The 1st International Symposium on Turkic-Islamic Studies, organized in collaboration between the Institute of Turkic Studies at Marmara University and ILSAM, was held on April 29–30, 2025, under the theme "Leaders in Turkic-Islamic History." The first day of the symposium took place in person at Marmara University’s Göztepe Campus, while the second day continued online.
In the opening ceremony held at Dr. İbrahim Üzümcü Conference Hall, Director of the Institute of Turkic Studies Prof. Dr. Okan Yeşilot emphasized the significance of leadership throughout Turkish history, while TESAM President Dr. İlyas Bozkurt highlighted the historical and cultural importance of leadership in the Turkic world.
The opening session, chaired by Prof. Dr. Okan Yeşilot, began with a presentation by Prof. Dr. Ömer Kul, who discussed the role and significance of İsa Yusuf Alptekin in the struggle for the liberation of East Turkestan. His intellectual and political efforts for the independence of his homeland and their lasting impact were critically examined.
Following this, Prof. Dr. Bahattin Gencal focused on the life and political-military leadership of Atalik Ghazi Muhammad Yakub Beg, Emir of Kashgar, who led East Turkestan in the 19th century. Prof. Dr. Ali Duman, in his presentation evaluating Imam Abu Hanifa as a leading figure in Turkic-Islamic jurisprudence, used inductive reasoning to explore Abu Hanifa’s importance for both the Turkish nation and the broader Islamic world. He also offered suggestions on how his legal legacy could guide the training of great jurists today.
The final speaker of the session, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Tekin, addressed intellectual crises in the Islamic world through the sociological approach of Ibn Khaldun. Drawing on Ibn Khaldun’s concept of the “science of civilization” (‘Ilm al-‘Umran), Tekin analyzed the causes of intellectual stagnation from past to present and evaluated how these insights might offer new directions for contemporary thought.
On the first day of the symposium, 26 experts in their fields presented papers on influential leaders who left their mark on different periods of Turkic-Islamic history. On the second day, which continued online, 79 academics from various regions and institutions contributed to sessions exploring leadership in the Turkic-Islamic world in religious, political, intellectual, and social contexts.
Researchers from Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, Turkmenistan, and Iran, in addition to Turkey, participated in the two-day event. A total of 105 papers were presented during the symposium, which brought together scholars from across the Turkic world. The event served as a significant platform for reinterpreting historical leadership figures within their context and evaluating their legacy as a source of insight into contemporary societal challenges.
