Author
CLOUD, Ramadan
Publication Place
University of Afyon Kocatepe -
University of Afyon Kocatepe
Subject
Islamic fundamentalism
Type
Book
Language
ara,eng
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Library
Leitir Library
Library Asset ID
ISSN: 2757-8399, EISSN: 2757-8399, DOI: 10.52637/kiid.1150676
Record ID
cdi_doaj_primary_oai_doaj_org_article_c620bbf460d6432c9a4c8b4ca2ff54c2
Library Location
DOAJ Directory of Open Access Journals
Notes
First of all, the backwardness of the Ottoman Empire, which became evident with its military defeats against Europe, then led the state to a complete modernization process, including political, legal, social, educational and technical fields. In Europe, which was taken as an example in modernization, positivism, as the dominant thought paradigm in the 19th century, influenced the Ottoman modernizers. Objections and criticisms against modernization and false Westernization after Tanzimat II. It pushed the intellectuals of the Constitutional Monarchy period to make a new accounting. The re-Islamization paradigm of the Islamist movement, which grew stronger in the said period, also led to the emergence of a new understanding of modernization. The issue of how and to what extent modernization will occur in Turkish society has naturally brought about different modernization models. II, which is considered an important turning point in Ottoman modernization. Westernism, Islamism and Turkism movements, which became evident after the Constitutional Monarchy, each have their own unique understanding and claim of modernization. In Sırât-ı müstakîm/Sebîlürreşâd magazine, which was the publication of the Islamist thought of the period, discussions on Islam and Westernization actually gather around the question "how and to what extent should we modernize?" The European trip of Ömer Ferit Kam, one of the intellectuals of the transition period from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic and one of the writers of the Sebîlürreşâd magazine, to observe Europe directly and convey his impressions to the readers of the magazine, contributes to the Westernization debates that extend to the present day. Although he was familiar with Eastern culture, the author's contact with Europe before this trip was only through the works of Western thought. Kam's travel writings, which published his observations during his travels in 1913 in 8 series of letters in the Sebîlürreşâd magazine, reveal his views on Westernization. In the article, the understanding of Westernization was analyzed within the framework of Islamist intellectual Ömer Ferit Kam's views on the reasons for development in Europe, which he directly observed during his trip to Europe, how the Ottoman Empire would modernize, and their relationship with religion. Known for his deep knowledge of Islamic culture, Kam draws attention to the issues of production, technique, scientific progress, education and soup kitchen in European modernization. Claiming that progress will be achieved through technical modernization while preserving the national identity, the author criticizes the false understanding of Westernization, which was frequently fueled by various debates during the Republican period. The author also speaks highly of the importance given to soup kitchen, education and culture in Europe. Kam states that the foundations of European civilization are based on agriculture, production and education; He emphasizes that in our country, European cultural institutions have been taken as a model since the Tanzimat period, and that priority and correct modernization reforms should be in agriculture, production and technical fields. It is possible to see the prescriptions for the progress of the Ottoman society in the letters written by Kam, who observed the technical development of the West on site. First of all, the author evaluates the progress of European civilization as a whole and recommends that agriculture should be developed first in production. Taking the cultural institutions of Western society as an example, but not taking its agricultural and technical development and work disciplines, is explained with the analogy of "a boxwood spoon on a bald head". Claiming that moving away from civilization brings Muslims closer to the abyss of destruction and extinction, Kam says that the only way out is by following the path of advanced nations. Ferit Kam's understanding of modernization is framed at the center of regaining the West's work ethic such as work, effort, discipline and order, which are required by modern life. It can be said that Ferit Kam's modernization thought developed in parallel with the Islamist thought to which he belonged, and that he even had a more moderate Western perception and understanding than them. The author, who defends the idea that progress in Turkish society can be revived by complying with Islamic foundations, states that the primary duty falls on the state; It states that a balanced innovation in technical and cultural fields will ensure progress. In Ferit Kam, apart from absolute rejectionism or radical acceptance, the view of selectively, meticulously and rationally evaluating the West and taking it as an example is dominant. The backwardness period of the Ottoman State, which started first with defeats in the military field against European countries, forced the state to a total innovation and modernization effort, including the political, legal, social, educational and technical fields over time. The positivist thought that prevailed in the 19th century in Europe, taken as a model in modernization, influenced the Ottoman intellectuals and reformers. It can be said that the objections and reactions to modernization and extreme westernization following “the Tanzimat” period promoted the intellectuals of 2nd Constitutional Period to review. It is seen that the improving Islamism thought in this period allowed the re-Islamization paradigm and a new modernization approach to be presented. The problem of how, how much and to what extent modernization will take place in the state and society also brought along different modernization approaches. Each of the westernism, Islamism and Turkism movements, which became apparent after the Second Constitutional Monarchy, which was considered as an important milestone in Ottoman modernization, has a unique approach and claim of modernization. The discussions on Islam and westernization are actually centered on the question of “how should we modernize and how much modernization should we allow?” in the Sırât-ı Müstakîm/Sebîlürreşâd journal, which was the media outlet of the Islamist thought of the period. A trip to Europe by Ömer Ferit Kam, who was one of the intellectuals of the transition period from the Ottoman Empire to the Turkish Republic and one of the writers of The Sebîlüreşâd journal, in order to directly observe the Europe and report his impressions to the readers, contributes to the discussions on westernization until today. The author's contact with Europe before this trip was only through the works of Western thought despite his knowledge of Eastern culture. The travel writings of Kam, who published his observations during his trip in 1913 in 8 series of letters in the Sebîlürreşâd journal, present his views on westernization. Development reasons of Europe, which Islamist intellectual Ömer Ferit Kam directly observed during his trip to Europe, how the Ottoman would modernize and his westernization approach within the framework of his views on their relationship with the religion were analyzed in the article. Kam known with his much experience in Islamic culture attracts attention on the issues of production, technique, scientific progress, education and hospice. The author, who claims that technical modernization can be achieved by preserving national identity, criticizes the wrong westernization approach, which was frequently flared up with various discussions during the Republican period. However, the author praises the importance given to hospice, education and culture in Europe. Kam emphasizes that the fundamentals of European civilization are based on agriculture, production and education and the cultural institutions of Europe are modeled as of the Tanzimat period and the priority and correct modernization reforms should be in agriculture, production and technical fields. It is possible to see the formulas of Kam, who observed the technical development of the West onsite, in the letters he wrote for the progress of the Ottoman society. First of all, the author, who evaluates the progress of European civilization as a whole, recommends the development of production, primarily agriculture. He expresses the fact that cultural institutions of Western society is taken as an example but not their agricultural and technical development and working disciplines with the analogy of “ a square peg in a round hole”. Kam, who claims that moving away from civilization brings Muslims closer to the abyss of destruction and extinction, says that the only way out is to follow the way of the developed countries. Ferit Kam's modernization approach is framed in the center of regaining the working ethic of the West, such as work, effort, discipline and order, which modern life necessitates. It can be said that Ferit Kam's modernization thought developed in parallel with the idea of Islamism, to which he is connected, and even he has a more moderate Western perception and approach than the Islamists. The author, who argues the idea that progress in Turkish society can be revived by complying with Islamic foundations, states that the primary duty falls to the state, and a balanced innovation in the technical and cultural fields will ensure the progress. Apart from an approach of absolute rejectionism or radical acceptance, the view of selective, meticulous and rational evaluation and modeling of the West is dominant in Ferit Kam's philosophy.
Detaylı Başlık
İslamcı Aydın Ömer Ferit Kam’ın Batılılaşma Anlayışı
