The 3rd International Scientific Symposium, entitled “Islamic Scholars from Transoxiana to Anatolia: Turkestan at the Crossroads of Knowledge and Wisdom,” has successfully concluded at our university.
The plenary session brought together distinguished scholars, including Dosay Kenzhetay, Aygün Yılmaz Uzunöz, Okan Uzunöz, Hatice Toksöz, Feride Kamalova, Mehmet Sait Toprak, Armağan Atar, and Mehmet Emin Özafşar.
The speakers explored a wide range of topics related to the intellectual, philosophical, and spiritual heritage of the Islamic world. Their presentations addressed such themes as the representation of Turkestan in medieval Islamic geographical literature; the development of philosophical thought from Turkestan to Baghdad and the influence of al-Farabi and Ibn Sina; the sacred geography of Turkestan and the spiritual legacy of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi; the hikmah (wisdom) tradition associated with al-Farabi, al-Maturidi, and Yasawi; and the spiritual foundations of Turkestan and the Turkic ideal.
The plenary discussions focused on the scholarly and philosophical contributions of Islamic thinkers, Turkestan’s spiritual and historical significance, and the intellectual connections linking Transoxiana and Anatolia. The presentations highlighted the importance of knowledge and wisdom in the development of Turkic-Islamic civilization.
The symposium continued with parallel in-person and online sessions, providing researchers with opportunities to present their findings and exchange academic perspectives.
Six in-person sessions were held on the following themes:
The Hikmah Tradition of Turkestan and the Yassawi Tradition
Qur’anic Exegesis, Language, and Hermeneutics
The Hadith Tradition and Hadith Scholars in Transoxiana
Hadith, Sunnah, Asceticism, and Hikmah in Turkestan
Hikmah, Islamic Jurisprudence, Kalam, and Legal Schools in Turkestan
Hikmah and Ethics in Turkestan
The sessions examined the legacy of prominent thinkers who contributed to the development of Islamic civilization, the spiritual and philosophical significance of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi’s teachings, and the traditions of hadith scholarship and Qur’anic exegesis in Transoxiana and Turkestan. Participants also discussed the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence, Maturidi theology, and the continuity of intellectual traditions across the Turkic-Islamic world. Particular attention was given to religious and ethical values and their relevance to contemporary society.
Five online sessions were organized around the following themes:
Turkestan, Hikmah, and Philosophy
Qur’anic Exegesis and Maturidi Theology
Hadith and Hadith Studies in Turkestan
Literature, Sufism, and Language
Islamic Jurisprudence, Education, and Ethics
Presentations explored the philosophical and spiritual heritage of al-Farabi, Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, and other prominent Islamic scholars, alongside the historical development of hadith studies, Qur’anic exegesis, and Islamic jurisprudence in Turkestan and Transoxiana. Scholars also examined the distinctive features of Maturidi theology, the relationship between Sufi literature and language, and the enduring significance of educational traditions and moral and ethical values in Turkic-Islamic civilization.
The symposium featured nearly 80 research presentations, fostering substantive academic discussions on the intellectual heritage of Islamic civilization, Turkestan’s spiritual and historical role, and the continuity of knowledge and hikmah traditions throughout the Turkic-Islamic world.
The event provided an important platform for advancing research into the shared intellectual heritage connecting Transoxiana and Anatolia, deepening scholarly understanding of the teachings of Khoja Akhmet Yassawi and other Islamic thinkers, and strengthening international academic cooperation in the study of Islamic intellectual history and Turkic-Islamic civilization.
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