Asabiya

In his timeless masterpiece, the *Muqaddimah*, written centuries ago, Ibn Khaldun refers to that invisible yet unshakeable bond—which holds societies together as firmly as a fortress—as *asabiya*. In other words, the spirit of social solidarity, a shared ideal and that deep-rooted desire for unity that defines who we are… According to Ibn Khaldun’s philosophy of history, a community disintegrates as it loses this dynamic bond that gives it its very existence; it collapses from within, overcome by a lethargy brought about by luxury, comfort and complacency.

I am not writing these lines to reflect my inner world or to satisfy my own egos! At my age, I am certainly not in a position to take to the streets and act like a militant. However, as I am able to discern the point my country has reached and the direction it is heading, I am sharing what I feel in my heart with you. It is precisely at this point that, when we reinterpret Ibn Khaldun by blending this ancient concept with history from a philosophical perspective, a timeless mirror emerges before us, uniting the cycle of yesterday with the turbulence of today.

Today, as I move through the flow of life within my own shell and observe the world around me, I found myself thinking: does this ancient theory, written centuries ago, not stand before us almost like a prophecy when we look at today’s world and, in particular, at our beloved Turkey? The philosophical depth of history shows us that great civilisations weaken through intellectual rootlessness before suffering military defeats. Today, what is referred to as ‘the System’ constantly promises people fleeting glimmers of splendour, glorifies the frenzy of consumption, and imposes upon the nation—as if distributing a manifesto—the mantra: ‘Go and get this card, spend, go into debt and consume’. It is this relentless system that stirs up a merciless wind which alienates people from their very essence, sanctifies selfish desires and insidiously erodes the social fabric.

Amidst the false prosperity promised by artificial crowds, bright digital screens and plastic cards, humanity grows a little lonelier with each passing day, retreating into its own shell. In this age, where shared values and the will to live together through thick and thin have been supplanted by momentary consumption, selfish interests, a corrupt mindset that measures everything in material terms, and a shallow ‘me first’ mentality, societies are rapidly losing their greatest stronghold: the consciousness of ‘us’.

Just as Ibn Khaldun pointed out, structures that lose their fighting spirit and the will to stand together against adversity—no matter how magnificent or colossal they may appear from the outside—become vulnerable to even the slightest internal tremor. Those nations that resist this will emerge from the modern age stronger, but those that cannot resist will take their place in the dustbin of history.

It is the duty of every Turk to record history in the Turkish language. I, too, continue to write these lines to record these dark days in history and to leave an indelible mark on the future. When we adapt this time-honoured theory to our own country today—to the global reality at the very heart of which Turkey stands—there is a truth we must confront that is as stark as it is striking. We are a nation that, throughout history, has overcome even the greatest trials and the deepest crises with that unshakeable spirit of resilience—that steel-like sense of national solidarity—and has managed to rise from the ashes. However, in today’s world, Turkey, by virtue of its geopolitical position, finds itself right in the middle of a ring of fire, walking as it were on a tightrope. To our east lie never-ending regional conflicts, whilst to our west lies the chessboard of global powers seeking to redraw borders.

We are at the very intersection of energy corridors, migration routes and strategic manoeuvres. It is precisely at this juncture that Ibn Khaldun’s theory of asabiyyah takes on a significance far beyond mere military power. No matter how powerful a nation’s armaments along its borders may be, if it allows the bond of shared solidarity within its own ranks to weaken, it cannot withstand the waves of external pressure. Meanwhile, our greatest struggle lies on the cultural front. The homogenising culture imposed by social media and globalisation is severing our young people from their roots. When we sacrifice the unassuming yet profoundly deep and pure power of our mother tongue—our authentic Turkish—and turn a blind eye to the invasion of foreign words, we are, in fact, sacrificing our future.

I always say: ‘Turkish is not merely our means of communication; it is the honour of our culture, our independence and our identity.’ A society that loses its language also loses its ‘asabiyye’ – that is, its will to stand together. The greatest trap facing our country today is the way in which economic hardships, social fractures and the polarisation that separates us with artificial boundaries are insidiously eroding our ancient bond—our asabiyya. A society’s asabiyya is not merely a matter of sharing the same geography or holding the same identity card. Asabiyya is the ability to grieve over the suffering of these lands and take pride in their successes. When we loosen this bond, we move step by step towards that dangerous threshold of disintegration of which Ibn Khaldun warned.

To practise philosophy is not merely to memorise the theoretical teachings and rigid dogmas found in the yellowed pages of the past, and then mechanically parrot them to the people of today. Philosophy is about applying those time-honoured teachings as a balm to the wounds of the present, enabling people to keep them alive within their own lives, nourished by their own roots and expressed in their own native language over time.

The message that Ibn Khaldun’s theory of asabiyya whispers to us today, to Turkey, is crystal clear. The only way to stand firm, unshaken by the global storms, economic upheavals and social erosion raging outside, is to preserve our inner balance, set aside artificial divisions, and cling tightly to that deep-rooted spirit of solidarity that defines who we are. Strength does not lie in the transient, deceptive and dazzling lights of the outside world—drowned in figures and statistics—but in our own roots, our own language, and our resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder, united on this land, come what may. Just as that wise call states, the safe haven we seek, that hidden gem, is not out there, but lies entirely within us, in our very essence. May you discover that hidden essence within yourselves and, come what may, always uphold this unshakeable mental and social balance…

References:

Ibn Khaldun, The Muqaddimah.