TIMAV 10th International Religious Studies and Human Symposium Damascus / Syria

UNIW Secretary General Eyüp AKBAL attended the 10th "INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS STUDIES AND HUMAN SYMPOSIUM" organized by the Turkey Imam-Hatip Alumni Foundation (TIMAV) on November 23-24, 2025, in Damascus / Syria.

Symposium Content and Goal:

To realize human peace and happiness—the most paramount objective of religions—on a global scale, it is essential to highlight peace-oriented commandments and develop healthy methods for accurately understanding sources that may be distorted toward violence. For achieving this objective, religious studies must offer high analytical capacity, depth, and a global perspective. To enable the rich and deep heritage that sheds light on today's challenges to contribute to contemporary issues, bringing religious research to the agenda in contemporary discourse is of vital importance.

As the Turkey Imam-Hatip Alumni Foundation (TIMAV)—established in Konya, the symbolic city of Mevlana who represents peace, brotherhood, and human values globally—we launched the first "International Religious Studies and Human Symposium" in Konya in 2013. Conducted since then as part of our strategic efforts aimed at producing knowledge, thought, and strategy to contribute to the 21st-century civilizational vision, this symposium series has earned a distinguished position among international symposiums, particularly across Turkish, European, and Middle Eastern academic communities.

As TIMAV, to enhance quality in religious education and research—which constitute our primary operational domains—to support scholarly endeavors, and to present scientific studies, the "International Religious Studies and Human Symposium" is a flagship symposium series executed with utmost sensitivity, valued for the continuity of humanity's scientific and cultural heritage, and realized to date with the participation of hundreds of academicians from dozens of countries.

The 10th edition of our symposium, conducted annually in partnership with diverse institutions, will take place on November 23-24, 2025, in Damascus / Syria under the following theme:

"Land of Peace: Bilad al-Sham
Experience of Peace and Coexistence in Islamic Civilization:
The Scientific, Ethical, and Political Heritage of Bilad al-Sham"

The finalized partner institutions for our symposium are presented below. Partnership discussions with additional institutions and organizations remain ongoing:

• Syrian Ministry of Religious Endowments (Evkaf)
• Damascus University
• Konya Metropolitan Municipality
• Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA)
• Yunus Emre Institute
• Turkish Maarif Foundation
• Turkish Airlines (THY)
• Selçuk University
• Necmettin Erbakan University
• Istanbul Medeniyet University
• Mardin Artuklu University
• Gaziantep University of Science and Technology
• Kilis 7 Aralık University
• Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan / Pakistan
• University of Tripoli / Lebanon

Sub-thematic topics of the 10th International Religious Studies and Human Symposium are presented below:

Scientific and Political Heritage of Bilad al-Sham and Its Impact on Inter-Civilizational Coexistence / Political Heritage of Bilad al-Sham and Social Struggle Tradition

• A Critical Analysis of Syria's Performance in the 1967 and 1973 Wars
• Damascus as a Political, Intellectual, and Cultural Center Between the Arab League and Islamic Unity
• French Colonialism in Syria and Post-Revolution Expectations
• The Impact of Regional and International Dynamics on the Continuity and Collapse of Dictatorship in Syria
• Damascus and Its Interaction with Regional Power Balances
• The Legal and Political Heritage of Bilad al-Sham

Scholars, Authority, and Responsibility in Bilad al-Sham

• The Concept of Legitimacy Between Scholars and the State
• Hanafi Scholars of Damascus and Their Jurisprudential Contributions
• Syrian Scholars' Stance Toward the Revolution – A Descriptive Study
• Responsibilities of Scholars Before Authority
• The Role of Religious References in Political Crises in Bilad al-Sham

Coexistence and Social Peace in Bilad al-Sham

• The Experience of Coexistence Between Muslims and Christians in Bilad al-Sham
• Ethnic Diversity in Bilad al-Sham: Historical and Sociological Dimensions
• Inter-Sectarian Dialogue and the Impact of Historical Figures on Coexistence
• The Role of Geography on Ethnic Diversity
• Refugee Experiences and Examples of Religious Solidarity
• Forms of Cultural Resistance During Times of Crisis

Cultural and Intellectual Heritage and Arts in Bilad al-Sham

• Calligraphy Art and Architecture in Bilad al-Sham
• Maqams and Vocal Arts in Religious Performances in Bilad al-Sham
• The Role of Sufism in Deepening Islamic Identity in Bilad al-Sham
• The Moderation Approach of Bilad al-Sham Salafism in Religious Understanding
• Islamic Music in Bilad al-Sham and Its Impact on Constructing Islamic Identity
• Reflections of Poets and Literati of Bilad al-Sham Past and Present

Civilizational Construction, Sustainability, and Social Crises

• Reconstructing Urban Culture in Syria – An Approach from a Civilizational Perspective
• Continuity of Jurisprudence Under Conditions of Migration and War
• Scholarly Circles (Ilim Halkalari) in Bilad al-Sham – A Holistic Model
• The Damascus Model in the Relationship Between Knowledge and Civilization
• Modernization Policies and Social Responses in 19th Century Bilad al-Sham

Bilad al-Sham During the Ottoman Period

• Social Crises (Epidemics, Droughts, Migrations) in Bilad al-Sham and Interventions of the Ottoman State
• Sharia Law, Military Structure, and Security in Damascus During the Ottoman Period
• The "Eastern Question" Project in Ottoman Policies Toward Bilad al-Sham
• Economic Life in Bilad al-Sham Under Ottoman Rule
• Religious Policies of the Ottoman State in Bilad al-Sham
• Sanctity and Governance of Jerusalem During the Ottoman Period

Source: Istanbul Medeniyet University idsb.org/r/vGXoh5 ↗