With the support of the Üsküdar Üniversitesi Health, Culture and Sports Department, in the ‘Existence Dialogues with Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan’ organized by the Conscience of the Age Club, this week, the topics of ‘Faith and Prayer’ were discussed. Tarhan, evaluating the effect of prayer on human physical and mental health, stated that man can fulfill one of his greatest needs, the need for attachment, by praying to his Creator. Tarhan said: “Man’s greatest need is the need for attachment. The pinnacle of the attachment relationship is connecting with the Creator of the universe, being able to form a healthy bond.”
“To understand the purpose of existence, one must ask ‘why’”
In the online meeting, Tarhan emphasized the importance for humans to understand their purpose of existence in the vast universe, noting that the answers to the 'why' question determine one's state in this world. Tarhan said: “When we look at the universe, we are a grain of sand as a world. Then we look through a microscope at DNA, at cells, atoms, and quanta, and there too, we are a drop in the ocean. We are in a very cheerful world, a very fortunate planet compared to other planets. You look at other planets, there's no soil, just rocks... We are on such a fortunate planet in this vast universe, why are we on this fortunate planet? This is the most important question, that is, humanity in the vast universe, for example, the solar system never changes. Look at the difference between the ancient era and the current era, look at human achievements – this 'why' question is currently the 'how' question learned in our schools. Natural sciences deal with 'how'; how does the atom rotate like this, what is the causal link in the atom's rotation, meaning it always focuses on how it happens. The job of positive science is to draw conclusions by experimenting and observing. There is a meaning, a spiritual part, and a material part to things. When you look at a book, you only look at its material aspect, its cover, and its writing, but if you don't look at the meaning of the book, you fall into a ridiculous situation. Similarly, what is the meaning of our existence in this vast universe? This is also the 'why' question; this question can make a person a sultan. In other words, a person is given an opportunity to understand, the only difference is 'faith'. If one does not understand, if one does not recognize existence, it can also turn one into a monster.”
“Those who pray get sick less often”
Tarhan also drew attention to the effect of prayer on human physical and mental health, stating that humans are beings with a need to pray. Tarhan said: “When a person understands their helplessness, weakness, powerlessness, and deficiencies, they feel the need for prayer. Our relationship with the Creator is like the relationship between a mother and a baby. A baby always needs its mother. Humans are the same; even if you make a mistake, you realize it and seek refuge in Allah. Faith gives people such a feeling, like the feeling in a child, and it affects brain hormones. There is serious research on this topic, a meta-analysis of approximately 1200 studies, published as a book in the 2000s, called 'Handbook of Religion and Health'. We used to refer to it as mental health, but now we refer to it as 'general health'. General health relates to both mental and physical health. According to this research; those who pray get sick less often. This is the headline of the summary drawn from it. So what is the evidence? This book, where dozens of scientists examining the effects of prayer on health, agreed that religious people live longer and healthier lives. 1200 studies are no joke; the results of these 1200 studies investigating the effect of prayer and spirituality on health were summarized in the book titled 'Handbook of Religion and Health'. According to this, people who are devout in their worship and pray regularly get sick less often. Non-religious patients stay in the hospital 3 times longer than religious ones. The risk of death after heart surgery for heart patients without any religious activity is 14 times higher than for those with religious beliefs. The stroke risk among elderly people who regularly worship is half that of others. Religious people are 40% less likely to die from heart disease and cancer compared to non-religious people. While religious people experience less depression, starting the day with prayer lowers blood pressure. This is a kind of summary of these 1200 studies. Allah does not need prayer, perish the thought… We need prayer. We need it for our physical and mental health.”
“The need to understand meaning has increased even more”
Speaking about the scope of the concept of morality, Tarhan said: “When we say morality, the way one works in the workplace is also work ethics. As a society, we always think of morality as being related to sexual matters, whereas keeping one's word, not lying, work ethic, earning with one's own sweat, and putting effort into one's work are all morality. If morality has not been mixed with the forbidden, with lies, and if you have faith, it's done. But if you have gained morality but are lying, if you have violated others' rights (kul hakkı) by consuming forbidden things, you will have to account for it. It is important for morality to turn into behavior; we have faith in our hearts, but if it doesn't turn into behavior, that faith remains insufficient. Mothers, fathers, and families had the responsibility to guide children, and they did this through some form of authority, but in this age, boundaries have been lifted, neighborhood control has ceased, the castle walls of social structure have been demolished, and even the castle walls of the family have been demolished. Material welfare has increased, but this time there is a spiritual void. The need to fill that void has emerged. Humanity has become isolated, unable to find solutions against death. In other words, the need to understand meaning has increased even more. Previously, in the daily hustle and bustle of eating, drinking, and comfort, people couldn't even think about spirituality, but now with Covid-19, diseases, and climate change, tomorrow is uncertain. Old comfort, civilization, and humanity are fading. The increase in disasters is seen as signs of the end times.”
“Man’s duty is to strive for perfection through learning”
Tarhan also shared insights about the purpose and duties of human arrival in the world, drawing attention to humans being developing beings, unlike other creatures. Tarhan said: “Man’s duty is to strive. A bee builds its nest the same way it did a year ago, and so does an ant. But humans do not do the same. This is because humans undergo evolution; there is a progression from simple to perfect. You become more perfect over time. Humans have interactive learning, and this must have meaning. Upon arriving in the world, a human needs to learn everything and is ignorant of the laws of life. In fact, they cannot learn about life for 20 years, are sent to the world in a very helpless state, can only stand up in a year or two, and can only learn about harm and benefit in 15 years. I had defined adolescence as a normal physiological period, but then I read a Hadith and was surprised. In the Hadith, Prophet Muhammad says: ‘The age of puberty is a branch of madness.’ Prophet Muhammad said something remarkable 1400 years ago, which science has now discovered; indeed, this alone is proof of his prophethood. Thus, man’s duty is to strive for perfection through learning. We tell children, 'Do it if you're happy.' We say, 'Let life flow, live as you please.' We don't set a purpose, a goal. We don't ask, 'What is the meaning of life?' If we raise a child by saying, 'Do it if you're happy, break the chains, tear down the walls,' that child will expect the same attention when they enter adolescence. When they don't get it, they will shake you. If we look at the upbringing style of children who kill their parents, they were raised this way. They are entirely due to this educational error. They have always been used to taking, not sharing or giving. There is an abuse of compassion here.”
“Man’s greatest need is the need for attachment”
Tarhan explained the purpose of human existence in the world as learning knowledge and evolving through prayer, stating that the human need for attachment is to connect with the Creator. Tarhan said: “The equivalent of prayer is to invite, to make a request. It has the meaning of calling, knocking on a door. This means that humans have come to this world to evolve through knowledge and prayer. The intention here is to establish a connection with Allah. Man’s greatest need is already the need for attachment. Our relationship with society is our need for attachment. The pinnacle of the attachment relationship is connecting with the Creator of the universe, being able to form a healthy bond. Mevlâna described this as love (aşk). Bediüzzaman Hazretleri defines it as compassion (şefkat) and contemplation (tefekkür). Mevlâna called it love because at that time everyone believed, so there was no problem with faith. By connecting to Allah with the love of Allah, people could save both their worlds. In this age, when the word 'love' is mentioned, women and men perceive it differently. Women understand romanticism, while men understand eroticism. There is an entirely worldly understanding of love. However, when we speak of love, it refers to a person's feeling of loving attachment. In fact, the word ‘aşk’ in Arabic comes from the root of ‘sarmaşık’ (ivy). You attach yourself in such a way that you die with it. You attach yourself to the person you love. In divine love, one attaches oneself in that way. Bediüzzaman, in this era, chose the path of compassion, not the path of love. This is because compassion is superior to love. For within love, there can also be loving for self-interest. One loves because their needs are met. When they are not met, one pushes them away. But compassion is greater than love. Because within it, there is unconditional love. That is why it is nobler. It is greater, it is higher.”