DR. HEBA RAOUF EZZAT ''MAQASID AL-UMRAN''

The conference started with the recitation of the Qur'an followed by the opening speech of Dr. Hatice Görmez, Member of the Academic Board of IDE. Hatice Görmez emphasized the importance of the concept of ‘‘umran’’ today and stated that without Gaza, it is not possible for the idea of ‘‘umran’’ to find a response today. Dr. Hatice Görmez concluded her speech by stating that it is a requirement of Islam to deal with the unified and revelatory verses as a whole; she pointed out that umran means the realization of the unified verses and how this is based on the Qur'anic verses.

In the conference, which was translated into Turkish by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Oguzhan Tan, Dr. Heba Raouf Ezzat discussed maqasıd al-umran within the framework of the following topics:

• Umran is made possible through the realization of humanity and creatureliness by leading a life in accordance with the purpose of creation and establishing justice by knowing one's responsibilities.
• Umran enables coexistence and togetherness. As a matter of fact, Umran does not only consist of construction; on the contrary, it is a set of values that make coexistence possible and meaningful, and that revitalize what has been constructed.
• Umran requires the believers to be whole and everyone from the lowest to the highest level to be a part of this whole. The hadith that likens believers to a single body confirms this meaning.

Umran is not only the physical aspect of civilization but also requires a Muslim to fulfill his responsibilities towards all the beings around him from the perspective of moral rules.