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London Book Fair Catalogue

Nesil Yayın Grubu
November 26, 2012
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London Book Fair Catalogue

Nesil Yayın Grubu

November 26, 2012
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Transcript

  1. N E S I L I N T R O

    D U C T I O N NESIL PRINTING AND PUBLISHING CO (The Previous name was Yeni Asya Publish- ing) has been in the area of publishing sector since 1968. Our publishing house contin- ues to work with the motto “If Nesil did not exist, something would be always missing”. We have aimed to eliminate the loss of communication between the public and intel- lectuals with the books that we publish. Nesil is a publisher which tries to transmit global ideas, thoughts to everyone which are well-known and accepted by all humanity, in an environment where the world is just like a small village and civilizations exist in one pot. Nesil Publishing has been following the rapidly changing conditions and possibili- ties in the publishing sector. Therefore we have been working to increase the variety of our books. The books are published with the purpose of increasing the number of the readers so we give importance to the advertisements of the books that we publish. With this purpose, Nesil gives advertisements to the visual and written media. By work- ing together with our public relations department, we have the aim of strengthening our relations with other media foundations. Up to now more than 1500 kinds of products have been produced. The company is serving in lots of fields of the publishing sector from child books to encyclopedias, novels, articles, doctoral thesis, stories, essays, cassettes, vcds etc.
  2. Contents NESIL PRINTING AND PUBLISHING CO 2012 Publishing Catalogue 03

    12 16 22 33 35 37 Story-The Novel Biography Survey History Family Psychology Religion 40 41 44 53 60 64 72 Phylosophy Education The Wonder of Childhood Bediuzzaman Library Nesil Karakalem Reading of Koran Etkilesim Publishing 23 Islamic History 27 Ottoman History 30 History of the Republic of Turkey
  3. -3- S T O R Y - T H E

    N O V E L The German Doctor Who Searches for the Truth While “Hermann Heller, THE GERMAN DOCTOR WHO SEARCHES FOR THE TRUTH started to school life, Hitler was in the saddle and the Germany was in a horrible war that could change the map of the world. While Hermann was 19, The Germany has been engrossed by the USA, England, France and Russia .The degrading days began. Hermann met with Ela in his University days. His University and love life walked together. Hermann got married after the school life and started the business life. He met Turkish doctors in the hospital. His friendship in the hospital and his interest of Eastern wisdom made him to take decisions that will change his life. He procured a fountain in Turkey, also arboriculture of 500 trees been done by him. The interest of him about the Eastern wisdom...The common denominator between Islam and Christianity...A long and tiring journey for discovering the eastern wisdom... “It was the most beautiful and genuine book ı ever read”...I felt after the end of the book as a child that has lost his/her friend. Whereas the ISLAM has never been told to me in such ways...” The book of the adventure of Dr. Herman Heller could be read in one breathe in which is discover- ing the secrets of eastern wisdom. Genre: Novel ISBN: 978-975-8499-18-2 Pages: 320 Year of Publication: 2001 Author: Ali Erkan Kavaklı The Man Who Is in Search of Himself This book is a novel of a lived life. At the same time it is a story of doubts, dead ends, depres- sions and the crisis caused by denials… The Man Who Is In Search Of Himself meets with our author. He becomes a Muslim after quar- reling with his doubts. He meets with peace where he meets with Islam. The Result: A life gains more meaning. And desire of reaching the beauties of life which has been lost because of denials…This book teaches the methods of gaining a human. The Man Who Is In Search Of Himself is the story of a life story in which the doubts of man is analyzed in detail. Genre: Novel ISBN: 975-408-165-4 Pages: 121 Year of Publication: 1998 Author: Halit Ertugrul Language: Turkish-German-Russian
  4. -4- S T O R Y - T H E

    N O V E L HICRAN (PARTING), Agnes Heller in her book named “Postmodern Politik Durum” (postmodern political statement) says the postmodern idea is offering a revolution of culture. The novelist Ali Erkan Kavaklı, in his book named HICRAN which has been issued of Nesil publi- cations telling the story of a postmodern revolution. The hero of the novel Mehmet cannot be happy in the formation which he built over women, alcohol, fun and football and even he lives depressions sometimes. Because of this, he is running after the new searches. One day he is meeting the Islam reality that makes the human happy and changing his life style completely. Of course his wife is also affected of him and Quran and made her own revolution Kavaklı is serving us the story full of excitement of human that is rotating from the ugly to the beautiful, from the bad to the good. Simple and plain language, the tense and exciting expression .The assertive book of an assertive novel. Genre: Novel ISBN: 978-975-8499-32-8 Pages: 256 Year of Publication: 2002 Author: Ali Erkan Kavaklı The Burning City Buhara This novel presents the collapse of the Kharzem Shah State by Genghis Khan with analysis and transmits them to the future in the form of important object lessons. Shah Ala ad-Din Muhammad, who is a sultan of a powerful government, ran away with his army without coming across with Genghis Khan. As a result of this he dragged the country into catastrophe. The Commander Temüjin Melik’s effort who was the son of Jalaluddin and the hero of Rome, the incredible cruelties of Genghis Khan and the collapse of a country because of bad government policies are vividly presented in the novel. Genre: Novel ISBN: 978-975-408-160-2 Pages: 254 Year of Publication: 2001 Author: Yavuz Bahadiroglu
  5. -5- S T O R Y - T H E

    N O V E L The Love Is Written Such at East Love is a saying that has thousands of meanings. Some liken it desire, some to celemency and for some people is just an abstract feeling. It can not get real and take place on the substance, Philisophers tell it in a differ- ent way, and ehl-i tasavvuf (people of sufism) describe in a different way. Mecnun’s and Kerem’s expressions are also different... One of them gets into the deserts ,becomes exhausted, the other drills the mountains with his power of effort o their love... But, at the same time, does not this muchness and richness of description make any pollution on the meaning of the love? That is to say, do those all descriptions as much as told make screens, make shadows and create a surface of bone glass in front of the love while trying to describe of it? Does not it spoil revelation of it? Does not it bind of it? Of course it does...What should be done hence? Should it be done the new descriptions for the love? Or should the old ones be used? Or should it be made and used the new sentences with new words; or the olds should be memorized and recreated? Do those all work to solve the love problem? Could they present an alternative? You should start to read the novel of Fatih Duman, named Ayn Sin Kaf, Doğuda Aşk Böyle Yazılır(the love is written such at east) by retention of all those questions. Such kind of questions should be on your mind, while starting to read that novel. For the first, you should search for the love...And youn should start to search for the meaning with the letters first... First Ayn should fall, than Sin, and than Kaf... And you should find the description of the love in the mysterious world of those three letters... Same as the story of Ahmet the hero of the noval as he came from Germany to Istanbul to find the love... Genre: Novel ISBN: 978-605-131-016-9 Pages: 320 Year of Publication: 2011 Author: Fatih Duman
  6. -6- S T O R Y - T H E

    N O V E L A Farewell to the City of Buhara This novel is the sequel of The Burning City Buhara. The effort of rebuilding a new government from its ashes is being told in this novel. After the death of his father, Jalaluddin Kharzem Shah and Temüjin Melik rebuilt the army and defeated the Mongols but this time the subject is their defeat because of race and fratricidal quarrels. Genre: Novel ISBN: 975-408-056-9 Pages: 288 Year of Publication: 2000 Author: Yavuz Bahadiroglu A Farewell to Andalusia This is the only novel which is about Andalusia. The novel consists of the events in the last gov- ernment of Andalusia which is called Granada such as the quarrels over the throne, the death of the heroic ideals as magnificent mansions and palaces are built, a lady called Ayse Emir who imitates the Spanish Queen, The people of Andalusia who are adapted to the life styles of the Spanish community. It is about the Sultans who want to take possession of the throne and their works together with the enemy and finally the loss of Granada. All of these events are reflected vividly in the novel. Genre: Novel ISBN: 975-408-160-3 Pages: 254 Year of Publication: 2001 Author: Yavuz Bahadiroglu
  7. -7- Enes`s Journal This book is about the story of

    Enes b. Malik-known as the “Servant of the Prophet of Islam” in the Islamic tradition-and his family, narrating their relationship with the Prohet. Enes b. Malik began to serve the Prophet when he was about ten years old and remained in his service for the next ten years-until the death of the Prophet. With 2286 hadiths, Enes b. Malik is considered to be one of the most prolific narrators of Hadiths. But the book is not only limited to his accounts. It also presents the events as witnessed by his mother Ümmü Süleym and stepfather Ebu Talha. Moreover, some of the leading figures like Enes b. Nadr, his uncle, Rübeyyi, his aunt, Berâ, his brother, Harâm, his uncle from his mother`s side, Ümmü Haram, aunt from his mother`s side, Müleyke, his grandmother, Harise b. Sürekâ, son of his uncle, find their proper places in the book, which makes it unique. Although the book is consisted of some of the well-known events that were narrated in other books, it differs from them in that it brings together various accounts witnessed by a family as a whole. With this book, it was intented that this special family obtains a permanent place in the mind of the reader. The book starts with the story that explains how Enes`s mother became Muslim. After the Prophet`migration to Medina, Enes was presented to him as an attendant/servant (by his mother). The well-known Brotherhood Treaty between helpers (Ansar) and the immigrants (Muhacirun) took place in Enes`s house, which was destined to be one of the most widely visited houses by the Prophet. Wars between Muslims and the Mushrikun (Idola- tors), the siege of Medina, the Hudeybiye Treaty, the conquest of Mekka, the Farewell Pilgrimage and finally the Prophet`s death are narrated within the framework of the events experienced by Enes and his family. Within this chronological structure, several interesting scenes from the Medinan life in general, and the life of the Prophet in particular are portrayed . As a construct, the book was prepared considering the chronological in- formation and its compliance with the content of the hadiths. In this respect it can be said to be one of the first of its kind. The hadiths narrated in the book are based upon the authentic hadiths books. These books include the following: Sahih-i Bukhari, Sahih-i Muslim, Sunan-i al-Nesai, Sunan-i Ibn-i Majah, Sunan-i al-Tirmidhi, Sunan-i Abu Dawood, Imam Malik`s Muwatta and Ahmed b. Hanbal`s Müsned. Besides these translations and interpreta- tions we also referred to history or biografy books such as Ibn Hajar al- Askalânî`s al-Isâbe fî Temyîzi’s-Sahabe, Ibn Sa’d’s at-Tabakat. Genre: Novel ISBN: 978-975-269-956-4 Pages: 176 Year of Publication: 2011 Author: Vejdi Bilgin S T O R Y - T H E N O V E L
  8. -8- S T O R Y - T H E

    N O V E L Discover Your Inner Friend He must be a good friend, who seeks a good friend sincerely. If you discover feelings of friend- ship in your heart, and uncover them, you also won’t need to search any friend. If you try to find a good friend without discover your inner-friend, you can never achieve. Whose has a friendly heart, he dosen’t need another friend. His heart attracts friendship like a magnet. Allah created us to make friends, to understand each other, and to become close friends. Our task is to explore inner friend- ship, and develop it. Genre: Novel ISBN: 978-975-6503-56-0 Pages: 160 Year of Publication: 2003 Author: Vehbi Vakkasoglu Resurrection with Adhan In this book, a lived story “a prayer adventure” is explained which is full of object lesson and amazing. “Resurrection with Adhan,” is a true story of a German woman who betrays the mafia leader and escapes from Germany to Turkey. She lived with a fear of dying for a while. And when she was in a crisis, she heard the mysterious magic sound of adhan and her life began to change. You will be witness resurrection with adhan and a rear up with prayer… A breathtaking story, fear, horror and hope are arm in arm in this book. Genre: Novel ISBN: 978-975-269-305-0 Pages: 160 Year of publication: 2007 Author: Halit Ertugrul
  9. -9- S T O R Y - T H E

    N O V E L The Sultan’s Hürrem and Mihrimah Sultan His father was a commander who shook the world, Suleyman the Magnificent; her mother Hür- rem Sultan is a lady who can step in Ottoman Politics. But she neither had the power of her father nor the greed of her mother. She was fearful and fragile, needed love but faced with the harsh reality of officialism. She was born in the most favorite place of the world; but that place was no different than a golden cage for her. She finds activities such as watering of fabrics, devoting herself to the works of charity, but nothing works. It is not only a novel of a Sultan but a human, a heart, a fragile spirit; it was the novel of Mihrimah. Genre: Novel ISBN: 978-975-269-371-5 Pages: 240 Year of Publication: 2008 Author: Muhterem Yüceyılmaz Rojin In this story taken from a real life, the writer is telling us the compliance, the beauty of living together and the importance of sharing. Also telling the importance of sharing among the people in public, it claimed being close each other and understanding each other. Maybe, actually Rojin is carrying the meaning of fictionalization of most of subjects on the agen- da for some time. You will be surprised of the renewal on yourself, the different point of views you gained while you read the book. Genre: Novel ISBN: 978-975-269-770-6 Pages: 272 Year of Publication: 2010 Author: Levent Bilgi
  10. -10- S T O R Y - T H E

    N O V E L The Love of the Silence In this literary product is also forming a new breathe to the studies of kıssa-yı Kur’aniye which we were searching for. Is is working to collect new secrets and to look with a point of view which we are not used to do to a story we are very familiar with. During the novel, Nuriye Celegen is making up a principle of telling the story of Prophet Ibrahim’s (a.s.) life with the eyes of Sare and Hacer mothers and at the same time at the end of the book, making us to tell followings; “transfiguration of the love is different form each other for every woman” It is clear that those mentioned women are very valuable as the result of they are mentioned in Quran and it is wondered how they commented of the events they lived? Here in this book, Nuriye Celegen is trying to reach the emotions those are at the back of the events lived as with the advantage of being a woman. She is feeling the share of those two women who had to live the strange events for us back to back in Prophet Ibrahim’s story. It is quite interesting telling the story of a Prophet by the other characters of the story. Sure it will give you also a different delight. Moreover with the construction of a novel... Genre: Novel ISBN: 978-605-131-017-6 Pages: 224 Year of Publication: 2011 Author: Nuriye Çeleğen European Mevlevi The writer Kavaklı is telling a strange adventure of engineer Suleyman Wolf that he met on a nice coincidence in Nurnberg .Wolf Bahn has lost his religion when he was 19. His logic invited him to think about the gorgeous adjustment in universe. There should be an artisan of those strains. He read lots of books and by the time he met the story of Mevlânâ Celaleddin Rumî and he was hit of it. Than, he decided to go to Konya and he met a Sufi. He met with the Dede (grandpa) Suleyman while he went there for summer holiday. The adventure of Wolf Bahn to look for the reality... There are interesting stories than each other in the book. This book which is the anthology of the stories is worth to read. Genre: Novel ISBN: 978-975-6503-74-4 Pages: 208 Year of Publication: 2003 Author: Ali Erkan Kavaklı
  11. -11- S T O R Y - T H E

    N O V E L The Science of the Love Dream of a book, has been written centuries ago... A young teen man passing out with the love, and has weaved his soul to it letter by letter. Told his matter to it... Has sheltered to the book, Word by word, item by item... He wrapped to wildness first, than to humility (being a dervish) and than to penmanship. And that book has started to a strange journey. And roamed, from hand to hand, form time to time. It opened its secrets whenever a lover got it into hands. It is such a book, is miracle or magic. The life of people who reads it changes with the destinies of the love. Every reader falls into love willy nilly... Leaves the old life and gets into the new searches... Love, wildness and wardship... are very similar and also very different things from each other at the same time. The love is dangerous but joyful journey. The wildness is a place where it is touched to the limits of the mind. The wardship is the balance point of love and mind... There are the possibili- ties as finding the god while saying Leyla Leyla; also being stuck on the road and drowning in Leyla... Shouldn’t be there a guide in such a dangerous journey? İlm-i Aşk is telling the mysterious story coming form inside the history of a young man which is starting such a love journey. And advising us the following; ‘Do not give up on searching, .Only the people could find who is forcing efforts on searching” Genre: Novel ISBN: 978-605-131-016-9 Pages: 320 Year of Publication: 2011 Author: Fatih Duman The Love of Journey The novel of Evliya Çelebi Evliya Çelebi was a traveler who journeyed through the territory of the Ottoman Empire and neighboring lands over a period of forty years. In this novel, you will read Evliya Çelebi’s adventurous travel within a parallel love story. Genre: Novel ISBN: 978-975-605-131-073-2 Pages: 320 Year of Publication: 2011 Author: Meryem Aybike Sinan
  12. -12- Bediuzzaman Said Nursi and his Unknown Side He was

    an action man. He told about freedom to thousands of people in the time of the Liberty Revolution in Liberty Square in Thessaloniki (1908). He was a lawsuit and the ideal man. While he declares his disciplines: he says “I’ve taken both of them the world life and the afterlife. Do not cross my path, who has single life.” One day when his foot sliped and he was falling down from the Van Castle, he was still crying out as “My cause!” He was a spirit man and a Murshid. He did not hesitate to sacrifice everything on this way. Genre: Biography ISBN: 975-408-022-4 Pages: 530 Year of Publication: 2004 Author: Necmettin Sahiner The Cascade of Love Mevlâna Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi was an Islamic scholar and philosopher who told us about love. Ac- cording to Rumi, the universe is based on love. The Cascade of Love is a story of love and beauty. Genre: Biography ISBN: 975-269-059-9 Pages: 352 Year of Publication: 2004 Author: Vehbi Vakkasoğlu B I O G R A P H Y
  13. -13- Mehmed the Conqueror II With this small book, we

    have an intention of searching something which is unknown or some- thing haven’t talked about up to now instead of repeating the well known. Lots of facts which had an important effect on Fatih’s upbringing, give us the necessary cues about the method of upbringing “great human” nowadays. We think that it would be beneficial to show the methods of upbringing great humans to the educators of this country. This work was written with the desire of having gen- erations who can achieve spiritual conquests as significant as Istanbul itself. The book covers such aspects of Fatih Sultan Mehmed. Genre: Biography ISBN: 975-6503-97-1 Pages: 160 Year of Publication: 2003 Author: Yavuz Bahadıroğlu Biography of Suleyman the Magnificent Suleyman the Magnificent is one of the 23 well known famous lawmakers throughout the history. He governed his empire with justice. Age of Suleiman the magnificent I, was the brightest period of Ottoman Empire. The Biography of Suleyman the Magnificent I is a story about an emperor who made the lives of his people more peaceful. Genre: Biography ISBN: 975-408-075-5 Pages: 192 Year of Publication: 2005 Author: Yavuz Bahadıroğlu B I O G R A P H Y
  14. -14- Yavuz Sultan Selim The date was 1470 A.D. As

    Gülbahar Khatun was squirming in pain, good news arrived to Shahzadah Bayezid who is the governer of Amasya: “The Dynasty will have a baby boy today and he will be a Sultan!” What is the secret that enabled Selim to be known as “The Grim” and prevented him to be the third son of his father and an ordinary Sultan on the throne? Genre: Biography ISBN: 975-408-088-7 Pages: 120 Year of Publication: 2005 Author: Yavuz Bahadiroglu B I O G R A P H Y A Genius Who Talks with the Stone: Mimar Sinan When the head architect’s desire of building comes together with the Empire’s endless opportu- nities, “The age of Suleyman” and “The age of Sinan” comes together. So the people of this age show these two geniuses as the giants of their own field of expert. Sultan Suleyman is so “magnificent” in his own field that Mimar Sinan is also “at the top” of his artistic talents. In this work, you will see Mimar Sinan’s life in detail and you will be amazed the vastness of his genius once more time. This book tells us about the life of Mimar Sinan with the taste of a novel. This is a life of a man who accomplished 400 hundred works during a century of his life. Genre: Biography ISBN: 975-269-018-1 Pages: 175 Year of Publication: 2004 Author: Muhsin İlyas Subaşı
  15. -15- B I O G R A P H Y

    Yunus Emre Yunus Emre addresses to our emotions for ages with his chants. Yunus lived and expressed all the moral aspects of Islam. He is also a great sultan of the heart. He is a great Islamic figure but unfortunately, he has not been told and understood well. His poems are a great source of meaning and in order to detach him from all wrongs, exploitation and gossips; His perfect life, personality, understanding of the literature, Islamic aspects and poems are reorganized and published. All detailed information about his life, works and poems are based on the documents and reor- ganized then finally the work of Yunus Emre has come to life. Genre: Biography ISBN: 975-7055-96-4 Pages: 413 Year of Publication: 2000 Author: Vehbi Vakkasoğlu Salah ad-Din Al-Ayyubi Salah ad-Din Al-Ayyubi is a great hero who is known by all over the world. The book does not only consist of his life but some parts which are difficult to tell and understand. We have tried to pres- ent his life which is full of object lessons. This book was advised to the schools by the Ministry of National Education. Genre: Biography ISBN: 975-408-108-5 Pages: 184 Year of Publication: 2000 Author: Yavuz Bahadıroğlu
  16. -16- A Closer View of Istanbul The world’s heavenly looking

    place is Istanbul. A place has been living the happiness of having the good news for 500 hundred years which was given fourteen centuries ago. It is the unique symbol of Islamic civilization. The city carries the immortal traces and works of that golden age in its every district, hill and street. With the curiosity of searching that golden age, you are going to find the values which are forgotten but not lost; you will see Istanbul with a quite different view. Genre: Survey ISBN: 975-269-223-0 Pages: 176 Year of Publication: 2006 Author: Selahattin Yaşar S U R V E Y Said Nursi/Islam And Enlightenment Said Nursî is one of the important in his period. His ideas are very popular especially in Turkey also in many countries of the world. Although he was a great thinker even he has attracted lots of problems and he did not live a very comfortable life. Some others wanted to avoid him at all times, but could not succeed. This book describes the obstacles and difficulties that are attracted Said Nursî. And also this book is explained, despite all these adverse conditions, he does not hesitate to tell what he knows. In short, this book explains Said Nursî’s life as delicious as novel. Genre: Survey ISBN: 975-640-186-9 Pages: 176 Year of Publication: 2004 Author: Cemil Sahinöz
  17. -17- Traces of the Ottoman Empire in South Asia and

    the Far East (Seven Countries one Civilization) Ekrem SALTIK, is directly related to Turkey’s foreign policy which has recently started to change its world vision and perspective rapidly by standing out amongst historical stabil- ity. Having a foreign policy approach within the framework of the European Union for more than a half century, Turkey has realized that it is at the center of a wide range of countries in Asia. In contrast to the recent researches that discuss Turkey’s foreign policy within the context of Balkan countries, Central Asia, Middle East and North Africa, Traces of the Otto- man Empire in South Asia and the Far East turns its direction to the coasts of the Indian and Pacific oceans and discusses the potential there. In this sense, the historical background of the political, military, economic and cultural cooperation efforts which have been developing between South Asia and the Far East countries and Turkey are explained through some sto- ries. In addition, the historical basis for Turkey’s diplomatic rise is considered as a country that could go back to Asia in a short time although it has not been even a century since the Ottoman Empire collapsed and try to be the leading power again. In the aforesaid book, the traces of a collective civilization in seven countries which is thought to be dead but still alive are collated unlike the intellectual knowledge and historical researches in Turkey which defines itself and the other regions by means of the data col- lected from the Western texts. The book focuses on the Ottoman Empire, the representative of a collective civilization that left its mark in the next centuries after it collapsed. Besides this, it is discovered that the Ottoman Empire from which the people of North Asia and the Far East expected many things during some periods of history legendarily entered the written texts of the native cultures in the subcontinent. It is also told that the people of the subcontinent extraordinarily identified the Ottoman Empire or Turks with the wise men/savers that would come from the North to rescue them when they got into trouble. Ekrem SALTIK, the writer, explains the concept ‘Turk’ which is repeated very often in the book in detail in order not to let the data he put forth make his readers have unproductive and heroic ideas. He makes striking explanations by saying that the frequently repeated concept ‘Turk’ has indeed noth- ing to do with the existing nationalist perceptions in Turkey. He emphasizes that the ‘Turk’ image in South Asia and the Far East should not be confused with the concept and identity of ‘Turk’ that entered the Ottoman (and then Turkish Republic) literature in the 19th century. The ‘Turk’ image in the literature of the South Asia and the Far East people represents the ‘Muslim Turks’ who took a stand and acted as an enemy or an answerer against Europe for the sake of people of Asia during many centuries as the most powerful character of the region. Pursuing the traces of the Ottoman/Turk in Aceh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, India and Japan and presenting a lot of surprising data to its readers, the book not only reports some events that occurred within a specific period of time in history but also points to the new cultural and political fields of study that are worth discussing again, open- ing an inspiring door for Turkey’s foreign policy and showing the Ottoman/Turk image is still very alive. S U R V E Y Genre: Survey ISBN: 978-975-269-965-6 Pages: 176 Year of Publication: 2011 Author: Ekrem Saltık
  18. -18- S U R V E Y Kurdish Issue and

    Said Nursi Kurdish issue is the most important problem that caused painful, increased tension and created polarization in Turkey. All right; how did the Kurdish issue appear? While the Kurds were inhabits of these places; how did they become as a problem or how were they become? The book in your hand follows that important problem. That book especially researches the relationship of the last 100 years of both two brother nations (Kurds and Turks) who live together at least 1000 years in Anatolian on religion denominator in perspective of history and Bediuzzaman Said Nursi. The book that was written by Abdulkadir Menek who is aware of the issue suggests the solution ways for that problem. This book is needed to be read to understand the key word of discussion of Kurd issue to be solved in perspective of Said Nursi. Genre: Survey ISBN: 978-975-269-738-6 Pages: 352 Year of Publication: 2011 Author: Abdülkadir Menek Energy Wars in the Middle East-Why Iran Is a Target? This book was written by nine different researchers and academicians who are expert in their own field. The book gives the analysis of before and after relations between The United States of America and Iran. And gives valuable information about why America targets Iran. “Why Iran is a Target?” gives hints about America’s targets for the near future by attracting at- tention to the politics of America that they are conducting in the Middle East. Genre: Survey ISBN: 978-975-269-489-7 Pages: 248 Year of Publication: 2008 Author: Commission
  19. -19- S U R V E Y Participation Banking (Islamic

    Banking) Philosophy, Theory and Its Application in Turkey This book is a comprehensive guide for those who would like to know about or deal with Islamic banking, its philosophy, theory and application in Turkey. The author has primarily emphasized on forming an accurate under- standing of Islamic Banking while pointing out the shortcomings, inefficien- cies and challenges faced with in its practice. While making his own sug- gestions he asks, among others, about *how participation banking differs from conventional banking *how banking can be done avoiding interest *what the difference is between the principle of profit-sharing and inter- est *how a participation bank runs and how it should run *how the West views participation banking *how could participation banks offer a solution for the financial and economic crises? As an expert with an experience of 22 years in both conventional and participation banking industries, Mr. Tunç, delves skillfully into a tough and bottomless well, advances with strides of a wise man and accompanies you along with candles put along the path into the world of participation banking, popularly known as Islamic or interest-free banking. Genre: Survey ISBN: 978-97-269-879-6 Pages: 304 Year of Publication: 2010 Author: Hüseyin Tunç
  20. -20- S U R V E Y The Century Which

    Is Searching for Omer We are in an age that big injustices and cruelties are lived. The political and economic inequalities are on knee-length. The people are in the excitement of collecting of advantages that should use their power to set the justice. There are lots of lessons to get from Hz. Omer as a “leader” for the world which such kind of inequalities are lived on all around the earth, exactly globular platform. How did Hz. Omer made Islam dominating to three main lands which is getting over the land limits of Arabia? How did he set his legendary justice? In such a short time, how did he manage the government under his responsibility, the public and the army while carrying the justice and clemency to three main lands? Which lessons could be taken from the leadership of Hz.Omer by today’s world and especially today’s leaders? The answer is between two covers of the book in your hand and ready to read. Genre: Survey ISBN: 978-975-269-889-5 Pages: 384 Year of Publication: 2011 Author: Ömer Çil, Dr. Who Was an Ottoman Citizen? Moral Values of Ottoman People Ottomans founded a great empire on three continents, Asia, Europe and Africa. They governed their empire for several centuries with a spectacular harmony. What was the source of this harmony? If someone wants to know the Ottomans, the people of the Ottoman community should be known. Who was an Ottoman Citizen? This book shows us the source of this harmony by showing the values of Ottoman individuals. There are many scholars and intellectuals who consider the Ottomans as an inferior government in western community. However these scholars and intellectuals also appreciate the Ottomans in many ways. “Who was an Ottoman Citizen?” is a story of people who were appreci- ated even by their enemies. Genre: Survey ISBN: 975-7055-75-1 Pages: 240 Year of Publication: 2001 Author: Vehbi Vakkasoğlu
  21. -21- Glorious Grandpa Can you imagine an opa who is

    calling to all people and has compas- sion and love for everyone? Do you want to recognize a great man who has managed to be the grandfather of all of us? Don’t you want to meet with a great man from the inwardness world? So here is a book which is easy to understand that was written by an author who loves him very much... Genre: Survey ISBN: 975-7055-66-2 Pages: 173 Year of Publication: 2002 Author: Mehmed Paksu S U R V E Y The Conscience of the Age: Bediüzzaman Said Nursi Bediüzzaman Said Nursi is the one of the most important Islamic thinker lived in the last Ottoman period and contemporary Turkey. Psychiatrist Nevzat Tarhan investigates Nursi’s personality and his ideas on human and society. This book helps you to understand Bediüzzaman Said Nursi in different perspective. Genre: Survey ISBN: 978-605-131-109-8 Pages: 296 Year of Publication: 2012 Author: Nevzat Tarhan, Prof. Dr.
  22. -22- The Story of Istanbul The Story of Istanbul was

    written by Prof.Dr.Semavi Eyice who is a worldwide authority on Byz- antine and Istanbul history. The book is about Istanbul’s buildings and institutes, characteristics of social life, banes of Istanbul, administrative and political changes in the city throughout the history. Genre: History ISBN: 975-269-193-5 Pages: 280 Year of Publication: 2006 Author: Semavi Eyice, Prof. Dr. Ottomans and Science a Discovery in the Light of the Sources This book focuses on one of the little-known subjects of Ottoman History. The book consists of the author’s inquiries and quests about Science in Ottoman history. Ottomans and Science a Discov- ery in the Light of the Sources shows us an unknown aspect of Ottoman Empire on Science. This book presents the readers an opportunity to discover a new aspect of Ottoman history and mentality about Ottoman science which has never known before. Genre: History ISBN: 975-6401-04-4 Pages: 272 Year of Publication: 2007 Author: Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Prof. Dr H I S T O R Y
  23. -23- The Public of Suffers- Suffe Mans, The Rooms Near

    the Small Mosque of Prophet Mohammed The view of Islam over the science has completely abrogated the igno- rance. As it has been in every area of the life, Islam signed a big revolution also in the area of science. This inimitable revolution starting with the first behest of “Read” has reached the top with the extraordinary importance that Prophet (a.s.m) gave it . Companion messieurs have understood very well the message given. Made the message one of the most important targets of their and made most important part of their life as much as to churn the next generations till the end of the world. Prophet Mohammed has allocated one part of Mescid-i Nebevî for sci- ence education and made that place as look like boarding university moving of the favorable reception and the importance the Islam gives to the science of Islam. Some of the Ashab-ı Suffe consigned their sheep to their friends and run to learning science. Also some left leadership of himself and prestigious degree in his clan for this purpose. Because, they all were burning with the love of science and learning. After about the death of Prophet (a.s.m) every of them diffused to the different parts of the world and told Islam. They served the science and civilization to the human. They delivered the Islam with all its colors and became guide for all. This book that was prepared to get the science and learning of Nebevi which is growed and blossomed. Genre: Islamic History ISBN: 978-975-269-350-0 Pages: 416 Year of Publication: 2007 Author: Dr. Hilal Kara-Abdullah Kara I S L A M I C H I S T O R Y
  24. -24- I S L A M I C H I

    S T O R Y All of the Aspects of the Four Caliphs Period The most prestigious and eminent and the “first of firsts” were the four Caliphs, which carries the qualifications of very different place between the first Muslims. Hz. Ebu Bekir, Hz. Ömer, Hz. Osman, Hz. Ali (Allah be pleased with them). They became the closest of our beloved prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him). When they were alive, they learned that they will go to the heaven. The main goal of this book, to show that the features of the ideal Muslim and managers by telling the first four caliphs with their life. And also to present according to today’s people and their mind. Genre: Islamic History ISBN: 978-975-269-774-4 Pages: 512 Year of Publication: 2010 Author: Murat Sarıcık, Prof. Dr. The Life of Our Prophet Today the main suffering of the human is happening because of not knowing exactly the master of universe Prophet Mohammed and his personality with its full meaning, also not opening the arms to the basis that are bestower of the life with love and desire. The spiritual concussion, distress, also the stagger in anarchy and unrest of the world is also happening of this result. Is not possible that the human could escape of those distress, concussion and depression ex- cept understanding and loving him (Prophet) and also accepting his rules that are bestower of the life. The human should understand him! We will feel our self-fortunate whether This book of us which is the winner of world Siyer Price will help us to understand the Prophet a little bit. Genre:Islamic History ISBN: 978-975-269-894-9 Pages: 848 Year of Publication: 2006 Author: Salih Suruç
  25. -25- I S L A M I C H I

    S T O R Y The Women Companions Today’s Muslim women are living a serious role complexity under the personalities and identities which are not consistent with their nature that is being tried to impose to them. Today the model personalities are needed more than ever that the wom- en especially who have the important role to grow up the humanity and new generations could follow The sample life of companions’ generation that got the education of Master of Roses(Prophet Mohammed) and got the trained in rahle-i saadet (reading desk of happiness) of Prophet Mohammed are the best sample lives which could give answer to that need. The solution of the several problems that seem as insoluble or the so- lution of them are looked for except Islam is hiding in the sample lives of companions who are in the side of stars and illuminating our dark world. At the first, his sisters and grandchilds of Prophet Mohammed which growed up in his Hane-i Saadet (house of happiness) The mothers of the stars as Hz. Ebû Bekir, Hz. Osman, Ebû Hüreyre, Zeyd b. Sâbit … Nehdiyye binti Ümeyye which became Muslim at the first days of İslam and that has agonized cause of this decision. Büsre binti Saffân which is blooming among the spines.... Cemile binti Abdullah who sent peer from the bridal chamber to sha- hada. Ümmü Eyyûb who hosted Prophet Mohammed and other companions for more that are glinting at the canopy of women universe as the stars... Come on; let those stars brighten your universe as well. Genre: Islamic History ISBN: 978-975-269-436-1 Pages: 400 Year of Publication: 2008 Author: Hilal Kara, Dr.-Abdullah Kara
  26. -26- I S L A M I C H I

    S T O R Y The Call of Hz. Mohammed (Book 1: Age of Mecca, Book 2: Age of Medina) The author consulted on the principles of this subject during the preparation of this book. The pre-Islamic age of ignorance is also mentioned from time to time and the events are analyzed in detail. By this means, the book can be considered as a Sira and a commentary of history. Genre: Islamic History ISBN: 975-269-127-7 Pages: 415 Year of Publication: 2006 Author: Murat Sarıcık, Prof. Dr. The History of the Prophets This book illuminates the mysterious worlds of the prophets. The lives of the twenty-eight proph- ets whose names take places in Quran are presented. They are presented faithfully by considering the principals of Sunna and Quran and purified from superstitions. So that the new generations can benefit from the lives of the prophets which are heroic and also full of object lessons. Genre: Islamic History ISBN: 975-269-244-8 Pages: 430 Year of Publication: 2006 Author: İhsan Atasoy
  27. -27- Ottoman History with Pictures This work presents the thirty-six

    Ottoman Sultans who enabled their government to be the ruler of the world with the help of the conquests. This book was prepared with the aim of creating a reli- able source about the Ottoman history for the young population and the preparation of the book has completed after years of careful studies on this subject. This book will be the basic work of our library which will help young generations to love the history. Genre: Ottoman History ISBN: 978-975-269-299-2 Pages: 544 Hard Cover with Colourful Pictures Year of Publication: 2007 Author: Yavuz Bahadiroglu The Last Ottoman Vahdeddin Sultan Vahdeddin who was the last Emperor of Ottoman Empire has been chosen as “fall-guy” and suffered from the official historiography of New Turkish Republic. “The animosity of Vahdeddin”, been set as a taboo with striking root commonwealth. There are still some people that think calling Sultan Vahdeddin as a “faithless” has big benefits on account of government and regime. Alright, what is the reality of the saying “Vahdeddin is faithless” which is not removing from the agenda? Is Vahdeddin really a faithless person? Or, he reacted and opposed the occupation forces? Has Vahdeddin signed the treaty of Serves? You will find lots of such questions and answers accompanied of documents in the book of Son Osmanlı Vahdeddin. Genre: Ottoman History ISBN: 978-975-269-832-1 Pages: 224 Year of Publication: 2010 Author: İsmail Çolak O T T O M A N H I S T O R Y
  28. -28- O T T O M A N H I

    S T O R Y The Ottoman Woman in Nineteenth Century Travelogues by British Women Travelers The Ottoman Woman in Nineteenth Century Travelogues by British Women Travelers: Accounts of the Harem, Marriage, Divorce and Daily Life of the Eastern Women In her first academic book published by Etkilesim Publishing house in Turkey in 2011, Filiz Barin-Akman focuses on the representation of the Ot- toman woman in nineteenth century British travelogues written by women travelers. By building on and problematizing the reductive dynamics of Said’s Orientalist theory, Barin-Akman demonstrates how politics of representation are deeply entangled with the gender and social-cultural identity of the trav- eler, among other factors. She specifically focuses on issues of gender and looks at the representation of Eastern woman and her femininity, her position in society and the controversial issue of “harem” in this discourse. Analyzing the travelogues by British women, this research lays out Muslim women’s legal rights regarding issues such as divorce, marriage and property owner- ship as well as the role of the Ottoman-Oriental woman in the public sphere as demonstrated by their presence and activities in marketplaces and outings. She then compares the travelers’ accounts about the Ottoman women and their status to the position of women in Victorian culture. Her research chal- lenges the dominant Orientalist image of the Ottoman women as ‘exotic and sensual’ beings locked in the harems. Instead it offers new ways to look at the position of Eastern women in public and domestic spaces by highlighting their agency and rights. The book includes close analyses of half a dozen Brit- ish texts including those by Lady Montagu, Sophia Lane-Poole, Julia Pardoe, Mrs. Harvey as well as Edward Lane among others whose work was trans- lated into Turkish for the first time by Barin-Akman herself. “Filiz Barin-Akman’s book is a ground breaking critical contribution to scholarly conversations in life writing, Victorian Studies and Women and Gen- der Studies. Not only does she introduce readers in these fields as well as the general public to the ways in which women travelers were representing the Ottoman empire, but her research challenges our contemporary ideas about women, the Middle East and the historical record.” said Dr. Cynthia Huff, Professor of English at Illinois State University. Biography of the writer: Filiz Barin-Akman, a former Fulbright scholar from Turkey, is currently doing her PhD in English Literature at Illinois State University. In her stud- ies she looks at Victorian travel writing and less-known novels written by Genre: Ottoman History ISBN: 978-605-131-013-8 Pages: 144 Year of Publication: 2011 Author: Filiz Barın Akman
  29. -29- O T T O M A N H I

    S T O R Y western writers about the Orient dealing with eastern characters in eastern settings. Her studies focus on the notion of the ‘other’ and she investigates how the ‘other’ and their culture were represented by the nineteenth century Western observers and authors. Specifically, Turks and Islamic nations as ‘others’ in Victorian period is field of her interest. In her studies she also pays attention to gender issues and looks at how Eastern women, the harem and their femininity is understood and represented in the Western discourse of the nineteenth century. She is also following a comparative track in literary stud- ies by looking at Turkish novels written within the same time period when the British Empire extended its power over the Ottoman Empire and her territories. She is specifically interested in how the westernization movements affect the traditional Ottoman identity, society and women. She has attended to sev- eral national conferences, chaired two sessions at 2009 M/MLA conference and will also chair a session in upcoming MLA and M/MLA conferences in 2011 and 2012. Her academic book Batılı Kadın Seyyahların Gözüyle Osmanlı Kadını was published by Etkileşim in 2011 in Turkey. The Last Emperor “Grand” or “red” ideas about Sultan Abdülhamid the Second is going on velivolantly. Understanding well and discovering the “Reality of Abdülhamid” naturally will show the way todays and tomorrows of us. Even, according to the grand determination of François Georgeon “Un- derstanding Abdülhamid is understanding today’s Turkey.” He was a real project, politics, strategy and reformer man. He was “the best sultan of the cen- tury”; he was an exact political swindler and a wolf of diplomacy. He was the “last rescuer” who was guarding the “Ill Man” bravely towards the imperialism. Also he was “one of the people” who prepared the base of commonwealth and modern Turkey with the notice of constitutional monarchy , with the soldiers and bureaucrat educated in the schools he opened, with the services of development -housing and infrastructuring. Maybe he was in Yıldız palace as a prisoner; but his horizon, dreams, projects and innovations were in the degree that was passing the walls of Yıldız Palace and the century about the leagues. “The real Abdülhamid” arising and glaring with his amazing brightness by the opening of the blanket that was closing his face and cleaning of the tar of the assaults were done to his personality. Here this book is in the delight of point that will disrupts the memorizations about understanding the “reality of Abdulhamid” again , discovering his unknown side and solving the mystery of Unionist Movement and the coup of 1908. Genre: Ottoman History ISBN: 978-975-269-601-3 Pages: 320 Year of Publication: 2009 Author: İsmail Çolak
  30. -30- Igneous years Although he was avoiding of the politics

    with all his power, Bediüzza- man Said Nursî (1977-1960), is an Islamic wise that is staying among the political discussions always. He lived lots of pains, suffered greatly, but he was always an Islamic muceddid (religious commentator) who was running after the works useful to the humanity... A version of Mevlana in this century... Around of him the endless intrigues and his lovers trying to stand all those difficulties... The efforts of Ismet Inonu to get profits of the discussions he started around the name of Said Nursi. The attacks of Menderes were against those all. The coups occurring back to back and the unsuccessful coup trying... Hanging of Menderes and his friends...The grave of Bediüzzaman that was conveyed suddenly... His sibling that is witnessing this table with the tears.... Following, Demirel were joining to those discussions. The dialogues between Inonu and Demirel... The years passed between... The efforts hu- man rights commission done to clean this sin and the shelved Bediüzzaman report. And at the last rising of a political mentality that was regarding the value of him... The importance given to the Sid Nursi by the Head minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the evolution process, and Head minister’s discussions about him highly... The rising of the claps form the sloon that he made a speech in and form all the parts of the public... Here is the Ateşten Yıllar(Igneous years) Said Nursî discussions in politics, all exciting processes, in a book with all unknown details are being served to the readers. Further, it is not using only the sources as books. Collecting the news published on those days form the streamers, pages of the newspapers and giving / serving to its readers with a wording continuous and paced. Genre: History of the Republic of Turkey ISBN: 978-975-269-932-8 Pages: 272 Year of Publication: 2011 Author: Abdülkadir Selvi HISTORY OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY
  31. -31- Facing the Gladio Inside of Us In those lands,

    every kind of nationalism has been lived. Further, the geography of the empire witnessed the most severe of the nationalist move- ments. We submerged the empire in this cause. We knew the nationalism with trues and wrongs of it. But the winds of “nationalism” blew in a different way. We found Commando Yasar and reformist Perincek side by side of the before of September 12, 1980 Coup. The nationalism gathered the symbol of Cyprus case Rauf Denktas and the people who are qualifying the Cyprus peace operations as distrac- tion… This time we become the witness of the event that İlhan Selcuk was eulogying the MHP before saying “the nationalism is almighty” It was a little while to gulp down, We saw on the same floor the people who were going to Bekaa valley and shaking Ocalan’s hand who is the leader of PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) and the “Tanburacı Paşa” who was shooting to Ocalan with the guns .Our memories been spoiled very badly. Here at that time we met; Sauna, Atabeyler, Ergenekon operations. The murders of Hrant Dink and state council... We were watching the events eyes wide open, tongue-tied except un- derstanding what was happening. We didn’t want only to watch the events. And this story came out...We started a journey towards the dark tables of near history of Turkey... Genre: History of the Republic of Turkey ISBN: 978-975-269-775-1 Pages: 304 Year of Publication: 2010 Author: Abdülkadir Selvi HISTORY OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY
  32. -32- HISTORY OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY Our Informality History

    Near Turkey’s history, there are lots of things under the hided lines, informality that were not told to us.... So real but were not told, could not been told to us.... Bahadıroglu has written with a big bravery the hiding realities of the huge and spectacular history of Ottomans that was disparaged widely sometimes. Are you ready to read the hiding realities? Genre: History of the Republic of Turkey ISBN: 978-975-269-792-8 Pages: 288 Year of Publication: 2010 Author: Yavuz Bahadıroğlu
  33. -33- Communication with Love in the Family This work teaches

    couples how to love each other. This work shows parents that the only important thing is winning the heart and the love of couples does not only consist of sexuality. With the help of this work, mother-daughter in law relationships will be much better. This work belongs to people who stand up for love, affection and fidelity! Genre: Family ISBN: 978-975-269-349-4 Pages: 256 Year of Publication: 2007 Author: Vehbi Vakkasoglu The Art of Motherhood Although the mothers are well-meaning and caring towards their children, the breeding of the children most time resulting with a comedown. The mother who is smiling at every kind of noise on one day before not cannot be patient on even the voice of just a “click” today. Cause of this, all the woman who have the care of growing up their children well have an associated opinion; ‘being a mother is very difficult!’ Expert Pedagogue Adem Gunes is explaining the reasons of this difficulty by asking 28 different questions. Does the mom have joi de vivre? Did the mom ever become left of her father in 4 ages of herself? Does she love her husband, has she embraced him? Is she loved by her husband? The mothers giving the answers to such kind of questions are realizing the weight on their shoulders. By finding the ways of decreasing the weight on her shoulders, she seen the motherhood is getting eased up. The writer says “one part of motherhood is recognition progress of the child” and explains the things that should be attended for committing this process well. Genre: Family ISBN: 978-975-269-734-8 Pages: 208 Year of Publication: 2009 Author: Adem Güneş F A M I LY
  34. -34- F A M I LY The Last Cover Is

    the Family The human become the people that are not making any sacrifice that is not heeding anyone else except himself in the ratio of embracing the life philosophy the modernity brings. The people who are ‘living free, heeding anyone else except himself, doing whatever he/she wants’ have lost the meaning of being wife/husband .The modern life that made running after the benefits as an ideology has set the conflict of “I’m right and you are not’ inside the family. The man-woman relation nearly becomes man-woman war. In this period of time that the family ties are sliming gradually, Professor Dr. Nevzat Tarhan is mentioning about the source of the problems and guiding the family members and young people who are about to marry with Son Sığınak Aile (the last cover is the family). The problems are lived in marriage either could result conflict and at the same time while handling with a different point of view, those problems are also the chances as the already lived examples showing us. Also this book guides the parents for growing up compassionate, conscientious, toler- ant, kind, respectful, fair children. Genre: Family ISBN: 978-975-269-876-5 Pages: 192 Year of Publication: 2010 Author: Nevzat Tarhan, Prof. Dr.
  35. -35- P S Y C H O L O G

    Y Kiss Box In fact we do not know our children well even though we think that; we know them well, as the children seem a part of us, as we know they do not hide anything from us. Or we know our children in the ratio of them let us to know them, especially while mentioning adolescent. This book that behavioral therapist Mehtap Kayaoglu has written is guiding us about knowing adolescents better, discovering the inside world of them better. Those real life stories forming of the therapy meetings are opening the doors of a seconder life which we do not see normally as “full of the unconscious mysteries and complex.” Consequently, you will realize how the blameless sentences coming out of your mouth are affecting human life and you will start to discover the funny sides of living with the sets. Genre: Psychology ISBN: 978-975-269-819-2 Pages: 192 Year of Publication: 2010 Author: Mehtap Kayaoğlu Psychological Danger: Don’t be the Victim of the Modern Psychology The modern ideologies sneakingly present wretched information. So we have to suffer a long period of contemplation in order to keep our culture and values alive. This book shares the suffer- ing of these people and intended to vocalize this vital warning: Beware! “Don’t be the Victim of the Modern Psychology!” Genre: Psychology ISBN: 975-269-435-4 Pages: 224 Year of Publication: 2008 Author: Mücahit Gültekin
  36. -36- Woman Psychology Woman Psychology is about the problems of

    modern woman and marriage. How a marriage can run successfully? According to Tarhan, the couples should understand the differences between them. The book analyses the women psychology and unrolls their sensitive disposition. Genre: Psychology ISBN: 975-269-073-4 Pages: 350 Year of Publication: 2005 Author: Nevzat Tarhan, Prof. Dr. Child Psychology (Ages 0-7) Psychiatrist Dr. Sefa Saygılı shares his experiences about the questions and the problems that he came across with during his professional career and the solutions and the methods he applied to his patients. This work will be the necessary guide for you about understanding the psychology of your children and helping for their spiritual developments. Genre: Psychology ISBN: 975-269-317-3 Pages: 144 Year of Publication: 2007 Author: Sefa Saygılı, Doç. Dr. P S Y C H O L O G Y
  37. -37- R E L I G I O N Prayer

    Teacher This book prepared particularly for the Muslims in Germany, which explains with pictures, how to take ablution and how should be prayer. This book prepared as a prayer book, but not describes only the direction Ahkam of the prayer, also explains why Muslims pray. In this book is discussed important tips that to pray in a more conscious way. Genre: Religion Pages: 160 Year of Publication: 2008 ISBN: 978-975-269-573-3 Size: 13,5 x 19,5 cm Author: Cemil Sahinöz Passwords of the Fate • Does the fate changes? • Does fate in our hands to change? • Is it possible to know, what will be in the future? • If it was known that we will go to heaven or hell, so why we were sent to the world? • Isn’t the devil real guilty? • In this book, you can find the answers about the fate that you are looking for. • The ıssues that you are wondering about and want to understand are in this book. • Related verses from the Qur’an. • Hadiths from our beloved prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). • True life stories from the past to the present. • Interpretations of Islamic scholars… This book will change your view of fate which is easy to understand and written in a fluent style. Genre: Religion Pages: 176 Size: 13,5 x 21 cm Year of Publication: 2009 ISBN: 978-975-269-702-7 Author: Prof. Dr. Murat Sarıcık
  38. -38- R E L I G I O N Prescriptions

    from the Qur’an New sadness added into the people’s sufferings everyday, with the shrinking of the world. Mate- rial and spiritual disease is spreading quickly in epidemic case. This disease shows itself as a terrorist act, sometimes theft, fraud, and sometimes, interest, gambling, murder. In this book, subjects are examined for the treatment of bruises from social framework to family. Solutions are offered as direct reference of the Qur’an and Sünnet. In this book many solution ways has been shown to the modern problems of nowadays. Genre: Religion Pages: 160 Year of Publication: 2007 ISBN: 978-975-269-386-9 Size: 13,5 x 19,5 cm Author: Mehmed Paksu The Model Virtues of the Prophet Muhammad What are the sources of the model virtues of the Prophet Muhammad? How did the Prophet behave to the other people in his daily life? The Model Virtues of Prophet Muhammad is a guideline for the people who want to develop a good character. These are the parts from the book: - What are the sources of his good character and the virtue of the prophet Muhammad? - The Humanity of Prophet Muhammad - His attitude towards for the poor people - His attitude towards women - His humanity and love for children - His kindness for animals - His courtesy - The Jokes of him Genre: Religion Pages: 144 Year of Publication: 2006 ISBN: 975-408-041-0 Author: Mehmed Paksu
  39. -39- R E L I G I O N How

    to Get up to the Morning Prayers? Although Morning Prayer is very important between the five prayers, but it is the most neglected and the most postponed. This book is prepared to give the rightful place to prayer in our world. This book tells how to pray, during the journey, while being a guest, and at work, at school, as soldiers and also when sick and wounded. When you read, you will believe again that the prayer is indispensable. You will accept that the most important task in your life is to pray. You will discover the numerous formulas to get up on time for the Morning prayers. Genre: Religion Pages: 132 Year of Publication: 2002 ISBN: 978-975-650-312-2 Size: 13,5 x 19 cm Author: Cemil Tokpınar Tesbihat in German The Tesbihat is a special prayer after the ritual prayer, which was collected by the Islamic scholar Said Nursi. It is a collection of prayers, prayers from the Prophet Muhammed as well as the words and the names of Allah. For the first time now this work is published in German. Genre: Religion Pages: 144 Year of Publication: 2011 ISBN: 978-605-131-015-2 Editor: Cemil Sahinöz
  40. -40- P H I L O S O P H

    Y Thomas Is in Search of his God This book is the notes about the tough and exciting discussions between the author and Thomas. He is an intellectual student of the secular science and atheist philosophy. You will see the balances between belief and denial, Islam and Christianity. You will find answers for the questions and doubts coming from the modern science and philosophy. You will observe the miserable situation of an individual who denies god. Genre: Philosophy ISBN: 975-269-243-5 Size: 13,5 x 21 cm Pages: 174 Year of Publication: 2006 Author: Dr. Furkan Aydıner
  41. -41- E D U C AT I O N Correct

    Known Mistakes in Bringing Up What happened to us? Children crimes are passed to the records as cutting mother, threatening father with a weapon and stealing in front of the security camera in the recent years. Are the old children different or today’s children? Are the old parents different or today’s parents? Are the old training methods different or today’s training methods? Where do we make mistakes? In this book, we are searching the answers of these questions. Maybe everyone confronts with itself. We know that we lose our children, where we lost ourselves. What are the differences between old children and today’s children? Genre: Education Pages: 128 Year of Publication: 2008 ISBN: 978-975-269-476-7 Size: 13,5 x 19,5 cm Author: Adem Günes The Love of the Ant This study is forming of the selected stories and, is presented to today’s readers with a plain language of the classical story of Feridüddin Attar named İlahinâme which were written in the twelfth century. In every story in the chosen part, you will find big lessons and examples for yourself. The acts below are the one of the specifications that are making Feridüddin Attar giant and the same care and expression is standing out; Applying of him to the presentations while mentioning about a mystical subject, According to the plan clearly nested within frame stories to tell small stories making the issue more clearly demonstrate a mastery of the meanings of the largest in the merge with the main story. Genre:Classic Pages: 128 Year of Publication: 2009 ISBN: 978-975-269-627-3 Author: Feridüddin Attar, Prepared By: Mustafa Oğuz
  42. -42- E D U C AT I O N Our

    Teacher’s Notebook These notes remind me the teaching period that I started long years ago and each note causes me to remind my dear students who have shining faces and they also remind me the questions they asked with their faithful hearts and pure spirits. I want to talk with them in these lines and pages. I want them to keep asking me so I can answer them. Because they want to listen, understand and believe. If this book serves for their religious belief only a little, I will be truly happy. I devote this book to all my students from the first to the last, for all my students, Ahmet, Mehmet, Ayşe and Fatma. Genre: Self-Help Pages: 176 Year of Publication: 2002 ISBN: 975-748-681-7 Author: Vehbi Vakkasoğlu Language: Turkish - English Most Beloved Teacher is Hz. Muhammed (Puh) Hz. Muhammed (UPH) was the teacher of the young and old people. He told to the people how to be successful and happy in this world, and how to gain ways of the happiness in Hereafter. He taught us Allah, the morals, manners, kindness, neighborliness, humility, sacrifice that will bring us virtues such as happiness of two worlds. Muslims need to rediscover this perfect example and to live like him. This book has claimed to promote to the whole world “the best teachers of all time” for one more time. Genre: Education Pages: 254 Year of Publication: 2006 ISBN: 978-975-269-166-8 Size: 13,5 x 19,5 cm Author: Ali Erkan Kavaklı
  43. -43- E D U C AT I O N The

    Teacher of All People: Hz. Muhammad (S.A.V.) People who are in pain with big problems need Hz. Muhammad more than ever. Because he is the medicine for all illnesses, is the cure and remedy. He is the biggest teacher and the biggest edu- cator. He is the most compassionate father, and the most compassionate husband. He is the most reliable person, is the best loved man. He is the excellent problem solver, is the most logical mediator. People who can’t cope with problems in their family and work life, also in their psychological world should apply to teaching of our Lord Hz. Muhammad. Genre: Education Pages: 203 Year of Publication: 2006 ISBN: 9752692370 Size: 13,5 x 19,5 cm Author: Halit Ertugrul The Childhood Secret Every child has a secret hidden within his inner being. Every child has the potential to do great things if his secret is able to come to life. This gift of God has been recognized by previous genera- tions throughout the world; however, its existence has been forgotten over the past century. As a re- sult, modern man has had difficultly knowing just where he fits in this magnificently created universe. In short, he has forgotten who he truly is. In Anatolia, a child rearing method once centered on the childhood secret, allowing individuals to be aware of and truly “feel” themselves and their emotions at incredibly deep levels. Resolute indi- viduals who sincerely cared for for the whole of humanity made their way into this world. Individuals who did not care about the greatness or glory of the state in which they lived, but about the people who lived in it. Moreover they wanted all of their brothers in humanity to feel the subtle joy in serenity that they felt, regardless of land, race, or religion. Such child rearing method has been dubbed “Anatolian Pedagogy,” which is not limited to the lands of modern Anatolia. It, like the individuals it raised, knows no racial, ethnic, or religious distinc- tion. It explains how to guide a child to be the person he was created to be. Genre: Education Pages: 288 Year of Publication: 2011 ISBN: 978-975-269-910-6 Author: Adem Günes
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    O F C H I L D H O O D Table of Contents Preface by the author Preface by the editor Part I: RAISING A CHILD TO BE THE PERSON HE WAS CREATED TO BE The childhood secret Lost sense of confidence and the struggle for dignity Battles between parents and children The tranquil spirit: ‘Serenity’ The struggle to be human: The commanding internal guide The trigger for curiosity: The commanding internal guide Part II: PERSONALITY AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT PROCESS When a child is forced to obey: The passive child Restricted personality A child able to be himself: The resolute child There is only one ‘me’ inside of me: The ego Central control room of a person: The ego (self) The internal system that filters one’s basic needs: ‘Nefs’ or ‘id’ The dignity protection mechanism: Super-ego or ‘itibar’ When the ego (self) loses its balance (defense mechanisms) Punishment Reward Part III: THE ESSENCE OF ANATOLIAN PEDAGOGY: CONFIDENCE The Objective of modern pedagogy: Raising a resolute, individualist child The Anatolian pedagogy model: Resolute and collective Interaction with every animate and inanimate creature: Collective consciousness Freedom in emotions, discipline in behavior Internal discipline: The balance between one’s emotional world and conscience Internal dynamic: Children’s emotions Children should not experience emotional deprivation Discovering a child’s temperament The ability to sense a child’s essence The soul’s elixir of tranquility: Trust The WONDER of CHILDHOOD
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    O F C H I L D H O O D The formation of trust: The spiritual embryo A child’s ability to trust in life is formed with his mother A child unable to establish a spiritual link with his mother: An anxious bond of trust A child’s sense of trust must not be damaged The sense of trust is not self-confidence. Nightmarish events that close one’s ego (self) to the world To trust again The sense of trust learned from one’s father: Wisdom A father feels like a parent later than his wife Index Biography of writer Adem Güneş was born in Ankara in 1969. He completed his primary and secondary education in Turkey. Then, he continued his studies in the Netherlands where he graduated from the University of Rotterdam’s Department of Pedagogy. Adem has, for many years, examined different models of child education, schools, and the overall education system in Europe. His area of specialization within the field of pedagogy is violence, harass- ment, and abuse. He currently works as a faculty member at Fatih University, in Istanbul. His articles have been published in different newspapers and magazines. He has also written more than ten books on children, youth, child education, motherhood, and family. Presently, he is also pedagogical advisor for many TV series and movies. Adem is married with four children and lives in Istanbul with his family. Pedagogue Güneş has been granted the title of “Friend of Chil- dren” by United Nations World Summit for Children in 2011 because of his works for the benefit of children and his sensitivity to children. PUBLICATIONS Parents’ Nightmare: Abuse of Children (Turkish) Milestones of Child Upbringing (Turkish) Of Course Get Scared If Not Know (Stories on Children Therapy) (Turkish) Leave Me Alone/Sociophobia (Stories of Youth Therapy) (Turkish) Holiday Guide for Children and Parents (Turkish) Correct Known False in Child Upbringing (Turkish) The Art of Motherhood (Turkish) Privacy Education for Children / Labyrinth (Turkish) Love Education in Family (ed.) (Turkish) Preface by the Author Those who desire to construct a viable society should draw strength from the secret found in childhood. Childhood has an unlim- ited power able to change society. It is the only force that can break down the thick walls which obscure an adult’s spirit and which can inspire the feeling of compassion in them. Adults should recognize the mistake in trying to dominate children and instead recognize that their children are the very means to enlivening their feelings of love and mercy. Unfortunately, because adults often hold children in a negative light, the futures of many societies are being built without awareness of the benefits that such an immense power may provide. However any life that does not make love and mercy its foundations is a most pitiful one. This awakening and inspiration of the human spirit will occur not in trying to do something for children but by cooperating with them. ADEM GÜNEŞ Pedagogue, February 2012 Preface by the Editor of the English Edition While editing this book, I came to realize that it explained many instances of my own childhood that allowed me to look at who I am and how I see myself in the world. A new father myself – my son be- ing six months old at the time of writing this preface – I admit that a new perspective which I had not previously considered was opened up to me while reading and editing this book. I don’t consider anything to be mere “coincidence” and say without the slightest hesitation that I was shown this book for a rea- son. It came to me at the right time and place of my life; at a time that my then pregnant wife also felt the need to take a critical look at herself and seek answers in her journey to becoming a mother. One day while still considering if I should take up the task of editing this book, I heard my wife listening to the author’s radio program although I had not yet mentioned the author’s name or his book to her. It was that event, along with many others, that I decided that I should edit this book both for my own and my family’s good. In short, I am truly grateful and ever-thankful to the One in whose absolute power and wisdom it is to show me.
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    O F C H I L D H O O D On a technical note, I would like to inform the reader that certain terms used in the Turkish edition have no exact English equivalent. As such, for the sake of maintaining the author’s intended meaning as faithfully as possible, I sometimes opted to use a more technical sounding language for certain terms [e.g. “ego (self)” – tr: benlik – with the word “self” to distinguish it from the separate Turkish and English word “ego” which is also used in the book], and other times chose to use the original Turkish word in context accompanied by a footnote. This latter decision was made because the existing English equivalent is only commonly known in the field of psychology where- as the Turkish term is an everyday word (e.g. nefs, whose English equivalent is “id”]. Finally, I ask that the reader please forgive any mistakes in the English and that the reader ascribe all faults to me and attribute all goodness to The Absolute Creator of all that is. JOHN ZACHARIAS CRIST February 2012 PART I Raising a child to be the person he was created to be “Providing children with the opportunity to discover and present themselves to the world” The Childhood Secret The most important aspect of raising a child is learning to understand the ‘childhood secret.’ Parents are their children’s guides in helping them discover their unique character- istics and personalities. In their role as guides, they are not to spoil their children’s created nature (fitrat)1 or to force them to develop an artificial personality. It is understood in Anato- lian Pedagogy that each child has a personal- ity hidden within his genetic codes. Human beings are created with an unspoiled spirit which con- tinues to show itself to the world as long as it is not destroyed. All children are different; some have a will as strong as steel while others reflect purity in their faces whenever they speak, or are as generous as Rumi. Each child carries the ability to console and open the heart of even the most stone-cold hearted person. In reality, no one truly knows what any child’s inner personality will be. While still in his cradle, he says nothing, yet much is ex- pressed through how he perceives and interacts with his surround- ings. Parents must stop and ask themselves who their child is every time they take a look at him while he is interacting with his surround- ings. Only then will they be able to discover the secret of childhood. Just like a caterpillar hides inside its cocoon, every human being has a secret hidden deep inside her inner spirit. Inside its white co- coon, a caterpillar undergoes a transformation that will make it emerge as an astonishingly beautiful butterfly. Each and every child is like that caterpillar, waiting to shed its cocoon and show its secret inner beauty to the world. In every child lies great potential, sometimes a president may emerge and other times a poet or an artist. As long as parents understand and respect this secret of creation, it is possible for the secret hidden within their children’s spirit to express itself to others without experiencing any harm. Without being aware of the secret hidden within a child’s innate spirit, expecting a child created with a nature like Rumi, filled with love and tolerance, to become a world leader like Alexander the Great or a child created to ex- hibit the collective perseverance, passivism, and inspiration of the Dalai Lama to behave with the constancy and individual bravery of Abraham Lincoln is nothing more than co- ercing him to invent a hollow personality – it turns him against how he was created. To help illustrate the negative aspects of imitation, the people of Anatolia tell a tale of a crow who tries to imitate a sparrow. One day the crow sees his neighbor, the sparrow,
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    O F C H I L D H O O D walking in such a way that makes him feel envious. The crow admires how his neighbor is walking and tries to imitate him. However, the crow cannot manage to hop along like the sparrow and finally gives up trying to mimic the sparrow. Yet, after having spent so much effort trying to resemble the sparrow, he now finds it difficult to readjust to his own way of walking. From this story, the people of Anatolia say that when a crow tries to imitate the sparrow, he forgets who he is. The secret hidden within every child’s spirit will only emerge when the child is accepted for who she is. Children are only able to develop the secret which lies deep in their creation if they are accom- panied by an adult who does not force them to imitate others. Such an adult respects her developing world-view, never coerces a child to develop an artificial personality, never abuse or oppress her, and, above all, allows her to simply be herself as she excitingly tries to discover who she really is. For this reason the most basic principle of Anatolian Pedagogy is to allow every individual to be himself. Parents should not treat the created nature (fitrat) of their child’s sprit with disrespect and definite- ly should not create an environment in which he is forced to deny his own personality. Whenever a child feels that he will not be accepted by those closest to him, he will abandon being himself altogether and will instead learn to blindly imitate those behaviors deemed accept- able by others out of fear of harm to his feeling of self-value. Both this imitation and fear form the foundation for the self-destruction of an individual’s personality. No child will show the secret lying deep in his spirit if he fears that it will not be accepted or he will not be taken seriously and will instead try to invent an artificial, fluctuating personality that he uses in different situations depending on how much he feels that he will be accepted. Perhaps, even, he will forget the secret behind his creation entirely. Such children are those who lose all their power before leav- ing their cocoon and since they are no longer brave enough to exhibit their own personality, their body, spirit, and behaviors are no longer in harmony. People who are unable to live in harmony with their glowing innate spirit due to being suppressed, either externally or internally, soon forget who they really are and instead learn to imitate the per- sonality that is expected in order to lead a ‘happy’ and ‘unproblematic’ life. However, even though they may experience a superficial happi- ness by compromising their personality, such individuals will never be able to live with peace of heart and mind. Such people are always afraid that their constructed person- alities might be harmed by others because of their past experiences. Perhaps they were made fun of or lost friends at school for showing their true personalities. If such damage to an individual’s spirit is to be avoided, every ‘childish’ attitude, must be accepted and not ridiculed or be the subject of punishment. Please keep in mind that childish in this sense means ‘innocent.’ It is now becoming more apparent why today’s children have been slowly becoming more and more problematic and why they posses weaker characters than before. Instead of revealing their true personalities, children are coerced to enter into the narrow molds that adults have, either consciously or unconsciously, prepared for them. However, in being forced into these molds, these children’s personali- ties and characters are destroyed and their whole life, wasted. Adults, therefore, should be extremely serious and exercise the utmost caution in raising their children. They should follow and ob- serve their children so that they too may discover the secret present in each and every child. Sometimes a word a child utters, a behavior he exhibits, or a dream he has reveals the first instance of this secret. Parents should wait with the same excitement for the first sign of their child’s innate secret as they do for any good news. What, then, is the parents’ duty? Is it to only to dress their chil- dren, to feed them, and to comb their hair? Are these the only things that make real parents? Parenthood does not mean to merely attend to a child’s material needs; it also means to anticipate the first indica- tions the secret hidden in one’s child and to guide him in developing it into a fully refined character. This understanding of parenthood is expressed in a story involving an old man waiting for a boy named Osman’s childhood secret to be revealed. There was once a little boy about nine years old born in a small town of Anatolia. During the day, he would play with his friends and during the evening he would hold heart-to-heart conversations with his mother and would discuss the meaning of life with his father. There was an old man with a big heart who loved Os- man very much. Whenever he looked at Osman, he noticed something peculiar about him. Although he was trying to sense Osman’s inner emotional world, he failed because Osman did not reflect his childhood secret.
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    O F C H I L D H O O D Once, Osman visited Rumi with his father who was able to easily perceive the inner mystery of Osman’s childhood. He smiled and shared little Osman’s secret with his father. Osman grew up and developed a courageous heart. One day he paid a visit to the old man and chatted with him until morning. After finishing his morning prayers, Osman went to his room to rest where he noticed his holy book, the Qur’an, on a shelf on the wall. He did not want to lie down with his feet pointed toward it, so he fell asleep while sitting on his bed. While halfway asleep in such a position, he saw a dream that affected him so much that as soon as he woke up he rushed to find someone he could share what he saw with. He found his mentor, the old man from before. Osman’s mentor was able to sense that there was some- thing out of the ordinary in this dream. Paying the utmost of attention and care he listened as the young Osman told him, “Last night, I saw a dream.” To which the old man replied, “Tell me about your dream, my dear boy.’’ “In my dream, I felt that God was addressing me, ‘Osman you respected My Holy Word. I will make you, your family, and your followers into great, generous, honorable people and I have given you a grand state that will survive until the Final Day,’” he told the old man. The old man listened to Osman, his eyes full of tears. He kept himself quiet as his insides gushed with joy: “Can this young man really be the one I’ve been waiting for?” “If it is him who will be the founder of such a state, his fitrat must not be spoiled and he will need to be guided,’’ he thought. Beginning that day, he started to look after him with the utmost of care. He protected Osman from others’ attempts to harm his fitrat. Osman, like every child, possessed a secret, a big one. Later, Osman visited the old man again and described an- other dream he saw to him. “This time I saw you in my dream. A crescent appeared from your bosom, turned into a full moon, and entered my chest. After that, a tree began to grow out of my navel. As it continued to grow, the shadows left by its branches covered three continents. The Tigris, Euphrates, Nile, and Danube rivers flowed from the roots of this tree. The fields were full of crops and the trees of fruit. The mountains were covered with forests. I saw cities in the valleys ornamented with minarets and towers. I heard the azan (call to prayer) coming from those minarets. Suddenly a strong wind made the fresh leaves of the trees turn toward Istanbul. Istanbul looked like a diamond between two rubies and two emeralds sitting between two seas and two continents. It was as if that precious stone on the ring resembled a country spanning the entire world. While I was trying to put on that ring, I suddenly woke up.” Osman’s mentor, Edebali, listened to young Osman’s childhood secret with tears flowing from his eyes. He listened, and then he turned his eyes toward to the sky and prayed. He then turned to Osman and said, “Osman, God will give you and your descendents a great state and kingdom. The whole world will be under your reign under which the believers will find peace. My daughter, Bala Hatun, will be your wife.” The young Osman carried out his childhood the secret step by step. He founded a small state that would turn into a great empire. He was no longer the little Osman; he had become Osman Bey, whose childhood secret harbored the Ottoman sycamore. From then on, par- ents in Anatolia waited for their own Osmans, viewing themselves as the caretaker of a similar secret. In such an environment, some of the children reflected Osman’s secret, while others Fatih’s.2 I would like for you, the reader, to stop and ask yourself: How many parents today are aware of the secret of childhood? What would your answer be if your child told you that he would establish a new state? Most probably he would be told him to go complete his home- work, asked to stop daydreaming, and urged to finish college and find a good paying job. On one hand, we see Sheikh Edebali’s approach to Osman’s childhood secret and his effort to understand and bring forward his innate secret and, on the other; we see the attitudes of many parents in today’s world as expressed by their words to their children. One perspective is Anatolian Pedagogy and another, modern pedagogy.
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    O F C H I L D H O O D Before finishing this subject, it will be useful to discuss another childhood secret which most readers have heard of; the childhood secret of the Prophet Joseph. Joseph’s father, Jacob, was aware of his son’s innate childhood secret. He would wonder if, among his sons, it would be Joseph who would achieve that which he himself could not. One day, Joseph approached his father and related his child- hood secret to him. He said, “In my dream, I saw eleven stars, the moon, and the sun; they were prostrating before me.” Jacob was worried about the secret that had just been revealed to him. He asked Joseph not to tell his secret to any- one else, especially to his brothers.3 This secret, which Joseph himself was not yet aware of, was the secret of prophethood. This is what the foundation of Anatolian Pedagogy and what it means to be responsible for a child! Every parent should regard their children in this way. As parents watch their child running through the house, they should look at him in an attempt to read his childish spirit and ask themselves who their children really are. Today, the secret of childhood is only very rarely observed be- cause parents too often focus on their children’s education at school and dedicate very little time, if any, on personality and character edu- cation. However, it is not completely the fault of the parents. No one lets them know of the patience needed to wait for the emergence of their child’s secret and instead they focus on brushing their child’s teeth before going to bed and how to properly rinse the sink after spit- ting. Instead of patience, parents emphasize punishment if their child does not go to bed early and reward her if she does all her homework on time. Yet, what importance is given to a child who shows herself according to her inner guide? One who brilliantly reflects her child- hood secret? A child who is not allowed to be himself or to develop his own personality based on how he views the world cannot become like the young Osman. Such a child can neither be himself nor can he accept the personality that he has been coerced into. He begins to resemble an ostrich, a bird which looks like a camel but which can neither run like a camel nor fly like a bird. He does not know his true self and is unable to introduce himself. He becomes unable to gather the required strength to discover the power lying deep within his spirit. Instead, the only thing he does do is follow his controlling parents, unable to do anything without their constant oversight – he becomes utterly dependant on them. Children, however, should be allowed to discover their inner spirit. Once they are allowed to do so, the whirling dervishes lying deep in their spirit awaken and begin turning around themselves like the planets rotating around the sun. Then these hawk-eyed children may fly through the skies like steel-winged birds gaining the courage to become like Lincoln against cruelty, and like the Dalai Lama against oppression. Parenthood is, on the one hand, to wait for the emergence of the childhood secret, and, on the other, to eliminate all obstacles that between the child and his secret so that he may pass unhampered toward realizing his inner spirit. Children should not be forced to emulate anyone or be compared to any other child. If they are, instead of revealing the inborn personal- ity of his own spirit, he will try to behave, both in spirit and in practice, like those children he is compared to. Such a child becomes like the crow that forgot how to walk its own walk while trying to imitate the sparrow. The above reasons point to why parents should prevent their children from undergoing possible shifts in their spirit and from aban- doning their own personality in the process of discovering their inner secret. To better illustrate this point, let’s read of the story of Fatih Sultan Muhammad II and his mentor, Akshemseddin. Whenever Fatih looked at Akshemseddin, he would admire his way of standing, walk- ing, and the depth of his spirit which led Fatih to desire to enter into a state of quietness and serenity so that he might be able to open the most inner doors of his soul. One day he visited his mentor, Akshemseddin, and asked him to teach him how to become like him. Akshemseddin vehemently re- jected his request because he knew that if Fatih were to try to disre- gard his own feelings and try to change his personality into someone else’s, the conquering fire in his eyes would be extinguished, give up his crown, and want to live a life the life of a mountain hermit – something that is not innate in Fatih’s fitrat. For the simple reason that it was against Fatih’s fitrat, Akshemseddin turned down his request.
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    O F C H I L D H O O D Although Fatih was deeply affected by his mentor, his personality and childhood secret was that of a conqueror and was too important to be abandoned; not because a conquering spirit is more important than any other, but because it was Fatih’s true inner secret. In fact, every child has his own secret, and each secret may be brought out only as long as the child has an adult who guides him in realizing it. This is the real duty of parents – not ensuring that their children brush their teeth and comb their hair. The reality of par- enthood for parents is to observe their child lying in her cradle and prepare the ground for her personality to emerge. Anatolian Pedagogy therefore focuses on educating parents in the importance of first be- ing aware of the secret of childhood before teaching them how to properly raise and discipline their children. During the first years of childhood, a child is in her most natural state when she is with her parents. In other words, she is herself, a true reflection of her inner spirit as her fitrat requires her to be. She is not afraid of doing anything wrong or of making mistakes. She laughs whenever she wishes and cries whenever she needs. She is happy when she likes something and she does not make herself appear to like something just because she is expected to. As a child, because she is at peace with herself, she expresses herself naturally without hesitation or hypocrisy. As long as she is allowed to feel that she can be a child she will be filled with such peace. This relaxed attitude should never be construed by parents as a form of disrespect. In reality, disrespect usually occurs in cases where the parents themselves have lost their own dignity. If a child is able to obtain the power to be herself while showing respect for this power, then her parents should be proud of her. In this regard, Ana- tolian Pedagogy has been the means to raising children who respect their parents even though these young individuals may actually have stronger spirits than the adults around them. Yet many parents force their children to ‘respect’ them through coercion or by making the only ‘right way’ their own way of doing something. When forced into such a degrading situation by their par- ents, children will demonstrate disrespect toward them no matter how much their parents ‘love’ them. It is impossible for a child who has never experienced true inner peace to be respectful toward others, including his parents. According to Anatolian Pedagogy, coercing a child is the most dangerous part of the process of child rearing. Once a child starts acting the way he is expected to and internalizes these expectations instead of acting in accordance with his fitrat due to pressure placed on him by his parents or culture then the development of his personal- ity will be brought to a screeching halt. Instead of developing his own personality, he will try to display the personality that his parents prefer leading such children to become hypocritical. If the inner world of a child and the world he displays to those around him begin to diverge from one another, then disaster is immi- nent. Once a child becomes comfortable displaying a different world than that which reflects his fitrat and is rewarded for doing so, no one, not even his parents, will be able to predict what, when, and to whom he will do. This child does not simply learn how to make others around him happy with his fake personality but also sees it as normal to extract revenge for having been humiliated in a very painful way. It is not dif- ficult for him to betray another because he has already experienced being betrayed during his childhood. Since these feelings are not alien to him he does not feel any remorse when he does the same to someone else. As such, Anatolian Pedagogy emphatically rejects both suppressing a child by use of punishment and coercing him to develop an artificial personality by use of rewards. Yes, although a child may behave as she is expected out of fear of punishment and may act accordingly in order to earn a reward; it is a regrettable mis- take to consider her a well-raised child. Quite the opposite, she has only learned how to be cunning in order to avoid punishment and how to abandon her inner spirit in order to obtain rewards. However, if parents desire to raise their children of strong char- acter and resolute personalities, they should not demand that their children exhibit proper behaviors for fear of punishment or eagerness for rewards. However, if a child experiences a healthy upbringing, he will understand the legitimacy and truth behind his behaviors in his inner conscience. Yet, since creating and maintaining such an atmosphere and encouraging such an understanding is both long and difficult, parents often prefer to use a forceful method of discipline at the expense of their child’s personality and identity. They think it is admirable to make their children behave through intimidation and re- wards. However, if a child abandons her inner secret and follows the narrow path her parents place in front of her in order to please them; she will go through a process of self-depersonalization.
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    O F C H I L D H O O D Before continuing, another fact needs to be underlined. It does not always mean that a child is under pressure by his parents when he feels the need to hide his own inner personality. Sometimes he feels it necessary to hide his childhood secret and to reframe from expressing his thoughts and feelings when he receives too much af- fection from his parents. Even if these children have received affection since birth children may be subject to ‘conditional love.’ In such an environment, children worry that they may make their parents sad if they express their own feelings and thoughts if they contradict their parents’. When a mother (or father) tells her son that she will love him if he does his homework, that he will be rewarded if he does not cause any problems at a visit to neighbors, that he will be allowed to go to the cinema if he does not fight with the neighbors’ child, she is in fact telling them that her love for him depends on an ‘if.’ Her son has not only heard the “do’s and don’ts” but has also been complemented when he receives a good grade from school. However, parents should know that their child’s spirit is on a slippery floor; he tends to slide in whichever direction attracts his mother’s love while, in doing so, making concessions with his per- sonality. His mother’s love depends on the condition of him being successful and his father’s love is connected to the requirement of being a well-behaved children. In order to receive parental love, in- stead of living in accordance with his own world, he is forced to be whatever way they want him to be. In other words, if a child fears the loss of his parents’ love, then he will begin to harbor a different personality than is his real one. When this happens, sincere parents should explain that they both love their child how he is, and that he never makes them sad for being who he is and true to himself. Yet, if no conflict occurs between parents and children during child-rearing, there is an abnormality. It is contrary to the nature of things that a child who has almost no experience in life to never ex- perience conflicts with his more-experienced parents. The important thing is not avoiding conflicts with one’s children but helping them to learn to resolve their conflicts through problem-solving. It is also important that parents not trick themselves into believ- ing that they have solved every problem by convincing their children that they are much more experienced than them through mind games. Problems should be solved in cooperation by exchanging views on the subject with their children. This way, a child’s conscience truly understands and accepts the events, experiencing peace of mind in his relationship with his parents However, if the child has been co- erced to agree with his parents as a result of mind games, then the problem has not been solved. No child likes to be forced into accept- ing something and no child likes to be compelled into persuasion, whereas every child wants to be convinced and to be persuaded. It is by no means a problem for both parents to have different opinions on a single issue. In fact, it is something a very good thing. If parents wish their children to be and to think like they do, they end up impeding their children’s emotional and mental development. In- stead, parents should be filled with joy to see that their children have different thoughts on the same issue. They should take pleasure in witnessing their children expressing their own opinions. Otherwise, to forbid a child from expressing his opinion, even when it is different, thereby making him unable to speak his mind and develop his thought process is one of the most severe blows to a child’s personality as doing so may lead him to become indifferent to his own thoughts. Parents may establish dominance over their children while they are still in childhood, but after puberty, it becomes unreal to expect such an adolescent to show them respect because the human spirit holds oppressors in low regard. People feel repulsed against those who repulsed them, even if it is toward one’s own parents. An adoles- cent will often unwittingly make his parents live through exactly what he experienced at their hands through his actions and projection of emotions since the one who has suffered knows how to make others suffer very well. As such, parents should not simply think that they love their children, their children love them, and there are no problems among them. “I have never experienced the peace of mind of being myself.” I had such a good life during childhood that I am unable to explain it in words. My father was a very considerate par- ent. He was like an angel compared to my friends’ fathers. He would never bother me and would do his best to fulfill all of my reasonable requests. Although I had some conflicts with my mother, she was also struggling for the sake of our family, sacrificing many things to maintain peace at home. My grand- mother also lived with us, and whenever there was the small-
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    O F C H I L D H O O D est argument between my parents, she become very sad. She used every opportunity to remind others of the goodness and beauty in life. She tried to keep everything in balance. It looked like a very peaceful family, but today, when I look back at my family, it seems like I was living in a nightmare. During those years, the most important thing for me was to remember to keep my emotions concealed in order not to cause any trouble. I even forced myself to hide my feelings while in kindergarten, and I did not talk about my problems with my mother. I knew that whenever I would tell her about my problems she would become sad and hug me right away, sliding her fingers through my hair while tears filled her eyes. Therefore, so as not to experience such scenes and not to make my mother sad, I stopped sharing what I felt in my inner world or the problems I experienced in the outside world. While I was trying to be an unproblematic child, I never experienced the peace of mind of being myself. Today I am married and have two children. Although sev- eral years have passed, and although I still have the thought from my childhood that everything has to be perfect, whenever something goes wrong, I feel as if everything has gone wrong. Sometimes I become so anxious that I worry that problems could develop between my husband and me or that our mar- riage could end. I have finally come to the understanding that I could not continue living with such worries, and so I have been seeking psychological treatment for the last two years. Hasibe (Mother, age 39) 1-) ‘Fitrat’ is the Turkish word used in the original text. It does not have an exact translation in English. It can be described as ‘created nature’ or ‘created disposition’ and is the innocent and sinless state that every human being is born into. For the remainder of this book, either the word fitrat will be used exclusively or will be placed in parenthesis to remind the reader of this distinct difference. It must be kept in mind that according to Islam (and Anatolian Pedagogy) children are not born with original sin which marks an abrupt difference from the traditional western mentality on which most modern pedagogy and child-rearing is based.—Editor 2-) ‘Fatih Sultan Muhammad II’ was the leader of the Ottoman State who, with his army, conquered the city of Istanbul, then Constantinople, and assured religious freedom and justice to all of the city’s inhabitants, regardless of their religion.—Editor 3-) Qur’an: Surah Yusuf, (12:4-6)
  53. -53- B E D I U Z Z A M

    A N L I B R A R Y BEDIUZZAMAN LIBRARY Bediuzzaman Said Nursi was born in 1878 in Nurs, East- ern Turkey, and died in 1960 in Urfa, Southern Turkey. He lived a large part of his life under surveillance. This is because he dedicated his life for teaching the Quranic truths. Despite all the pressures, he never lost his hope and wrote a six thousand pages commentary on Quran, which he called Risale-i Nur. Here is some tractate from the Risale-i Nur Collection.
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    A N L I B R A R Y Commentary on Sura al-Fatiha Man is an example in miniature of the greater world and Sura al-Fatiha a shining sample of the Qur’an of Mighty Stature. “All praise be to Allâh (al-hamduli’llâh)” being put at the opening of the Fatiha of the Quran is like putting the conception of the Quran’s ultimate purpose in the forefront of the brain. For praise is a concise form of worship, which is the result of creation, and of knowledge of Allah, which is the purpose and aim of the universe; so to mention praise is to conceive of the Quran’s ultimate purpose. Genre: Bediuzzaman Library Pages: 160 Year of Publication: 2011 ISBN: 978-975-269-985-4 Size: 8 x 12 cm Author: Bediüzzaman Said NURSİ Wisdom of the Hajj The blessed Hajj is worship at a universal level for everyone. Just as on a special day like a festival a soldier goes to the king’s celebrations like a General in the sphere of General, and receives his favours, in the same way, a Hajji, no matter how lowly, is turned towards his Sustainer under the title Mighty Sustainer of every region of the earth, like a saint who has traversed all the degrees. He is honoured with universal worship. For sure, the universal degrees of Dominicality opened with the key of the Hajj, and the horizons of the tremendousness of Godhead which are visible to his eye through its telescope, and the spheres of worship which gradually unfold to his heart and imagination through its observances, and the heat, wonder, awe, and dread of Dominicality caused by the levels of sublimity and last stage of manifesta- tion, can only be quieted by, God is Most Great! God is Most Great! Genre: Bediuzzaman Library Pages: 240 Year of Publication: 2011 ISBN: 978-975-269-987-8 Size: 8 x 12 cm Author: Bediüzzaman Said NURSİ
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    A N L I B R A R Y Supplication The effect of supplication is great. Especially if the supplication gains universality and persists, it almost always has a result, indeed, its result is continuous. Supplication is a mighty mystery of worship; indeed, it is like the spirit of worship. Supplication is worship. Through supplication, the servant proclaims his own impotence and poverty. The apparent aims mark the times of the supplication and the supplicatory worship; they are not the true benefits. The benefits of worship look to the hereafter. If the worldly aims are not obtained, it may not be said: “The supplication was not accepted.” It should rather be said: “The time for the supplication has still not ended.” Genre: Bediuzzaman Library Pages: 352 Year of Publication: 2011 ISBN: 978-975-269-986-1 Size: 8 x 12 cm Author: Bediüzzaman Said NURSİ Sufism Underlying the terms ‘Sufism,’ ‘path,’ ‘sainthood,’ and ‘spiritual journeying,’ is an agreeable, luminous, joyful, and spiritual sacred truth. This truth has been proclaimed, taught, and described in thousands of books written by the scholars among the people of illumination and those who have had unfolded to them the reality of creation, who have told the Muslim community and us of that truth. The aim and goal of the Sufi path is —knowledge of God and the unfolding of the truths of be- lief— through a spiritual journeying with the feet of the heart under the shadow of the Ascension of Muhammad (PBUH), to manifest the truths of belief and the Qur’an through illumination and certain states, and to a degree by ‘witnessing;’ it is an elevated human mystery and human perfection which is called ‘the Sufi path’ or ‘Sufism.’ Genre: Bediuzzaman Library Pages: 448 Year of Publication: 2011 ISBN: 978-975-269-988-5 Size: 8 x 12 cm Author: Bediüzzaman Said NURSİ
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    A N L I B R A R Y Patience if you are reasonable you will think of only today in regard to worship, and say: “I am spending one hour of it on an agreeable, pleasant, and elevated act of service, the reward for which is high and whose trouble is little.” Then your bitter dispiritedness will be transformed into sweet endeavor. My impatient soul! You are charged with being patient in three respects. One is patience in wor- ship. Another is patience in refraining from sin. And a third is patience in the face of disaster. If you are intelligent, say in manly fashion: “O Most Patient One!”, and shoulder the three sorts of patience. If you do not squander on the wrong way the forces of patience Almighty God has given you, they should be enough for every difficulty and disaster. So hold out with those forces! Genre: Bediuzzaman Library Pages: 448 Year of Publication: 2011 ISBN: 978-975-269-978-6 Size: 8 x 12 cm Author: Bediüzzaman Said NURSİ Madrasa al-Yusufiyya (for those who are experiencing the calamity of prison) True enjoyment, pain-free pleasure, grief-free joy, and life’s happiness are only to be found in belief and in the sphere of the truths of belief. While a single worldly pleasure yields numerous pains. As though dealing ten slaps for a single grape, it drives away all life’s pleasure. Oh you unfortunate people who are experiencing the disaster of prison! Since your world is weeping and your life is bitter, strive so that your Hereafter will not also weep, and your eternal life will smile and be sweet! Benefit from prison! Just as sometimes under severe conditions in the face of the enemy, an hour’s watch may be equivalent to a year’s worship, so too in the severe conditions you are under, the hardship of each hour spent as worship becomes the equivalent of many hours, it transforms that hardship into mercy. Genre: Bediuzzaman Library Pages: 176 Year of Publication: 2011 ISBN: 978-975-269-983-0 Size: 8 x 12 cm Author: Bediüzzaman Said NURSİ
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    A N L I B R A R Y Ahl al-Bayt With his vision which penetrated the Unseen, the Most Noble Prophet (PBUH) saw that Ahl al- Bayt (his Family) would become like a light-giving tree within the world of Islam. Even if the members of the Prophet’s Family were not greatly in advance of others in matters of belief and faith, they were still greatly ahead of them in regard to submission, partiality, and partisan- ship. For they were followers of Islam by nature, birth, and temperament. Even if natural partiality is weak and unworthy, or unjustifiable even, it cannot be given up... Thus, due to this intense partiality and natural submission, the Family of the Prophet accepted the least hint in favour of the religion of Islam as though it was a powerful proof. Genre: Bediuzzaman Library Pages: 208 Year of Publication: 2011 ISBN: 978-975-269-981-6 Size: 8 x 12 cm Author: Bediüzzaman Said NURSİ For a Quranic Family The most comprehensive centre of man’s worldly life, and its mainspring, and a paradise, refuge, and fortress of worldly happiness, is the life of the family. Everyone’s home is a small world for him. And the life and happiness of his home and family are possible through genuine, earnest, and loyal respect and true, tender, and self-sacrificing compassion. This true respect and genuine kindness may be felt due to the idea of the members of the family having an everlasting companionship and friendship and togetherness, and their parental, filial, brotherly, and friendly relations continuing for all eternity in a limitless life, and their believing this. Genre: Bediuzzaman Library Pages: 240 Year of Publication: 2011 ISBN: 978-975-269-980-9 Size: 8 x 12 cm Author: Bediüzzaman Said NURSİ
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    A N L I B R A R Y Condolences from the Quran “Here is good news for you! Death is not destruction, or nothingness, or annihilation; it is not cessation, or extinction; it is not eternal separation, or non-existence, or a chance event; it is not authorless obliteration. Rather, it is being discharged by the Author Who is All-Wise and All-Com- passionate; it is a change of abode. It is being despatched to eternal bliss, to your true home. It is the door of union to the Intermediate Realm, which is where you will meet with ninety-nine per cent of your friends.” The world is like a prison in relation to the hereafter. For sure, to be released from the prison of this world and enter the gardens of Paradise, and pass from the troublesome turmoil of bodily life to the world of rest and the arena where spirits soar, and to slip free from the vexatious noise of crea- tures and go to the Presence of the Most Merciful is a journey, indeed, a happiness, to be desired with a thousand lives. Genre: Bediuzzaman Library Pages: 384 Year of Publication: 2011 ISBN: 978-975-269-979-3 Size: 8 x 12 cm Author: Bediüzzaman Said NURSİ Divine Determining Belief in Divine Determining is one of the pillars of belief. That is: “Everything is determined by Almighty God.” The certain proofs for Divine Determining are so numerous that they cannot be calculated. Plant life, the simplest and lowest level of life, is dependent on Divine Determining to this degree, for sure, human life, the highest level of life, has been drawn in all in its details according to the measuring of Divine Determining. Genre: Bediuzzaman Library Pages: 304 Year of Publication: 2011 ISBN: 9978-975-269-984-7 Size: 8 x 12 cm Author: Bediüzzaman Said NURSİ
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    A N L I B R A R Y Prescription for Sickness of Scruple O one afflicted with the sickness of scruples! Do you know what your scruples resemble? A calamity! The more importance they are given, the more they grow. If you give them no importance, they die away. If you see them as big, they grow bigger. If you see them as small, they grow smaller. If you fear them, they swell and make you ill. If you do not fear them, they are light and remain hidden. If you do not know their true nature, they persist and become established. While if you do know them and recognize them, they disappear. And so, I shall explain only Five Aspects which, of the many sorts of these calamitous scruples, are those which most frequently occur. Perhaps it may be curative for you and for me, for these scruples are such that ignorance invites them and knowledge repulses them. If you do not recognize them they come, if you do recognize them they go. Genre: Bediuzzaman Library Pages: 224 Year of Publication: 2011 ISBN: 978-975-269-977-977-9 Size: 8 x 12 cm Author: Bediüzzaman Said NURSİ Importance of the Prayers Just as man is an example in miniature of the greater world and Sura Al Fatiha a shining sample of the Qur’an of Mighty Stature, so too are the prescribed prayers a comprehensive and luminous index of all varieties of worship, and a sacred map pointing to all the shades of worship of all the classes of creatures. The spirit, the heart, and the mind find great ease in prayer. And it is not trying for the body. Furthermore, with the right intention, all the other acts of someone who performs the prescribed prayers become like worship. He can make over the whole capital of his life to the Hereafter in this way. He can make his transient life permanent in one respect... Someone who gives up performing the prescribed prayers because of the struggle for livelihood resembles the soldier who abandoned his training and trench and went and begged in the market. Genre: Bediuzzaman Library Pages: 448 Year of Publication: 2011 ISBN: 978-975-269-978-6 Size: 8 x 12 cm Author: Bediüzzaman Said NURSİ
  60. -60- N E S I L K A R A

    K A L E M KARAKALEM IS A SUBDIVISION OF NESIL PUBLISHING GROUP The main goal of Karakalem is to understang modern human problems in the light of sacred knowledge and to compose the perennial wisdom with contemporary values. Books in Karakalem includes a clear reference to Qur’an and life and sayings of Prophet Muhammad, and the sources of Islamic learning, especially Risale-i Nur Col- lection, a contemporary Qur’anic exegesis of Bediüz- zaman Said Nursi. These books has also references to modern and postmodern thinkers and schools. And, the main editorial choice in Karakalem books is to meet heart and mind, East and West, the traditional and the modern within a readable writing style. In this manner, Karakalem published more than fifty books. Some of these books (including A Day in the Life of the Prophet, Qur’anic Readings, Readings on Risale- i Nur, Little Things) became a bestseller and was sold more than ten thousand copies in Turkish.
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    K A L E M A Day in the Life of the Prophet The books over the life of the prophet of Islam are focused on the chronological life progress and especially his wars. There are also some books that are focusing on the specific complexion of his life for instance on his family life. Whereas, it hasn’t been accentuated over the Prophet’s contempla- tion. Peygamberin Bir Günü (A Day in the Life of the Prophet ) to be as a ‘micro-siyer,’ is showing the way to much unknown side of Prophet Mohammed while focusing on his ordinary day. Genre: Nesil Karakalem Pages: 256 Year of Publication: 2008 ISBN: 978-975-269-457-6 Author: Metin Karabaşoğlu The Repair-Shop of Toys We are living in such an age that our decision is under the domination of the “experts.” Some people are prating of the ‘impasses of the social life’ again and again, also they are overawing us into submission of those impasses. Oyuncak Tamirhanesi (the repair-shop of toys) has been written to stop the impasse that is car- ried by the ‘expert’ despotism to such kind of dominations. Mainly, Karabasoglu is reminding us to be all ears on the voice of inspiration and voice of our inside and also calling us to search the secret of nature. Genre: Nesil Karakalem Pages: 224 Year of Publication: 2011 ISBN: 978-975-269-909-0 Author: Metin Karabaşoğlu
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    K A L E M Who Is Your Star? In an age that the eyes are programmed to look on the mediatic stars, be ready to meet the stars of Mohammed (s.a.v.).With the book of Karabasaoglu named “who is your star?” (Sizin Yıldızınız Kim?), and with the saying of Prophet Mohammed which is “my companions are like stars”, inviting us to hold on the stars of the age of golden and asking us the readers: Who is your star? Genre: Nesil Karakalem Pages: 208 Year of Publication: 2011 ISBN: 978-975-269-931-1 Author: Metin Karabaşoğlu The Little Things Most times, we are fascinated of big things...Whereas the ‘little things’ already in front of us seeming as minor could open the door to the real. To be able to look at everything with consideration of wisdom, ‘little things’... Genre: Nesil Karakalem Pages: 144 Year of Publication: 2008 ISBN: 978-975-269-622-8 Author: Metin Karabaşoğlu
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    K A L E M Spirite Care As skin wishes care, also soul needs nutrition and care too. This book is critical assessment of modern life on the one hand and on the other hand invites us to our essence and also invites to the spirit care. A spirit care in the light of the happiness centuries (Asrı Saadet). Spirit Care is a dramatic and stimulating book, but so compassionate and restorative. It will be good for your spirit… Genre: Nesil Karakalem Pages: 160 Year of Publication: 2008 ISBN: 978-975-269-420-0 Author: Metin Karabaşoğlu The Studies of Quran Would you like to solve the problems of the age we are living in, the matters we are living in our inner realm with the contemplation tears draining from the fountain of Quran? With the series of Kur’an Okumaları (The Studies of Quran) that Karabasoglu has written; Is laying the prescription of the point of view of Quran and the roads of meeting the Quran. Genre: Nesil Karakalem Pages: 192 Year of Publication: 2009 ISBN: 978-975-269-731-7 Author: Metin Karabaşoğlu
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    K A L E M A chapter from the book Have we braved the steep ascent? WHEN WE look back over the noteworthy events of the 23 years during which the Qur’an was revealed, we find the resistance of the Mushriks (or polytheists) to be utterly senseless and meaningless. This is how it seems, for both the reality of the message of Tawheed that finds expression in ‘La ilaha illallah Muhammedun rasu- lullah’, (There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah) and the senselessness of worshipping idols is glaringly clear and obvious. But in spite of this clear reality on the one hand and this obvious senselessness on the other, there were many people who sided with meaninglessness over meaning, with lies in contrast to reality and with falsehood in place of the truth. That was how they determined their stance. For clear reality is more than just a matter of ‘knowl- edge’ or (any old) ‘belief’, it is a matter of ‘faith’. And being a matter of ‘faith’ it bears many implications for all aspects of life. Whereas there was an established order and there were wheels in motion. While those who lived the good life with their possessions fed those they wished, and made miserable the lives of those they wished, the newly revealed verses were reminding them of the true Possessor of all things. He is The True Owner of all that you think be- longs to you and you too are His. This was the message of these verses. You, as His subject and being within His kingdom , cannot do whatever you want and you cannot live according to the whims of your soul. This was another part of the message. As a sign that these verses have been understood, humanity is invited to perform obliga- tory acts of worship such as giving from what one has through paying alms, praying, and refraining from such illicit acts as dealing in interest, and being wasteful. And so the dimension of social and personal responsibility and burden hidden in the essence of faith makes those who derive pleasure from the status quo avert their face from the truth even though they know that the revelation which has come is in fact the truth. This is why the Qur’an describes a person who does not believe as a ‘kafir’ or ‘one who covers’ (up the truth). In contrast, the victims of that establishment in particular certainly listened at- tentively to the call of revelation. But the first believers were not restricted to them alone. Amongst them were the poor and slaves of course; but the first adult male believer was a wealthy, thirty-eight year old Qurayshite merchant named Abu Bakr bin Abi Quhafa. Why was this so? What was it about that threshold beyond which personalities such as Abu Bakr bin Abu Quhafa, Talha bin Ubeydullah and Uthman ibn Affan man- READINGS ON QUR’AN Metin Karabaşoğlu
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    K A L E M aged to pass without hesitation but the Walid bin Mughiras, Utba bin Rabias, Umayya bin Halafs, and Hisham bin Amrs remained some- how unable to step beyond? The chapter Balad (The Land), which draws its readers and listen- ers in through the wonderful eloquence of its words, teaches us just what that critical threshold is. The critical threshold that is ‘al aqaba’. Al aqaba, that is, the steep ascent, the narrow passageway... ‘aqaba’ is the first word that creates a powerful impression on first contact with this chapter. Every individual who takes up its eloquent invitation and pays attention to its message can procure from this word and from itss ocean of meanings all they may desire. For this single word is , in fact,the heart of the chapter; we discover its unique composition of meanings through a journey into understanding that begins when we first pay heed. As we progress on our journey, we realize that, for all its brevity, this Meccan chapter summarises not only the period in which the Qur’an was revealed, but the entire history of mankind and, in fact, the ‘human condition’. This summary can be perceived from the outset, with the verses that swear an oath. The ‘walad’ (offspring) in the ‘balad’ (land) must grasp the secret embedded in the oath: I swear by this land and you are resident in this land and by a father and what he fathered, The oath uttered as the chapter begins sends shudders down our spine . The same holds true for all of the chapters iof the Qur’an that swear an oath. Once the human soul, which at first shudders at the swearing, becomes aware of what is being sworn by, it senses a certain familiarity and begins to relax. But at the same time it also senses that it is being enveloped entirely. We can perhaps venture that the oath being sworn by ‘this land’ conveys a sense of familiarity to the human heart and soul —but for the soul and its caprices it is also very daunting. This is because what we initially feel, on hearing the message presented with the first verse ‘I swear by this land’ is clear: ‘O man- kind’ This very earth on which you walk and this land in which you live belong to none other than Me. And you are also a subject in My Kingdom’. The second verse about the person of the Prophet (peace be upon him) openly confirms: ‘and you are resident in this land’. And then comes the third verse. With the swearing by the ‘walid and walad’, that is the ‘father and what he fathered’ this third verse re- minds us of an entirely new dimension, the dimension of ‘time’ and ‘history’. The first place that is understood by this ‘land’ is Mecca. The chapter was revealed when the Prophet (pbuh) was in Mecca. And as the Qur’an informs us in another chapter, Mecca is the place that mankind first inhabited on earth. Consequently it is the first land in which the first temple was built to worship Allah, that is, it is the land of Baytullah (House of Allah). In reality then, because of these two characteristics ‘this land’ represents all lands. And it gives one the sense that in whatever land one happens to live, the purpose of being in that land is to praise and glorify Him. From another point of view, these first two verses which swear by ‘this land’ draw attention to Mecca in particular and then to the entire world and then to the entire universe. In other words they draw attention to the ‘spatial’ dimension of existence. In this way they also convey the message that ‘whatever exists in space belongs to Me and is for Me’. In the case of the third verse, one’s attention is drawn to the di- mension of time. And consequently to the Creator of time. The oath sworn by ‘the father and what he fathered’, that is the ‘father and the son,’ includes yesterday, today and tomorrow and then by extension the history of mankind as a whole. And isn’t it so that the land that the ‘father’ Adam lived in yesterday is the same land that the Bani Adam, that is, the sons of Adam live in today? In that case these three verses which swear by ‘this land’ and also by the ‘father and the son’ are a reminder that ‘Space and time both belong to Me’ and thus inform man that he is encompassed by both space and time. Man’s existence occurs in time and within space. Man is neither above time nor space. On the contrary, he is a subject and visitor in this land of the Holy Being Who created space and time and Who transcends them both. The truth of the createdness and encompassing which we sense in these three verses now openly discloses itself in the fourth verse: ‘We have created man’. But this is not just any creation. ‘We have cre- ated man into trouble (*1) ‘. Thus the verse invites man to consider his own situation in particular. Mankind has been created into toil and trial, ‘fiy kebed’; The od- yssey of man’s creation, in relation to other creatures, involves im-
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    K A L E M passes and openings, difficulties followed by triumphs. The critical expression ‘fiy kebed’. Both words in the expression are significant. The word ‘kebed’ means trouble or toil but also carries the connota- tion of facing the challenge of this trouble and toil. If the meaning conveyed by ’fiy’ were ‘in’ then the former meaning would be more applicable. However, the fact that the definite article ‘al’ (harf-i tarif) is not used with the word ‘kebed’ implies that the essential meaning is not the ‘difficulty’ itself but the attitude taken towards that difficulty. The verse thus implies that ‘We created man to face difficulty , mean- ing the abilities and faculties to meet and overcome difficulty’. Divine justice is certainly above placing a burden onto shoulders too weak for them to bear. Man must thus be endowed with the faculties that allow him to overcome the difficulties he faces. And , by extension, heshould pay attention not to the difficulty that seems too much for him to bear but to his own self; he need not seek the fault outside himself but must prove his mettle by examining his own attitude. On the other hand, the fact that man has been created with the potential to overcome all manner of difficulties carries with it the risk that he assume that what has been given to him is his own, and that he make absolute what is merely partial. Thus the individual who doesn’t contemplate the createdness in which he is thoroughly encompassed by space and time will think he is free and without an Owner and will make absolute the capabilities that have been given to him to overcome difficulties by assuming them to be from his own self. Deluded in presuming that nothing can overpower him, he attempts to rebel against the order of the universe, and has the audacity to cover up the truth. He expends all his efforts, his wealth and his life to this end: We created man in trouble. Does he imagine that no one has power over him? He says, ‘I have spent wealth abundantly.’ Does he imagine that no one has seen him? Man, however, has a Lord whose power and knowledge encom- pass all things. If he ponders first of all the land that lies before his eyes, the world in which he lives, from Adam until today, from father to son down through the history of mankind, and if he then turns and examines his own life and his own body he will see this clearly. In addition to reading these verses in the outer world, mankind has been given faculties which can correctly interpret them within his own self. In this case, the one who cannot see this evident truth even though he has been guided to it through revelation, can in no way be excused: Have We not given him two eyes, and a tongue and two lips and shown him the two highways? Man thus has no excuse. Using his two eyes as required, he can derive indications that point to the ‘One’, from this land called the universe in which he lives and the ship of time called history. He will perceive his own createdness. He will understand that the one created can never have power over the Creator. He will not take an obdurate stance and assume that all everything he has belongs to him alone. He will use his tongue and two lips correctly and not make challenges with expressions such as ‘I have spent wealthy abundantly.’ Such a person will know that He sees him at every instant. We also encounter in these verses a wonderful symmetry. The response to the misconception assumed by man and expressed in the seventh verse is found in the eighth verse; the response to the mis- conception adopted by man and expressed in the sixth verse is found in the ninth verse, and the response to the misconception adopted by man and expressed in the fifth verse is found in the tenth verse: Man ‘imagines that no one sees him,’ whereas he should see. ‘Have We not given him two eyes?’ (verses 7-8) Like one who prattles on, the denier boasts of how he has ‘spent wealth abundantly’. But if he only knew that that tongue and those two lips are not his but have been given to Him by The Glorious Creator; how then could he speak such words? (verses 6-9) The denier thinks that the One has no power over him. But were he able to distinguish between guidance and misguidance, between good and evil, between truth and falsehood, and between right and wrong in the way shown by Him, he would never fall into such a misconception. (verses 5-10) As we can see, the verses 8,9 and 10 present three proofs against the three claims and assumptions that verses 5,6 and 7 draw our at- tention to. This threesome of verses look to each other symmetrically, depend upon each other and complete each other. As they complete each other , theyput forward a wholeness of meaning; verses 7 and 8 on the basis of sight, verses 6 and 9 on speech and verses 5 and 10 on distinguishing between right and wrong.
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    K A L E M Within this wholeness, verse 10 is especially significant. This verse -‘We have shown him the two highways’ - points to the dual nature of guidance, a duality that is transmitted in the most concise and pure expression of God’s unity, ‘La ilahe illallah’. It is only with the sword of ‘La’ (term of negation) that we can separate all things that exist in space and time from their claim to divinity. And only by saying ‘Illallah’ (except Allah), can we then believe in a single God who is above both space and time. It is only when we who are in this universe pronounce la ilaha, meaning that there is nothing in or of this universe that can claim divinity and then, by saying illallah, we confirm the divinity of God Almighty who created this universe, but who is above it. Guidance, as can be seen in the statement of unity (Kalima-i ta- wheed), has two aspects. Guidance is not merely knowing the truth. On the contrary, guidance is knowing what is wrong and rejecting it, and knowing what is right and accepting it. Does not worship too, the fruit and requirement of guidance, have this same dual nature? For example, knowing falsehood to be falsehood and avoiding it, which is taqwa (God-consciousness) and knowing the truth to be truth and following it, which is acting out good deeds (amel-i salih). With the subtle and meaningful lessons to be derived from its first 10 verses, chapter al-Balad, having reminded man of his createdness and of what is required of him as a result, now, in the next ten verses, teaches man how he can fulfil the requirements of his existence. The focal point for mankind’s situation is ‘braving of the steep ascent’. But as against his createdness, the denier persists in thinking that the One has no power over him, that the One does not see him and that he has spent wealth abundantly: He has not braved the steep ascent. What will convey to you what the steep ascent is It is freeing a slave or feeding on a day of hunger an orphaned relative or a poor man in the dust; then to be one of those who have iman and urge each other to steadfastness and urge each other to compassion. Those are the Companions of the Right. Those who reject Our signs, they are the Companions of the Left. Above them is a sealed vault of Fire (verses 11-20) The first of the second ten verses, verse 11 of al-Balad (consist- ing of 20 short verses in total) contains the word that first captures the attention of the believers who read or listen to the chapter. That word is ‘aqaba’. Not only does this verse contain this word but it is also both a jewel of eloquence in terms of its pronunciation and in its connotations. It is a jewel of eloquence for the term that corresponds to failing to ‘brave the steep ascent’ is ‘falaktahama al-aqaba’. ‘aqaba’ is pronounced with a qaf, the heavy K of arabic, whose pronunciation sounds like the constriction of the breath coming from the throat, being squeezed and drowning, struggling to make its way through a narrow passageway. It is a sound that corresponds precisely with the meaning of the word. The word aqaba implies a narrow steep uphill path. In the same way, the word ‘falaktahama’, also pronounced with a heavy K, has a meaning that matches its pronunciation. In pronoun- ing this word we must draw a deep breath, then pause having said the word ‘falaq’ and then with a second effort say the word ‘tahamal’. The intermediary pause is a sign of the miraculous harmony that exists between the words chosen and the message desired. Having come face to face with ‘al aqaba’, the denier has displayed ‘falaq/tahamal’; that is, having seen the steep ascent, he has hesitated and reconsid- ered and then changed his mind about what he knew he had to do, consequently deciding not to brave the steep ascent. This particular event which one can get a sense of through the pronunciation of this verse is described in another Meccan verse, al Muddaththir, as follows: Leave the person I created on his own to Me alone, him to whom I have given great wealth and sons who stay with him, and whose way I have smoothed. Then he wants Me to add yet more! No indeed! He is obdurate about Our Signs. I will force him to climb a fiery slope. He reflected and considered. Curse him, how he considered! Again curse him, how he considered! Then he looked. Then he frowned and glowered. Then he drew back and was proud. He said, ‘This is nothing but magic from the past. This is nothing but the words of a human being.’
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    K A L E M The ‘steep ascent’ is not, however, something that cannot be overcome. For just as the fourth verse previously informed us, man is ‘fiy kebed’ in terms of his creation. That is, man has been created with the abilities and capabilities to meet difficulties and overcome them. Furthermore ‘Allah does not place on man a burden greater than he can bear’. The inability to brave the steep ascent is not a matter of not having the strength to do so, nor lacking the capabilities thar make it possible, nor of our potential being inadequate. On the contrary, man who has been created ‘fiy kebed,’ is of such a nature, capable of overcoming all difficulties and of struggling against all hardship—and feeling particularly satisfied as a result. Deciding against the struggle and turning back having seen the steep ascent is not because this gem was not given to man in regards to his creation; it is a result of it having been extinguished later on. But what ,really, is the unpassable steep ascent? To free a person who has been enslaved and whose freedom has been taken away; to feed any orphan relatives, to take care of the needs of a poor person who has’nt a penny to his name. These are things that anyone having the opportunity to do so , anyone who has not lost his or herhumanity would do willingly, from the heart, with pleasure, and with enthusi- asm. But we see that the denier who boasts that he has spent wealth abundant, stops now to think again and weighs things and then changes his mind and goes on his way when it comes to spending in order to be of benefit and not merely so that others will see him or speak of him. Spending abundantly where we knows it will bring us benefit or when it will bring us fame, but being miserly when it comes to freeing a slave or feeding an orphan or meeting the needs of the poor is a sign of this situation. The important thing then is not spend- ing as such but on what, why and where we spend our money. While describing the person who refuses to brave the steep as- cent, the al-Balad also teaches us the characteristics of those who do brave it. The first of these characteristics is ‘fakku raqaba’. Just as with ‘falak tahama’l aqaba’ the meaning of this term can be grasped through its pronunciation. The weightiness in the way ‘raqaba’ is pro- nounced is felt in the sound of the word which means the yoke that takes away freedom. In pronouncing ‘fakku’ one again feels before- hand the breaking and throwing away of the yoke. The expression ‘fakku raqaba’ is basically the breaking of the yoke or the freeing of a slave, just as the pronunciation suggests. Nevertheless, just as ‘freeing a slave’ is the most important as- pect of this ‘breaking of the yoke’, it is only one aspect. When we look more closely we can see that the meaning the verse that cor- recly conveys emancipation comprises merely its the most obvious aspect.. In its broadest meaning, ‘breaking the yoke’– as seen in its most obvious meaning in relation to slavery – also targets all manner of oppressive mentalities and efforts to force people to bow to others, to curtail freedom, and to obstruct free will. For an individual, every attempt to make absolute the group to which they belong, the nation of which they are a citizen, and the government which they control and to make those who have been created with free will bestowed upon them by Allah into slaves of other (mere) slaves is included in this ‘breaking of the yoke.’ In short this verse identifies standing up for freedom and strug- gling for freedom as a required consequence of ‘the human condition’ and a prerequisite for an individual becoming a true human being. This vital sign that one has braved ‘the steep ascent’ establishes re- sponsibility in terms of our political and social aspects of collective life. The next three verses that follow suggest a responsibility in eco- nomic terms. Whether one has managed to climb the steep ascent can be determined first of all by whether or not they are concerned with the ‘breaking of the yoke’ and then whether or not they choose to feed an orphan relative or a starving poor person on a day of hunger and great need. Accordingly in times when there is so much inequality of income and there are some who live in luxury while others suffer from hunger, a person who thinks only of his own comfort,who cares neither for hunger nor for the hungry and who only chooses to feed those who bring benefit and not those truly in need, is a person who has not done justice to his ‘humanity’. Humanity does not allow us simply to stand by and observe the weak and poor and it certainly does not allow us to benefit from such a situation. On the contrary it requires that we attempt to find a solution to weakness and poverty and to do the best we can to help. Just as with slavery, it is neces- sary to direct all our efforts to overcome the state of slavery and not to benefit from it... if the fact that a person just like ourselves is living under conditions of subservience does not make one uncomfortable and knowing that others are hungry while one is full does not awaken any sort of discomfort then we must suspect our own ‘humanity.’In summary, whether or not we have braved the steep ascent can be evaluated by examining two indications: (1) does our attitude favour breaking the yoke, that is, freeing slaves, and working for the freedom
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    K A L E M and the dignity of mankind on a social-political level; (2) does it favor feeding orphans and the poor, that is, on a social-economic level to base our attitude on mercy rather than might. The next verse informs us of three new indications of braving the steep ascent. These three indications are also very significant; but of greatest significance is that the phrase ‘being of those who have faith’ comes only after the above two indications are mentioned: ‘What will convey to you what the steep ascent is? It is freeing a slave or feeding on a day of hunger an orphaned relative or a poor man in the dust; then to be one of those who have iman and urge each other to steadfastness and urge each other to compassion’. The fact that ‘being one of those who have faith’ is mentioned af- ter the first two indications—and moreover with the particle thumma meaning ‘then’¿is probably the most critical point of the entire chap- ter. Despite being the foremost characteristic that makes a human being truly human, having faith is mentioned in third place chrono- logically. This makes us think of the link between humanity and Is- lam. In that case faith is not a randomly aquired virtue. A sound faith becomes the fate of those who have preserved their humanity without tainting it. In Sadeddin-i Taftazani’s exquisite formulation, iman or faith is ‘a light that is placed in the heart after the exertion of one’s free will’ (juz-i irade). And what we understand from this chapter Balad is that one of the steps that the free will must take in order for the light of faith to be placed in the heart is to listen to the voice of one’s conscience. It is to listen to the sense of justice that has been placed within one’s con- science and thereby not lean towards oppression but on the contrary oppose oppressors as a an active resistance of the heart. It is those who, having listened to the voice of their conscience, and struggled to break the yoke of oppression, and to free those who have been enslaved, and to feed the orphans and the poor, and to help those who are in need; it is these who have ‘then become of those who have faith’. This chapter ties together two virtues of ‘humanity’ and ‘the great- er humanity’ (which is Islam), referring to two virtues that result from listening to the voice of one’s conscience, so beautifully described by Bediuzzaman Said Nursi as ‘the primal nature of conscious beings’. These two virtues being whether (1) one struggles for the cause of freedom and (2) feeds the needy when one is hungry oneself. It in- forms us that though a person’s mind may be misguided at present and may even be dabbling in sin, if this person has managed to pre- serve their sense of justice and compassion within their inner world and if they have not silenced their conscience then their hearts are open to faith’s invitation. It is not possible for a person who has si- lenced his conscience to enter the path of faith using their mind only; on the contrary, just as in the example given in the chapter Mudaththir of Walid ibn Mughira, such a person will ‘reflect and consider and then draw back’. However a person who has not silenced the voice of his or her conscience - though his mind may be misled - may yet be a traveller on the path of faith. Because “even if the mind doesn’t see the conscience does”. The conscience is an overseer and the window to the heart”. We can clearly see examples of this situation when we look at the Companions. The most obvious example is that of Hz. Omar. Despite the degree of his apparent misguidance he was able to submit to Is- lam within a period of two hours due to the sense of justice he carried within his heart. The Companions were people who overcame their ‘egos’ (selves) even in the Period of Ignorance. They were people who rose above lowly characters that worship ‘benefit’. The hearts of those who worshipped themselves remain closed to Islam while those who worshipped ‘benefit’ were destined for hypocrisy. It is most significant in this respect that almost all commentaries on these verses of Balad cite a conversation that took place between Hakim b.Hizam, the nephew of Khadija, mother of the believers, and Rasulullah. Hakim was older than Rasulullah and just like others in the same situation this ‘hindrance of age’ delayed his entry into Islam so that he only became Muslim just before Mecca was conquered. How- ever in his days of Ignorance he was one who freed slaves, helped those in need and fed the orphans and needy. One action of his in particular could not go unforgotten. During the three and a half year embargo, while he was still a Mushrik, he secretly made efforts to prepare food-laden camels during the night and let them go to Shib-I abu Talib to make sure that his aunt firstly and then all the other be- lievers didn’t go hungry. After entering Islam, Hakim b. Hizam asked the Messenger of God (pbuh) whether there was a reward from God for the good deeds he had done during his days of ignorance. The reply of the Messenger of God - ‘How do you think you were able to
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    K A L E M become Muslim’ – embodied the message that it was because of this character and conscience that he had preserved that Allah placed the light of belief into his heart. After belief the last two indications for braving the steep ascent that this chapter then goes on to mention are ‘those who urge each other to steadfastness and those who urge each other to compas- sion’. This description contains within it a very meaningful and great lesson. Opposing the ‘power players’ in action and thought on seeing a person or group of people who have had their freedom taken away from them, freeing a slave or feeding an orphan or needy person, and parting with one’s money in order to meet the needs of one in dire straits - these are all very difficult things for the soul (the self, a person) to do. But such a person can easily advise slaves and the needy to patience without risking either their own selves, their comfort or their wealth. But no! What is acceptable here is not that we put our hands behind our head and ‘help’ with out tongue only. What is ac- ceptable is that one not refrain from lending a helping hand but rather one does everything one can to help, and then urge patience. The or- der of these verses makes it clear that advising others to patience and compassion is of value and has meaning only once we have fulfilled our own social responsibilities and tried our best. In the same way, it is only on a horizontal level, after we have done our best in the realm of causes that the prayer that we pray to our Lord on a vertical level for those in dire straits will have any meaning. Someone who believes his words of prayer on a ‘vertical level’ can suffice, and neglects his responsibility on a ‘horizontal level’ has not ‘braved the steep ascent’. The fact that, after faith, and after urging to ‘steadfastness’, this verse urges to ‘compassion’ is also of special significance. Having carried out one’s responsibilities, it is yet not sufficient or meaningful to urge others to ‘steadfastness’. It is not enough for a person who has worked to free the enslaved and looked out for the needs of the orphans and the needy and then urged tthem to be ‘steadfast’ to meet the criteria for braving the steep ascent. Such a person, while urging the weak to ‘steadfastness’ must also be able to urge the powerful to ‘compassion’. Having carried out their responsible deeds, a recipro- cal duty of promulgation lies before the ‘heroes’ of the steep ascent: to entreat the helpless to have patience and the powerful to have com- passion. It is only when the promulgation is carried out on both levels will it have true meaning. In this verse, the use of the double-sided, reciprocal verb ‘ta- wasaw’, that is advising each other, is particularly meaningful. This means that it is not enough to be of ‘those who advise’; one must also be of those who are ‘willing to take advice’. For us to advise patience where it is required necessitates that we internalise the advice given to us to be patient where it is needed. In the same way our advising others to show compassion is only of any value to the degree that we open our hearts to the advice given to us to show compassion. Being of those who ‘advise others’ while refusing to take the advice given to us is a sign of an inner problem and in particular a weakness of character. Because the most fundamental basis of good character is the sense of justice contained within the conscience and this sense of justice includes a reciprocity whereby one is content when what is done to others is done to their own selves. After describing in this way those who have braved the steep ascent, that is, the Companions of the Right, the chapter goes on to describe their exact opposite, the Companions of the Left. The Com- panions of the Left are, in contrast to the Companions of the Right who have braved the steep ascent, those unfortunate and fruitless individuals who possess nothing good to speak of, not in their lives nor in their character. In describing these people the first expression the verse makes use of is: ‘those who reject Our signs’, or ‘those who cover up Our signs’ or ‘those who ignore Our signs’. This expression, ‘Our signs’ which is found in the 19th verse of this chapter, points to the reality of faith. That is, it points to the existence of signs such as the proofs and witnesses of faith in both the external world and in our own inner world. According to this, a kafir is not one who does not see Allah’s signs. A kafir is one who ignores Allah’s existence despite having ‘seen’ it. A kafir is not one who is unable to consent to the no- tion of an afterlife; rather it is one who closes his eyes to the proofs of the existence of the hereafter that abound on the horizons and within his own soul. A kafir is not one who is incapable of using his brain but rather one who uses it for the wrong purposes. And while a person, who may not yet have faith, but who none- theless carries within his heart and conscience values such as justice and compassion, does have the potential for faith, the end of the one who knowingly covers up the truth is to be covered up by the truth. And on the day when the realm of belief will overcome the realm of means, that is that day on which the arena of examination of this world of ‘relative truths’ which reality had hitherto shown to be veiled and obscured, will be closed and absolute truth will reveal itself; then on this day the truth will come out and justice will be realised. On this
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    K A L E M day of accounting and justice, what is due to those who knowingly covered up the signs around them and within themselves is to have tightly closed doors of fire close in upon and cover them. This is not injustice; it is merely the end affair of the Companions of the Left, brought about by their own hands, having denied the Signs. On the other hand, the expression, ‘those who reject Our signs’, is a source of hope for those who migrate from this world without the truth being manifest for them. That is those people who bid farewell to this world not having been included as one of those who have faith ‘ in a ‘fetret’ period (*2) . Since the light of revelation has been obscured (in times such as these), the signs have not been made manifest and therefore they cannot be classed as ‘those who reject Our Signs’; the truth has not been alllowed to become clearly manifest, thus it cannot be said to have been covered up. But here that amazing perspective of wisdom of the early com- munity of believers comes into play. With the teaching they received from the Qur’an, they concluded that under the conditions of the ‘fe- tret’ period in which the light of revelation is concealed, the condition that those individuals who leave this world without being honoured with belief not be taken to account and be saved from the fire is that they must not have been of the oppressors. This is because the hu- man being may experience an eclipse of the mind under conditions where the signs upon the horizon and within cannot be read clearly and correctly due to the covering up of the light of revelation. But an eclipse of the conscience - (as long as) one does not misuse their free will knowingly and willlingly – is not possible. The human mind alone may not be able to distinguish between what is right and what is wrong; but the human conscience is of such a nature that it ever knows what is justice and what is oppression. In that case, in times of fetret, even though all of those who die and leave this world without having believed are considered saved people, the exception to this are the oppressors and those who incline towards oppression. This short chapter of a mere 20 verses, which are pearls of elo- quence containing treasures of meaning, holds up a mirror of truth for those travellers up the steep ascent. The path is clear and so is the ascent. Now is the time to turn back, look into the mirror of Balad and search for the answer to the question: Have we braved the steep ascent?
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    ETKILESIM PUBLICATIONS Etkilesim Publications set out with the aim of the being Turkey’s intellectual platform. Etkilesim Publications logged very large distances in a short time and it gave new dimensions to Turkey’s horizon. Because Etkilesim is a publisher which has a mission of advocat- ing and promoting social values. Because Etkilesim is a publisher that is opposed to mentalities which try to create a “prison of intellectuals” and disrupt Turkish cultural life. Turkish society has managed to produce a political compromise line since Ottoman and Etkilesim Publishing aims to continue this line in an intellectual level. Because signatures of the national and international level elite writers, thinkers and scholars met in Etkilesim. Etkilesim Publications, will be signing the valuable and lasting works with the identified mission and vision at the beginning, and will continue to build interaction between intellectuals and read- ers.Pero inctaerum aut alistoria net fugiamu sapiendebis ius.
  73. -73- E T K I L E S I M

    Bediüzzaman as a Scholar and Thinker Without doubt Bediüzzaman is the most famous thinker, scholar and religious leader both in Turkey and in the world. Professional Academicians from the western and Islamic world analyze his life and thoughts from philosophical, sociological theological and historical aspects. Genre: Survey Pages: 511 Year of Publication: 2006 ISBN: 975-269-216-8 Dimension: 13,5 x 21 cm Author: Ibrahim M. Abu-Rabi An Intellectual Biography of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi As in the authors’ introduction to Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s ‘offical’ biog- raphy, written in the last years of his life, the first thing to state about this unique figure the importance of whom is in- creasingly being understood both within the Islamic world and beyond, as his life, works, and approach to the problems facing the Islamic world, and indeed all humanity, become better known. This book presents the unique life of Bediüzzaman Said Nursi’s life with documents. Genre: Biography Pages: 448 Year of Publication: 2006 ISBN: 975-269-157-9 Author: Sükran Vahide The Globalisation and Casuist with the Eye of Bediüzzaman With becoming widespread of commu- nication media, the globalization becomes adjudicator in decreasing world. The ex- pression of adjudicator globalization is; qualifying the Islam and Muslims in radical, political, violent molds and with negative value judgments. The book in your hand is getting into a discovery in the world of ideas which is very different and rich than the above drawn frame of Said Nursi who is latest thinkers of Islam. The reader will find Pundits of Islam are talking over the nature of Islam and con- templation of Said Nursi with Christian and Jewish scientists. Genre: Survey Pages: 392 Year of Publication: 2004 ISBN: 978-975-269-020-2
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    Wikielaks WikilLaks website, launched in 2006, becomes quickly and increasingly an important actor in the global political scene. Its impact reached to the peak in 2010. In April 2010, WikiLeaks published gunsight footage from the 12 July 2007 Baghdad airstrike in which armless Iraqi civilians and two Reuter’s journal- ists were killed by an Apache helicopter, as the Collateral Murder video. In July of the same year, WikiLeaks released Afghan War Diary, a compilation of more than 76,900 documents about the War in Afghanistan not previously available for public review. In October 2010, the group released a pack- age of almost 400,000 documents called the Iraq War Logs in coordination with major commercial media organizations. But main event carriying organization to the global agenda was the relase of 251.287 U.S. State department diplomatic cables in November 28 th 2010. This event named as “Cablegate” with the reference of “Watergate”. With Cablegate the WikiLeaks website and it “face” Julian Assange becames worldwide known. All effective actors of world politics, especially U.S., increasingly concerned by these two players. In this context, November 28 th 2010 will be remembered as the date when world diplomacy will never be before. With the Internet, we are entering to an age that governments can no longer control the knowl- edge. WikiLeaks presents us the clues of this deep transformation through its powerful actions . How and when this transformation begun? Which social, economic, polical and historical pro- cesses prepared it? Which role plays the technology in these processes? WikiLeaks slogan, “we open government, opens also the gates of a world in which traditional power structures will no longer be in charge alone. Henceforth, which media, politics and economy “order” awaiting us? In this book, two author specialized in their subsequent domains, Ozgur Uckan and Cemil Ertem, by reading the interlinkages between history, philosophy, sociology, economy and politics, telling us the consequences of technology converging all these domains. Genre: Survey Pages: 368 Year of Publication: 2011 ISBN: 978-975-269-925-0 Dimensions : 13 x 21 cm. Author: Özgür Uçkan & Cemil Ertem
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    Deep State in Turkish Media The Ergenekon journalism in Big Media Turkey is living a big clearance recent years. The secret organisms that have been constructed in the period of cold war by NATO in Mediterranean countries against communism came up after cold war with their unlawful applications. The Gladio in Italy, the B-8 in Greece, The GAL in Spain disappeared but the organism in Turkey still going on the entity of it. The Ergenekon organization that the public heard with the operations started 2007 in Turkey looks like the Gladio in Italy as seen from the documents came out. The book has been written by the journalist Alper Gormus that exposed the diaries of some senior generals that includes the plans of a coup In the structuring of the or- ganization in the Army is telling the Ergenekon is not only an organization, at the same time is an ideology and mentality and searching for the traces of it in Turkish Media. Genre: Survey Pages: 272 Year of Publication: 2011 ISBN: 978-975-269-959-5 Author: Alper Görmüş Do We Have a Universal Concept? Universality: a New Perspective of Globalism from Turkey The people of the 21st century have realized that humanity is in search of something both spiritu- ally and intellectually after a long period. These problems stemmed from modernity which caused people to reconsider principles and values that have come out since the age of Enlightenment. Do We Have A Universal Concept, proves for us with the comparisons between Islamic and Western human- ity both in historical and philosophical aspects. “Do We Have A Universal Concept” is a handbook for European people which enables them to know the Turkish and Islamic Civilization and Turkey, the new candidate of the European Union. Genre: Philosophy Pages: 144 Year of Publication: 2007 ISBN: 978-975-269-277-0 Author: Kenan Gürsoy, Prof. Dr.
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    The Genesis of Islamism as a Political Ideology Traditional Islamic understanding transformed to an intellectual and political movement called Is- lamism at the late Ottoman era at the hands of Muslim intellectuals. Their aim was to find an ‘Islamic’ solution to great depression of Islamic world in nineteenth century. This book focuses on the genesis of Islamism as a modern ideology in the Ottoman land. Professor Türköne is a well-known political scientist, specialist political thinking on late Ottoman era and the Genesis of Islamism as a Political Ideology is a reference book in Turkish to understand deeply the late Ottoman period and today’s Turkey and Middle East including the Arab Spring. Genre: Survey Pages: 368 Year of Publication: 2011 ISBN: 978-975-269-966-3 Author:Mümtaz’er Türköne The Crisis of the Nation State Political scientist Ahmet Yıldız’s book “the Crisis of the Nation State” based on the federalism and its potential to solve the problems of the nation state. He explained the federalism and its fea- tures, than studied different federal states such as Canada, Spain and Switzerland, and asked could the experience of federalism solve the Kurdish question of Turkey or not? Genre: Survey Pages: 208 Year of Publication: 2010 ISBN:978-975-269-860-4 Dimension: 13,5 x 21 cm Author: Ahmet Yıldız
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