Prof.Dr.Mehmet Gormez's Address at International Imam-i-Rabbani Symposium,Istanbul

Imam Rabbani aimed to build the future with his letters : Prof.Dr.Mehmet Görmez [Who (born 1959) is the President of the Presidency of Religious Affairs (Turkish: Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı, commonly known as Diyanet) and as such legally the highest level Islamic cleric in Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.____Head of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Mehmet Görmez attended the International Imam-ı Rabbani Symposium at the İstanbul Haliç (Golden Horn) Congress Center..

Speaking at the opening of the the symposium jointly organized by the Aziz Mahmut Hudayi Foundation, the Marmara University Theology Faculty and the İstanbul Islamic Philosophy Research Center, Head of Religious Affairs Mehmet Görmez said he feels great joy of observing a symposium being held for Imam-ı Rabbani, a leading member of the school of wisdom who he said with his letters aimed to build the future.

“Today look at the course of events that countries in the Islamic geography are going through and think of the environment of clashes and violence in the geography of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan where Imam-i Rabbani lived. In light of all these it is really important that scientists and scholars will be discussing the struggle of Imam-i Rabbani, his understanding of religion and Islamic philosophy and his movement of renewal (revival of Sunnism)” and said in the letters of Imam-i Rabbani here are some of the highlights that he wants to dwell upon;

“Think of a scholar who sent letters to people four centuries ago trying to create renewal in the lives of Muslims…”

Think of a scholar who did not suffice by producing valuable writings and sent letters to people four centuries ago trying to create renewal in the lives of Muslims. We have to take note of this. Those letters were not sent only to people in his own geography. The letters were sent to the leaders, administrators, scholars and Islamic philosophers in his geography. At times he responds to the questions of an ordinary person but the issue he responds to affects the whole society. He gets their world going. He does not only write letters to people in his own geography but to all all corners of the world. Envisage a great scholar who tries to revive the lives of Muslims all around the world by sending letters.

“You see Imam-i Rabbani ideas in the yeast of the religious beliefs, religious and spiritual life in Anatolia…”

These letters also show us something else. Despite the fact that these letters were addressed to certain people at a certain time period when people four centuries later read them they feel as if the letter was addressed to them. The letters of Imam-i Rabbani is actually addressed to the future instead of people in his won century. That is why you see Imam-i Rabbani ideas in the yeast of the religious beliefs, religious and spiritual life in Anatolia. You do not have to go too far. You see the traces and wisdom of these letters written four centuries ago in the Works of Bediüzzaman (Saidi Nursi) and poet Necip Fazıl.

“In his letters Imam-i Rabbani aimed to build the future…”

Imam-i Ghazali in his masterpiece İhya-ı Ulumiddin has evaluated the past. However, Imam-i Rabbani aimed to build the future with his letters. The revival movement of Imam Gazali was based on finding answers to three major problems. First he tried to arrange the relationship between religion and politics. Then he tried to arrange the relationship between religion and philosophy and Islamic law and Islamic philosophy. While in the letters of Imam-i Rabbani we see answers from to the most trivial Islamic law issues to major world problems we also see that there are three issues upon which he dwells upon with great sensitivity. Again first is the relationship between religion and politics. In his letters he has opposed the irresponsible attitude and actions of Akhbar who tried to give a new face to Islam. He said Akhbar has no right and is not qualified to regulate Islam and that the duty of politics is to facilitate all its resources to allow Islam to run in its own natural course.

“In the letters of Imam-i Rabbani you can see Islamic law and Islamic philosophy arranged in and excellent manner…”

The second basic issue that Imam-i Rabbani took up in his letters is the relationship between Islamic law and Islamic philosophy. In his humble words he talks about Islamic law as “you are a venerable science and knowledge above all sciences and knowledge but do not prevent the experiences of the believers to prevail fort he sake of nurturing the heart and reach piety and asceticism.” But he addresses Islamic philosophy and Sufism as “while you enjoy this great experience you do not have the right to step out of the borders of Islamic law. We see in his letters the wonderful way he arranges the relationship between Islamic law and Islamic philosophy. Islamic law is the natural course of water. However, Islamic philosophy and Sufism will flow in this course. However, it can find new paths in this course.

“In Sufism, the water entering the hearts has to be clean and clear…”

The third issue that the letters deal with is Islamic philosophy and Sufism which is the water entering our hearts that has to be clean and clear. Sufism and Islamic philosophy is the water that runs into our hearts but it should not be contaminated by innovation, superstitions, wrong traditions and habits, and through desires. Even if the water runs in its course it is no use to anyone if it is polluted and not clear. The water that cannot be consumed is of no good even if its runs within the course determined by Islamic law.

Head of Religious Affairs Görmez ended his speech quoting a letter from Imam-i Rabbani “I understood out of experience that the perception of those who display skill is their ability to differ between those who are of use to Allah-u taa’la and those who do not.”

Besides Head of Religious Affairs Mehmet Görmez, Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek, Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ, Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi Foundation Honorary President Osman Nuri Topbaş, Deputy Head of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Hasan Kamil Yılmaz, Prof. Dr. Hayrettin Karaman, TRT Director General Ibrahim Şahin, academicians from various universities, thinkers, representatives of NGOs and a large gathering of guests attended the symposium.
Source: Muhammad Mujaddidi's FaceBook