President of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş spoke at the “International Symposium on Youth and Faith Tendencies in the 21st Century” organized by Pamukkale University, Denizli.

President of Religious Affairs Erbaş expressed that rapidly growing communication environment in the world includes all kinds of identities, cultures and habits into social circulation at the same speed and said, “Young generations has been affected more from the changes especially those which led to cultural conflict and identity crisis. Our age, in which inclusive upper identities weakened, factors such as consumption culture, digitalization, artificial intelligence technology become prominent, I think this symposium is an important work to understand what improvements we are going through mean to youth and how they surround the youth.”

“Weakened religious and national identity are one of the dominant features of our age”

President Erbaş stated that from the past to present, every age has its own problems and said, “With the post-modern globalization we are going through fragmentation of truth, becoming prominent of the life preference based on pleasure and pace, increasing of selfishness, religious and national identities being weakened, difference in the value preferences, losing of feeling of trust are dominant features of the age we live in. Together with those, the existence of a search for the meaning and truth draws attention.”

President Erbaş expressed that one should search for the ways to substitute a virtuous life equipped with universal values against these problems that threaten individuals and societies and said the following:

“To introduce new generations and young minds with this life, what strong ways we can apply to? How can we reach their hearts and minds considering the conditions of the age we live in? How can we meet their potential enthusiasm and idealism with the Islam’s live giving principles in strong way? How can we struggle with the movements, ideologies and structures that threaten youth’s worlds of faith, ideal and values and drags them into hopelessness and pessimism? Finally, in the shadow of the chaos in every channel, how can we strengthen our youth whom we see as spirit of the time, in the way of bright future? Those and suchlike problems are the subjects we should deal with immediately. I hope beneficial results from this comprehensive scientific work.”

“We should update our point of view for the problems of the youth”

President Erbaş draw attention to change and innovation in social life are inevitable and as a result of this, different youth profile is faced and said, “It is important to update our approach to the problem, our point of view for the problem and solution offers to address the problems of today’s people, especially young people and to offer solution.”

President Erbaş said, “Understanding youth and doing something about this subject will only be possible by paying attention to psychosocial effects of time on people. In this framework, we should dwell on the subjects ‘Effects of the changing world on youth’ and ‘Perception of religion and religiosity of youth’ and determine ‘Attitudes towards the religion and faith and factors effecting this situation’. On the other hand, it is important to produce logical, open and applicable answers to the question of which factors play a role in the pressure of youth’s world by the imposed superficiality in our age.”

“Religious education can’t be neglected for the young people’s strong mental and intellectual development”

President Erbaş stated that religious education has an importance that can’t be neglected for the young people’s strong and consistent mental and intellectual development and said the following:

“Besides religious education, it is necessary to adopt a point of view that pay attention to factors such as research, multi-dimensional thinking, questioning that will provide them self-confidence with an understanding that centers on science, art and literature. At this point we should take into account the understanding which cares about turning information into a value and guides life, adopts addressing to problems and making efforts, away from rote approaches and centered on the universal values revealed by our religion in the solution of the problems. Because believing is realized by searching using the mind and making efforts to reach the truth and as a result of them mind’s decision and the heart’s surrender. Invitation to the right and truth must be with a language and method that is convincing and reassuring without dictating, taking into account mind and heart. The most beautiful method about this subject is said by Almighty Allah (swt) in Holy Qur’an; ‘Call people to the path of your Allah (swt) with wisdom and good advice and argue with them in the most courteous way’, Almighty Allah (swt) shows us the way how we should approach and reach to the young people.”

“In the construction of the future, the building block will be thoughts and acts of youth”

President Erbaş draw attention to importance of young people in terms of future of the world and said, “Our greatest opportunity and only option is our youth for a better world. There are 18.5 million students except for university only in our country and 8.5 million university students. This is such a great opportunity and wealth. It is without doubt that in the construction of the future, the building block will be thoughts and acts of youth. It is the Islam’s unique principles that will protect young people from every thought, movement and understanding that will be harmful for their soul and body and will show them the understanding and goal of life and will guide them for the safe future.

“World will be reached to the salvation with Islam”

President Erbaş expressed that the truth of Islam is the greatest favor should be explained to the young people and said, “World will be reached to the salvation with Islam. Let’s remember the last verse reached to the Prophet Muhammad (saw), ‘Today I have perfected your faith for you, completed My favor upon you, and chosen Islam as your way.’ I want to draw attention especially to the ‘I completed my favor upon you’ part. It means the greatest favor is Islam.”

President Erbaş completed his words:

“I hope that the views, thoughts, advices presented in the process of symposium will contribute to the services we realized as Presidency of Religious Affairs. With these thoughts and feelings, I supplicate Almighty Allah (swt) to accept this work as a sincere effort in accordance with His consent and I greet all of you with respect and affection.”