Authors:Süleyman DOĞANAY Abstract: One of the psychological needs of the individual is to be relieved from fear, terror, amazement and helplessness in the face of unpredictable life events. When faced with life's challenges, the individual seeks to alleviate worries about how life will continue and end. In various periods of history, the human world has faced natural disasters resulting in material and spiritual destruction. Earthquakes are the most destructive of natural disasters. The suffering caused by earthquakes has deeply affected humanity all over the world. On February 6, 2023, thousands of buildings were destroyed or damaged, thousands of people were injured, and thousands of people trapped under the rubble died in the earthquakes on the same day in eleven provinces of Turkey. Because of the suffering left behind by the earthquake, people went through a mourning process and tried to cope with this suffering. Citizens from all over Turkey provided material and moral assistance to the people in the earthquake zone, and most of the earthquake victims were hosted in official or private facilities in various cities of the country. In the process of coping with the difficulties of life, the support received from religious belief systems and the positive coping strategies developed have an effective function. It is a fact that the support received from the social environment and especially from the qualified social network is very important for the individual in the process of coping with difficulties and has been proven by studies in the fields of psychological/spiritual counselling. One of the most prominent functions of religion, which gives meaning to the individual's life and strengthens the sense of integrity, is to remind its adherents of the importance of social support for people going through difficult times and to emphasize virtues such as empathy and benevolence. The subject of the study is earthquake survivors in the mourning process and their view of life. The aim of this qualitatively designed study is to reveal what earthquake survivors experience during the mourning process and how the social environment affects earthquake survivors in this process. In this context, semi-structured interviews were conducted with earthquake survivors hosted by Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University in the student dormitories on the central campus. In the interviews, we were asked: 'What does life mean to you' In your opinion, what does religion or spirituality tell you in this difficult process' Did you like any behavior of anyone in this difficult process' Was there any behavior that you did not like' What would you like to say to mourning people'' questions were asked. The data were analyzed by descriptive analysis method. As a result, most of the earthquake survivors stated that they used religious coping methods during the mourning process and that they were grateful to the authorities and citizens for the cognitive, affective and material support from the environment. Earthquake survivors stated that people should avoid negative discourses and behaviors during this psychologically sensitive period. In addition, they also adviced to other people who are going through any of the difficulties of life and going through the mourning process, reminding them of patience, endurance, fortitude and hopefulness within the framework of their own experiences. PubDate: Tue, 31 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +030
Authors:Fatih ÇELİKEL Abstract: Natural disasters are destructive natural events that human beings encounter from time to time. Earthquake is one of them. Said Nursi, one of the late Ottoman scholars, answers questions about the Erzincan and Izmir earthquakes that took place during his time in his treatise titled The Fourteenth Word. While some of these questions are about the earthquakes that occurred at that time, some of them are questions that may come to a person's mind in all natural disasters. The framework that Nursi put forward in the relevant treatise is very important in terms of determining the place of natural disasters in the context of both the relationship between natural disasters and human behaviors and the problem of evil. With his answers to the questions posed to him, Nursi argues that some natural disasters are related to human behaviors. According to him, the cause of the Erzincan and Izmir earthquakes that occurred in the relevant period were the common sins committed during Ramadan. With this interpretation, he argues that natural disasters are not independent of human behaviors. In the other question posed to him, Nursi examines the relationship between the situation of innocents who are harmed by natural disasters because they are seen as a disaster and the infinite mercy of Allah. According to him, the goods lost in the earthquake are considered alms, and those who lost their lives are considered martyrs, so there is no situation contrary to God's mercy here. Recently, the view that the statement that natural disasters can be divine punishment is not Qur’ān and that earthquakes cannot be described as divine punishment has been expressed more strongly. Proponents of this discourse refer to their views with some verses from the Qur’ān. One of these verses has the meaning that Allah does not punish people for the sins they commit on earth. Accordingly, seeing natural disasters as divine punishment is an approach that contradicts the concept of the verse in question. Another reason put forward on this issue is that natural disasters are mentioned in the Qur’ān in the context of destroyed unbelieving tribes. Since there is no such mass destruction targeting unbelievers in our age, it is not correct to evaluate today's natural disasters in this context and claim that these are punishments for crimes committed. When natural disasters are examined from the perspective of the Qur’ān, it is understood that Allah creates these events for various purposes. These are the universal punishment of unbelieving tribes, the testing of people, and the return of people from the wrong path to the right path. This article, within the general framework above, aims to analyze Nursi's answers in the relevant treatise in terms of the Qur’ān and Sunnah and to examine them in terms of the basis of the discourse that natural disasters cannot be divine punishment. In this study, which basically aims to examine two issues, the analysis, and criticism method is used and the subject is tried to be examined from a holistic perspective. PubDate: Tue, 31 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +030
Authors:Faruk GÖRGÜLÜ Abstract: This article aims to identify and evaluate the commentaries on verse 156 Sûrah of al-Baqarah as a way of approaching calamities. The aim of our study is to determine the extent to which Sufi interpretations can contribute to the attitude to be displayed in the face of natural disasters and calamities such as earthquakes, floods, and fires. The fact that it deals with the verse of istirjā and the approach to calamities, specifically in the centre of, ishârī exegesis reveals the originality and importance of the article. By natüre, man is a being who experiences sadness and joy, pain and sweetness together. Therefore, issues such as losing as well as winning, suffering as well as happiness, getting sick as well as being healthy are always intertwined with life. The Holy Qur'an emphasises in many verses that worldly life is a testing ground. In this context, it is stated that the person will be tested by various calamities that affect life in a negative way, such as fear and hunger and sometimes loss of property and life. The attitudes and behaviours he exhibits in the face of the events that develop in the course of life are what will determine the level and maturity of a person in terms of faith, deeds and morals and reveal his inner world. The Qur'an emphasises the importance of patience and submission to Allah in addition to the measures to be taken in the face of calamities. This state of submission, which is conceptualised as ‘istirjā’ in the Islamic literature, involves saying the sentences formulated in the verse that is the subject of this study as “Surely we belong to Allah and to Him we shall surely return” and displaying appropriate behaviours. In this study, in which we have identified and evaluated the commentaries on the 156th verse of al-Baqarah surah, the method of documentary examination and analysis of the data obtained has been used, and the relevant verse has been researched in some basic tafsir sources, especially the commentaries, in a chronological system. Although this verse constitutes the framework of the study, the preceding (al-Baqarah 155) and following (al-Baqarah 157) verses are also addressed when necessary. Firstly, the concept of calamity and its framework were mentioned and the related verses in the Qur'an were briefly pointed out. Then, the word istirjā was analysed conceptually and its reflections in hadiths were given. Finally, the literal interpretations of verse 156 of al-Baqarah in some other tafsir sources, especially Sufi tafsirs, have been discussed and analysed. Thus some attitudes and behaviours in the face of calamities, disasters and calamities have been evaluated in general terms. The following conclusions have been reached regarding the interpretations of the verse: Allah is the source of goodness in the absolute sense. Therefore, all kinds of calamities should be seen as a means of goodness and even gratitude. They are a reflection of his existence and his attributes of Jalāl and Jamāl. At the same time, calamities are a criterion that will reveal the secrets and jewels in the person. For this reason, every calamity should be met with submission and consent, and one should sincerely seek Allah’s help. PubDate: Tue, 31 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +030
Authors:Yusuf AĞKUŞ Abstract: This study has investigated how the verses, which we think imply that disasters such as earthquakes, fires, floods, avalanches, and droughts occur as a result of sins, are interpreted in tafsīr sources, especially in Māturīdī’s tafsīr titled Ta’wilāt al-Qur’ān. In this way, in al-Ta’wīlat and some other tafsīrs, it has been tried to determine whether the verses in question indicate that the disasters experienced are a punishment that occurs due to the sins committed. Although it is generally accepted that people living before the Prophet were punished with various disasters in the world life due to the sins they committed, there is a dispute as to whether the disasters experienced after the Prophet would be punishment or not. In some tafsīrs, it is seen that all the calamities that people face, including disasters, are explained as occurring because of the negative actions and sins that people commit. In some recent academic studies, it is stated that the disasters experienced have nothing to do with the sins committed by people and that these are ordinary natural events. At this point, it is important for the science of tafsīr and kalam to determine what al-Māturīdī thought about the subject since he was the first commentator who tried to justify and defend the thoughts of Ahl al-Sunnah in his tafsir and his tafsir was among the first of the rational tafsirs. For this reason, in this study, especially Māturīdī's views were tried to be identified and compared with the views of other commentators. In this study, in which the qualitative research method was applied, first, the verses that are thought to be associated with the issue of whether disasters are a punishment for sins committed or not were identified. Then, the documented data were analyzed based on the tafsīrs, and a conclusion was tried to be reached. Under the heading of conceptual framework, the framework of the subject has been tried to be made clear by giving the root meanings, dictionary meanings and Qur'anic uses of the concepts of "calamity, mischief, fitna, genius, torment, destruction", which we think can be associated with the words disaster-punishment, especially in the verses examined in the study. Māturīdī did not always understand the verses, which we think indicate that disasters occur in order to punish those who sin, in the literal reading of the verses, in the direction indicated by the literal meaning of the verses and did not derive general messages from the verses. Although he gave great importance to the context and the environment of revelation in understanding the verses, he sometimes ignored these criteria and interpreted some verses by generalizing them. This approach led him to conclude from some of the verses that we have discussed that disasters sometimes occur as a punishment, sometimes as a test, sometimes as a warning, sometimes as an atonement for sins, and sometimes as a means of increasing the rank of the servant in the sight of Allah. Therefore, based on the verses analyzed in this study, it is understood that Māturīdī did not consider all people who suffered from various calamities as sinners, nor did he characterize all disasters as a punishment that occurred due to sin. Māturīdī did not always understand the verses, which we think indicate that disasters occur in order to punish those who sin, in the literal reading of the verses, in the direction indicated by the literal meaning of the verses, and did not derive general messages from the verses. Although he gave great importance to the context and the environment of revelation in understanding the verses, he sometimes ignored these criteria and interpreted some verses by generalizing them. This approach led him to conclude from some of the verses that we have discussed that disasters sometimes occur as a punishment, sometimes as a test, sometimes as a warning, sometimes as an atonement for sins, and sometimes as a means of increasing the rank of the servant in the sight of Allah. Therefore, based on the verses analysed in this study, it is understood that Māturīdī did not consider all people who suffered from various calamities as sinners, nor did he characterise all disasters as a punishment that occurred due to sin. PubDate: Tue, 31 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +030
Authors:Hamza SADAN; Mahmut GURBET, Arslan KARAOĞLAN Abstract: Throughout history, natural disasters have manifested a series of negativities that forced people. Natural events such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and fires occur all the time, and some of them can turn into disasters. Disaster: In the dictionary, it means "calamity, trouble, disease, defect, a situation that makes the thing it touches no longer useful". This concept does not appear in the Quran. In the hadiths, it is used in meanings such as "death, an incidental state that eliminates the benefit and value of a talent or trait." False beliefs and interpretations that are widespread in society about natural disasters have created the necessity of conducting such studies. This study, which deals with the nature of the attitude that a Muslim individual should take in the face of natural disasters according to the Quran and Sunnah, aims to contribute to the correct use of religious texts in understanding extraordinary situations. Correctly and consistently associating the Quran and the Sunnah with extraordinary events is valuable in terms of accurate reading and understanding of the texts. Almighty Allah says, “He created life and death to test whose deeds are better” and “He created some fear and hunger for His servants. He states that he will definitely be tested with some loss of goods, lives and products. The causes of natural disasters are clear, and this is the subject of science. Behind these causes is the creator of these causes. When such things happen, it is necessary not to forget this and to consider whether they are a warning, a punishment or an increase in reward. Considering that evaluating such events as pure punishment and torment means deciding on the name of God, it is pointed out that it will lead to unfair and unwarranted evaluations of deceased individuals and societies. The Prophet said, "The greatest troubles come to prophets, then to saints, then to other special servants". This means that it is wrong to look for a punishment for some calamities. On the contrary, many manifestations of mercy are hidden in some of them. The troubles that occur to a Muslim are a means of erasing his sins, preventing future troubles and disasters, and providing a divine warning and warning. These disasters can also be considered as a test to increase the spiritual level of Muslims. What makes this study different is that the relevant texts are handled based on thematic reading, and the subject is supported by logical and rational data. In this study, based on the analysis of the verses, issues such as taking refuge in God's mercy, taking precautions, being patient, trusting and seeking refuge in natural disasters are touched upon. As a result, it can be said that all these issues reduce and minimize the impact of material and moral destruction of disasters on people. PubDate: Tue, 31 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +030
Open Access journal
