Üsküdar University Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, was the live broadcast guest of the "Iftar Vakti" program on TV5. Tarhan made important evaluations regarding the topic of "Ramadan and Mental Health". Tarhan stated that intention is the most important determinant when a person's morality is shaped. Expressing that the essence of good intention and sincerity is 'ikhlas', Tarhan emphasized that humans make decisions according to their intentions because they have free will. Also drawing attention to the importance of achieving the inner peace that comes from believing, Tarhan stated that one should live in accordance with the meaning of the month of Ramadan. Tarhan, stating that Ramadan fasting is a resilience training, also noted that fasting disciplines the ego and provides the individual with the skill of delayed gratification.
“Intention determines a person's morality”
Üsküdar University Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, who stated that intention is the most important determinant when a person's morality is shaped, said that the greatest miracle is to be on the right path. During his live broadcast participation in the TV5 Ramadan program, Tarhan made striking evaluations. Tarhan; “Intention determines a person's morality. For example, laws, legal norms are determined by laws. Social norms are determined by traditions, and conscientious norms by morality. A person's purpose in life also determines their morality. For instance, someone whose purpose is money will have their morality shaped accordingly; their wallet and conscience become equal. If their purpose is a divine goal, a person's morality is shaped accordingly. And when morality is shaped, intention becomes the most important determinant here. So, the rule 'actions are judged by intentions' is very important here. Because intention and sincerity have a miracle. The greatest miracle in this era is righteousness, being on the right path. The brain works differently for intentional behavior versus unintentional behavior. If there is intentional behavior, mirror neurons in the brain work, affecting the mirror neurons in the other person's brain, communicating like wireless internet. Your sincerity creates persuasive power in the other party.” he stated.
“The essence of good intention and sincerity is 'ikhlas'”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, noting that humans make decisions according to their intentions because they have free will, emphasized that the brain is programmed according to intention. Tarhan; “The essence of good intention and sincerity is known as 'ikhlas'. So, 'ikhlas' has two meanings. The first is sincerity, and the second is to make the Divine Pleasure (Rızayı İlâhi) one's purpose and goal. When discriminators, deviators, error-makers, tempters come to a person, their intention is the brain. Since our brain is given free will, it is programmed according to intention. In other animals, it is programmed for eating, drinking, reproduction, and shelter. Because humans have free will, they make decisions according to intention. We make a decision every second according to that intention: 'Should I go this way, or that way, eat this, not eat that, fast, or not fast?' What we call life is the result of our choices, and choices are determined by intention. If we divide intentions into benevolent and malevolent, you position yourself accordingly, make connections accordingly, perceive accordingly, and accordingly, good, correct, or malevolent ideas come to your mind, or benevolent ideas. Everything is shaped according to intention,” he said.
Secularism is the disease of this century…
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, noting that there is currently a representation problem; “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said that in the End Times, Muslims will be many, but they will be like rubbish in a river, and enemies will afflict them. And they will be unable to do anything, he said. The Companions asked why this would happen. He replied, 'It is a disease of the brain.' They asked the Messenger of Allah, ‘What is this disease of the brain?’ The disease of the brain is the love of this world and not thinking about death. Their living as if death does not exist, there is complete worldliness. That is, there is living by forgetting the Hereafter and Allah. Secularism is the disease of this century. The equivalent of secularism is worldliness. That is, there are people living as if there is no Hereafter. There is such a system now,” he said.
“The greatest victory is the one a person achieves against themselves”
Tarhan emphasized that it is necessary to teach a child the philosophy of fasting, faith, and morality together; “The greatest victory is the one a person achieves against themselves. It is being able to be free despite one's own desires and impulses. Modernism unleashed desires and impulses. It changed the philosophy of life, making the purpose of life to pursue pleasure and money. It made money a tool to reach pleasure, and unleashed desires. There is a global doctrine that says, ‘Break the chains, tear down the walls, live your life!’ Against this, to tell a child to stay hungry all day, it is necessary to teach them the philosophy of fasting, faith, and morality together.” he stated.
“Apparently rich, spiritually poor…”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, who stated that what truly makes a person rich is having few needs; “This capitalist system teaches happiness through consumption, not through production. Because it teaches this, people cannot become rich as a result. They are apparently rich but spiritually poor, they are not satisfied. What truly makes a person rich is having few needs. Needs are limitless; you cannot escape them, therefore the measure of wealth is contentment. If you know the value of what you have, are content with what you possess, and yet do not stop working, you will always be rich and peaceful. On the one hand, you succeed in being happy through production. The capitalist system teaches externally caused happiness. In reality, internally caused happiness is being able to be happy with ordinary things, knowing the value of what you possess. Externally caused happiness is like, ‘Let me get this so I can be happy, let me get that so I can be happy’. There is a problem where we seek happiness; we seek it in external causes. Happiness becomes permanent if it is tied to something that can be controlled and cannot be lost,” he said.
“Questioned environments are friends of truth…”
Tarhan, stating that a person who possesses truth does not need violence, stated that primitive people try to solve problems with violence. Tarhan; “Questioned environments are friends of truth. A person who believes in truth does not need oppression, threats, intimidation, or suppression. If you trust the truth, you explain it through persuasion and conviction. If you do not trust the truth, you intimidate and silence the other party with your tone of voice; this is actually a sign of helplessness. Savage people, those with no vocabulary, primitive people try to solve problems by shouting and screaming. A person who possesses truth does not need violence. There is truth in the Holy Quran; if we explain it correctly, we do not need oppression, intimidation, or violence,” he said.
A person should be able to attain the inner peace that comes from believing…
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, who stated that to submit to Allah, one must first know the belief in Tawhid (Oneness of God) and the concept of Allah; “Allah is the possessor of absolute Knowledge (İlm-i mutlak), absolute Will (irade-i mutlak), absolute Power (kudret-i mutlak), absolute Wisdom (hikmet-i mutlak), and absolute Justice (adalet-i mutlak). For something to be understood as true, it must have no explanation (it must be self-evident). It must be absolute. Only a transcendent power, this divine power, can do this. This is an example from Imam al-Ghazali. That is, he says for a truth to be normal, it must be a mold, absolute, and made by an absolute power. The rules brought by humans are not absolute, they are relative. He says the rules made by the Absolute Power are reference rules. That is, he says morality connected with Allah is true morality. He says when you submit, this leads to the happiness of both worlds. For it to lead to the happiness of both worlds, a person needs to attain that inner peace that comes from believing.” he stated.
“Living religiously in this age is like holding fire in one's palm”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, emphasizing the importance of intention, drew attention to being able to enter the right path. Tarhan; “Allah helps those who know the right path. Living religiously in this age is like holding fire in one's palm. The important thing is to be able to enter the right path. After entering that path, destiny helps in an unseen way. Let's keep our intentions pure, let's not make our intention this world, let our intention be the Hereafter. In this age, a small good deed is very valuable. A young person who currently performs the five daily prayers, fulfills their obligations, and does not commit major sins is equal to a saint of olden times.” he said.
“Ramadan fasting is resilience training”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, mentioning that fasting with belief affects the brain; “Ramadan fasting is resilience training. It teaches a person self-discipline, resilience training, and the skill of delayed gratification. Ramadan accomplishes this both as an act of worship and by enabling the person to gain impulse control skills. For this, a person needs to believe. The human brain has the ability to program itself. When a person programs their brain, the brain produces accordingly. For example, when one programs their brain by saying ‘I will not eat anything until iftar’, the brain does not secrete hunger hormones. If we fast out of tradition without belief, or with someone's else intention, the brain does not receive the message and secretes hunger hormones, making the person irritable. This is not possible for a person who fasts with belief,” he said.
Let's live in accordance with the meaning of Ramadan…
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, mentioning that a person achieves inner peace when Ramadan is lived in accordance with its meaning; “If we live Ramadan in accordance with its meaning, it will be a very profitable spiritual trade and a spiritual gain for us. Let's use this most beautifully to enrich and beautify our inner world. After that, let's use it to beautify our family life. Let's not forget our social life and our purpose for coming to this world. We are not living in this world; we are passing through this world. Let's not forget that we are guests in this world. Let's spend this hospitality in the most productive way. Therefore, let us live without forgetting to prepare for where we are going. That is, a person who grasps this feeling can find peace in both worlds. A person who attains the peace of believing and the inner peace of seeking refuge in Allah receives the greatest immediate reward of faith. Faith also has such an immediate reward. The immediate reward is the inner peace granted by seeking refuge in Allah. That is a tremendous feeling. A person who grasps that feeling will never again stray from that path…” he stated.