Mr. GASPIRALI ISMAIL’S (1851-1914) RELATIONSHIPS WITH KAZAN INTELLECTUALS

Abstract

In the 19th century, when the situation of the Islamic world against the rise of the modernized West was evaluated, there was a recession in all areas. In this period, especially the intellectuals who met the West and were influenced by the enlightenment movement needed to try new methods in various areas of social life and to overcome desperation of that period. Cedidçilik is an enlightenment movement emerged among Russian Muslims with reference to such a need. Cedidçilik movement, especially in education field, started under the guidance of Mr. İsmail Gaspıralı and is mentioned with his methods and implementations.
Mr. İsmail Gaspıralı cognized cultural values of east and west worlds and, with an indigenous thought, became the launcher of educational and cultural lunge that was going to conduce to awakening of Muslim Turks in Russia. His “unity in language, idea, and act” principle broadened an important horizon that maintains its effect, and validity till nowadays.
There were famous names among important intellectuals of Cedidçilik Movement such as Abdülnâsır Kursavî, İbrahim Halfin, Şahabeddin Mercâni, Kayyum Nâsıri, Hüseyin Feyizhâni, Rızaeddin Fahreddin, Alimcan Barûdi, Musa Carullah that some of them taught in Kazan University and Madrasahs. Cedidçilik was not such a movement that provided a consensus among all intellectuals, but they were aware of problems with the reference to the fact that Islamic World was regressed. It was, maybe, the only matter provided consensus that conception of innovation in education requirement with the reference to “Usûl-i Cedid” (Cedid Method) idea of Mr. İsmail Gaspıralı. As an intellectual representing educational aspect of Cedidçilik Movement, Mr. İsmail Gaspıralı had effects on these intellectuals.