Background
Izmirli, lsmall Hakk was born in 1868 in Izmir, Turkey.
Izmirli, lsmall Hakk was born in 1868 in Izmir, Turkey.
Educated in a traditional way in madrasa. 1880-1891, in Izmir; studied at Daru-alMuallimin Aliye. 1892-1894, in Istanbul.
The collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the hegemony of Western thought in Turkey were two major determinants of Izmirli’s philosophy. He was a prominent representative of that group of intellectuals named Islamicists, and endeavoured to confront Western cultural supremacy with the power of Islamic ideas, arguing that Muslims have to develop a new science of Kalam, capable of responding to Western thought from the Islamic point of view. He was fluent in many languages including Arabic, Persian, French, Russian, Greek and Latin. Izmirli was influential in the intellectual resurgence of Islam in Turkey and his writings are important sources for the student of Islam. His book A New Science of Kalam (1923-1924) was extensively used as a textbook in the theology faculties in Turkey.