Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, was the guest of the online event organized by the Istanbul-Pendik District Directorate of National Education. Tarhan, making evaluations on the topic of “Yunus Emre Readings,” said; “Yunus Emre unlocks the hearts of people engrossed in the world, overwhelmed, and corrupted, connecting them to God. He provides solace. He never does it with commercial logic, and because he does it with sincerity, it is widely accepted. Yunus Emre worked for societal benefit, not individual gain. When there is no personal interest or benefit in the background, the power of influence increases even more.”
“Yunus Emre is someone who has touched everyone”
In the program, which drew great interest from educators, Tarhan pointed out that Yunus Emre's poems stir people's emotions, and he better understood his path and its beauty through reading Yunus Emre. Tarhan said; The publishing house suggested working with Yunus, I looked at Yunus's poems, and I said I couldn't get anything out of it. When Yunus became influential today, I made a bit of an effort. Yunus is no different from Mevlana; his life story is vast, he is an amazing person. The reason for the emergence of those poems is wonderful. Based on that, I did Yunus Emre readings. There are good resources on that topic, of course. With a similar methodology, Yunus's poems and stories activate thought, and poetry activates emotions. He activated emotions using poetry. He provides teachings that enable people to self-accept their erroneous thought patterns, negative life experiences, and turn crises into opportunities. He takes people engrossed in the world, unlocks the hearts of those overwhelmed and corrupted, connecting them to God. He provides solace. He doesn't do it with commercial logic, never takes a single penny, and because he does it with sincerity, it is widely accepted. He does it wholeheartedly, sincerely… He worked for societal benefit, not individual gain. When there is no personal interest or benefit in the background, the power of influence increases even more. He writes his treatise of advice at over eighty years old. Yunus has a story that he doesn't stay in one place. Like Mevlana, he travels from city to city; it is thought that his tomb is everywhere. He has been everywhere, including Erzincan and Malatya. He has touched everyone,” he said.
“We need Yunus Emre's ethics”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan emphasized that Yunus Emre's value should be recognized and his essence adopted; “Let's not live exactly like Yunus; let's take the essence of his ideas and dress them in today's attire. Let's not dwell on form. There's an envelope, what's inside is important. Let's not live Yunus superficially. We need Yunus Emre's ethics. Let's not turn our backs on the truth by getting angry at bad examples. He sees not breaking hearts as an act of worship. He trains the ego. He thinks like Muhyiddin ibn Arabi but explains it in simple language as if telling a grandmother. He gives thanks, saying, 'I have been able to connect people's hearts to the truth with my poems.' He enables people to follow the path of truth with his poems. He does it selflessly, sincerely, wholeheartedly. He traveled from place to place to make people love the truth. These are our assets. In the 2000s, he planted the first seed to establish Yunus Emre's status; just as Erasmus is an activity, we also explain our knowledge there. If Yunus Emre were in the hands of the West, they would use him very well. Let's appreciate his value,” he said.
“The greatest miracle is rectitude”
Tarhan, touching upon the importance of rectitude and how Islam should be in the Age of Bliss; “Social transformation does not happen without mental transformation. It doesn't happen top-down; it happens through evolution, not revolution. It is necessary to create a climate. Ahi Evran and Hacı Bayram planted seeds, and the Ottoman Empire gave them flesh and bone. Yunus Emre and Mevlana kept that idea alive. When the feeling of hope was corrupted at that time, and the order collapsed, they became hope for people. When evil was widespread, they did their best to prevent people from migrating. They helped them develop. They did not leave them in learned helplessness. In the metaphor of wood, one should think this way: the name Kamal (Perfection) is one of Allah's names, meaning perfect. The name Jamal (Beauty) loves beauty, Kamal loves perfection, and Jalal (Majesty) loves power and justice. In the sense of Kamal, it means that even wood should not be crooked. Being straight is important. My late father used to say, 'I have never seen anyone hungry from being straight, or full from being crooked.' Yunus had a challenging life; despite issues with his marriage and child, he kept going, not abandoning hope, and approaching the truth. The greatest miracle is rectitude. I know it's very difficult in this day and age, but what's important is to remain so. Being and living as a Muslim of the Age of Bliss, believe me, is very difficult; our trial is great, let's keep our hearts pure,” he stated.
“In Anatolian wisdom, there are no bad people, only people entangled in evil”
Tarhan, stating that Yunus Emre, who created awareness among people in that period, emphasized preventive mental health; “In Anatolian wisdom, there are no enemies or bad people, but people entangled in evil. This is Islam. Few people have their hearts sealed and are truly wicked. He has fallen into a swamp, smearing mud all over his face. He does things that will ruin his spiritual life and both his worlds; Satan makes them appear beautiful. Yunus Emre created awareness among people, moving them with the language of poetry. These are preventive mental health activities. If we consider it as societal therapy, it is very productive. But today it has changed; let alone the commercialization of religion, its secularization is also problematic. The truth is not seen, but it is necessary to know that there is no purpose.”
“Divine love will be at the top of the pyramid of love”
Tarhan, stating that it is wrong for people to take worldly life entirely into their hearts, conveyed the importance of divine power and the issue of attachment in humans with these words; “A child is born with the potential for love. If the object of love is wrong, there is maternal deprivation. As soon as it is born, the child is the most selfish creature, loving itself. The first emotion it experiences is fear; it clings to its mother, and secure attachment forms. If it establishes a consistent relationship with its mother, it builds a beautiful life. The maternal hormone continues until age 3. Humans have a feeling of attachment. As one grows, attachment to divine power also increases. Let's not take the world into our hearts, but let's use it to the fullest, and love the right object. The word 'aşk' (love) comes from the Arabic word for ivy. There is an attachment to the degree of 'aşk'. It exists abstractly in humans. It's different in animals; it's not like this. Genetic coding is like that. If you put a monkey among humans for a thousand years, it cannot form a society. Because humans have genes for the search for meaning, they think and question in every sense. Divine love will be at the top of the pyramid of love. Only then should others come. The first button should not be buttoned wrong. Otherwise, one loses their way,” he said.
“Surprising things will happen in the next ten years”
Tarhan, touching upon the younger generation's progression under popular culture and the characteristics of narcissistic people; “A cancer cell is large and its growth does not stop. It is like selfish people. The sense of entitlement is for themselves. A cancer cell produces a special enzyme. The cancer cell produces the glucose that enters the body. It consumes it itself. A cancer cell is greedy, limitless, and selfish. It grows and wrecks the liver. Narcissistic people are always like this. Let's be like a saw against such people. It is necessary to say no to narcissistic people. If you don't say no, they will swallow you whole. To stop a cancer cell, one says no. What happens to some people comes from their tongue. Even in the media, if you say a word, you get lynched. The younger generation is progressing under popular culture. Imperialism is currently based on consent. They exploit people by activating their desires. We are in such a time where the form has changed. We need to revive Anatolian wisdom; we need to activate meaning. If we cannot appreciate it, the Western world has a field of intelligence; if they emerge, they will explain Yunus and Mevlana better than us. Those who are righteous will come out and speak. They will use it better than us. All arrow signs point to monotheism. Surprising things will happen in the next ten years. The West is rich but not peaceful. They will find that peace here,” he stated.