ibrahim ozdemir

... As Said's fame grew so did his difficulties. As he moved from place to place — Sirvan, Siirt, Tillo, Cizre and the Miran tribe, Mardin, and Bitlis— often on the orders of the authorities, he had many adventures, some resulting from the plots of rivals and enemies. ...

The aim of this paper is to point out the chief characteristics of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s philosophy/understanding of the environment. In this way, a concrete example will have been offered for ‘A Contemporary Approach to Understanding the Qur’an,’ the title of this symposium. For Said Nursi laid greater emphasis than other contemporary Muslim scholars on the Qur’anic view of the universe, that is, its cosmological aspect, and its meaning. But firstly, what do we mean by the concept of environmental philosophy? This has to be explained. Although the meaning and history of the concept of philosophy has ancient roots, it was only in the last quarter of the 20th century that the concept of environmental philosophy gained currency. Although there is no consensus concerning what this comprises, it may be understood as the application to the environment of a general definition of philosophy. To put it another way, the endeavour on the one hand to examine from a philosophical viewpoint the reasons for environmental problems, and on the other to understand and give meaning to the environment as a whole. People have always tried to understand themselves and their environment, but efforts to redefine man and his environment in the context of the present while benefiting from the work of the past is what is called environmental philosophy. With the increase in environmental problems, many thinkers began to ask philosophical questions about their roots and reasons. There emerged as a result of these, the concepts of environmental/eco philosophy and environmental ethics. The following are the questions to which answers are most frequently sought in environmental philosophy: • What is the universe or nature? • Does the universe have any meaning? • What is the meaning of the aesthetic dimension of the universe? • Why should the universe be an orderly whole? • Does nature have any intrinsic value independently of man? • What is man? • What is man’s place in the universe? • Are we responsible for future generations?

Professor Erdal İnönü was a distinguished Turkish physicist, politician, and historian of science who passed away on October 31st, 2007. In memory of his remarkable contributions and to honor his legacy, I wrote this piece to unveil a previously unknown memory of Professor İnönü. This piece was first published in Karar Daily on November 2, 2020.

Our contemporary mindset is increasingly influenced by a transformative paradigm shift called the post-materialist science paradigm. This critical element of post-materialism is that the mind is irreducible to physical processes. Its ontological status is as important as matter, energy, and space-time. The mind does not come from matter and cannot be reduced to something more fundamental. As Mario Beauregard argues, "Scientific materialism has … brought a severely distorted and impoverished conception of ourselves and our place in nature." Moreover, "The materialist worldview, which has dominated science and academia over the last few centuries, has run its course. At last, the tired old materialist paradigm has started to crumble, and a new paradigm has begun to emerge," writes Mario Beauregard in his book Expanding Reality: The Emergence of Postmaterialist Science (2021). The history of science has been marked by special moments leading to major paradigm shifts: the transition from flat-earth theory to the concept of a spherical planet, from geocentrism to heliocentrism, and to Darwinism and the recognition of deep time.

This paper will try to present and discuss Said Nursi’s (d. 1960) ethics of compassion and the possibility of a new ethics of compassion derived from the Qurʾānic Weltanschauung. It will start with a slight detour in the history of philosophy to keep the evolution of an ethics of compassion in perspective. Then, it will deal with Said Nursi’s perception of compassion as he discovers mercy and compassion as universal values manifested by all creatures. For him, like al-Ghazālī (d. 505/1111), Ibn ʿArabī (d. 638/1240), and Rūmī (d. 672/1273), the existence and reality of divine mercy are as clear as the sun. Therefore, the compassion observed in humans, animals, and plants reflects and indicates universal compassion: it is from God. The paper’s primary focus will be on Nursi’s treatise on flies.

This paper will try to present and discuss Said Nursi's (d. 1960) ethics of compassion and the possibility of a new ethics of compassion derived from the Qurʾānic Weltanschauung. It will start with a slight detour in the history of philosophy to keep the evolution of an ethics of compassion in perspective. Then, it will deal with Said Nursi's perception of compassion as he discovers mercy and compassion as universal values manifested by all creatures. For him, like al-Ghazālī (d. 505/1111), Ibn ʿArabī (d. 638/1240), and Rūmī (d. 672/1273), the existence and reality of divine mercy are as clear as the sun. Therefore, the compassion observed in humans, animals, and plants reflects and indicates universal compassion: it is from God. The paper's primary focus will be on Nursi's treatise on flies.

The article analyzes the works of well-known Turkish thinkers that touch upon the issues of philosophy of education, the ecology of culture, and theoretical and applied thoughts that are relevant in the context of global environmental problems. The use of interdisciplinary approaches by Turkish scientists in the study of these issues makes it possible to reveal philosophical problems from a variety of positions. Thus, we see modern philosophical discourses in the humanitarian studies of Turkish philosophers, reflecting the issues of ecological thinking, religious-political, ethical and legal aspects of human life and society, the creative potential of cultural and religious heritage.

The article analyzes the works of well-known Turkish thinkers that touch upon the issues of philosophy of education, the ecology of culture, and theoretical and applied thoughts that are relevant in the context of global environmental problems. The use of interdisciplinary approaches by Turkish scientists in the study of these issues makes it possible to reveal philosophical problems from a variety of positions. Thus, we see modern philosophical discourses in the humanitarian studies of  Turkish philosophers,  reflecting the issues of ecological thinking, religious-political, ethical and legal aspects of human life and society, and the creative potential of cultural and religious heritage.

Philosophers have been discussing the relationship between man, God and nature for thousands of years. Muslim or not, the questions are the same: do we humans have an unchanging or changing basic nature? If so, what does it look like? What is God's connection with human nature? And how do the answers to these questions affect how we think about politics, economics, psychology, sociology, theology, philosophy, and even science? In this scientific article, the authors tried to answer these questions and give examples from the point of view of Islamic philosophers, considering the holy scriptures (the Quran and the Sunnah) as a fundamental set of premises. They classify and formulate different views on human nature into three categories, each of which has its own historical origin. These categories are - the ratio of the world and nature, the ratio of nature and man, the ratio of nature and God. In the context of such reflections, the main philosophical and religious ideas and representatives of Kazakh philosophy are also considered. The conclusion of the study speaks about the significance of these philosophical concepts for modern philosophy.

Philosophers have been discussing the relationship between man, God and nature for thousands of years. Muslim or not, the questions are the same: do we humans have an unchanging or changing basic nature? If so, what does it look like? What is God's connection with human nature? And how do the answers to these questions affect how we think about politics, economics, psychology, sociology, theology, philosophy, and even science? In this scientific article, the authors tried to answer these questions and give examples from the point of view of Islamic philosophers, considering the holy scriptures (the Quran and the Sunnah) as a fundamental set of premises. They classify and formulate different views on human nature into three categories, each of which has its own historical origin. These categories are - the ratio of the world and nature, the ratio of nature and man, the ratio of nature and God. In the context of such reflections, the main philosophical and religious ideas and representatives of Kazakh philosophy are also considered. The conclusion of the study speaks about the significance of these philosophical concepts for modern philosophy.
Keywords: philosophy, Islam, man, God, nature.

For the last two hundred years, unprecedented environmental challenges and irreversible mass extinctions have been caused on the Earth including a rising trend in the global temperature during the 20th century. The loading capacity of the world has already been reached, and severe tensions between unending demands of the human beings and the finite natural resources of the world have become more apparent. The seemingly innocent and dulcet "laissez-faire" rhetoric in capitalist system promoted the removal of all meaningful checks and balances pertaining to production and consumption activities, and have resulted in the terrific destruction of our natural assets. Excessive consumption (and so production) and squandering are in the heart of the global environmental problems, and there is a strong need for the revival of the critical human values of moderation and thriftiness. Cumulative burden of individual irresponsibility can no longer be tolerated. Recent experiences demon...

This article intends to point out some chief characteristics of Sayyid Qutb’s (1906–1966) understanding of nature as a living being. Although Qutb has been considered as “one of the most influential ideologues of radical Islamism”, this article highlights for the first time a neglected dimension of his thought. When we study his Qur’anic exegeses with a critical mind and ecological reading, we discover that Qutb, especially when interpreting early chapters of the Qur’an, provides us with a vivid and meaningful understanding of the natural world. To do justice to this subject, the following questions are addressed in the case of Qutb: What is the universe or nature? Does the universe have any meaning? What is the meaning of the aesthetic dimension of the universe? Why should the universe be an orderly whole? Does nature have any intrinsic value independent of man? What is man’s place in the universe?

Sadece KHK ile işini kaybetmiş insanları, ailelerini ve akrabalarını değil, sosyal barışı da tehdit eden ve bu sebeple tartışılmakta olan  “Sağlıkla İlgili Bazı Kanun ve KHK'lerde Değişiklik Yapılmasına Dair Kanun Teklifi” ilgili endişelerimi yazdım.

For the last two hundred years, unprecedented environmental challenges and irreversible mass extinctions have been caused on the Earth including a rising trend in the global temperature during the 20 th century. The loading capacity of the world has already been reached, and severe tensions between unending demands of the human beings and the finite natural resources of the world have become more apparent. The seemingly innocent and dulcet " laissez-faire " rhetoric in capitalist system promoted the removal of all meaningful checks and balances pertaining to production and consumption activities, and have resulted in the terrific destruction of our natural assets. Excessive consumption (and so production) and squandering are in the heart of the global environmental problems, and there is a strong need for the revival of the critical human values of moderation and thriftiness. Cumulative burden of individual irresponsibility can no longer be tolerated. Recent experiences demonstrate that any development model devoid of an ethical view on the environment, will be dominated by the uncontrolled exploitation of the natural assets with irreversible damages. Islam, as a religion of moderation, presents a viable alternative towards addressing the current challenges. Moderation refers not only to the personal lives of the believers but also to their interaction with fellow human beings and the nature they live in. Nature has been created in order, balance and with extraordinary esthetic beauty, and all these aspects of nature while enhancing man's life here, should be honored, utilized and protected accordingly. All patterns of man's production and consumption should be based on an overall order and balance of nature, which is a fundamental component of any meaningful approach towards a more environmentally friendly socioeconomic development.

Prof. Dr. İsmet Sungurbey’in vefat haberini duyunca içimde garip duygular uyandı. Aklıma ilk gelen şey, yetim kalan hayvanlardı. 
Sur dibinden, Beyazıt’a; 500’den fazla kedi ve köpek yetim kaldı. Genelde ise tüm hayvanlar yetim kaldı.
İsmet hoca ülkemizde hayvan hakları için en tutarlı ve sürekli mücadeleyi sürdürenlerin başında geliyordu. Hayvan Hakları Kanununu bizzat hazırlamıştı.

Özet Bu çalışmada XVII. yüzyıldan bu yana toplumların hayatından etkili olmaya başlayan sekülerleşme/dünyevileşme projesinin tüm dinler için olumsuz sonuçları irdelenecek; dindarların dindarlıklarının zayıflamasına ve bazen de buharlaşmasına sebep olduğu gözlenen sekülerleşmenin felsefi ve ideolojik temellerine işaret edilecektir. Bunu yaparken öncelikle sekülerleşmenin tanımı ve Batıda ve ülkemizdeki tarihi gelişimi vurgulanacak, Bediüzzaman Said Nursi'nin bu ideolojik ve felsefi saldırıyı nasıl algıladığı ve nasıl bir cevap verdiğinin üzerinde durulacaktır. Nursi'nin sekülerleşmenin dinler ve dindarlar için yaptığı meydan okumaya verdiği cevabın diğer din mensupları için de anlamlı sonuçları olduğuna da işaret edilecektir.

Kitap Hakkında
Demokratik kültür için yükseköğretimi konu alan bu kitap, Avrupa Konseyi yükseköğretim serisinin 8.’sini oluşturmaktadır.
Kitap, vatandaşlık, insan hakları ve sürdürülebilirlik için yükseköğretim konusunda Avrupa Konseyinin Strasburg’da 22-23 Haziran 2006 yılının Haziran ayında düzenlediği forumun doğrudan bir sonucu olarak çıkmıştır.
Milli Eğitim Bakanlığında Dış İlişkiler Genel Müdürü olarak görev yaptığım dönemde (2003-2010) Avrupa Konseyi’nin konuyla ilgili çalışmalarını yakından takip ettim ve toplantılarına katıldım. Bu toplantılarda ortaya çıkan sonuçlar Bakanlığın ilgili birimlerine sunuldu. Bu çalışmaların bir sonucu olarak Millî Eğitim Bakanlığı Demokrasi Eğitimi ve Okul Meclisleri Yönergesi yayınlandı (EYLÜL 2006). Millî Eğitim Bakanlığına bağlı İlköğretim ve Ortaöğretim kurumlarında Okul Öğrenci Meclislerinin kuruluş ve işleyişine ilişkin usûl ve esasları belirlendi. Bu yönergenin başlıca amaçları:
• Cumhuriyetimizin demokrasi ile güçlendirilmesi;
• Öğrencilerimizde yerleşik bir demokrasi kültürünün oluşturulması,
• Hoş görü ve çoğulculuk bilincinin geliştirilmesi,
• Kendi kültürünü özümsemiş, millî ve manevî değerlere bağlı, evrensel değerleri benimseyen nesillerin yetiştirilmesi;
• Öğrencilere seçme, seçilme ve oy kullanma kültürünün kazandırılması;
• Katılımcı olma, iletişim kurabilme, demokratik liderliği benimseyebilme ve kamuoyu oluşturabilme becerilerinin kazandırılması” olarak belirlendi.
Dönemin Milli Eğitim Bakanı Doç. Dr. Hüseyin ÇELİK’le başlayan bu çalışmalar hâlâ devam ediyor.
Bu kitap daha önce yayınlanacaktı, ama nasip olmadı. 15 Temmuz 2015’te da demokrasiye kurulan tuzak ve darbe girişimden sonra yayınlanması şart oldu. Üsküdar Üniversitesi bu kitabı yayınlamakla çok önemli toplumsal bir sorumluluğu yerine getiriyor.
Öncelikle bu kitabın Türkçe yayınlanması için izin veren ve her tür kolaylığı sağlayan Avrupa Konseyi Yayınevine Sara Mahoney’e teşekkür ediyoruz.

He argues that to understand the spirit of Islam, it is essential to comprehend "devotional religious experience and behavior" together. To understand the spirit of the Qur'anic message to humanity, fasting in Ramadan is a good example. Although Muslims observe fasting as a religious obligation ordained by Allah, we do believe that there are numerous purposes and wisdom in the fasting. Ramadan thus has far-reaching meanings and lessons for all of us. I will try to summarize some of these major wisdoms of fasting. In doing so, I primarily consulted and benefited from Said Nursi's treatise on Ramadan. Nursi is one of probably the most influential Muslim thinkers in Turkey in the 20th Century. Nursi underlines that fasting in Ramadan is one of Islam's foremost pillars and greatest symbols. Many of its purposes relate to God's Lordship and giving thanks for His bounties, as well as to humanity's individual and collective life, self-training, and self-discipline. Then, he delineates the wisdom of Ramadan as follows: First, the noble Qur'an, the word of God, was revealed to humanity in the month of Ramadan (the Qur'an, 2:185). Accordingly, to shun the lower demands of the ego and trivialities and to resemble the angelic state by abstaining from food and drink in order to greet that heavenly address in the best manner is to attain a holy state.

Ramadan is everywhere: Muslims all over the globe are welcoming and observing this holy month. Ramadan has been changing and transforming individuals, families and societies alike. So, let us look at and try to understand the meaning of this special time. "Ramadan" is an Arabic word, which literally means "parched thirst" and "sun-baked ground." It expresses the hunger and thirst felt by those Muslims around the world who spend the daylight hours of this month in a complete. As opposed to other holidays-when people often indulge-Ramadan, by definition therefore, is a time of sacrifice and reflection on the meaning of that sacrifice and bounties given us by Allah. This pious reflection leads to a spiritual awakening and renewal. Therefore, it is a time for inner reflection, devotion to Allah, altruism, and self-control. We Muslims think of it as a kind of tune-up for our spiritual and physical well-being. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The entire cycle takes around 35 years. In this way, the length of the day, and thus the fasting period, varies in length from place to place over the years. Every Muslim, no matter where he or she lives, will see an average Ramadan day of approximately 13.5 hours. From Dawn to Dusk The daily period of fasting begins with the breaking of dawn (an hour before sunrise) and ends with the setting of the sun. In between-that is, during the daylight hours-Muslims completely abstain from food, drink, smoking, and marital sex. The usual practice is to have a pre-fast meal (suhoor) before dawn and a post-fast meal (iftar) after sunset. If you fail to wake up and consequently miss the pre-fast meal, you will fast for nearly 24 hours. Children do not observe the fast during their fragile growing years. However, young people at the beginning of puberty are required to. Parents train their children over a few years, beginning when they are about six years old, to fast, from the observation of half days at the beginning to complete days later on.

... As Said's fame grew so did his difficulties. As he moved from place to place — Sirvan, Siirt, Tillo, Cizre and the Miran tribe, Mardin, and Bitlis— often on the orders of the authorities, he had many adventures, some resulting from the plots of rivals and enemies. ...

... Intellectual Traditions in Islam. Ibrahim Ozdemir. Article first published online: 14 APR 2003. DOI: 10.1111/1478-1913.t01-8-00026. Issue. The Muslim World. ... More content like this. Find more content: like this article. Find more content written by: Ibrahim Ozdemir. ...

In the second edition of The Ethical Dimension of Human Attitude towards Nature: A Muslim Perspective, Özdemir critically assesses historical perspectives on nature from Western philosophy and science, examines relevant ethical theories, and finally discusses contemporary metaphysical bases for environmental ethics. The book offers a short, but engaging study in Islam and ecology, contributing most substantially to environmental discourse by relating work from Said Nursi.

Gezegenimizdeki bütün hayat biçimlerini doğrudan tehdit eden bir iklim krizinin içindeyiz. Buna insanoğlunun tabiat karşısındaki pervasız tutumu neden oldu. Üstelik bu sorunu çözmek için gösterilen büyük bir çaba da söz konusu değil. Dünyanın diğer bölgelerinde olduğu gibi İslam ülkeleri de her geçen gün ağırlaşan çevre sorunlarıyla yüzleşiyor.
Müslümanlar olarak bizler, bu kriz karşısında henüz birleşebilmiş değiliz. Ancak tabiatla aramıza giren mesafeleri kaldırmamız mümkün. Çünkü Kur’an-ı Kerim’in kutsal kitaplar arasında çevre konusuna en çok dikkat çeken, önemseyen kitap olduğunu ve geleneksel yaşam biçimlerimizin zaten çevre bilincini de beraberinde getirdiğini biliyoruz. Tek yapmamız gereken bunları hatırlamak ve görmek.
Uzun yıllardan bu yana çevre ahlakı üzerine çalışan, Seyyid Hüseyin Nasr, Fazlun Khalid gibi isimlerle beraber İslam İklim Değişikliği Deklarasyonu’nu dünyaya sunan Üsküdar Üniversitesi Felsefe Bölümü Başkanı Prof. Dr. İbrahim Özdemir’le Kur’an perspektifiyle çevre etiği ve iklim krizini konuştuk.

Bu konuşma, misafir öğretim üyesi olarak görev yaptığım sırada dönemde 04 Şubat 2002 tarihinde Hartford Seminary’de verildi. Connecticut, Amerika.
Amerikalı bir öğrencimin sorusu üzerine çocukluğumla ilgili anılarım bağlamında bazı şeyler anlatmaya çalıştım. İngilzcesi rağbet görünce bir dostum tercüme edip göndermiş.

This morning I will talk on the shepherd and the lost lamb. However, I cannot help think that what comes to your mind when you hear the title. I hope it is not " the silence of lambs " , the famous movie of J. Foster. It is the good shepherd of Abrahamic family. Through my experiences and personal journey, I do hope to broaden and at least clarify the meaning and importance of shepherd hood.

CHARLES TAYLOR: Çok Kültürlülük, Militan
Sekülerizm ve Kimlik
Yılın son haftasında yaşadığımız birkaç olay, 100 yıllık Cumhuriyetimizin bize öğrettiklerini yeniden sorgulama- ya ve irdelemeye büyük bir ihtiyaç olduğunu gösterdi. Yılın son haftası Suudi Arabistan’daki futbol maçı krizi ile yeni yılın ilk günü Filistin Mitinginde üzerinde “Kelime-i Tevhid” yazan yeşil bayrağa gösterilen tepki bunun sade- ce iki örneği.
Cumhuriyetimizin “Hayatta en hakiki mürşit ilimdir” ilkesi ve ülküsü üzerine inşa edildiğini zannederken yuka- rıda bahsedilen iki örnekteki ön yargı ve cehalet; insanı sadece mahcup etmiyor, gelecek adına kaygılandırıyor.
Nüfusunun büyük ekseriyetinin Müslüman olduğu bir ülkede Kelime-i Tevhid konusundaki cehalet ya da ön yar- gı, hepimizi derinlemesine düşündürmeli ve geleceğimiz için de endişelendirmelidir. Bu konularda ortak bir zemin- de buluşmadıkça çocuklarımızın ve torunlarımızın da bu kısır kavgayı devam ettireceklerinden endişe ediyorum.
Diğer yanda Kürt siyasetinin hapisteki liderlerinden Se- lahattin Demirtaş’ın muhitinde “mütedeyyin” olarak bili- nen babasının vefatı sonrasında partisinin resmî hesabın- dan “yıldızlar yoldaşın olsun” mesajı haklı olarak büyük tepkilere neden oldu.
Kürtler adına siyaset yaptığını iddia edenlerin Kürt kim- liğinin önemli bir unsuru olan din ve kültürü yok sayması cehaletten öte düşündürücü bir konudur. Tam da bu bağlamda yaşlılık ile bilgelik arasındaki ilişki- yi irdelemek gerekiyor.

İklim krizinde suçlu kim?
Çocuklarımızın ve torunlarımızın ekmeklerini yiyor, sularını
içiyor, oksijenlerini mi soluyoruz?
Onların geleceklerini mi çalıyoruz?
Peki, gezegenle uyumlu yaşamak mümkün değil mi?
İnsan, sınırsız iştahına “dur” diyebilir mi?
Bu konuda hazırlanan söyleşi kitabında, iş ve bilim
insanlarından gazetecilere, aktivistlere ve STK yöneticilerine kadar 15 kişi söz alarak bu kritik soruların yanıtlarını arıyor...
Söz konusu kitapta Prof. Dr. İbrahim Özdemir’le de bir söyleşi yapıldı. BZD Yayın ve İletişim Proje Müdürü Barış Doğru’nun sorularını cevaplayan, Harvard Üniversitesince “Çevre Ahlakı ve Felsefesi üzerine doktora yapan ilk Müslüman” olarak nitelendirilen Özdemir’in görüşleri dikkat çekici.

Kim Fortuny, Animals and the Environment in Turkish Culture: Ecocriticism and Transnational Culture. London: I.B. Tauris, 2019, 200 pp.

The present book is a timely and a welcome addition to the field. It enriches our perspectives on animals and the environment in Turkish culture, and even Islamic culture at a broader level. The work provides an invaluable contribution to the Turkish/Islamic perception of animals and the environment using tools of ecocriticism. It analyses and draws parallels between present-day Turkish attitudes on animals and the environment, observations by Western travellers in Ottoman lands, and a number of Turkish poets. The reader is offered the opportunity to enrich, expand, and deepen his understanding of Muslims’ attitudes towards animals and the environment.

Bir aydır misafir öğretim üyesi olarak Amerika’daydım.
Yılbaşı tatili bitmiş ve bahar dönemi dersleri başlamıştı. Ben de derslerime yoğunlaşmıştım.
Bir sabah bir mektup aldım. Mektup, çevreci bir kuruluş olan Uluslararası Yeşil Haç teşkilatından gelmişti.
Mektubu açtığımda hayretler içerisinde kaldım çünkü Sovyet Sosyalist Cumhuriyetler Birliği’nin (SSCB) eski başkanı Mihail Gorbaçov tarafından gönderilmişti.

The PowerPoint presentation on "Rumi’s Teaching on Mindfulness and Well-being" explores Rumi's profound insights and how his teachings offer a timeless framework for achieving mindfulness and emotional well-being. I presented "Rumi’s Teaching on Mindfulness and Well-being" at APPA’s 25th Annual Meeting on June 15, 2024.