Our Civilization and Its Cities

The theoretical and practical dimensions of the necessity of grounding the relationship between City and Philosophy in terms of Islamic Philosophy can be explained as follows. The writings of Farabi, who is described as Muallim-i Sani in the history of thought, on Medinetü'l-Fazıla, that is, the virtuous city/state, are extremely important in terms of grounding the theoretical dimension of the subject. Farabi first classifies theoretical and practical sciences and gives information about the hierarchical order of God-Universe and Human relations. Then, he determines the social place of philosophy by giving his views on theology, fiqh and morality as disciplines about civil sciences, that is, management. The terminology of philosophy, branches and disciplines of philosophy are considered as a kind of introductory book to philosophy, probably because it is the first time that he systematically established his systematic problems.

In this work, Farabi first establishes the connection between language and thought. Then he explains how the universe was created in terms of natural/positive sciences. He begins to understand and make sense of why God created the universe and the function of man in terms of theology and philosophy. Evaluates the practical application of these theoretical issues in the context of civil/political sciences. Here, the individual-family and city/society stages are examined, based on the definition of the individual as a “zoonpoliton”, that is, as a social/political creature. As a description of philosophy, he explains that the purpose of human existence is to be educated (to achieve happiness), and how this can be in the dimension of family and state/city. A virtuous society is achieved by providing this happiness at the individual, family and city/state levels. Those who cannot do this are presented as virtuous city administration.[1]

The key concepts here are as follows: ed-Din, that is, the set of principles that will ensure prosperity/happiness in the world and salvation/salvation in the hereafter, the same principles were always sent through different prophets in different times and places. The conditions, places and methods of application are different, and the styles here are called sharia. So religion is one; application styles, ways and methods are various.[2]

In Farabi's words, religion is to be practiced in this world, the Hereafter is the harvest time of what is done and planted here. For this reason, it is wisdom/philosophy to know the ways, ways and methods of practice of religion in different times and places, and to know the flaws here. It is possible to observe the reflection of the basic principles on the administrations and their social dimensions both in the technical sense of the site/police/state/medina and in the city/city dimension. Therefore, in establishing the relationship between the city and philosophy, it is important to see the city as the birthplace of civilization. Because “what is a city?” In answering the question in the form of an answer, the city's financial opportunities, geographical location, climatic conditions, as well as factors such as the formation of culture and civilization paves the way. In this respect, culture refers to a feature that protects a city and directly determines its development. For this reason, an enrichment with both art, religion and politics emerges in the philosophy-city relationship; and philosophy reveals itself in the city as a reflection activity on all these fields. In this respect, “philosophy is the child of the city.” can be said. Because the city, which is the best place where culture expresses itself, has also laid the groundwork for philosophy to be born and shaped. For this reason, it means thinking about the city and revealing the relationship between the city and philosophy.[3]

I base the practical dimension of the relationship between the city and philosophy as follows: I was in the city of Sanaa, Yemen, when the so-called Arab Spring started in 2010. This is one of the important cities of Islamic civilization, and some of the places where the stories of the Qur'an take place are there. It was possible to see all the splendor of an ancient civilization there. You could see the same in Damascus, Baghdad and Aleppo. But you can't see it anymore, because these cities are in ruins and their people are in spiritual destruction.

If I continue with the example of Yemen Sana'a, it is a city where the Ottoman Empire made its best contribution even in its last period. The city, where Sultan Abdulhamid opened a hospital, glass factory, girls' high school, renewed the underground infrastructure connections, and built a hospital, is being destroyed by the Muslims' own hands today. In the context of the city, one of the most important symbols of our civilization, civility, development, that is, our civilization, is being destroyed. [4]

In the city of Mardin, where I went for the history of science symposium, I felt the above pain with all my heart, because when I visited there, I felt like I was visiting the city of Sana'a, I felt as happy as Sana'a. I heard writings and speeches in Turkish, Arabic, Kurdish and Syriac. The concept is the mental representation of an object; The basic principles we use in turning inner thinking into outer thinking/speech also give logic. I hope once again that four different expressions of God's vision will be seen side by side, and that the symbol of Mardin's thousands of years of civilization will stand upright in spite of everything. delighted. The fact that the same religion was practiced in different times and places and that the sects worshiped in the same place, which was due to the difference in ijtihad, showed the validity of the word of mercy[5]. The Friday prayer in the places of worship, followed by our Shafii brothers and the gathering of the afternoon prayer by some of our Shafii brothers, helped me to internalize the wisdom of the unity of divine prophecies.

We went to Rome on the occasion of another symposium. The city is like an open museum. In a country that has gone through two world wars, the magnificence of centuries stands: The city says that we were the ones who steered the world with the Roman civilization.[6]

When we compare the current state of our cities with the sensitivity of the West in preserving historical cities, Ziya Pasha, who was in Western countries between 1876 and 1871, said, “I visited the realm of unbelief, I saw towns and cafes. Unfortunately, we see that the couplet "I wandered around and saw the property of Islam in all its ruins" is still up-to-date. However, as our ancestors did, “We can put the human and its image in the center, not the thing and the image. In this way, we can train philosopher architects who will re-establish the relationship between people and the city. Because in the first centuries of Islam, when a city was to be praised, the valuable people it raised were remembered rather than the buildings. We can do this again. We can re-establish the physics-metaphysical connection of the god-universe/city relationship. [7] We must do this, because cities are our identities.

Cities are Our Identities

Whether we look at the Arab world, Turkey or Europe, our cities are our identities. As we shape cities, they shape us, there is a mutual interaction and a shared determination of living culture. The change of cities also changes people.[8] Now can you imagine the new form of Damascus, Tripoli, Aleppo? These cities, which are symbols of our ancient culture and civilization, will be filled with buildings that impose the Western lifestyle, which is said to be modern.[9] As mentioned in The Man Who Pierced the Sky (papalagi)[10], is this modernity and development, or is it the destruction of man and his level of consciousness?

 We are destroying the civilization accumulation brought by centuries by destroying cities. This actually means destroying our personality and identity, our past. In terms of nature and identity, it is possible to dress the children of a civilization whose nature and metaphysical basis have been destroyed with the identity you want. For this reason, it is not possible to understand our conception of the city outside of our conception of civilization.

In this context, we can give the example of Mecca to what our cities have become. When we look at the urban practices of Saudi Arabia, which is one of the most important oil producers in the world and claims to be one of the most important representatives of Islam on earth, what do we see in the example of Mecca? During the Ottoman state, a state administration that saw itself as Hadimu'l-Haremeyn, that is, the servant of Mecca and Medina, and met the needs of these places with surre regiments every year, considered the construction of a high building from the Harem-i Sharif as indecent. In today's Mecca, there is a city surrounded by skyscrapers. For this reason, we say that it is not possible to understand our cities outside of the nature and identity of our conception of civilization. [11th]

2. The Relationship between the City and Civilization

It is possible to explain the formation of Islamic culture and civilization through cities. If we examine the cities as units reflecting the economic, social, scientific and judicial obligations of Muslims, this becomes evident. For example, Mecca It is the heart of all Muslims because it is the Kaaba built by the Prophet's ancestor Ismail (a.s.). It is the city where Islamic Civilization was first formed. Medina, on the other hand, is another 'city' conception that 'begins with the migration'. [12]

Based on this Ibn Khaldun[13], it shows our cause/religion connection; we also have a relationship between the city and civilization in terms of our ancestry/race bond, which is the second element that constitutes our nervousness, identity and personality. In my opinion, the Migration/Migration from the Homeland to the Homeland is a New Urbanization and Civilization Process. Because we established many states centered on the Silk Road and we made every piece of land we conquered a homeland with our spiritual values.[14] These are efforts to move from nomadism to settled order, that is, to the city/civilian/hadari system. Because being civilized, settling, raising the standard of living by urbanization is a resistance against misery.

When we look at the historical development of the cities established on the Silk Road by paying attention to the geographical and climatic characteristics and their functions on the road, it shows the development in culture, art, architecture and technology as well as trade. The coexistence of different beliefs and languages ​​can also be seen as a concrete symbol of the religious and philosophical dimension of the city.[15]

Islamic cities in Anatolia were also established when Yesevi Eren migrated from Khorasan and settled in these lands. Pir Baba, one of the representatives of Turkistan/Atayurt and Turkey/Motherland liaison in Çorum is one of them. The founding philosophy of these cities is based on the existential dimension of the human-earth relationship, by saying to the angels "I will create a caliph on earth". However, the fact that the place where the Pir Baba lodge and zawiya is located is a tea garden is extremely important in terms of showing the extent of the cultural transformation we are experiencing. [16] In fact, every city established on the Turkestan-Turkey line is concrete examples showing the transfer of religious and philosophical knowledge to life and its presentation visually and aesthetically. When we look at the cities and their architecture, apart from the Arab and Persian power conflicts, an example of this can be seen in all the cities established along the Silk Road, which was once the civilization axis of the Turkish Muslim imagination developed in Atayurt (Turkestan).

2.1. Reflection of Horizontal and Vertical Differentiation of Religious and Philosophical Values ​​on Cities

The differences between the "Islam perception, understanding, lifestyles and presentations, which are revealed by the religious and philosophical conceptions of the Arab, Persian and Turkish tribes, are a natural situation that arises from the horizontal and vertical differentiation of Islam. What is meant by this is that, as belief systems spread in different cultural geographies, in parallel with the passing time and the changing cultural environment, on the one hand, they changed people, while at the same time they took on a structure suitable for some of the qualities of these people. Ahmet Yaşar Ocak calls this the horizontal differentiation of Islam. There is also the differentiation of Islam according to various social segments within the same society, which he calls the vertical differentiation of Islam.[17] Therefore, the difference between Arab Islam, Persian Islam and Turkish Islam is natural.[18]

Our determination as the power struggles in today's Middle East, the legitimacy of socio-political conflicts and the conflict of Shiite-Salafi teachings shows these differences. What is meant by "Turkish Islam" is the form of a form that conforms to the traditional value judgments of the people rather than its book qualities, which has a kind of tribal quality in line with the old beliefs and traditions by the people, since the day Islam was newly accepted among the Turks. In this sense, one can talk about the sociological phenomenon of Western Islam that emerged in a North Africa, a Middle East, a Far East, and even Europe and America. Since the Turks accepted Islam, the way of living, the appearances and the mentality created by Islam in the historical process in a geography stretching from Atayurt to the Balkans is called "Turkish Islam". Among the Arabs, North African Islam has different cultural forms. Likewise, there is a sociological and anthropological situation in the form of a Western Muslim in Europe and America. It is not consistent to see any of these as a stand-alone Muslim Model. On the contrary, all of them constitute a "World Islam". [19]

We can see this clearly when we look at the cities in the Islamic world. It is possible to see the traces of these imaginations everywhere, from management to architecture. For example, we live in Çorum, in a city with a Seljuk-Ottoman remnant. As it is known, the city system shows the commercial life with the Bazaar/bedesten, the clock tower and the administration of the time, and the Ulu Mosque and the madrasa where gratitude and science are taught. I said to a friend who saw that the great mosque was built with Seljuk architecture but asked if its official name was Muradi Rabi, this is tradition and civilization. The city, which was built with Seljuk architecture, which was destroyed in the earthquake, was built by Murat the 4th in accordance with the original. The Bazaar, as the locals call it, is in the same place as the Bell Clock and the Hammam, as units that provide health and hygiene. Neighborhoods are located around this center. The cemetery is in the closest place, so it stands as a symbol of keeping the balance of the world and the hereafter, working for the world as if he will never die, and remembering the hereafter as if he will die tomorrow.[20]

When we look at the location, arrangement and architectural features of the cities, it is possible to see the types of Islamic civilization produced with different cultural accumulation in different times and places. This is just like catching unity in abundance. In this sense, “The city confronts people with themselves. At the same time, the city brings man to himself and makes man accessible to himself or away from himself.” [21]

As can be seen, the "Medina" in our country is both a city and a city/police with its theoretical and practical dimensions. As a matter of fact, the concept of civilization is derived from here. Sadik Rıfat Pasha, of the imagination in the West, started to use the term civilization as 'civilisation'. It is certain that Farabi did not attribute the meaning of 'civilisation' to the concept of 'civilization-medinetu'l fâzila'. [22]

Conclusion

Today, the bombing of Yemen, Baghdad, Damascus, Aleppo, the destruction of historical monuments there, the destruction of the historical foundations of Islamic civilization and culture means the destruction of our personality and the visual and aesthetic presentation of our identity. Moreover, the Persian/Shia and Arab/Salafi conflicts It is also very sad to see that the energy wars are done with the help of the war between civilizations, and it shows the dire result of the transformation of the conflict between civilizations into intra-civilizational (proxy) wars. For this reason, protecting our cities and their historical texture, especially in this turmoil, means protecting our personality and identity.

References:

[1] Farabi, İlimlerin Sayımı, Telif ve Tercüme: Mevlüt Uyanık, Aygün Akyol, Elis Yay., Ankara 2017, 102,110-116; Mevlüt Uyanık, Aygün Akyol “Felsefeyi Anadolu’da Yeniden Yurtlandırmak Projesinin  Hareket Noktası Olarak Farabi ve İhsau’l-Ulum Adlı Eseri”, İlimlerin Sayımı içinde, s. 50-51; Farabi, el-Medinetü’l-Fazıla, çev.: Nafiz Danışman, MEB. Yay., Ankara 2001.

[2]  Mevlüt Uyanık, Selefi Zihniyet, Arap Baharı ve Türkiye, Araştırma yay. Ankara.2016, s.33-35

[3]Şafak Ural, Şehir Bilinci, https://www.safakural.com/makaleler/sehir-bilinci 25/09/2013 http://tanokullari.com/en/duyurular/547-ehir-ve-felsefe-.html

[4] Mevlüt Uyanık, “Arap Baharının Mezhepçilik ve Kabilecilik Bağlamında Analizi”, Eski ve Yeni Dergisi, sayı:25, 2012, ss. 84-93; “Arap Dünyasında Dönüşümler: Yemen”, Kamu’da Sosyal Politika Dergisi, yıl 5, sayı.18, 2011/3, Ankara Memur Sen, ss. 28-42; a.mlf, Selefi Zihniyet ve Arap Baharı, s. 137-208; “Milli Birlik ve Toplumsal Barışın Tesisinde Din ve Felsefesin Rolü -Yeni Bir Din Dili Oluşturmanın Gerekliliği Üzerine’ İlesam Milli Birlik ve Beraberlik Sempozyumu; Ürün yay. Ankara.15.  Nisan. 2017. s.226-248

[5] Ziya Paşa, “İhtilafu Ümmeti Rahmetun, İnsanların Düşünce Farklılıkları Göstermesi Rahmettir”, Osmanlı Türkçesinden sadeleştiren Mevlüt Uyanık, Teorik ve Pratik Boyutlarıyla İfade Hürriyeti, ed. B. Berat Özipek, LDT, Avrupa Komisyonu. Ankara.2003. s.99-106

[6]Mevlüt Uyanık. Roma Notları I. http://www.haberlotus.com/roma-notlari-i-iki-cihan-devletinin-baskentlerinde-salinmak/#.Wd9qulu0MdU Şub 24, 2014 http://www.haberlotus.com/roma-notlari-ii-yuruyerek-gezilen-sehir-floransa/#.Wd9qvVu0MdU Şub 27, 2014

[7] Mehmet Yılmaz, İslam’da Şehir ve Mimar, http://www.derindusunce.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/islamda_mimar_ve_sehir.pdf

[8] “Her şehir kendi bilincine sahiptir. Şehrin bilinci bireylerin bilincini belirler; ama şehir bilinci bireylerin bilincinden bağımsız değildir. Birey bilinci tamamen bireyin kendisiyle ilgilidir; yani kişiseldir. Fakat şehir bilincini bireye aktarır; yani onun bilincini biçimlendirir. Dolayısıyla bilinç, bireysel olmasına ve yalnızca birey ile varlık kazanmasına karşılık, şehir ile özel bir ilişki içinde bulunur.” Şafak Ural, Şehir Bilinci,  https://www.safakural.com/makaleler/sehir-bilinci  25/09/2013 

[9] “… Bugünkü bir-leşme, AYNI-laşma neredeyse tamamen Batı’nın teknik ilerlemesinin bir sonucu. Batı ahlâk ve hukuk anlayışını dünyaya yaymaya başladığı sırada bu ilkelere inanmayı terk ediyordu aslında…İnsanlık tarihinde bir ilk bu: Bütün dünya halkları ortak bir ŞİMDİ‘nin içinde yaşıyorlar.” Hanne Arent, Men in Dark Times (New York.1968) ’den alıntılayan Mehmet Yılmaz, İslam’da Şehir ve Mimar, http://www.derindusunce.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/islamda_mimar_ve_sehir.pdf.  Mehmet Yılmaz. Liberal Totalitarizm (5): Dünya Vatandaşı .http://www.derindusunce.org/2011/09/08/liberal-totalitarizm5dunya-vatandasi/  Sep 8, 2011

[10] http://www.kitapyurdu.com/kitap/gogu-delen-adam-/23323.html

[11] Mevlüt Uyanık. Kimlik, Şehir Ve Felsefe.  http://www.enpolitik.com/kose-yazisi/1601/kimlik-sehir-ve-felsefe.html 2017-10-13 

[12] Bkz. K.K: A’râf 123; Tevbe 101, 120; Yusuf 30; Hicr 67; Kehf 19, 82; Neml 48; Kasas 15, 17, 20; Ahzap 60; Yasin 20; Münafikun 8

[13] Ebû Zeyd Veliyüddîn Abdurrahmân İbn Haldun, Mukaddime, c. I, II, III, çev.: Zakir Kadiri Ugan, Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı Yay., İstanbul 1990c. I, s. 291, 292; Muhsin Mehdi, “İbn Haldun I”, Klasik İslam Filozofları ve Düşünceleri içinde, çev.: Mustafa Armağan, İnsan Yay., İstanbul 1997, s. 394; Mevlüt Uyanık, Felsefi Düşünceye Çağrı, s. 139; Aygün Akyol, “İbn Haldun’un İlim Anlayışında Felsefe ve Tarih Tasavvuru”, Hitit Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi, cilt: 10, sayı: 20, 2011/2 s. 47

[14] Ebû Zeyd Veliyüddîn Abdurrahmân İbn Haldun, Mukaddime, c. I, II, III, çev.: Zakir Kadiri Ugan, Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı Yay., İstanbul 1990c. I, s. 291, 292; Muhsin Mehdi, “İbn Haldun I”, Klasik İslam Filozofları ve Düşünceleri içinde, çev.: Mustafa Armağan, İnsan Yay., İstanbul 1997, s. 394; Mevlüt Uyanık, Felsefi Düşünceye Çağrı, s. 139; Aygün Akyol “İbn Haldun’un İlim Anlayışında Felsefe ve Tarih Tasavvuru”, s. 47.

[15]Necdet Bayraktaroğlu. Tarihi İpek Yolu, Ticaret Ve Kültür Yolu,

 http://www.kirmizilar.com/tr/index.php/guncel-yazilar3/2442-tarihi-ipek-yolu-ticaret-ve-kultur-yolu. Ahmet Usta, İpek Yolu (ed. Ahmet Taşağıl, İstanbul: Türk Kültürüne Hizmet Vakfı, 2015, 528 s.) Yayın Değerlendirmesi, FSM İlmî Araştırmalar İnsan ve Toplum Bilimleri Dergisi Sayı 7, Yıl 2016, s.386-393

[16]  Çorum’da Pir Baba Çamlığı'nın bulunduğu yerin eski bir kabristan olduğu 1892 tarihli yüzbaşı haritasında görülmektedir. Yüz yıl önce Çorum'da bulunan on dört Müslüman mezarlığından biri olan Pir Baba Mezarlığı, Samsun Caddesi kenarında, yani şu anda Pir Baba Çamlığı'nın bulunduğu yerde olduğunu yaşlıların hepsi biliyor. Burada Veysel Karani evladından Şeyh Zeyneddin'in bir vakıf kurarak burada irşat faaliyetinde bulunduğu, vefatında da buraya ilk defa Şeyh Zeyneddin'in ve onun sadık müridi Pir Baba'nın defnedildiğini, sonraki dönemlerde tekke mensupları ve onları sevenlerin defniyle Büyük Pir Baba Mezarlığı'nın oluştuğunu herkes bilmektedir. Bu zaviye ile ilgili en eski kayıt 1576 tarihli vakıf kaydıdır.

Tekke'nin kurucuları, buraya geniş araziler vakfetmişlerdir. Bu arazilerin geliriyle tekke ve zaviyenin tamir ve bakımının yanı sıra çalışanlarına maaş verilmiştir. Ayrıca beldedeki fakir ve yardıma muhtaç ailelere yiyecek ve barınma imkânı sağlanmasına gayret edilmiştir.

Tekke ve zaviyelerde elbette bir mescit bulunmakta idi. Orada bulunanlar ve ziyarete gelenler vakit namazlarını mescitte kılabiliyorlardı. 1832 yılında bu mescide bir minber konularak camiye dönüştürülmüş ve o tarihten itibaren burada Cuma ve bayram namazları da kılınmıştır. 1868 tarihli berat kaydıyla zaviyenin Veysel Karani tarikatına mensup olduğu tescillenmiştir.

Ali İzzet Efendi'nin hicri 1315 yılında yazdığı Tezkire-i Makamat adlı eserinde Şeyh Zeyneddin ve Piri Baba'nın şehrin doğu tarafında bulunan Samsun Caddesi çevresine büyük kabristanda ahşap türbesinde medfun olduğunu yazmaktadır. Bu türbenin hususi namazgahında Cuma ve Bayram namazlarının da kılındığı zikretmektedir. Bu bilgiler, yüz on yıl öncesine aittir.

Piri Baba Zaviyesi, kapatıldığı 1925 yılına kadar görevini sürdürmüştür. Bu tarihten sonra tekke ve türbe yıkılmıştır. Buraya bir daha cenaze defnedilmemiştir. Buranın çamlık haline getirilmesi hükümet konağının yapıldığı ellili yıllarda olmuştur. 1933-1958 yılları arasında belediye başkanlığı yapan Baha Çorbacıoğlu zamanında Pir Baba Mezarlığı düzlenmiş, mezarlardan çıkan bazı kemikler toplanarak Ulu Mezar'da Doruk Mezar denilen tepenin güney kısmına taşınmıştır.

http://www.corumhakimiyet.net/Yazilar/3934/4/YazarlarTamami.aspx#.Vo9pEraLTMy

[17] Ahmet Yaşar Ocak, “Ahmed-i Yesevî ve Türk Halk Müslümanlığı” Ahmed-i Yesevî, Hayatı, Eserleri, Fikirleri, Tesirleri, Seha yay. İstanbul. 1996,581-587, aynı makalenin genişletilmiş şekli, Yesevîlik Bilgisi Yesevîlik Bilgisi, ed.Cemal Kurnaz, Mustafa Tatcı, MEB,  Ankara. 2000, s.178-1180, ayrıca bkz. Şeker, Türk Dini Düşüncesinin Teşekkül Devri, s.167 vd

[18] Mevlüt Uyanık, “Üç Tarz-I Tefekkür: Arap, Fars Ve Türk Müslümanlığı” http://www.anahabergazete.com/yazarlar/prof-dr-mevlut-uyanik-yazilari 19 Haziran 2017; http://www.kirmizilar.com/tr/index.php/guncel-yazilar3/2345-uc-tarz-i-tefekkur-arap-fars-ve-turk-muslumanligi 

[19] Ahmet Yaşar Ocak, “Ahmed Yesevî ve Türk Müslümanlığı” Yesevîlik Bilgisi, ed. Cemal Kurnaz, Mustafa Tatcı, MEB,  Ankara.2000, s.180

[20] Mevlüt Uyanık. Çorum Belediyesi Kent Konseyi Seminerleri bağlamında 15/01/2016 tarihinde verilen  Şehir ve Felsefe konulu konferans

[21] Şafak Ural, Şehir Bilinci,  https://www.safakural.com/makaleler/sehir-bilinci 25/09/2013 

[22] http://dergi.aljazeera.com.tr/2015/01/01/bati-kenti-islam-sehri/