Between the 25th September and 2nd October, the IFSC was visited by a group of eleven academic researchers from Ukraine. The religious-studies oriented group came to Istanbul for an Islamic research study trip, organised by our foundation.
Between the 25th September and 2nd October, the IFSC was visited by a group of eleven academic researchers from Ukraine. The religious-studies oriented group came to Istanbul for an Islamic research study trip, organised by our foundation.
The Ukraine Religious Studies group, which came expressly to further their knowledge on Islam, spent a week in Istanbul attending a series of seminars and lectures facilitated by our Foundation. Throughout the week they attended lecturers and seminars given by experts such as Prof Dr. Ismail Latif Hacinebioglu of Istanbul University, Rector of Ibn Haldun University Prof. Dr. Recep Senturk, Prof. Dr. Suleyman Derin and Prof. Dr. Alparslan Acikgenc. Topics discussed were Islam and Philosophy, Islamic Education in the Ottoman Period, Islam and Sufism, and Concept of Knowledge In Islam by the professors respectively.
The academicians and students did not merely attend seminars and lectures. Our programme also facilitated their visiting several historical buildings and mosques in order to enable them to get a sense of the places inhabited by Muslims as well as to become personally familar with the unique spiritual atmosphere residing in such traditional places. Sites visited included Sultan Ahmet Mosque, Eyup Sultan Mosque, Suleymaniye and Mihrimah Sultan.
At the end of the week the Ukranian guests attended a special session where they were awarded with certificates and gifts. In this session they also were asked to share their various ideas, observations and comments with respect to their experiences of the week-long programme.
The leader of the Ukraine Religious Studies group, Ruslan Halikov stated that the visit had been greatly beneficial as a means of establishing new relationships and communications and as a source of practical knowledge, rather than just merely theoretical. He also expressed his gratitude and thanks to IFSC Executive President Said Yuce as well as the other professors and lecturers from Istanbul. Ruslan also spoke about the previous meeting in Ukraine with the IFSC back in April, saying “The talks and meetings we previously had in Kiev National Park and then later on in Dragamonov University have now given their fruit as a result of this week spent with you in Istanbul”.
Ruslan Halikov also stated that his group wanted to take part in a collaborative project to translate Bediuzzaman’s “Tarihçe-i Hayatı” biography into Ukranian as well as to translate “A Muslim Response to Evil” (by Tubanur Yesilhark Ozkan) which deals with Nursi’s response to the problem of evil. Ruslan also mentioned his plans for an “Islamic Studies Workshop” to be held next April in Kiev and that he would very much like participants from IFSC to attend as guests.
In response to a desire by participant Dr. Anna Maria for further information on Said Nursi, Foundation Executive President Said Yuce gave a personal reflection and summary of who Nursi was and what he stood for. Said Yuce then gifted to each participant, books from the Risale-i Nur translated to Ukranian. He stated that reading these works would be a means of keeping communication and maintaining relationships with each other.
The deputy leader of the group, Dr. Oleg, stated that a seminar group would be created upon their return in Ukraine to facilitate the studying of the Risale-i Nur books. She stated that the transferring of such books between each other will help facilitate the reading and study of different works. She subsequently thanked the Foundation for the gifts and hospitality.
Certificates and gifts were given at the close of the programme by Executive President, Said Yuce.
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