President of Üsküdar University, Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan and his accompanying delegation held a series of strategic meetings and scientific gatherings during their 4-day visit to Indonesia.
While the education diplomacy between Türkiye and Indonesia gained a new dimension with the cooperation protocol signed with Paramadina University and the official representative office opened in Jakarta, Prof. Tarhan's conferences on "Mathnawi Therapy" and "Modern Human's Search for Meaning" were followed with great interest by Indonesians.
"If Mevlana were alive today, he would use artificial intelligence"
Speaking at the "Mathnawi Therapy" panel at Paramadina University, the first stop of the visit, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan stated that the discipline of Positive Psychology, discovered by the Western world in recent years, was actually systematized by Mevlana 700 years ago. Prof. Tarhan made the following striking observation:
"If Mevlana were alive today, he would use artificial intelligence and social media. However, he would prefer depth over going viral, and the search for meaning over applause. He would ensure being 'online' with God. If we do not present Mevlana to the scientific world, this would be a sin. He used narrative therapy and bibliotherapy methods with stories centuries ago; today, Positive Psychology, taught at Harvard and Yale, is actually Mevlana's methodology."
Artificial intelligence and "intelligent design" analysis
Explaining the latest point reached by technology with the belief of "Tawhid" and mathematical models, Prof. Tarhan said that artificial intelligence is evidence of a divine design and added, "Mathematics and logic gave birth to computers; mathematics and philosophy gave birth to artificial intelligence. 'Fuzzy Logic' and the studies that received the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics prove that the universe is not accidental. Artificial intelligence constitutes scientific evidence for the concept of 'Levh-i Mahfuz' (universal database) mentioned in the Quran. This is the mathematical proof of 'Intelligent Design' and Super-determinizm," he said.
Modern humans consume like cancer cells
In his speeches at the Istiklal Cultural Center and Yunus Emre Institute within the scope of his Indonesia trip, Prof. Tarhan stated that modern humans are caught in the grip of "hedonism" and "narcissism," comparing narcissism to a biological disaster and saying, "Narcissism is similar to a cancer cell, the freest but most dangerous cell in the body. A cancer cell knows no bounds, grows by devouring those next to it, but ultimately kills both the body and itself. Modern humans, with the 'California Syndrome,' have been confined to a life focused solely on consumption and pleasure. This situation drives the individual into deep loneliness within crowds."
Mevlana: The Reference for Positive Psychology
Tarhan stated that Positive Psychology, presented by the Western world as the "science of happiness" in recent years, is actually Mevlana's methodology, and he explained the PERMA model with Sufi concepts.
Prof. Tarhan drew attention to the fact that the 5 elements in Seligman's PERMA Model, the latest theory of Positive Psychology, are found in Sufism, and explained these elements as follows: "The letter P (positive emotion), the letter E (engagement), the letter R (relationships), the letter M (meaning), and the letter A (accomplishment). The first element; acting with a positive perception in one's life initially. What is this? In Sufism, it is said that every person can be a friend unless people see the opposite. They took this same philosophy and processed it in positive psychology. The second is engaging in work that makes a person happy, that is, being happy with small things. The equivalent of the word 'gratitude'. Being able to be grateful for small things. The third element is building relationships, keeping social ties strong, which corresponds to the concept of a friendly person in Sufism. The essence of Sufism is if you are looking for a friend who will help you, there are very few, but if you are looking for friends to help, there are so many. Making goodness a method is the philosophy of wisdom teaching. The fourth is meaningfulness, adding meaning to every job. One teaching of Sufi culture is that every job you do has meaning, even smiling is considered charity. We can now scientifically define the culture where even smiling is considered charity. The fifth model is taking pleasure in success. Being able to take pleasure from small successes. The Western philosophy of 'always wanting more' is questioned here. There is one element missing in PERMA; true happiness is not possible only with happiness in this world, this is a philosophy that only targets happiness in this world."
How does Sufi meditation affect the brain?
Prof. Tarhan also touched upon Üsküdar University's work in neuroscience, explaining the biological equivalent of spirituality with these words: "Through our MRI imaging studies, we scientifically proved that 'Sufi Meditation' stimulates the anterior cingulate cortex, the brain's emotion regulation center. Believing in God and the feeling of integrating with Him releases happiness hormones like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin in the brain. This is the strongest protective shield against depression."
Charity economy and social trust
Tarhan stated that the Western world has moved from the capitalist period, where "charity and mutual aid were seen as cost-increasing," to the "social responsibility" stage, emphasizing that the culture of zakat and sadaqa in Islam builds social trust. Prof. Tarhan drew attention to the impact of Sufism on social welfare by saying, "Where there is trust, there is peace, and where there is peace, there is production and tranquility."
Answering questions from the participants, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan also made striking remarks on gender relations and differences in brain structure from the perspective of Sufism and psychology.
Academic diplomacy and new representation office
Within the scope of the visit, an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) covering student and academician exchange was signed between Üsküdar University and Paramadina University. Additionally, Üsküdar University's Indonesia Representative Office officially began its operations in Jakarta. Ibrahim Albayrak will represent the office.
Paramadina University Vice Rector Prof. Lin Mayasari also commented on the cooperation, stating, "This initiative with Üsküdar University will significantly enhance our university's cooperation networks and establish a scientific bridge between Türkiye and us."
"Best-Seller" interest in Indonesia
Six of Prof. Tarhan's books, translated into Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia), garnered great interest in the region and entered the "best-seller" lists.
His works, especially on narcissism, family values, and positive psychology, attracted intense interest from both academic circles and the public in this densely populated country of the Far East.
Tarhan's books serve as a "rational and spiritual" guide for Indonesian readers against the spiritual crises brought by modern life.
New Book Announcement: "Think Well, Feel Well, Be Well"
One of the surprising details of the Jakarta program was the translation of Tarhan's latest work, "İyi Düşün, İyi Hisset, İyi Ol" (Think Well, Feel Well, Be Well) published by Aile Yayınları, into Indonesian.
With the translation of this work, which presents cognitive-behavioral approaches from a wise perspective, Tarhan's collection in Indonesian has been further enriched. During the signing ceremonies held after each session within the program, readers formed long queues with Tarhan's newly translated book in their hands.
Intense interest from readers and long signing lines…
From Paramadina University to the Istiklal Cultural Center, from the Yunus Emre Institute to official contacts, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan was met with an outpouring of affection at every stop, both as a scientist and as an author.
The Indonesia program of Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, President of Üsküdar University, concluded with a talk titled “Spiritual Prescriptions for Today's Problems with Yunus Emre” held at the Yunus Emre Institute in the capital, Jakarta.
From Mevlana to Yunus: Builders of Civilization
Prof. Nevzat Tarhan began his speech by drawing attention to the spiritual bond between Mevlana and Yunus Emre, stating that both figures lived in the same period and laid the intellectual foundations for the establishment of the Ottoman Empire. Tarhan said, "While Mevlana served among scholars, Yunus Emre went among the common people and conveyed the same wisdom to them. The secret to the Ottoman Empire bringing peace to the world for 600 years lies in the philosophy of these figures, centered on 'İlay-i Kelimetullah' (exalting the word of God) and 'İlahi Rıza' (divine contentment)."
Deep analysis of artificial intelligence's answers to Mevlana and Yunus…
Tarhan began by deeply analyzing the answers to the questions he posed to Artificial Intelligence: "If Mevlana and Yunus were alive today, which method would they use? If we brought Yunus Emre to the present day, what method would he follow if he lived in this era?"
Tarhan stated that the two biggest global enemies of today's world are materialism and atheism, and these movements lead people to "loss of meaning." Referring to the observations of Bediüzzaman Said Nursi on this matter, Tarhan emphasized, "It is a necessity to prove the truths of Islam with the scientific knowledge of this age.
Today's Muslim should live holding science and technology in one hand and the Quran in the other."
A bridge of science and wisdom between emotional geographies with the Indonesia visit
The Indonesia program of Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, President of Üsküdar University, was completed with intense interest and fruitful meetings at every stage, from academic diplomacy to spiritual encounters.
Synthesizing the data of modern psychiatry with the teachings of Mevlana and Yunus Emre, Tarhan not only made an academic contribution; he also built a lasting bridge of goodwill between Türkiye and Indonesia.
This program, crowned with the intense interest of Indonesian youth and the academic community, was recorded as a historic visit demonstrating the global reach of the 'Science and Wisdom' vision.
