Hence UNESCO has named the 2016 – 2017 season “Ahmet Yesevi and Fuat Köprülü Year", Ahmet Yesevi University Chairman of the Board of Trustees Prof. Musa Yıldız gave a conference on “Understanding Hodja Ahmet Yesevi” at Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) Atatürk Congress and Culture Center.
The conference was attended by Rector Prof. Sait Bilgiç, Vice Rector Prof. Mehmet Kuran, academicians and students.
Staring his speech expressing his happiness to be in Samsun, the city where he was born and raised, and at OMU, the distinguished university of Turkey, Ahmet Yesevi University Chairman of the Board of Trustees Prof. Musa Yıldız thanked Rector Prof. Sait Bilgiç and Vice Rector Prof. Mehmet Kuran for their kind invitation.
Stating that commemorative ceremonies are held with various events for our elders, who had a material impact on our history and culture, Prof. Musa Yıldız continued “We wish to reach a phase where we not only commemorate but also understand our elders. These important figures should not be left in the past history. Let’s introduce them to our youngsters so that they come to know such exemplary individuals.”
Underlining that the undertakings by Ahmet Yesevi University and the universal values prominent in Hodja Ahmet Yesevi’s works were influential in UNESCO naming the 2016-2017 season as “Ahmet Yesevi Year”, Musa Yıldız said that this period was also declared as Professor in Ordinary Fuat Koprülü Year, who introduced us Yesevi. Stating that Fuat Köprülü began researching Ahmet Yesevi through the guidance of National poet Yahya Kemal Beyatlı, Yıldız expressed that Köprülü had completed his studies during the years of the Turkish Independence War.
Giving at the conference information about Hodja Ahmet Yesevi’s family, life and mentors he got education from, Prof. Yıldız also informed the audience about Yesevi’s principles and aims. Stressing that Ahmet Yesevi was a man of cause, Musa Yıldız continued “The greatest ideal of Yesevi was the spreading of Islam in the Turkish world, and even in Anatolia and the Balkans. He wished to spread the light of Islam he got from Mecca from Anatolia to Balkans. He raised 99 thousand in his school with this aim.”
Defining Ahmet Yesevi as the very first mystic of history, Prof. Musa Yıldız stated that Yesevi, who spent the last 10 years of his life in his alcove (place of reclusion), left behind 4 important works. Mentioning “Divan-ı Hikmet” which was written in Turkish and helped Islam spread quickly across the Turkish world and his other works which may solve the problems faced in the Islamic world today, Yıldız said “It is important that these works are read to transfer Yesevi’s philosophy to the coming generations.”
Listing Ahmet Yesevi University’s activities due to the “Ahmet Yesevi Year”, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Prof. Musa Yıldız finished his words introducing the publications the university published about Yesevi.
Taking the stage at the event, Ondokuz Mayıs University Rector Prof. Sait Bilgiç said that Prof. Musa Yıldız delivered a valuable speech to understand an important philosopher such as Ahmet Yesevi. Rector Bilgiç said “Although the bad would debate the opposite, kindness will save the world. You see, the name of Hodja Ahmet Yesevi, who just raised students and tried to be a good man 9 centuries ago, is still commemorated. His thoughts are tried to be understood and, as his deeds were valuable, they are tried to be carried to the future.”
At the end of the conference Rector Prof. Sait Bilgiç presented a sapling certificate to Ahmet Yesevi University Chairman of the Board of Trustees Prof. Musa Yıldız and thanked for such valuable information delivered. Prof. Musa Yıldız gave as a gift to Rector Bilgiç an edition of “Divan-ı Hikmet” of Ahmet Yesevi written in Chagatai.
Story: Çiğdem ÜNALDI
Photography: Nehir GÜLER
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