Islamism, Cemaleddin Afgani, and Yahya Kemal

The treatment of Muslims by the West manifested in two ways: one was occupation andexploitation, and the other was the loss of Ottoman territories and the subsequentdevelopments. Both forms of treatment were carried out through weaponry and industrialtechnology. Islamism emerged as a reaction, perception, and stance against the humiliatingtreatment Muslims faced in the modern era.

The habit of reading nine books simultaneously is not the result of an aggressive hunger, an insatiable dissatisfaction, or a causeless weariness; rather, it is an expression of struggle andinner restlessness. Out of the nine books I have in hand, I have finished two.

The books Cemaleddin Afgani by Enver Muazzam, published by Pınar Publishing, and Son Keşifler-Yahya Kemal, prepared by Mehmet Samsakçı and published by the Istanbul Conquest Society, stand as evidence—or perhaps proof—of the accuracy of my book-purchasing andreading choices.

This book, translated by Dücane Demirtaş and published by Pınar Publishing, also highlightsthe publisher’s lack of promotional efforts. For someone who devours Afgani’s works almostobsessively, this may well be the finest book ever written on him.

Whether loved or disliked, Afgani stands as a figure of unmatched influence in the last 3-4 centuries for his words and actions. The delay in completing my book on Islamism stemsfrom my desire to explore works on Afgani that I have not yet encountered.

Afgani is a figure whose positive and negative traits clash and collide, yet his influencepenetrates the very core of the Islamic world. Without placing Afgani at the center of analysis, it is nearly impossible to fully grasp the religious life and history of the modern era.

Someone who reads Yahya Kemal, as with Afgani, realizes that the act of reading cannot be confined to a narrow field. Yahya Kemal and Cemil Meriç, whose faith has been subject todebate, have profoundly influenced our intellectual and emotional landscape, albeit not as prominently as Necip Fazıl.

Before 1980, the verses of Yahya Kemal adorned the walls of Akıncı family elders. As a Muslim Turk with a dream of conquest and a passion for Akıncı ideals, I gradually developedan interest in Yahya Kemal and studied his works deeply. However, it was disheartening tolearn from his close associate Sermet Sami Uysal that Yahya Kemal did not believe in theafterlife, as documented in his own words.

Yahya Kemal is the inspiration behind my categorization of Doctrinal Muslims, CulturalMuslims, and Sociological Muslims. Faith admits no doubt; a true believer believes withabsolute certainty. One who does not believe in the afterlife cannot be considered a believer.

I did not accept Sermet Sami Uysal’s writings without question. Instead, I turned to Memduh Cumhur, a Bosnian-origin pharmacist, classical Turkish music artist, and genuine Turk, whoknew Uysal closely. During our meetings at the Book Lovers’ Party, he confirmed what I had hoped would be refuted: Uysal had taken notes directly from Yahya Kemal, shown them tohim, and received his signature of approval.

Even so, I must acknowledge that I have not encountered another Cultural Muslim (exceptCemil Meriç) who has served Islam and Muslims as much as Yahya Kemal. Nor have I comeacross many Doctrinal Muslims as influential as he.

Yahya Kemal was a multifaceted intellectual; the richness of his writings reflects thiscomplexity. Like Yahya Kemal, Cemil Meriç did not believe with absolute certainty. He onceadmitted that he himself wondered about the extent of his own faith. However, we can inferthat Meriç’s belief was deeper than Yahya Kemal’s, as he did believe in the afterlife.

When it came to Rumelia, Yahya Kemal, as an ethnic Turk from Üsküp (Skopje) and a migrant from Leskovik, was far more concerned than Cemil Meriç, another ethnic Turk and a migrant from Dimetoka (Didymoteicho). For Meriç, Rumelia was never a matter of concern.

Even if Yahya Kemal had been born in Antakya like Meriç, rather than in Üsküp, he wouldnever have forgotten Rumelia.

Now, let us address the connection of this chain to Islamism…

Islamism was a reaction, perception, and stance engendered by the humiliating treatmentfaced by Muslims in the modern era.

The treatment of Muslims by the West manifested in two ways: one was occupation andexploitation, and the other was the loss of Ottoman territories and the subsequentdevelopments. Both forms of treatment were executed through weaponry and industrialtechnology.

The Ottoman Empire, as a state, responded differently. However, in regions that were neverpart of the Empire, had separated from it earlier, or were nominally rather than effectivelyunder its control, occupation and exploitation were experienced very differently. Whileseeking solutions, Afgani felt the pain of non-Ottoman territories more acutely but still placedhis hopes in the Ottoman Empire.

In my opinion, Afgani realized during his life in Istanbul between 1892 and 1897—aboutwhich few written records or firsthand documents exist—that the Ottoman Empire was not at the strength he had hoped for. He could have fled like some Young Turks, but he chose not tobecause his escape would have harmed the caliphate and the cause of Islamic unity. Therefore, he pleaded with Abdülhamid for permission to leave the country, but his effortswere in vain.

If Afgani had been able to go somewhere with more freedom, he would have left a wealth of ideas and documents for the literature.

The life that Abdülhamid allowed Afgani to lead was akin to a luxurious, five-star prison. However, for someone like Afgani—free-spirited and unyielding to authority—the greatestblessing was the freedom to write and speak as he wished.

During Abdülhamid’s reign, intellectual life was stagnant. Beginning with the ulema, no onecould write about matters pertaining to politics or governance. Criticism was entirely absent. In an environment devoid of criticism, only absolute obedience and silence were expected, and in such a climate, no ideas could take root or flourish.

Although Afgani was a man of action, belief in the afterlife held a central place in his intellectual and activist life. He emphasized that a person who truly believes in the afterlifewould refrain from doing evil.

I will address these topics in greater detail in my book on Islamism.