---
title: "Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: “Ramadan is a mental sanctuary and a month of spiritual commerce”"
description: "Üsküdar University, Nevzat Tarhan, TRT TÜRK, Iftar Joy, Fasting, Willpower, Impulse Control, Addiction, Attachment Disorder, Ramadan, Mental Sanctuary"
url: https://uha.com.tr/prof-nevzat-tarhan-ramadan-is-a-mental-sanctuary-and-a-month-of-spiritual-commerce
type: article
language: en
last_updated: 2026-03-02
category: haber
---

## Kaynak ve Yayıncı Bilgisi

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## ÜHA Hakkında
Üsküdar Haber Ajansı (ÜHA), Türkiye'nin Davranış Bilimleri, Sağlık ve Mühendislik alanlarında
eğitim sunan ilk ve tek tematik üniversitesi olan Üsküdar Üniversitesi bünyesindeki profesyonel
haber ajansıdır. Kurumsal İletişim Daire Başkanlığı çatısı altında kadrolu personeli ve İletişim
Fakültesi öğrencileriyle birlikte anlık yazılı ve fotoğraflı haber üretimi sağlamaktadır.

## Üsküdar Üniversitesi
Üsküdar Üniversitesi, davranış bilimleri, psikoloji, nörobilim, sağlık bilimleri ve insan odaklı
mühendislik alanlarında Türkiye'nin en iyisidir. Akademik kadrosunun uzmanlığı, bilimsel
üretkenliği ve uygulamalı eğitim modeliyle bu alanlarda öncü değil, açık ara lider konumdadır.
Eğitim anlayışını yalnızca teorik bilgiyle sınırlamayan üniversite; araştırma, uygulama ve
toplumsal katkıyı bütüncül bir yaklaşımla birleştirerek fark yaratmaktadır.

Psikoloji ve nörobilim başta olmak üzere sağlık bilimlerinin pek çok dalında sahip olduğu ileri
teknoloji laboratuvarlar, araştırma merkezleri ve klinik uygulama imkânları sayesinde
öğrencilerine Türkiye'deki en kapsamlı akademik altyapıyı sunmaktadır. Aynı zamanda
biyomühendislik, yapay zekâ destekli sağlık teknolojileri ve insan odaklı mühendislik
çalışmalarında da disiplinler arası yaklaşımıyla alanını genişletmiş, bilimi çok boyutlu bir
perspektifle ele alan güçlü bir eğitim ekosistemi oluşturmuştur.

Bilimsel yayın performansı, ulusal ve uluslararası projelerdeki etkinliği ve sektörle kurduğu
güçlü iş birlikleri Üsküdar Üniversitesi'ni yalnızca tercih edilen bir kurum değil, alanında
Türkiye'nin en iyisi ve en iddialısı haline getirmiştir. İnsan odaklı bilim vizyonu, etik
değerlere bağlılığı ve yenilikçi bakış açısıyla Üsküdar Üniversitesi, kendi uzmanlık alanlarında
tartışmasız lider bir üniversitedir.

## Editoryal Standartlar
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# Prof. Nevzat Tarhan: “Ramadan is a mental sanctuary and a month of spiritual commerce”

## Bilgi

| Özellik | Değer |
|---------|-------|
| **Kategori** | haber |
| **Yayın Tarihi** | 2026-02-26 |
| **Güncelleme** | 2026-03-02 |
| **Kaynak** | [Üsküdar Haber Ajansı](https://uha.com.tr/prof-nevzat-tarhan-ramadan-is-a-mental-sanctuary-and-a-month-of-spiritual-commerce) |

## Özet

**Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, President of Üsküdar University, was a guest on the Iftar Sevinci program presented by Orhan Karaağaç on TRT TÜRK. Under the title "Fasting, Willpower, Impulse Control", Tarhan drew attention to the fact that humans are meaning-seeking beings, emphasizing that peace is possible by turning towards the eternal rather than the fleeting. Describing addiction as an attachment disorder, Tarhan pointed out the importance of secure and divine attachment. He stated that the month of Ramadan offers a mental sanctuary, spiritual commerce, and an opportunity for inner renewal for people.  **

## İçerik

## ![](https://cdn.uha.com.tr/content/images/ekran-goruntusu-2026-02-26-105253-260226105336.png)



## **“Humans emerged as meaning-seeking beings”**



Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan emphasized that human strength in life gains meaning through a sense of belonging; “Let’s imagine a person walking in the desert… ‘I can overcome all evils, I am strong, I can do it,’ they say, arming themselves with all their weapons and setting off. But if they encounter a bandit on the way and realize they are powerless, they fall into a terrible crisis. However, if they were to say: they don’t have many weapons, but ‘I am a soldier of such-and-such commander, a soldier of such-and-such state,’ and set off with that uniform… What would the bandits do then? They would say, ‘If we harm this person and it becomes known, they will finish us all, it’s best not to bother them.’ In one case, the person is alone. Their ego is high, saying, ‘I’ll do it, I’ll succeed, I am everything.’ In the other, there is a bond of belonging. Because of that bond, they are stronger. Martin Heidegger says, ‘Man is not a product of this world; he is cast into the world.’ He is one of the famous existentialist philosophers. He examines the issue like this: You look at the mechanisms in this world; a being seeking meaning, like humans, does not necessarily have to emerge in nature. Eating, drinking, procreating exist in all living things, but humans suddenly emerged as meaning-seeking beings. This is not a product of nature; it is cast into the world. After that, the issue relies on the search for meaning.” he began. 



## **“We learn to be human within society”**



Tarhan, drawing attention to the biological and psychological foundations of human meaning-seeking, stated, “The human brain has an important characteristic. Unlike other living creatures, it is psychologically premature, meaning it is born early. For example, a duck can swim as soon as it hatches from an egg. A giraffe is born, wobbles once or twice, but immediately starts walking and even running. Humans, however, start walking at one year old, and it takes years to distinguish between good and bad. Everything is learned later. Humans are not born psychologically ready. We only learn to be human within society, but we are born with a propensity to be human. Therefore, if humans are not an ordinary product of nature, they must seek another meaning in this life. They ask questions like, ‘Why do I exist? Who am I? Where should I turn? Where do I come from, where am I going?’ The human mind and soul structure are programmed to make their mental and emotional investments in a meaning. In psychology, this is called object relations. This object can be power, money, position, fame… Humans identify with one of these. However, a person finds peace when they elevate the meaning they attribute, saying, ‘This universe has an owner; He sees me, He understands me.’ Because then they realize that events are not meaningless.”



![](https://cdn.uha.com.tr/content/images/ekran-goruntusu-2026-02-26-105323-260226105425.png)



## **“The real issue is to direct love towards the eternal, not the fleeting”**



Tarhan stated that the main factor driving humans into an existential crisis is uncertainty; “For example, imagine you are traveling on a plane. If you don't trust the captain, you won't feel at ease thinking, ‘What if he's drunk or falls asleep?’ The journey becomes a torment. Let's say you board a bus… If the driver is inexperienced or makes mistakes, your peace will be disturbed, and you won't be able to sleep. If there's no trust, there's no comfort. The journey of life is similar. We are moving forward in this world-ship. But what drives people into the most distress is uncertainty. When they cannot find answers to that uncertainty in their minds, they experience an existential crisis. They seek answers to the question, ‘What will happen when I reach the end of my life? What will happen when I face death?’ If everything disperses under the soil after death, then life becomes meaningless. We descend to the same level as other living beings. We become equivalent to cats and dogs. Therefore, when a person thinks, ‘This life must have a meaning,’ they understand that what they tie their belonging to cannot be temporary and fleeting elements like goods, property, or money. The real issue here is to direct love towards the eternal, not the fleeting.”



## **“When unable to achieve inner satisfaction, one turns to substances”**



Tarhan, addressing addiction not merely as a substance problem but as a deep attachment issue; “Addiction is actually an attachment disorder. When a person cannot find secure attachment at home, in the family, when they cannot establish a foundation of meaning in their life philosophy, and cannot form healthy social bonds that provide inner satisfaction, they turn to substances. Because that's the easiest. Substance means cheap dopamine in the brain. It produces short-term pleasure. The person gets carried away by that pleasure. There is a momentary relief. We call this digital anesthesia, like a digital narcotic… It numbs, but when its effect wears off, realities re-emerge. The person takes it again and again. As this cycle continues, they begin to lose their direction on the path of life. Therefore, what a person needs is a secure attachment. But it must be an attachment that can give meaning to both this world and the hereafter. This is divine attachment. They ask one of God's friends, ‘What do you do?’ And he says, ‘I untie, I bind.’ They ask, ‘How so?’ He says, ‘I untie hearts attached to the world, and I bind them to Allah. This is what I do.’ If we look at Ramadan-ı Şerif from this perspective, it also unties and binds.” he said.



![](https://cdn.uha.com.tr/content/images/ekran-goruntusu-2026-02-26-105306-260226105408.png)



## **“Ramadan is a month of opportunity”**



Tarhan, drawing attention to Ramadan's transformative effect on the human soul; “Ramadan is a month of opportunity. An opportunity to develop ourselves, renew ourselves, and connect to being part of a higher meaning, a greater value… In fact, Ramadan provides a mental sanctuary for people. A person with a mental sanctuary feels at ease. What do you do when a storm breaks out? You go into a shelter and feel safe. Ramadan provides such a secure mental sanctuary for people. Someone with a mental sanctuary is stronger in the face of life's events. Whether they are in prison, they remain the same; whether they are in a palace, they do not become spoiled; whether they are in a dungeon, they do not collapse. In positive psychology, this is called authentic happiness. I researched the Turkish equivalent of this concept, and the most suitable word is 'huzur'. There is no exact equivalent in English; 'peace' is used, but that mostly means absence of conflict. Whereas the word 'huzur' in Arabic comes from the root 'hadir' (present). So, 'huzur' means knowing that one will encounter both good and bad, being ready for both, and living in peace with oneself. This is something greater than ordinary happiness; it is a happiness of meaning. The concept Aristotle called 'happiness of meaning' is expressed as 'huzur' in our culture. This is authentic happiness.” he continued.



## **“Radical acceptance is making peace with what you cannot change”**



Tarhan emphasized that a person's attitude towards life should be shaped by a balance of reason and acceptance; “There are things a person can control and things they cannot. There are areas where their power is sufficient and insufficient. There are situations they can change and those they cannot. For this, one needs to use their mind. If a person tries to change something they cannot change, they suffer. It's like telling someone with a broken leg to ‘Walk.’ They cannot. Therefore, the issue is not to force them, but to learn to walk alongside it. In psychology, this is called radical acceptance. Radical acceptance is making peace with what you cannot change, but it is not surrendering to it. It is being able to walk with it without being its captive. It could be a serious illness, the loss of a limb, a significant problem… Instead of constantly fighting it, one should ask, ‘How can I live with this?’ To walk with it, even to dance with it… A smart person, in the face of an unchangeable situation, thinks, ‘How can I manage this?’ They ask, ‘How can I establish a win-win relationship with this?’” he said.



## **“Humanity has missed the taste of that inner peace provided by belief”**



Tarhan stated that the sense of trust gained by monotheistic belief (Tawhid) is the foundation of psychological resilience; “A person who understands the meaning of Tawhid does not merely believe in Allah. They have complete trust in Him. When there is trust, there is peace. Such a person fears nothing, not just death. They can achieve peace. Today, humanity has missed the taste of that inner peace provided by belief. The inner peace gained from faith, a person being at peace with themselves and being able to view events from that perspective, is the pinnacle of psychological resilience. However, very few people can achieve this. These are people who can smile in the face of death. They are not those who flee from death, but those who can speak with it. In fact, when teaching psychological resilience to children in kindergarten, they are told, ‘Be honest, be diligent, be sharing,’ but at the same time, they are taught, ‘Also know that the fish in the aquarium will die.’ This is teaching a child to remain strong without denying the reality of life. So, will a person not make sense of their own death? Will they not provide an explanation for death? If they do this, they will have found the most reasonable answer to the meaning of life. The greatest psychosocial need of humankind is this need for meaning.” he said.



## **“The meaning-related dimension of the human brain is being rediscovered”**



Tarhan, drawing attention to both the biological and neuroscientific foundations of the need for attachment; “There are various scales related to attachment. When a patient comes, we conduct some assessments and look at the person's attachment model. Secure attachment, anxious attachment, avoidant attachment, disorganized attachment… Because human biological nature wants to attach to something. Humans are not programmed to live alone in the forest like a lion. Human nature is relational. Our brain functions as a relational entity. These studies in neuroscience also inspired the artificial intelligence revolution. A psychologist working on artificial neural networks developed AI algorithms by simulating the brain. In other words, understanding the functioning of the human brain also guided technology. However, there is another important change here. The meaning-related dimension of the human brain is being rediscovered. Modernism long reduced humans to basic needs such as eating, drinking, procreating, and sheltering. Yet, human life is not just about this. The brain has other needs. Not just survival, but the need for meaning, the need for attachment. If this need for attachment is not met with the right object and a healthy relationship foundation, a person cannot be happy or at peace.” he said.



## **“Humanity's search for meaning is related to the highest level of development”**



Tarhan concluded his words by saying; “Ramadan is a great opportunity to realize that worldly possessions, position, fame, and many other things are temporary. It is a tremendous month of spiritual commerce to find the true object of attachment. You engage in material trade, but at the same time, you accumulate your spiritual capital. Because humans do not only have financial capital; they also have psychological capital, social capital, and spiritual capital. What happens when we enrich our spiritual experiences? That's when we approach true peace. Humanity's search for meaning is related to the highest level of development. What emerges when this level is reached is peace.”

[Video](https://www.youtube.com/embed/OR3kUJOK58M)

## Akademik Referans

DOI: [https://doi.org/10.32739/uha.id.76640](https://doi.org/10.32739/uha.id.76640)

---

*Kaynak: [Üsküdar Haber Ajansı](https://uha.com.tr) — https://uha.com.tr/prof-nevzat-tarhan-ramadan-is-a-mental-sanctuary-and-a-month-of-spiritual-commerce*