A Positioning with a Self Confidence rather than a Defeat Psychology By Prof. Dr. Kudret Bulbul

Submissiveness and rejectiveness may look like two positions independent and opposite of each other. Besides, these two positions have a close relation. The immigrants living in the West may create a legitimacy between two positions existing among the Muslims for each other. The submissive segments who are completely disconnected of their own values can be a source of legitimacy for the rejective segments of society in which they have been lost. Just the opposite is also right. The segments who have been completely disconnected of the society they live in and who oppose it may induce submissiveness into rejectiveness. On the other hand, since submissiveness and rejectiveness are not any natural conditions, there may not be a position that can be completely internalized. Since the both positions have an extreme view, it may be a position in which an everyday legitimization by its sympathizers is needed and the individuals have to convince themselves on daily basis. When the situations cannot be completely internalized a transitivity can be observed between these two positions. Transitivities from submissiveness to rejectiveness and from rejectiveness to submissiveness may take place. This situation partly explains why there are participations in Daesh from totally non-religious people, bar operators and alcohol consumers.
Rejectiveness as well as submissiveness have no positive contribution to the people who have this approach and to the society they live in and do not have any future whatsoever.
A Positioning with a Self Confidence rather than a Defeat Psychology
Beyond submissiveness and rejectiveness, the approach needed in the West today comes down to Said Halim Pasha’s approach of common sense or self confidence. Despite all ruthlessness and besiege during the World War I and intensive criticism towards him Said Halim Pasha presented an approach with a common sense and free of any reaction that is unimaginable even for many of today’s intellectuals and that is a point to be absolutely underscored.
Basically the source of submissiveness and rejectiveness in the Western societies are the social conditions they live in. Besides, most of the time immigrants may establish submissiveness and rejectiveness on their ideologies, cultures and religions.

When the issue is taken from the standpoint of the Muslims, like Islam no religion from Prophet Adam to the last human being claiming to solve all problems of the whole mankind can be its opponent. It is a claim, a vision and an opportunity in itself. It is a founding will and a fabric in itself. A positioning according to the opposite of a thing is taking a thing you oppose to the centre. As a faith Islam rejects all other beliefs and it begins with “La”. While in practice wisdom is a believer’s lost asset. It has been said that if there is wisdom in China go and get it. What is wisdom? It is science, information, technique, procedure and application.
The relation of Prophet Muhammed peace be upon him with Makkah’s society of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance can be a guide for us in this regard. Because with its conditions of the time Makkah’s society of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance was the lowest level of the mankind. The relation of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him with this society has been a guide for the relations of all of the lesser reprobate societies, lifestyles and ideologies. It can be said that Prophet Muhammed peace be upon him had established three types of relation with Makkah’s society of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. Some of his actions were similar to the actions of Makkah’s society of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. With clothing, dressing and beard some of the actions of Prophet Muhammed peace be upon him were indifferent from Makkah’s society of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. Prophet Muhammed peace be upon him did not go for any change regarding these matters. With some of his actions Prophet Muhammed peace be upon him corrected and changed actions of Makkah’s society of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. For example he did not trim his beard. However he completely rejected some of the actions of Makkah’s society of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance through his actions.
The three dimensional approach of Prophet Muhammed peace be upon him that can also be named as his analytical approach is extremely meaningful and explanatory for the East, West, South, North, Modernity, Post Modernity, Globalization etc. and each and every point of view towards life even today. The submissive approaches distance ourselves from our ownselves. Totally rejective approaches push our youths towards the extremist movements like Daesh. In this perspective the last “Ottoman Code of Civil Law” states that “giving permission to use things without any charge” is the real principle which is extremely important. The Ottoman Code of Civil Law says that the fundamental thing in nature/life is freedom because this is very important point of view for certain segments to overcome their defeat psychologies.
The reactions shown during the Tanzimat periods generally swing between reactivity and submission. In this perspective assessments and approaches regarding the Tanzimat are not relevant to that particular period only. We are living through the consequences of the process beginning with the Tanzimat even today. The reactions shown today against the current processes used to be shown against the Tanzimat also. Whereas it is impossible to remain mere a spectator towards the processes producing and developing multidimentional life. These are the processes that affect and force individuals, groups, institutions and countries. When we look from this perspective it cannot be said that any meaningful position regarding the Western modernization in the past and currently the European Union and Globalization could be developed. Here deliberatively an alternative development has not been mentioned. Undoubtedly an alternative will be developed in some circumstances. However developing an alternative in every situation is an expression of otherization of ourselves and remaining away from the development.
In this framework no matter what we will have to face we should embrace an analytical approach away from the submissive and collectively rejective movements.

On the other hand we should not be disconnected saying that the life/matters are insoluble. Islam is not a religion of hardship but a religion of easiness, not a religion of abnormality/extremism but a religion of normality/mediocrity…
Consequently we should approach with a self confidence within the framework of general principles of our values absolutely without submitting to the phenomena, concepts and defeat psychology we face in the West. In fact this is the story of our journey starting from Khorasan to Anatolia and from here to the West. We have enriched all of the cultures we have come across in the framework of general principles of our values without any hesitation. All of the diversities we came across grew larger and larger like a snowball with the course of our march and became a source of our richness rather than fears. The solution is not that difficult as it has been believed: As Mevlana Rumi has stated in the compass metaphor that keeping the one foot firm on the ground and opening up to the whole World with the other, we can keep our identity and personality based on our values firm on one hand and open up to all of the diversities by enriching our minds and easing our lives on the other…
So, would a right poitioning solve all of the problems? Would it float us to the shore we need to reach? We will continue.
 

Prof. Dr. Kudret Bulbul, Dean Faculty of Political Sciences at Ankara Ydrim Beyazit University regarding the matter.