A commemorative program in Cizre, southeastern Türkiye, brought together scholars, academics and community representatives to celebrate the legacy of Melayê Cizîrî, highlighting his contributions to Islamic scholarship, Sufism and literature and the importance of passing his teachings on to future generations.

The second annual commemorative event, organized by Banga Heq Magazine under the theme “From Dream to Reality: Melayê Cizîrî’s Call to Contemporary Man,” was held in the courtyard of the historic Red Madrasa (Kırmızı Medrese) in the Cizre district of Şırnak province.

The program drew academics from Şırnak University and Mardin Artuklu University, scholars from İttihadul Ulema, representatives of political parties and civil society organizations, opinion leaders and a large number of local residents.

Throughout the day, speakers reflected on Melayê Cizîrî’s life, scholarship, literary works and spiritual teachings, emphasizing their relevance to contemporary society. They also stressed the importance of preserving the region’s rich Islamic intellectual heritage and introducing younger generations to the scholars who helped shape its religious and cultural identity.

Participants said Melayê Cizîrî should not be remembered merely as a figure from the past, but as a great Islamic scholar whose works and spiritual insights continue to offer guidance today.

‘Introducing Melayê Cizîrî to younger generations is a beautiful thing’

Researcher, historian and writer Abdullah Yaşın underlined the importance of commemorating Melayê Cizîrî and keeping his literary legacy alive.

Recalling a similar event organized by Banga Heq the previous year in honor of Ahmed el-Cezerî, Yaşın said such initiatives were important for Cizre and the wider eastern and southeastern regions of Türkiye.

“Last year around this same time, Banga Heq organized a commemorative program for Ahmed el-Cezerî. It was very well received. Holding such a program again this year is very important for Cizre and for the entire people of the East and Southeast,” he said.

“Remembering Sheikh Ahmed el-Cezerî so that he is not forgotten, drawing attention to his diwan and introducing him to younger generations is a very beautiful thing.”

Yaşın congratulated the organizers, emphasizing the value of keeping the works of prominent scholars alive and ensuring that younger generations become familiar with their contributions.

‘For more than 40 years, they have tried to destroy knowledge and wisdom’

Sabğatullah Anmal, chairman of the Şırnak branch of Sağlık-Sen, described the event as an important effort to reconnect the region with its scholarly and spiritual heritage.

“Such programs are very important for us. For more than 40 years, they have done everything in their power to strip this region of its values and destroy its tradition of knowledge and wisdom. But, praise be to Allah, they have not succeeded,” Anmal said.

He praised Banga Heq Magazine for organizing the gathering, stressing that reviving the region’s intellectual heritage would contribute not only to local development but also to its influence beyond Türkiye.

“Reviving knowledge and wisdom in our region means developing our society. It can also help our region make its voice heard across the world,” he said, urging the public to support such initiatives and ensure they continue.

Anmal also emphasized the importance of introducing Melayê Cizîrî’s works, particularly his diwan, a collection of poetry, to children and young people.

“It is not enough simply to read about Ahmed el-Cezerî in books. He needs to be remembered at events like this,” he said.

“Our responsibility is to introduce Ahmed el-Cezerî to younger generations and help them develop a love for his diwan. His qasidas have been recited in homes for generations, and we must ensure that our children become familiar with these poems once again.”

He said passing this literary and scholarly heritage on to future generations was a shared responsibility.

‘Melayê Cizîrî can help us understand our past and illuminate our future’

Aleyna Müjde, another participant, described Melayê Cizîrî as one of the region’s most distinguished scholars, whose legacy remains important for understanding the past and guiding future generations.

“Today, we are attending a commemorative program for Melayê Cizîrî, one of the most valuable figures in our history and one of our great scholars. He is extremely important both for understanding our past and for illuminating our future,” she said.

Müjde thanked the organizers and highlighted one of the key lessons discussed during the program: the importance of personal development and using knowledge to benefit society.

She noted that Melayê Cizîrî had continued to deepen his knowledge even after completing his education, going on to enlighten those around him and contribute to the education of others.

“The most important point was that a person must first develop and correct himself, and then be useful to society,” she said, adding that the scholars who addressed the gathering had conveyed this message effectively.

‘Such programs are vital for our children’

Muhammed Edip Ataç emphasized the importance of commemorative events in educating younger generations and strengthening their connection with the region’s Islamic heritage.

“We are very happy to have taken part in this program commemorating Melayê Cizîrî. Organizing such events is particularly important for our children, who are the guarantee of our future,” Ataç said.

He recalled the historic role of madrasas in educating generations of Islamic scholars and welcomed what he described as a recent increase in the number of madrasa scholars.

“May Allah be pleased with everyone who organized such a meaningful program,” he added.

The event highlighted the enduring importance of Melayê Cizîrî’s scholarly and literary legacy, with participants calling for greater efforts to preserve his works, promote the tradition of Islamic learning and introduce younger generations to the region’s eminent scholars.

They stressed that keeping this heritage alive would help strengthen the connection between the region’s rich intellectual past and its future. (ILKHA)