Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Founding Rector of Üsküdar University, attended the online 'Hutbe-i Şamiye' panel organized by Üsküdar University Risale-i Nur Research Platform (RİNAP) and Nur Science and Education Foundation. Delivering his speech under the title 'Hutbe-i Şamiye in Social Ailments,' Tarhan discussed Bediüzzaman’s sermon, delivered at the Umayyad Mosque in 1911, within a social context. Tarhan stated, “The 20th century being the century of dictatorships enabled us to understand the prescription of the Damascus Umayyad Mosque sermon. Bediüzzaman very skillfully combined the honor of knowledge with the humility of position. Hutbe-i Şamiye equals explaining the wrongness of despotism. Whoever holds the truth will not fear freedom.”
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Yıldız, former Minister of Environment Rıza Akçalı, Prof. Dr. Adem Ölmez, and Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan participated as speakers in the panel moderated by Prof. Dr. Suphi Deniz.
The program, which was also broadcast live on YouTube, attracted considerable interest.
“He Very Skillfully Combines the Honor of Knowledge with the Humility of Position”
Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan started his speech by stating that it would be very beneficial for Hutbe-i Şamiye to be brought to the agenda and discussed; “It has been 113 years since this sermon was delivered. When one reads the sermon delivered 113 years ago, one can understand it as if it were being spoken today. In other words, like a seed planted underground, it has begun to bear fruit today. Bediüzzaman spent 3-4 months in Damascus while Hutbe-i Şamiye was being written. He even intended to go on Hajj, went there, and stayed. While delivering the sermon there, he naturally made a beautiful presentation by very skillfully combining the honor of knowledge and the humility of position. He told the scholars there, ‘I am explaining it to you just as a student prepares and explains a lesson to his teachers.’ It is quite striking that Bediüzzaman possessed this humility even in his 30s. Making such an introduction before the sermon. At that time, there were over 100 great scholars in Damascus.” he said.
“The Feeling of Despair Blocks a Person”
Stating that there is a social and psychological analysis in Hutbe-i Şamiye, Tarhan said; “In medicine, there is the 3T rule: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Follow-up. You diagnose a disease, provide treatment, but then follow-up is also necessary. If all three are combined, results are achieved. If the diagnosis is wrong, all efforts can be in vain. We must also care whether this diagnosis is correctly made. In this diagnosis, he talks about six diseases. First, despair finding life within us. Despair is such that it is the feeling of hope that most motivates a person. The feeling of despair blocks a person. When experiencing a stressful event, despairing people accept defeat from the start. If there is a feeling of hope, the body and brain start to help them. This placebo effect has a 40 percent healing effect on the disease…” he explained.
“After Mental Transformation Comes Social Transformation, Then Political Transformation”
Drawing attention to the fact that there will be no social transformation without mental transformation, Tarhan said; “The wars of this era are now psychological wars. The 3rd World War will proceed as a psychological and sociological war. Therefore, what we need to do is to undergo a mental transformation. After mental transformation comes social transformation, and then political transformation. That is, starting from the individual. Bediüzzaman has drawn a roadmap for this. This is a laborious but permanent method. For example, the second disease is the death of sincerity, i.e., the death of truthfulness, in social and political life. He stated this in 1911. That is, in the last years of the Ottoman Empire, there was such a situation that people's trust had weakened, and once truthfulness ceased, and social politics ended, one dug the other's grave. The strong oppressed the weak. There was such chaos. This became even more pronounced with the declaration of the constitutional monarchy. He identifies this. All of these are diagnoses.” he said.
Tarhan added that the 20th century being the century of dictatorships enabled us to understand the prescription of the Damascus Umayyad Mosque sermon.
“Efforts to Increase Truthfulness and Trust Need to Be Made”
Pointing out that those with weak trust are fueled by anger, Tarhan said; “Diagnosis is not about fixing society with military force. Diagnosis is, first and foremost, ensuring people’s mental transformation. Ensuring the spread of truthfulness in social life. If this is the diagnosis, the remedy will be produced accordingly. Another disease is 'adavete muhabbet,' meaning loving enmity. That is to say, ‘Why does a person love enmity, why is he nourished by anger?’ It is nourished by tripping others, by leaving them vulnerable. This nourishment by anger occurs when the feeling of trust weakens. That is, if someone greets you, they must have an ulterior motive. If someone acts differently in some way, it implies that they are up to something, indicating that the feeling of trust in society has weakened. Therefore, efforts must be made to reduce despair and increase truthfulness and trust.” he stated.
“People Approach Those They Cannot Trust with Fear”
Tarhan stated that people approach those they cannot trust with fear; “The fourth point he mentioned is not knowing the luminous bonds that connect the 'Ehl-i iman' (people of faith) to each other. That is, there are luminous bonds here. There are relationships between people. There is the bond of love, the bond of respect, the bond of loyalty, and the bond of trust. All bonds have been damaged. The reason behind the weakening of these bonds is the weakening of trust. People approach those they cannot trust with fear. When approached with fear, relationships are damaged, and the bonds between people weaken.” he said.
“If the Goal is Justice, the Method of This Era is Democracy”
Tarhan stated that a democratic culture exists in a society where four values are present; “Fifth, he mentioned 'istibdat' (despotism) spreading like various infectious diseases. This concept of istibdat is most frequently discussed in Münazarat. Here, he has taken istibdat as the fifth disease. Istibdat is forcibly imposing one's own ideas. It means ‘everyone should think like me.’ There is authoritarianism, despotism. Forcibly accepting one's own ideas is despotism. And saying everyone should think like me is totalitarianism. The remedy for one is freedom. That is, you will not forcibly impose your ideas. You will state your ideas; those who accept will accept, those who do not will not. Our duty is in terms of conveying the message. Secondly, not to be totalitarian. That is, to be pluralistic. Totalitarianism is like saying, ‘Everyone in this house must love beans.’ This is totalitarianism. Respect for pluralism is necessary. There are democratic values: liberalism, pluralism, accountability, and participation. If these four values exist, then there is a democratic culture in that society. Hutbe-i Şamiye explains these four values. Its name at that time was constitutionalism, its name now is democracy. Hutbe-i Şamiye should be interpreted in this way. If the goal is justice, the method of this era is democracy.” he said.
There is Also Religious Narcissism…
Stating that there will be no democracy where there is istibdat, Tarhan said; “Istibdat rejects participation. In istibdat, there is 'rey-i vahid' (single opinion). What one person says happens. It is like single-party republics. All power rests with one person. In Münazarat, however, he says, ‘Power lies in laws, not in individuals.’ Fourthly, there is 'meşveret' and 'şura' (consultation). Decisions are made in the assembly. If there is 'rey-i vahid,' if power lies with individuals rather than laws, and if the consultation system is not functioning, then there is istibdat, not democracy. Bediüzzaman officially described democratic culture. He left the most striking point for the sixth. Currently, the West has also begun to suffer from this disease. 'Menfaat-i şahsiyesine himmeti hasretme.' That is, the increase in people working for themselves. This is called narcissism. There is also religious narcissism. Centering one's own profession, one's own temperament, and excluding others. This is also religious narcissism. For example, during the Umayyad period, non-Arabs were called 'mawali' and treated as second-class citizens. This is also religious narcissism, racism. This is contrary to the essence of Islam. The most important characteristic of a narcissistic person is that they exaggerate their good qualities and project their flaws onto others. Such people do not easily trust anyone. They want to dominate everything.” he stated.
“Hutbe-i Şamiye is Equivalent to Explaining the Wrongness of Despotism”
Tarhan, stating that one should act with internal motivation instead of external motivation; “Hutbe-i Şamiye is equivalent to explaining the wrongness of despotism. We need to know this. If we create awareness against these diseases, we will find the Divine Goal. Allah’s help will come then. During the Age of Bliss, they proposed to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), ‘Be the Amir of Mecca, abandon your cause, and we will marry you to whomever you wish.’ He did not accept. He stayed in Mecca for 13 years. There were no weapons, no violence. There was prophetic morality. Look at the life of the Prophet. In prophetic morality, if he had thought strategically, he would have taken the Amirate of Mecca, and after establishing the system, he would have said, ‘Now everyone will be Muslim.’ What would have happened then? It would have ended upon his death because he could not have built a civilization. To build a civilization, he needed to establish a system that would function even after his death. For 100 years, the companions who grew up in that wild society went as far as Andalusia. How does he provide this motivation? These things would not happen without internal motivation. We are now trying to motivate people with external motivation. To activate 'himmet' (zeal, determination) means that 'himmet' comes with internal motivation. For example, as a remedy for despair, he mentions ‘al-amal.’ Al-amal has two meanings. One is hope, and the other is ‘Have a project.’ That is, a person with a project has an idea. Then, a goal is planned in the project, then its logical framework is established, and steps are taken towards that project. A strategic roadmap is created. Therefore, the word 'al-amal,' besides not losing hope in Allah's mercy, means having a project that will turn this into action.” he explained.
“One Who Is Not a Leader of Themselves Cannot Lead Others”
Drawing attention to Bediüzzaman's words on 'Al-amal,' Tarhan said; “The date Bediüzzaman said this is 1911. Both at the beginning and end of the Quranic verses, it refers to human reason, saying, ‘Look at your intellect.’ It says, ‘Consult your thoughts, your heart, discuss with it so that you may know this truth.’ For example, look, at the beginning and end of those verses it says, ‘Why do you not look, why do you not take heed? Look so that you may know the truth.’ ‘Know!’ and ‘Know!’ ‘Pay attention to its truth!’ Why can humans not know, why do they fall into 'cehl-i mürekkep' (compounded ignorance)? Compounded ignorance is still prevalent among Muslims. 'Cehl-i mürekkep' is referred to as complicated ignorance. A person does not know, and does not know that they do not know. That is, complicated ignorance. Why do they not reason, why do they fall into madness? Why do they not look, have they become blind to seeing the truth? Why does a person not recall and reflect on the events of the world in the adventure of life, so that they may find the right path? Why do they not reflect, ponder, and logically reason, why do they fall into error? O people, take heed! Try to save yourselves from future spiritual calamities by taking lessons from past ages!’ Analogous to these sentences from the verses, it invites human reason to consult with its own thoughts. Look, not to consult with others, but to consult with oneself. A person has three types of relationships. One is their relationship with themselves, one is their relationship with people, and the other is their relationship with Allah. So, it says here, fix this relationship. You will start with your relationship with yourself. One who cannot manage themselves, one who is not a leader of themselves, cannot lead others. One who does not discipline their ego cannot reform others.” he said.
“Whoever Holds the Truth Will Not Fear Freedom”
Addressing the events in Gaza and the importance of today's media, Tarhan said; “We know the oppression happening in Gaza. Currently, there is truly a massacre there. We know this, but if this were the media of the 1990s, we would only learn about it from a few international channels. Right now, we say, ‘Thank goodness for social media.’ Many conservative people who were distant from social media have started using it. Because otherwise, you cannot reach it. Whoever holds the truth does not fear freedom. One who trusts their ideas does not need violence. Are we not trusting the Quran now, that we should fear defending the Quran’s ideas and resort to violence? If you trust that the Quran is the truth, you will take those ideas and present them to the understanding of this age. You will present them to your child, to your family…” he said.
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