Prof. Dr. Bilal Kuşpınar
Chair
Department of Philosophy
Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities
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Department Website: http://www.konya.edu.tr/bolumler/felsefe
AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION
Medieval Philosophy, Philosophy of Illumination, Theories of Knowledge, Ethics
Islamic Philosophy & Mysticism, Contemporary Islamic Thought
ACADEMIC POSITIONS
Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Necmettin Erbakan University, Professor & Chair (2012-present)
College of Arts, Science & Education, Ahlia University, Bahrain, Professor (2009-2011)
Director, Center for Accreditation and Quality Assurance, Ahlia University (2009-2011)
Department of Political Science, Concordia University, Montreal (2003-2009)
Institute of Islamic Studies, Faculty of Arts, McGill University (1999-2003)
International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC), Kuala Lumpur,
Professor (1997-1998) & Associate Professor (1995-1998)
Faculty of Theology, Selçuk University, Konya,
Assistant Professor (1991-1994) & Research Fellow (1984-1991)
EDUCATION
Ph.D. (2) McGill University, Montreal, 1995: Philosophy
Ph.D. (1) Selçuk University, Konya, 1991: Islamic Philosophy & Epistemology
M.Sc. Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara, 1987: History of Philosophy, Science and Logic
BA Selçuk University, Konya, 1983: Theology
PUBLICATIONS
Books
The Lamp of Mysteries (Misbāh al-Asrār): A Commentary on the Light-Verse of the Qur’an: Arabic text critically edited, translated, and annotated. (Oxford: Anqa publishing, 2011)
Ibn Sina’da Bilgi Teorisi (Avicenna’s Theory of Knowledge). 2nd ed. Istanbul: MEB, 2001. (1st ed. in 1995)
Ismā‘īl Ankaravī on the Illuminative Philosophy: His Izāhu’l-Hikem, Its Edition and Anaylsis in Comparison with Dawwānī’s Shawākil al-Hūr, Together with the Translation of Suhrawardī’s Hayākil al-Nūr. Kuala Lumpur: International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC), 1996.
Entries for Encyclopaedias:
“Al-Qushayrī, Abu al-Qāsim,” The Biographical Encyclopaedia of Islamic Philosophy. Ed. Oliver Leaman, London: Thoemmes Continuum Press, 2006, vol. 2, pp. 184-188.
“Ankaravī, Ismāil Rusūkhī,” Encyclopaedia of Islam, 3rd ed. (Leiden: Brill, 2007)
“Nursi, Said,” The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Modern Islamic World. Eds. John L. Esposito and H. Yavuz, Oxford University, 2009.
“Rāghib Pasha, Mehmed” The Biographical Encyclopaedia of Islamic Philosophy. Ed. Oliver Leaman, London: Thoemmes Continuum Press, 2006, vol. 2, pp. 192-195.
Articles:
“Simat al-muqinin (Spiritual Food for the People of Certainty): Isma'il Anqarawi's Arabic Commentary on the Introduction to the Mathnawi,” Mawlana Rumi Review (Exeter: University of Exeter, U.K., 2012), vol. 3, pp. 51-67.
“Illuminative Knowledge in Mawlana Rumi,” Knowledge, Language, Thought and the Civilization of Islam: Essays in Honor of Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas. Johor Bahru: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 2010, pp.135-162.
“Justice and Balance in Creation: Said Nursi’s Analysis,” Theodicy and Justice in Modern Islamic Thought: The Case of Nursi. Ashgate Press, U.K. 2010, pp. 227-239.
“Death in Nursi’s Thought,” Theodicy and Justice in Modern Islamic Thought: The Case of Nursi. Ashgate Press, U.K. 2010, pp. 53-68.
“The Legacy of Ibn al-Arabi in the Ottoman Scholarship and Ankaravi`s Treatment,” Journal of Scientific Thought-Dituria (2008), 1: 93-108.
“The Chief Characteristics of Spirituality in Nursi’s Religious Thought,” Islamic Spirituality and Said Nursi, ed. I. Abu Rabi (New York: SUNY, 2008).
“Mevlânâ‟da Akıl ve Aşk, (Reason and Love in Mawlānā Jālāl al-Dīn)” Journal of the Faculty of Theology, Selcuk University (Konya: Selcuk University, 2007), vol. 23/7-22)
“Knowledge and Its Degrees in Mawlānā Jālāl al-Dīn (Mevlânâ‟da Bilgi ve Dereceleri),” The Journal of Islamic History and Art (ISTEM) (Konya: Selcuk University, 2007), vol. 10 /14-28)
“The Preface to the Mathnawī: Ismāīl Ankaravī’s Commentary,” The Proceedings of the Third International Mevlana Congress. (Konya: Selçuk Üniversity Publications, 2004), 303-314.
“Freedom of a Believer in Islamic Spirituality: Nursi’s Analysis, (Nursis Analyse der Freiheit der Gläubigen im Islam),” Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Alfred Delp und Said Nursi: Christentum und Islam im Gegenüber zu den Totalitarismen, eds. Wolf. D. Aries and R. Ülker (Münster: Lite Verlag, 2004), 55-65.
“The Concept of Man: Mevlānā Jalāl al-Dīn and Said Nursi,” Islam at the Crossroads, ed. I. Abu Rabi (New York: SUNY, 2003), 151-166.
“Perception: A Way to Perfection in Sadra,” Transcendent Philosophy: An International Journal for Comparative Philosophy and Mysticism (2000), vol. 1 / 2: 40-62.
“Abū Najā al-Fārid’s Refutation of the Aristotelian Theory of Definition,” Hamdard Islamicus (1998), 21: 55-62.
“The Community of the Learned and Şeyhülislam in the Early Ottoman State (1300-1566),” al-Shajarah: Journal of the Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (1997), 2: 141-187.
“Ismāīl Ankaravi and the Significance of His Commentary in the Mevlevī Literature,” al-Shajarah: Journal of the Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (1996), 1: 51-75.
“Said Nursi’s Evaluation of Sufism,” Proceedings of the International Symposium on Bediuzzaman-III. Istanbul: Nesil Matbaacilik, 1996, 452-462.
“Mulla Sadra’s Criticism of Ibn Sinā and Suhrawardī on the Problem of God’s Knowledge of Particulars,” Journal of Islamic Research (1991), 5: 45-55.
“The Emergence of the Exact Sciences in Islam,”Journal of the Faculty of Theology, Selcuk University (1989), 2: 377-388.
Reviews:
Ballanfat, Paul. The Nightingale in the Garden of Love: The Poems of Uftade. Trans. Angela Culme-Seymour. Oxford: Anqa Publishing, 2005, Journal of the Muhyiddin Ibn ‘Arabi Society (2007), 41:131-136.
“Leaman, Oliver. An Introduction to Medieval Islamic Philosophy. Cambridge University Press, 1995,” Journal of the Faculty of Theology, Selcuk University (1990), 3: 467-472.
“A General Review of Fazlur Rahman’s Works,” Journal of Islamic Research Fazlur Rahman Special Issue (1990), 4: 330-336.
Translations:
Nursi, Said. Al-Mathnawī al-‘Arabī al-Nūrī (Translation from Arabic into English with annotation and commentary, underway)
Hidayetoglu, A. Selahaddin. MawlÉnÉ MuÍammad JalÉl al-DÊn RËmÊ: His Life and Personality. (Translated from Turkish). Konya: Culture and Tourism Directorate, 2007.
Hallaq, Wael. B. “Ibn Teymiyye‟e Göre Allah‟in Varliği,” S.U. Sosyal Bilimler Enstitusu Dergisi (1993) 2: 135-153.
Adams, Charles J. “Bir Filozof Olarak Fazlur Rahman,” İslami Araştırmalar Dergisi (1990), 4: 264-272. (Joint with Ahmet T. Yüksel)
BOOK PROJECTS IN PROGRESS
Introduction to the Mathnawi: Anqarawi's Arabic Commentary, Critical Edition and Translation into English (nearly completed)
The Character and Scope of Later Islamic Philosophy: Philosophy in the Ottoman Land (to be completed by 2014)
Brill Companion to Said Nursi Studies, co-edited with David Goa from the University of Alberta (under contract with Leiden: Brill)
PAPERS DELIVERED AT SYMPOSIUMS AND CONFERENCES
“Theoretical Foundations of the Konya Criteria: Ibn al-Arabi, Rumi and Ismail Anqarawi (Konya Kriterlerinin Teorik Temelleri: Ibn Arabi, Rumi ve İsmail Ankaravi),” presented in International Symposium on the Konya Criteria Uluslararası, Selçuk University, Konya, May 7, 2012.
“The Importance of Leading a Life of Spirituality in a Plural Society: Nursi’s Perspective, ” presented in International Conference on Living in Peace and Harmony in a Multicultural World, organized by JN University, New Delhi, February 1, 2012.
“Mevlana‟dan Günümüz İnsanlığına Öğütler (Moral Admonitions from Mawlana Rumi to the Today’s Humanity) ,” presented in International Panel on Looking for Peace and Harmony at Times of Global Crises: Messages from Mawlana Jalal al-Din Rumi (Kriz Zamanlarında Küresel Barış ve Düzen Arayışları: Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi‟den Mesajlar), Konya University, Konya December 17, 2012.
“Simat al-Muqinin: Isma‟il Anqarawi’s Commentary on the Preface to the Mathnawi,” presented in International Seminar on The Legacy of Rumi in Later Islamic Philosophy, University of Exeter, Exeter, U.K. December 3, 2012.
“How do spiritual disciplines central to each tradition prepare the faithful for active citizenship?” presented in International Symposium on Religious Perspectives on Civil Life, University of Alberta, Edmonton and St. Mary’s University College, Calgary, March18-22, 2011.
“Implications of Ibn Sina’s Interpretation of the Light-Verse,” presented in International Conference on Philosophy and the Abrahamic Religions: Spiritual Authority and Theories of Knowledge, Marmara University-McGill University, December 9-11, Istanbul, 2010.
“The Fusion of Knowledge and Faith in Finding Solutions to Problems: Nursi’s Illuminative Path,” presented at International Symposium on The Risale-i Nur : Knowledge, Faith, Morality and the Future of Humankind, organized the Istanbul Science and Culture Foundation, Istanbul from 3-5 October, 2010.
“Rethinking Development: Ethical Implications,” co-authored by Amer Al-Roubaie, to be presented in the WASD Eighth International Conference, Trinidad, November 26-28, 2010.
“The Importance of an Ethics-diversity Training in Organizations,” submitted to the International Symposium on New Trends in Business Education, organized by Arab Organization for Quality Assurance in Education-AROQA, University of Kuwait, 15-17 February, 2010.
“Balance and Justice in Creation: Nursi’s Analysis,” presented at the 8th International Nursi Symposium, Istanbul (18-20 November 2007)
“The Illuminative Knowledge in Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī,” presented at the Conference in Celebration of Molana Rumi (1207-1273), organized by Carleton University, Ottawa (3-4 November 2007)
“Justice in the Mystical Thought of Islam,” presented at the International Conference on “the Role of Islamic States in a Globalized World,” Kuala Lumpur (17-18 July 2007)
“The Muslim Attitude towards Environment: An Analysis of the Qur‟anic Verses,” presented the 33rd Isna Annual Conference, Ottawa (19-20 May 2007)
“The Phenomenon of Death in Nursi,” presented in the International Workshop on Theodicy and the Resurrection of the Dead in the Writings of Nursi, Istanbul (19-20 November 2006)
“The Chief Characteristics of Spirituality in Nursi’s Religious Thought,” presented in the Annual Meetings of American Academy of Religion (AAR), San Antonio, Texas (20-23 November 2004)
“The Contributions of Islamic Tradition to Civil Society,” presented in Jewish, Christian and Muslim Tri-Faith Dialogue Project, organized by the University of Alberta in Collaboration with Edmonton Interfaith Center for Education and Action, Edmonton (21-22 April 2004)
“Freedom of a Believer in Islamic Spirituality,” presented in Christian and Muslim Relations (Chrisrentum und und Islam im Dialog II. / Said Nursi Symposium Islam in Dialogue), Bonn (19-21 March 2004).
“The Preface to the Mathnawi: Ankaravi’s Commentary,” presented at the 3rd International Mevlana Congress organized by Seljuk University, Konya, Turkey (5-6 May 2003).
“Isaac and Ishmael: The Aqedah in the Islamic Tradition,” presented at the Max and Raelene Routtenberg Institute of Adult Jewish Studies, Montreal (30 October 2002)
“Sacred Space in Islamic Tradition,” presented at the Conference on “Religion and Territory,” organized by the Elijah School for the Study of Wisdom in the World Religions and the Faculty of Religious Studies, McGill University, Montreal (9-21 June 2002)
“The Unveiling (Kashf) in the Mystical Thought of al-Ghazali,” presented at the International Conference on “al-Ghazali’s Legacy and Its Contemporary Relevance,” ISTAC, Kuala Lumpur (25-27 October 2001)
“The Legacy of Ibn Arabi in the Ottoman World: Ankaravi’s Exposition,” presented at the International Symposium on Area Studies: Past Experiences and Future Visions,‟ at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies of Kyoto University, Japan (19-22 January 2001)
“The Theory of Perception in Sadra,” presented at the International Conference on Perception according to Mulla Sadra and Western Schools of Philosophy, conducted by SOAS, University of London, London (12-13 May 2000)
“Mulla Sadra’s Philosophical Interpretation of the Light-Verse,” presented at the World Congress on Mulla Sadra, Tehran (May 23-27 1999)
“Reason and Heart in the Qur’an,” presented at the International Conference on Islam and the Challenge of the New Millennium, McGill University, Montreal (9-10 April 1999)
“A Comparative Study of al-Ghazali and Ankaravi on the Light-Verse,” presented at the 17th annual conference for the Global and Multicultural Dimensions of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy, at the Institute of Global Cultural Studies (IGCS), Binghamton University, SUNY (23-25 October 1998)
“Ankaravi’s Understanding of Ibn al-Arabi on the Issue of Religious Diversity,” presented at the 16th annual conference for the Global and Multicultural Dimensions (IGCS), Binghamton University, SUNY (24-26 October 1997)
“Nursi’s Evaluation of Sufism,” presented at the 3rd International Symposium on “Bediuzzaman and the Reconstruction of Islamic Thought in the Twentieth Century,” Istanbul (24-26 September 1995)
“Ismail Ankaravi on the Light-Verse: A Description of His Original Manuscript Misbah al-Asrar (the Lamp of Mysteries), presented at the 14th annual conference for the Global Cultural Studies (IGCS), Binghamton University, SUNY (20-22 October 1995)
MASTER THESES SUPERVISED
Al-Refai, Refaa, "The Relationship between Employees‟ Performance and Ethics," Ahlia University, 2011.
Al-Failakawi, Meshal J., "The Association Between Training and Organizational Commitment," Ahlia University, 2010.
Pavlis, Natalie A., “An Early Sufi Concept of Qalb: Hakim Tirmidhi’s Map of the Heart”, Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University, 2001.
Farid Mohd. Sahran, Mohd., “Fakhr al-Din Razi’s Logic: an Edition and Analysis of his Mulakhkhas fi al-Hikma wa al-Mantik (section on al-tasawwurat wa al-hadd)”, International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization, Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, 1997.
Ali Musa Nor al-Dien, Samia “Abu Talib al-Makki’s Concption of Knowledge”, International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization, Kuala Lumpur, 1998.
Sani b. Badron, Mohd. “Ibn Arabi’s Conception of Religion”, International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization, Kuala Lumpur, 1998
DOCTORAL DISSERTATIONS SUPERVISED
Bahari, Che Amnah, “Ibn al-Qutayba on Certain Controversial Issues Related to Kalam:a Thorough Analysis of His Tawil Mukhtalaf al-Hadith”, International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization, Kuala Lumpur, 1999.
Kamaruzaman, Kamar Oniah, “Early Muslim Scholarship in Religionswissenschaft: a Case Study of the Works and Contributions of Abu Rayhan Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Biruni”, International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization, Kuala Lumpur, 1997.
COURSES AND SEMINARS TAUGHT
-Research Techniques in Humanities
-Basic Philosophical Concepts
-Business Ethics and Theories
-Analytical and Critical Thinking
-Major Theories of Knowledge
-Major Philosophers
-Problems of Philosophy
-Classical (Aristotelian) Logic
-Theories in Philosophy of Education
-Islamic Culture and Civilization
-Religion and Politics
-Political Thought in Islam
-Development of Islamic Thought
-Islamic Philosophy: Early, Medieval and Later Periods
-Intellectual Foundations of Sufism
-Advanced Readings in Sufism
-Modern Islam
-Islam and Nationalism
-Classical (Aristotelian) Logic
-Introduction to Metaphysics
-Comparative Readings: the Unity of Being and the Unity of Witness
-Contemporary Islamic Thought
-Hermeneutics of the Light-Verse: Ibn Sina, Ghazali and Anqarawi