Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Founding Rector of Üsküdar University, attended a program organized by AKEV. In his speech titled “Quranic Morality According to Bediüzzaman in a Changing World,” Tarhan made striking evaluations. Stating that there are currently 3 dangers threatening the world, Tarhan said that recreational alcohol use has increased over the years, and hedonism has come to the forefront. Adding that there has never been an era that misuses time capital this much, Tarhan emphasized that we should have a concern for raising our children with good morals.
Three Dangers Awaiting the Future…
At the program held in Ankara by the Ankara Culture and Education Foundation (AKEV), Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan made striking remarks, pointing out that the new generation gives more importance to hedonism and the pursuit of pleasure compared to previous generations. Tarhan stated: “There is currently a serious global threat in the world. The World Health Organization talks about three dangers awaiting the future. The first is the widespread increase in income inequality globally, the second is climate change, and the third is loneliness. The UK and Japan have established Ministries of Loneliness. Globally, there is a significant increase in crime, violence, and school shootings, especially in America. There is also an increase in divorce rates and suicide rates. People are asking, ‘Why is there economic and material prosperity in this world, but no spiritual prosperity?’ The percentage of people who say they are happy is decreasing. As a result, there is currently an epidemic of narcissism, especially among young people. The Guardian Magazine published a report on this. According to the report, the new generation places more importance on hedonism and the pursuit of pleasure than previous generations. Being fast, rich, and powerful without effort are their most important sources of motivation. TÜİK (Turkish Statistical Institute) also has statistics. According to TÜİK data, recreational use has increased over the years among the reasons for starting alcohol consumption. Curiosity, peer influence, and imitation have decreased. Previously, curiosity, peer influence, and imitation were always the focus for addiction. Now, the pursuit of pleasure and hedonism have come to the forefront. While curiosity and peer influence used to be the main reasons, now recreational use is a bigger risk factor. In other words, the world is not improving morally.”
“The Gaza Events Were an Incident We Were Powerless Against”
Emphasizing that the education of meaning provided by the Holy Quran has been traditionally forgotten, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated; “Currently, we have created a traditional Islam where the Holy Quran is seen merely as a book of rules. The current understanding of Islam is a traditional understanding. The Islam in the Quran and the Islam experienced in this geography currently do not align. This is a serious questioning, and we witnessed the latest example of this in the Gaza events. Gaza was an incident that burned our hearts, which we still cannot resolve and are powerless against. Regarding this, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) has a Hadith. ‘There will come a time when Muslims will be like garbage floating on water. They will be like straw scattered about, and everyone will attack them, and they will be unable to do anything.’ It says that there will be many Muslims, but they will have a disease. In the Hadith, it is referred to as the disease of ‘Wahn.’ The disease of Wahn is the increase in love for the world and the increase in the fear of death among Muslims. It currently appears to exist. It is as if the Messenger of Allah addressed this very time. Unfortunately, if you look at people now, a tradition of Islam has emerged where death does not come to mind.”
“The Only Alternative to Capitalist Morality is Quranic Morality”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan drew attention to the four symptoms of California Syndrome; “First, hedonism, ego ideal, choosing the pursuit of pleasure as a life goal. Secondly, selfishness emerges. Thirdly, loneliness appears as a symptom. And fourthly, unhappiness and depression emerge. Currently, global morality has become capitalist morality. If a person lives this way now, regardless of what religious practices or rituals they perform, that person's morality is capitalist morality. The only alternative to capitalist morality right now is Quranic morality. Globally, especially after the Cold War, capitalism became the sole doctrine in the world. It became not just an economic doctrine, but a moral doctrine. In fact, the capitalist system contributed a lot to humanity by bringing competition into the economy, but while it brought competition, it also changed morality.” he said.
“Currently, the Most Important Security Issue is Protecting the Family”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that as the world changes, young people are drifting away from Anatolian wisdom; “As soon as a human child is born, they are psychologically premature. They are born psychologically early. They stand up at 1 year old, and at 15, they can distinguish between good and evil. They learn morality. They learn from life, from their parents. Now, this teaching has been severed in the world. The transmission of family culture is done by media, not by the family. Currently, the most important security issue is the problem of protecting the family. Because the family also creates morality, and we must present this morality as a livable morality in this era. The world is changing, and our youth are currently drifting away from our own values and Anatolian wisdom. This is not difficult to see. It is seriously reflected in statistics. Turkey's statistics between 2012 and 2022 show a very rapid change over this 10-year period. This indicates that global change is reflected in Turkey. In other words, Turkey is no longer in a very protected situation in this regard. The reason we say the family is the last refuge is because the family was the only protected area against changes in the social world and society. Currently, the family is also experiencing serious difficulties in this regard.” he expressed.
“We Need to Capture the Peace that Belief Provides”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, explaining the importance of capturing the spiritual pleasure and peace that belief in Allah provides; “Currently, we are not in Muslim morality, in Quranic morality, but in capitalist morality. It is beneficial for us to prick ourselves with this needle. Against this, Bediüzzaman Hazretleri felt the need to do something against this reality after modernism began. He asks, ‘How can we explain Quranic morality to today's youth, to today's people?’ Here, the first is the truth, that spiritual pleasure and peace that belief in Allah provides. Since we have turned our morality into a worldly morality, in order to revert our morality to its original form, we need to capture the pleasure, taste, and peace that belief provides. If someone believes but cannot capture this pleasure, this peace, this taste, they should remember the verse, ‘O you who have believed, believe.’ This means that faith needs to be continuously renewed. In other words, faith needs to be continuously nourished. Faith is not just existence and non-existence. For faith to transform into conviction and become applicable, that person needs to believe in it with all five senses. Reason and heart need to synthesize together. Reason accepts it, but because the heart and soul do not accept it, people cannot apply the knowledge they know to be true.” he said.
“Religious Knowledge Cannot Be Built Without the Belief in Tawhid”
Tarhan emphasized the importance of the belief in Tawhid; “If you want to solve an advanced mathematics problem, you cannot do advanced mathematics without knowing basic mathematics. Similarly, without basic knowledge of belief, without knowledge of faith, we cannot place other subjects of religion within a logical framework. For it to fit into a logical framework, one must first believe in Tawhid in their mind regarding faith. Just believing is not enough. Without believing in the form of Tawhid, you cannot build that person on other religious knowledge. Therefore, if a person who does not believe in Tawhid reads the Quran in a critical, questioning manner, the Quran does not reveal itself. Risale-i Nur also has such a characteristic. If you read Risale-i Nur critically, you cannot understand it. You would say ‘there is no such thing.’ The Holy Quran has the same characteristic.” he said.
“There Has Never Been an Era That Misuses Time Capital This Much”
Tarhan stated that one can capture the taste of faith by changing their perspective towards the world; “We will start changing the world by changing ourselves. Currently, people are so affected by daily events that occupy their minds that they do not spend time with their children. They do not allocate time to teach good morals to their children. They do not allocate time to explain the depth of truth. They spend much more time on unimportant matters. There has never been an era that misuses time capital this much. If you change this perspective, you will capture the taste of faith.” he said.
“We Should Have a Concern for Raising Our Children with Good Morals…”
Tarhan emphasized the need to take care in raising children with good morals; “Worldly life is a field of examination. In the world, good and evil, light and darkness, beauty and ugliness, hot and cold exist according to the law of entropy. That is, when one decreases, the other increases. In fact, there is no cold, there is the absence of heat. In fact, there is no darkness, there is the absence of light. In fact, there is no evil, there is the absence of good. For this, we need to be proactive for good morals. We cannot be morally good by ourselves. We should have a concern for raising our children with good morals. If this is not happening, a state should have a concern for raising good people.” he spoke.
“People Who Forget Allah See Life as a Threat and Danger”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan pointed out that people do not want to leave their comfort zones; “People who forget Allah see life as a threat and danger. They see illnesses, accidents, calamities, taking risks, and going to war as threats. They do not want to leave their comfort zone. This creates a conformist type of person. Behind this is the failure of faith to turn into Tawhid, Tawhid into Taslim (surrender), and Taslim into Tawakkul (reliance on Allah). It provides happiness in both worlds. Not just happiness after death, but also happiness in this world. A person who grasps this says there is peace in this world. We call it authentic happiness. Authentic happiness is pure, unadulterated happiness. A person experiences the same happiness whether in prison or in a palace.” he said.