The “1st Prophetic Ethics Symposium Ahl al-Bayt Platform Inauguration Meeting” was held in partnership with Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Risale-i Nur Research Platform (RİNAP).
A Preliminary Protocol for the “Ahl al-Bayt Platform” was signed between Rotterdam Islamic University and Üsküdar Üniversitesi.
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “There is a need for a new definition of jihad. Spiritual jihad is jihad in peace and is the most powerful weapon of this age. Those who best exemplify this definition of jihad, show good morals, dispel Islamophobia in the world, are the 1.5 million people in Gaza. They did not engage in any terrorist activity; they fully surrendered to Allah.”
International Ahl al-Bayt Foundation Chairman Cesim Zeydanlı: “After the last prophet, this ummah also divided and separated into factions like the people of Prophet Moses (peace be upon him).”
The “1st Prophetic Ethics Symposium Ahl al-Bayt Platform Inauguration Meeting” was held in the Ibn Sina Auditorium at Üsküdar Üniversitesi NP Health Campus, in partnership with Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Risale-i Nur Research Platform (RİNAP).
The opening speech of the meeting was delivered by Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan.
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “The world is experiencing a moral crisis”
Stating that “The world is experiencing a moral crisis, and there are examples of this in Turkey as well,” Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said that this meeting was organized to serve as a means of conveying information to younger generations.
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that they organized the symposium in line with the demands conveyed to them by Ahl al-Bayt associations and foundations, adding, “Our reason for holding the symposium was the Gaza events. We observed that the Islamic world was not living by prophetic ethics.”
“The definition of jihad needs to be redefined in the Islamic world”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan noted that Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) said to Gabriel when thrown into the fire, ‘Allah knows, that is enough for me,’ and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said ‘Allah is with us’ during the Battle of Badr. He also recounted that when Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was angered by Abu Bakr, he said, ‘Because you were angry, the angels protecting you left.’
Stating that prophetic ethics do not mix anger with emotions, Prof. Dr. Tarhan said, “The definition of jihad needs to be redefined in the Islamic world. When jihad is mentioned, armed jihad always comes to mind. Spiritual jihad is jihad in peace and is the most powerful weapon of this age. The greatest jihad in this era is spiritual jihad. There is a need for a new definition of jihad, and those who best exemplify this definition, show good morals, and dispel Islamophobia in the world are the 1.5 million people in Gaza. They did not engage in any terrorist activity; they fully surrendered to Allah.”
“Prophetic ethics must be built in hearts…”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan noted that ‘Prophetic ethics means complete submission to Allah’ and that these ethics have been forgotten in the Islamic world. He stated that the ethics of the Umayyads, their oppression, were mistakenly perceived as Islam, whereas the Prophet never even raised his voice in his life.
Prof. Dr. Tarhan also reminded that the first verse was ‘read,’ and stated that ‘Read’ was intended to mean reading the book of the Universe.
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that Islam cannot be explained through events like violence and terror, and noted that prophetic ethics must be built in hearts.
“The world is heading towards a serious ego inflation…”
Pointing to the moral crisis in the world, Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that an era of chasing pleasure and money is being experienced, adding, “Currently, the greatest need is for good people and ethics.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan also drew attention to the ongoing narcissism epidemic, noting that the number of arrogant, self-superior, self-centered, and conceited people is increasing, and that the world is heading towards one where people have inflated egos, experiencing serious ego inflation.
Prof. Dr. Tarhan also stated that modernism is in a civilization crisis, with increasing hedonism, narcissism, loneliness, unhappiness, depression, and suicides. He added that anti-religious sentiment is also growing, and there is a need for good morals throughout the world.
Prof. Dr. Öngören: “Ahl al-Bayt is the common ground of both Sunnism and Shiism”
Prof. Dr. Reşat Öngören, faculty member at Üsküdar Üniversitesi Institute of Sufi Studies, also stated in his opening speech that the work carried out by the institute would form an academic basis for the goals of this meeting, and added that they had initiated a study on the perception of Ahl al-Bayt during the Ottoman period.
Stating that “Ahl al-Bayt is the common ground of both Sunnism and Shiism,” Prof. Dr. Reşat Öngören also mentioned that creating a common platform in this area would become easier with a Sufi perspective.
Cesim Zeydanlı: “All people to come until the Day of Judgment pledged allegiance to our Lord”
International Ahl al-Bayt Foundation Chairman Cesim Zeydanlı also said, “When Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) was created as the reason for the existence of the worlds, all people to come until the Day of Judgment were created as particles from his loins, and given souls, and our Lord asked them for allegiance. The souls received their addresses and accepted and pledged allegiance.”
Cesim Zeydanlı reminded that Cain, who was from Ahl al-Bayt and came into the world after the first human Prophet Adam, separated from the Truth and Ahl al-Bayt and murdered his brother Abel, thus beginning the first discord on earth.
Cesim Zeydanlı, stating that this discord later led to separations from the Truth, divisions into factions, and the formation of new factions among subsequent communities, said the following:
“After the last prophet, this ummah also divided and separated into factions like the people of Prophet Moses (peace be upon him)”
“Our Lord sent new prophets and new books to invite people back to the Truth. People separated again. Until our Master Prophet Muhammad, the witness of the Truth, the bringer of good tidings, sent as mercy to the worlds, arrived. After the last prophet, this ummah also divided and separated into factions like the people of Prophet Moses (peace be upon him). Each faction claimed to be on the path of Truth, accusing other factions of polytheism and presenting verses from the Quran as their evidence. The main reason for these divisions was the denial of the virtue and superiority of Ahl al-Bayt after our Master. This conflict, which began back then, continues today. Ahl al-Bayt says; ‘As long as this ummah continues in this way, its salvation is not possible.’ So how will this ummah be saved? No new prophet, no new book will come after this. This is clearly stated in the holy verse addressed to our Master: ‘Say, O My beloved, in return for my prophethood, I ask nothing from you except love and affection for my Ahl al-Bayt’.”
World Ahl al-Bayt Foundation Chairman Fermani Altun: “The reference of our Prophet, our Lord, and the Holy Quran is Ahl al-Bayt”
World Ahl al-Bayt Foundation Chairman Fermani Altun stated in his speech that the World Ahl al-Bayt Foundation is the center for those who correctly practice Islamic faith under the umbrella of Ahl al-Bayt. Stating that there is neither a sect nor any other distinction, Altun said, “The reference of our Prophet, our Lord, and the Holy Quran is Ahl al-Bayt.”
Fermani Altun, pointing out that thousands of scholars originate from Ahl al-Bayt, used the expressions, “Unfortunately, dark factions outside of Ahl al-Bayt have caused great harm to humanity throughout history, and this continues today in the same way.”
Fermani Altun: “There is love in our religion”
Fermani Altun, stating that he met and befriended Necmettin Erbakan, said, “He used to attend all our meetings. He would say, ‘One who does not follow Ahl al-Bayt cannot be a Muslim.’ Together with Hodja Erbakan, we tore down the strained curtains and walls regarding Alevism-Sunnism in Turkey. You see, today all the disgraces witnessed under the command of imperialism are done in the name of religion. No, there is love in our religion.”
Altun, stating that the ignorant and the oppressor have no religion, said, “In the era we live in today, you cannot see Ahl al-Bayt. Terror, divisions, all the atrocities experienced today are shaped at the center of imperialism; Ahl al-Bayt is not present here. For this reason, all terrorist groups are hostile to Ahl al-Bayt. In this era we live in, all Muslims and people who adhere to the belief of Ahl al-Bayt live by these values.”
World Association of Seyyids and Sharifs Chairman Seyyid Hüseyin Zerraki’s address of ‘Seyyid’ to Nevzat Tarhan…
World Association of Seyyids and Sharifs Chairman Seyyid Hüseyin Zerraki began his speech by saying, “I thank Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector Nevzat Tarhan for organizing such a symposium.”
Seyyid Hüseyin Zerraki stated that the World Association of Seyyids and Sharifs was established to prevent fake Seyyidship and abuse, and to register genuine Seyyids.
“The path to the longed-for peace and tranquility in the Islamic world passes through the descendants of the Messenger of Allah, Seyyids and Sharifs”
Seyyid Hüseyin Zerraki expressed his wish for all Islamic sects to be in fraternal unity and solidarity without disparaging each other’s values for the Islamic world to become stronger, saying, “Today, the path to the longed-for peace and tranquility in the Islamic world passes through the descendants of the Messenger of Allah, Seyyids and Sharifs. If the Ahl al-Bayt, entrusted by Prophet Muhammad to his ummah, are protected as they should be, we will overcome these problems together.”
Seyyid Hüseyin Zerraki concluded his speech by saying, “Ahl al-Bayt is our common denominator, our sole address, and the yeast of our unity. As warned by the Messenger of Allah, Ahl al-Bayt is like Noah’s ark; whoever boards it is saved, and whoever turns away is doomed.”
Panel on “The Importance of Prophetic Ethics and Ahl al-Bayt Gnosis in a Changing World”
A panel titled “The Importance of Prophetic Ethics and Ahl al-Bayt Gnosis in a Changing World” was also held at the meeting. Moderated by Prof. Dr. Alparslan Açıkgenç, Faculty Member in the Philosophy Department of Üsküdar Üniversitesi FHS, the panel featured Prof. Dr. Ahmet Akgündüz, Rector of Rotterdam Islamic University and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ottoman Research Foundation; Prof. Dr. Niyazi Beki, Faculty Member at Üsküdar Üniversitesi Institute of Sufi Studies and Chairman of the RİNAP Board; and Prof. Dr. Halil Çiçek, Faculty Member in Basic Islamic Sciences at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Faculty of Islamic Sciences, as speakers.
Seyyid lineage documents of the Nevzat Tarhan family…
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Akgündüz, Rector of Rotterdam Islamic University and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ottoman Research Foundation, stated that the Naqib al-Ashraf, established during the Yıldırım Beyazıt era, recorded those descended from Prophet Muhammad, and explained that the Seyyid lineage documents of the Nevzat Tarhan family were also found in the ledgers of Naqib al-Ashraf Seyyid Ali Muhammad.
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Akgündüz noted that those descended from Prophet Husayn are called Seyyid, and those descended from Prophet Hasan are called Sharif. He emphasized the importance of the Sunnah al-Saniyyah (noble prophetic tradition), stating that those who abandon the Sunnah al-Saniyyah distance themselves from Ahl al-Bayt.
Emphasizing the importance of prophetic ethics, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Akgündüz also pointed to the importance of obligatory acts (fard), necessary acts (wajib), and the noble prophetic traditions (sunnah al-saniyyah), saying, ‘Changing these is an innovation.’
Stating that “When prophetic ethics are mentioned, Quranic ethics should come to mind,” Prof. Dr. Ahmet Akgündüz emphasized the importance of adhering to obligatory and necessary acts.
Prof. Dr. Halil Çiçek: “Deism is a great discord”
In his speech, Prof. Dr. Halil Çiçek, Faculty Member in Basic Islamic Sciences at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Faculty of Islamic Sciences, stated that Western secular culture has caused our society to lose many things, one of which is Ahl al-Bayt. He added that recently, ‘deism has been inflicted upon society,’ saying, “Deism is a great discord. Knowing the life of our Prophet is very important. Thousands of wisdoms lie in each of his traditions.”
Preliminary Protocol for “Ahl al-Bayt Platform” signed
A Preliminary Protocol for the “Ahl al-Bayt Platform” was signed by Prof. Dr. Ahmet Akgündüz, Rector of Rotterdam Islamic University and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ottoman Research Foundation, and Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Founding Rector and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Üsküdar Üniversitesi.
It was also learned that the Platform, founded, coordinated, and collaborated by Üsküdar Üniversitesi, will organize academic meetings in this field. A family photo was taken at the end of the meeting.