With the participation of many prominent Islamic scholars, the seventh edition of “Islamic Scholars Meeting” is being held at the headquarters of ITTIHADUL ULEMA in Türkiye’s southeastern Diyarbakır.

Mullah Enver Kılıçarslan, the chairman of ITTIHADUL ULEMA (the Union of Islamic Scholars and Madrasahs), delivered the opening speech at the meeting, which started with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran.

“Praise be to Allah; we are holding the 7th edition of the scholars meeting. At the previous meetings, we exchanged views on very important issues. Hopefully, in this meeting, we will also discuss the issues that are closely related to the madrasa and our scholars,” Kılıçarslan said.

Reminding the verse from Qur’an that says ‘Surely the only Deen (true religion and the Right Way of life) in the sight of Allah is Al-Islam’ (Ali Imran Surah, 19), Kılıçarslan said: “Islam will exist until the Day of Judgment. There is a clear relationship between the existence of religion and its teaching. Religious education is among the ways for the continuation of religion.”

Quoting the verse from Holy Quran that says ‘We sent them˺ with clear proofs and divine Books. And We have sent down to you ˹O Prophet˺ the Reminder, so that you may explain to people what has been revealed for them, and perhaps they will reflect’ (Surah An-Nahl, 44), Kılıçarslan went on to say: “As you know, Islamic education started with the revelation of Holy Quran. Despite the condition of ignorance in Mecca, the city, along with the al-Kaʿbah al-Musharrafah, Dâr-ul-Arkâm, other places and even the valleys around it, has turned into a great education center for Islam. Also, Under the leadership of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH), in Madina Munawara, his pure Masjid was used as a madrasah where the Qur'an was learned and the Sunnah was comprehended and applied all the day. Taking this an example, Muslims used the mosques they opened all over the Islamic world as education centers at the same time. Muslims, who followed the footsteps of the Prophet (saw) in terms of constantly improving their opportunities, did not stay where they were, they started to establish the first madrasahs in a constant development, progress and rise.”

Kılıçarslan stated that before the vizier Nizamülmülk, although there were madrasas in the Islamic world, they were insufficient, and added: “The students could not find the places where they would learn true science. The Muslim people were confused about who would learn the truth about Islam from. Sometimes, when he was looking for the truth, he came across falsehood. Bidats multiplied in the Islamic world, and mistakes in the name of knowledge increased rapidly. This crisis was overcome with the establishment of Nizami madrasahs. Imam-i Ghazali and other scholars, who were educated and then taught in these institutions, revived the religious sciences. The Ummah, which survived the crisis, moved towards victories. At that time, the Crusaders occupied many Islamic towns, especially Masjid al-Aqsa.”

"If it were not for the Islamic scholars, a hero like Saladin would not have been raised up”

Noting that if it were not Muslim religious teacher and Islamic scholar a hero like Saladin would not have been raised up, Kılıçarslan said: Without a scholar like the jurist Isa al-Hakkari, of course Saladin would have been alone. Saladin did not only train soldiers and fight against the Crusaders, but also adorned all the cities he conquered with madrasahs.

Underlining that the madrasahs played the same role against Mongol occupation, Kılıçarslan continued his remarks as follows: After the Mongol occupation, our scholars reestablished madrasahs and revived the Islamic world, paving the way for the conversion of Mongols to Islam. In the sixth hijra century, approximately 600 years after the Mongol invasion, Islamic world weakened once again because we did not invest enough in Islamic knowledge. Sheikh Mawlana Khâlid-i Baghdâdî al-Kürdi, by integrating the madrasahs and dervish lodges in that period, established unity among the Muslims, brought a breath of fresh air to the Islamic world, and in the next century many mujahideen and thinkers were raised up under his guidance.”

"Our children are being alienated from Islam and are being made enemies of Islam"

Kılıçarslan pointed out that the overwhelming majority of the Islamic world is not under actual occupation at the moment, but it is under a great intellectual occupation.

“In a way, we are facing the biggest invasion of our history today. Our children's beliefs are being played with over ideologies. Our children are driven away from Islam, they are turned against Islam. This time, they are corrupting the morals of our children, who protect their faith from the evil of ideologies. An obstacle is put in front of them so that they do not reach the unity of faith - good deeds – taqwa,” Kılıçarslan said. (ILKHA)