accomplishing this today is as difficult as holding fire in one’s hand. Indeed, there is a saying: ‘In the end times, faith will be like holding fire in your palm.’ And that’s exactly the era we are living in now.”

"It is up to us to use it for good”

Speaking about the transformation caused by artificial intelligence, Tarhan said: “Artificial intelligence and the internet are creating a transformation as significant as that of the printing press or electricity, and this transformation is spreading rapidly. Like all technology, AI is inherently neutral. It is up to us to use it for good. When used to communicate truth and provide benefit, it offers great opportunities. In psychology, this is called self-transcendence, that is, going beyond the self. For years, the top level of Maslow’s hierarchy of psychosocial needs was considered self-actualization. But in a study published in 2017, years after Maslow’s death, a new level was added: self-transcendence. This, in fact, is the most fundamental spiritual need of the human being. The capitalist system doesn’t embrace this approach because it promotes constant consumption. The more you consume, the more you’re considered successful. This lays the foundation for a selfish global morality and popular culture. That is why the widespread selfishness in our era is also considered one of the signs of the end times.”

“Today’s cobblestone roads are the internet and artificial intelligence”

Emphasizing that good intentions must be accompanied by accountability, Tarhan said that
“Jesus emerged in Palestine, but his message globalized in Rome. I researched why that was. The Roman Empire had its famous cobblestone roads, and the saying ‘All roads lead to Rome’ comes from that. At the time, all social, economic, commercial, and military movements were carried out via these roads. The followers of Jesus used those roads to spread their message. They began with only eleven people, but through those roads, the message became a universal religion. What they did was convey the truth and leave the outcome to God. When it didn’t work, they tried again — but they never gave up. Today’s cobblestone roads are the internet and artificial intelligence. If we have an ideal, we must use these tools to convey the truth. What protects a person is not merely their good intention, but their accountability. In fact, the word ‘yawm al-din’ in Surah Al-Fatiha means ‘Day of Judgment’ — the day of accountability. If we never forget that we are accountable, then technology becomes a means, not an end. But those who fall into the trap of technology are the ones who see it as the goal rather than the tool.”

“Growth begins when we face difficulties”

Emphasizing that development begins when we confront challenges, Tarhan said: “When we look at the life of Rumi (Mevlana), we see three key qualities combined: idealism, realism, and activism. When these three come together, a person can work both productively and in balance. In Rumi’s time, there was a well-known figure named Sheikh Keramettin. Wealthy families would send their children to be educated by him. His students were well-disciplined and well-prepared. Rumi, on the other hand, attracted those whom society saw as ‘difficult’, that is, people from the streets, the hot-tempered, the outcasts. One day, Sheikh Keramettin said to Rumi, ‘Why do only vagrants come to you? Why do not you try to educate well-mannered people like I do?’ Rumi replied: ‘I believe that God’s pleasure lies in achieving the difficult.’ Because working with what’s hard truly develops a person’s abilities. Anyone can do what’s easy, but seeking difficulty transforms a person. Sheikh Keramettin, who remained in a comfortable system, failed to capture the spirit of the age. However, Rumi, because he chose the hard path, opened a new era. Great strides cannot be taken within the comfort zone. Growth begins when we face difficulties. You may lose your peace in the process, but in the end, you will reach far greater goals.”

Three major issues that collapse societies!

Emphasizing that social transformation cannot occur without mental transformation, Tarhan said that “One of the greatest afflictions of our time is laziness. The comfort offered by the modern age leads people toward inactivity. Western societies are also struggling with this illness. If we can avoid falling into the trap of laziness, we can surpass them. One of the main factors leading people to laziness today is apathy, in other words, seeing something and not caring. The mindset of ‘Let the snake that doesn’t bite me live a thousand years’ not only ruins individuals but also collapses societies. There are three major problems that destroy societies: the first is corruption, the second is lawlessness, and the third is poverty. I use the abbreviation C-L-P (in Turkish: Y-H-Y – Yolsuzluk, Hukuksuzluk, Yoksulluk) to remember them. If the powerful oppress the weak, corruption spreads, justice is damaged, people become impoverished, and society simply says ‘not my problem,’ then that is when the downfall of a state begins. These three diseases are not the result of economic policies but of social policies. And social transformation begins with mental transformation.”

“Without embracing difficulty, success will not come”

Tarhan highlighted the importance of letting go of prejudices: “The biggest obstacle that makes us lazy and distances us from our goals is our own prejudices. Thoughts like ‘Why bother? It won’t work anyway. Who am I to try?’ trap us in our comfort zones. The moment we overcome our prejudices, we actually overcome ourselves. But this is not an easy path. Success doesn’t come without embracing hardship. You must move forward by trial and error. Obstacles will arise, and stones will be laid in your path. However, these are not just hurdles and they are driving forces. They are opportunities that help us grow. In psychology, this is called post-traumatic growth. If a difficult experience doesn’t destroy you, it strengthens you as long as you approach it with the right mindset. If you look at all success stories in history, they share the same common point: perseverance in the face of hardship and walking toward the goal with belief,” he concluded.

At the end of the talk, a group photo was taken.

They got to know Üsküdar University closely…

At the end of the program, the students had the opportunity to learn more about the vision and offerings of Üsküdar University.

They received detailed information about the university’s academic programs, laboratory facilities, R&D efforts, and student support services. Additionally, they learned about the university’s social and cultural activities.

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)