Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, participated in the “Şeb-i Arus: Masnavi Therapy” talk organized by the Rami Library. Addressing Rumi's legacy and profound words from a philosophical and psychological perspective, Tarhan made striking remarks about traditional Sufi teachings and modern psychological techniques for the repair of the human soul, referencing his book Masnavi Therapy. Stating that Rumi should be explained with today's methodology, Tarhan said, “What we need to do is to bring Rumi to the present day. We can understand Rumi by dressing him in today's clothes. It is necessary to go to Rumi’s idea, theoretical foundation, and philosophy, live it today, and present it according to the thought patterns of this era.”
“Şeb-i Arus: Masnavi Therapy” talk took place at the Rami Library, moderated by Journalist Şaban Özdemir. An distinguished group of participants attended the talk.
“Everything Rumi said has a scientific equivalent”
Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, noting that humanity has begun to discover Rumi, said; “We know Rumi as a healing for souls. Rumi is like a remedy for the troubled, a healing for souls. Those who read him feel good about themselves. Humanity has now begun to discover and seek this. Everything Rumi said has a scientific equivalent. The existence of a scientific equivalent facilitated the persuasion process. Because after modernism and the industrial revolution, scientific soundness replaced religious solidity. When you explain it with scientific soundness, people of this age are convinced.” ifadelerini kullandı.
“We will preserve the essence, but we will re-read its core in this era”
Tarhan emphasized that Rumi should be explained with today's methodology; “Currently, there is a cultural and moral crisis, just like in Rumi's time. There is a lot of social decay. Social decay is among the most frequently used words selected by people. For example, if the Turkish Language Association had nominated ‘social decay’ as a word, it would have been first. Instead, it nominated ‘loneliness in a crowd’. 1 million people chose ‘loneliness in a crowd’ as the word of 2024. But why? We are a 'sticky' society, how can we complain about loneliness? This means there is a bleeding wound inside. In other words, people are not happy, they are restless, not at peace with themselves. This type of person has increased. What we need to do is to bring Rumi to the present day. This does not mean you have to perform sema, wear the same clothes, or attend ceremonies. These are superficial feelings. However, it is necessary to go to Rumi’s actual idea, theoretical foundation, and philosophy, live it today, and present it with today’s methodology. We can understand Rumi by dressing him in today's clothes. I tried to do that. I explained Rumi with today's methodology. Clothes are form; what is important is the essence. In other words, it is the content, not the envelope, that is essential. The envelope has been focused on. There is a traditional understanding of religion. Since this traditional understanding of religion is fixated on the envelope, it insists on the envelope, on appearance. We will preserve that essence, but we will re-read its core in this era. That is, it is necessary to provide new answers to old questions. Rumi needs to be presented according to the thought patterns of this era.” şeklinde konuştu.
“Those who can best understand Rumi are those who question their arrogance”
Tarhan stated that arrogant people cannot understand Rumi; “Humble people understand Rumi. People with high egos and arrogance continue to look down on others. Arrogance can also be in the guise of religiosity. It’s even called religious egoism. You know, there are types who talk by wagging their finger. Judgmental, accusatory, demeaning. This is also present in parents. Such people cannot understand Rumi. Those who can best understand Rumi are those who question their arrogance.” dedi.
“Sufi teaching is a doctrine that matures the human soul”
Tarhan stated that importance should be given to religious sciences; “The Islamic world could not previously build a bridge between Sufism and science. Sufi teaching is a doctrine that matures the human soul. There are so many religious people who do not understand Rumi. In other words, there is anti-Sufism. However, there are three pillars that sustained the Ottoman Empire. The first is madrasah, the second is school, and the third is Sufism. Three pillars that raise people. Now they have closed two of these, only the school remains. Only the type of person dealing with natural sciences remains…” ifadelerini kullandı.
“The method of this age is persuasion, conviction, and making people love”
Tarhan gave examples from Rumi’s behavior; “In Rumi's behavior, there is always compassion and mercy. This is more suitable for this age. In old times, methods of intimidation and suppression were used. Now, the method of this age is persuasion, conviction, and making people love. Rumi adopted the most needed Sufi metaphysics. In Sufi metaphysics, there is decorum, compassion, and empathy. Within empathy, there is mercy, cooperation, and sharing. That is, ‘Not the taker, but the giver wins.’ exists. Rumi teaches this.” şeklinde konuştu.
“The method universally applied by capitalist morality…”
Tarhan stated that children in families should be raised with a focus on being good people; “Rumi likens state administration to watering a garden, to growing plants. If you want to grow thorns and weeds in your garden, they will grow. If you want to grow roses, they will grow. He says this in the question of justice. They ask, ‘What is justice?’ He says, ‘Justice is like caring for a garden.’ The person who cares for the garden can grow thorns if they wish, or roses if they wish. So, if we want to raise a family, we first need to raise our children with a focus on being good people. Currently, capitalist morality says it is enough for a child to be intelligent and successful. This is entirely the method universally applied by capitalist morality. Two parameters are not enough in raising a child. Being intelligent and successful is correct, but being virtuous is also important. So, we need to teach raising moral, virtuous people. Being intelligent and hardworking is not enough. We also need to teach how to be a virtuous person. Unless we teach virtue, intelligence and hard work serve evil. For it to serve good, a philosophical change aimed at raising virtuous people is needed in our education system.” dedi.
“We will speak in the language of this era while preserving our essence”
Tarhan stated that Rumi first appealed to hearts; “If you want to teach good and beauty to a person, you must first make them love it. Rumi used that method. He appealed to hearts. From there, he enabled them to find God. He activated emotions. After that, he taught them to use reason. In this age, the method must be appropriate to scientific terminology. For example, the method of impotence and poverty (acz ve fakr). When a person understands their helplessness, weakness, and powerlessness, they find God. When they go through love, they discover love afterwards. First, they experience a crisis in the face of illnesses, misfortunes, and events. They see the ugly consequences of bad morals, get slapped, pay a price. After that price, while seeking, they find God. For this, it is necessary to act with the methods of modernism, in the language that modernism understands. Therefore, we will speak in the language of this era while preserving our essence. The language of this era is the language of scientific methodology.” ifadelerini kullandı.
“Emotional intelligence training is the reflection of Rumi’s teachings onto this era”
Tarhan emphasized emotional awareness training; “Humanism is the deification of man. Because of this, it does not allow self-questioning. And because it does not allow self-questioning, a type of person emerges who blames others. So, all the work here is self-awareness. First, knowing oneself. This is also emotional intelligence training. Emotional intelligence training is the reflection of Rumi’s teachings onto this era. The first stage is awareness. Becoming aware of oneself. Then self-management, managing oneself. In the third stage, social awareness, being able to manage social relations. In the fourth stage, conciliation. That is, relationship management, social relations. It includes stress management, relationship management, communication, problem-solving methods, and the ability to achieve positive problem-solving. Selfishness prevents doing these. What prevents and hinders a person from discovering themselves is saying ‘I know.’ People who say ‘I know’ have two characteristics. In social relationships, they trust no one; their minds always operate in a state of war. Always on the defensive. Their second characteristic is that they criticize everyone. Such a person is toxic. So many toxic people have proliferated that they poison their surroundings. When you don't know how to live with them, you fall into their trap. Their war strategy is to pull you into their negative area. Your war strategy will be to pull them into the positive area.” şeklinde konuştu.
“A person’s struggle when sorrowful is like jihad”
Tarhan underlined the concept of 'jihad of sorrow'; “A person's struggle when sorrowful, when in pain, is like jihad. In Sufism, it is called the 'jihad of sorrow.' You feel sorrow, your inside hurts. You put up a struggle, find relief, and emerge. That jihad of sorrow is one of the methods that develops a person. One of the methods of Sufi metaphysics is for a person to know themselves, to develop themselves, that is, to benefit from crises. Every stress, every sorrow that leads to breakdown or depression is a demand for growth from our soul. If we respond correctly to the demand for growth, that pain develops us. We call this 'developmental trauma.' Therefore, we should focus on turning negative into positive.” dedi.
“Democracy is not just a form of government, but also a system of values”
Tarhan explained the four values of democratic culture; “If our goal is justice, the method of this age is democracy. Democracy is not just a form of government, but also a system of values. Democratic culture has four values. If these four points exist in a family, there is peace in that home. Apply this, and be sure that prejudices will completely disappear. First is criticizability. A system not open to criticism is not called democracy. It’s a arduous path, but that is the method of this age. Second is liberalism/pro-freedom. This is indispensable for this age, our greatest need. We cannot reform society by destroying freedom. Third is pluralism. The opposite of pluralism is totalitarianism. Fourth is participation. Decisions need to be made together, problems need to be solved together. So, this is the method of peace.” ifadelerini kullandı.
“A person who succeeds in being at peace with themselves has inner peace”
Tarhan stated that one should have the inner peace that belief provides; “Jannat al-mu'ajjala is paradise in this world. Jannat al-mu'ajjala is the true paradise. In this world, the life of a believing person can be a garden from the garden of paradise; they are at peace with themselves. For example, those who get angry at this and that, who trust no one, who dislike everyone, are not happy. They are quarrelsome themselves. They quarrel with the door threshold. A person who succeeds in being at peace with themselves has inner peace. The peace that faith gives. The one who attains this is a friend of God. God makes people love these individuals. That is, people who live like Rumi are beloved because they are in the command of God. Rumi's method of influencing hearts was love. Our method will be different. To make people love, we will use the method of persuasion and conviction.” şeklinde konuştu.
“Sociologically, we are in adolescence”
Tarhan also made evaluations regarding Rumi becoming a tourism product; “If there is interest in a place, it becomes popular. Therefore, this is not bad. Let's not assume intentions. Hopefully, they are well-intentioned. Those with ill intentions should not be allowed there. During the growth period, there is imitation. As a child grows, they first learn through imitation and repetition. As they grow older, they grasp the essence of the matter and move towards internalizing it. We are currently in a period of sociological adolescence. Perhaps after 20-30 years, our sociological adolescence will end, and we will then grasp the essence. Therefore, I see this as errors in the growth of society, similar to errors in the growth of a child. That is, let's speak the truth; rest assured, this is a growth process. It is a stage of sociological growth. It is better for us to view it that way. Let's look at it with good intentions.” dedi.
Tarhan’s Masnavi Therapy book was gifted…
At the end of the talk, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan’s book, Masnavi Therapy, was gifted to the participant who asked the most striking question.