We have been living in a civilization that has been stuck in a spiral of consumption, production and growth. That blockage has been increasing with the new power candidates in East and South. Also, we can present the aggressive growth of China as an example of that. International relations and international security present themselves as a branch of science in sharing of this economic press. The chain of consumption, production and growth has consumed the human besides the ecology in a great level. Human is a reflection of Allah that has created himself, but the reflection of affairs done by human brings us to the civilization deadlock of today. Extinction of human is the same with the extinction of ecology and they have been linked to each other.
Meaning of the life has defined as “to search what is found or what is impossible to be found“. This search has been formed in more different ways when it is convenient for the principles of the “existence“. Except of the aim of existence, we have been also coming into a deadlock of today when this search has been continuing. Sufism has very strong references for this search to be in the correct parameters. Because this search, which is for meaning of the life has been shaping the international system and all related standards with all governments as it has been forming the human.
But, Sufism needs to be represented institutionally at this point. And in this context; it needs to recommend reference values, institutions and persons. The strong representation of this comment is highly important. Or else, Sufism can remain only as a literal or romantic field.
For solution of the problems, Sufism can be transformed as an important instrument in terms of both Islamic countries and international system. There is nearly 100 countries stuck between the new Western centered partnership been in Transatlantic and Transpacific, and new powers in East and South in the opposite side of that. And they have been living a great crisis under this competition. Also the Islamic World has been right in this competition area. The process begun with the Arab Spring has presented us the result of this competition.
New competition on the world has three basic parameters; micro-nationality, integration and unpredictability. Especially the micro-nationality from these three parameters has been causing highly destructive results. Encouragement of establishing new micro-governments by provoking differences gets highly risky results. Syria, Iraq, Ukraine, Libya, Sudan, Scotland and Catalonia are the newest examples. It has been foreseen that this movement of micro-nationality can add new members as the same number with the present, to the world system in the next decade. So, Sufism that has been supporting the opinion of “unity in variety“ can provide an important contribution also in this field. Moreover Sufism can be also an important antidote again for extremes, which has been rejecting the reel politics, and extremists.
As a result, I would like to say that, the international system established right after the 2nd World War has been damaged. We do need a new system in the way of containing also new power candidates and the basic slogan of this new system should be “power and justice“. This slogan means the power, which has been reached in legal way, and saving that with justice. Also Sufism has important references for the construction of power and justice. Thank you.
( The Speech of Süleyman Şensoy, TASAM Chairman | Herat Security Dialogue 3rd International Conference | 27 September 2014 )
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