Science historian, statesman, academician, diplomat, General Secretary of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. He was born in Cairo on December 26th 1943. He is the son of Prof. Mehmet İhsan from Yozgat and Seniye Hacıoğlu from Rhodes.
İhsanoğlu, who became familiar with the
Turkish culture at a young age in the family atmosphere, did studies at the Cairo
National Library when he was a student (1962-1966) and took part in the writing
and classification of and preparation of the catalogs of the old printed books
in the Oriental Studies Department. After having completed the Faculty of
Science in Egypt at Ain Shams University, he started his academic life in the Faculty
of Science in Al-Azhar University. İhsanoğlu, who worked as a research
assistant in Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Science, and Department of
Chemistry in 1966-70, completed his master’s degree in the Department of
Organic Chemistry in 1970. He gave Turkish Language and Literature courses at
Ain Shams University in the same years. He served as a faculty member at Ankara
University, Faculty of Science in 1971-1980 and completed his doctorate studies
in 1974. He conducted postdoctoral studies as a researcher and visitor faculty
members at the University of Exeter in England in 1975-1977. He served as an
associate professor at Ankara University and Malatya İnönü University in
1978-1980. İhsanoğlu, closely interested in Western culture, was a member of
Copyright and Translation Board of the Ministry of Culture in 1974-80.
Prof. İhsanoğlu has
been specialized in a wide range of subjects including history, history of
science, art and architecture, cultural development, international and
inter-cultural relations as the intersection of his professional career and
personal interests. He was appointed to the Islamic History, Art and Culture
Research Center (IRCICA) General Directory founded in Istanbul based on the
Islamic Conference Organization (OIC) that has 57 members by the agreement of
the Turkish Government and OIC in 1980. As the founder General Director of this
Center, he created and managed research and publishing programs that constituted
the first of their field in the world and they still continue. He organized
international conferences, published review and reference books, based on the
original sources, contributed to the development of academic studies around the
world on these issues in the frame of these programs he executed in science,
art, written and architectural heritage preservation and restoration of this
heritage in Islamic civilization, the cultural and scientific activities and
works in various periods, primarily the Ottoman period, the relations between
different regions of the Islamic world in history and today, and cultural
relations with other civilizations, especially with the Western world.
In addition to these
studies, Prof. İhsanoğlu became the founding president of the Istanbul
University, Department of History of Science in 1984, Turkish History of
Science Institution in 1989; he was the president of International Union of
History and Philosophy of Science (IUHPS, Paris) in between 2001-2004 and he
received the Koyré Medal, which is the highest degree in this field and given
by the International History of Science Academy in Paris. At the same time, he
served as the Secretary of the International Commission for the Conservation of
Islamic Cultural Heritage affiliated to OIC since 1983, a member of Harvard
University (USA) Middle East Studies Center Advisory Board in 1992-1996, the
director of the project and book titled as “Islamic
Civilization in Malay World” in 1987-1997 and the editor of the publication
of UNESCO titled as Different Aspects of
Islamic Culture in 1988-2004. From 1995, he founded and directed the
history of science and technology data bank with the title OMETAR (history of
Ottoman civilization).
Prof. İhsanoğlu started to serve as the General
Secretary of OIC in January 2005 as the first General Secretary elected for OIC
where IRCICA was also affiliated as a result of the achievements he recorded
during the 24 years he spent as the General Director of IRCICA. Three years
after taking office, he was elected for this position again unanimously by the
heads of the states in Summit Conference of Islamic Countries held in March
2008 with the co-operation projects for reform and development he carried out
in the organization. The studies of İhsanoğlu have contributed significantly to
OIC to gain reputation and efficiency in the global plan and thus, the better
and more correctly recognition of the Islamic world that it represents.
İhsanoğlu voiced the problems of the Islamic world in international platforms
and worked for them to have a more prominent role. He carried out international
projects from scientific research-development, improvement of the universities
to civilization, meeting and reconciliation between religions and sects between
the countries that are members of the organization by expending the scope of
cooperation in the field of economy and trade of the member countries of the
organization.
The first literary work of İhsanoğlu is his articles
about Mehmet Akif and the translation of his poem el-Uksur’da (Al-sh'ir magazine, Cairo, April 1964).
İhsanoğlu translated the famous poem of Nazım Hikmet, Ferhat ve Şirin into Arabic and this translation was
published twice in 1969 and 1974 and staged in Cairo. The works he collected
and translated in order to present the examples of the stories of Turkish
literature to the Islamic world were published with the title Yeni Türk
Edebiyatı’ndan Hikaye Antolojisi in 1970. Many books, articles, notifications of İhsanoğlu written on
the subject of history of science, Turkish culture, the relation of the Islamic
world with the Western world and the Turkish-Arabian relations have been
published.
Prof. İhsanoğlu was given the order of merit by the
Government of the Republic of Egypt in 1990, Independence Medal of the first
degree in the name of the King of Jordan in 1996, State Distinguished Service
Medal by the President of the Republic of Turkey in 2000, the Book of the Year
Award by the President of Iran in 2000, “Ordre National du Mérite” medal by the
President of Senegal in 2002, the Medal of Honor by the President of Azerbaijan
in 2006 and Medal of Honor by the President of Russia and presented by the
President of Tatarstan the same year, Tan Sri Medal and Title by the President
of Malaysia in 2009, “Hilal of Pakistan” medal by the President of Pakistan in
2010 and the First Degree “June 27” Medal by the President of Djibouti the same
year for his services to cultural relations, science and art. In 2012, the
‘Grand Commandeur Medal’ was given to him by the President of Gabon. In
addition to these, İhsanoğlu was given the Honorary Consulate of the Republic
of Gambia in 1990 and “Ambassador at large” title by the Government of Bosnia
and Herzegovina in 1997. İhsanoğlu was also given the "Building Bridges
Award" of the Association of Muslim Social Scientists in England in 2007,
the Golden Achievement Award by the American Biography Institute in 1994, the
20th Century Achievement Award by British International Biography
Center in 1995, honor and merit certificate by the Organization of Islamic
Conference in 1995, “South-South Cooperation for the Innovation” Award by The
United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in 2008.
Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu was the member of
International Academy of the History of Science (Paris), International
Al-Furkan Muslim Heritage Consulting and Trade Rules (London), Jordan Royal
Academy of the Islamic Civilization Studies (Amman), Foundation for Middle East
and Balkan Studies (Istanbul), North America, Middle East Studies Association
(MESA, ABD), International Institute of Islamic Science and Technology (IIIST,
USA), Academy of Arabic Languages (Jordan), Academy of Arabic Languages
(Syria) in addition to his IUHPS membership, was the reporter member of the
Academy of Arabic Languages (Egypt), the permanent member of the Egyptian
Historical Society (Cairo), International Society for the History of Medicine
(Paris), Atatürk High Institution of Culture, Language and History Ataturk
Cultural Center.
WORKS:
Osmanlı Bilim
Literatürü Tarihi (19 volumes): Osmanlı
Astronomi Literatürü Tarihi (2 volumes, 1997), Osmanlı Matematik
Literatürü Tarihi (2 volumes, 1999), Osmanlı Coğrafya Literatürü Tarihi (1999),
Osmanlı Musiki Literatürü Tarihi (2 volumes, 2003), Osmanlı Askerlik
Literatürü Tarihi (2 volumes, 2004), Osmanlı Tabii ve Tatbikî Bilimler
Literatürü Tarihi (2 volumes, 2006), Osmanlı Tıbbi Bilimler Literatürü
Tarihi (4 volumes, 2008), Osmanlı Astroloji Literatürü Tarihi ve Osmanlı
Astronomi Literatürü Tarihi zeyli (1 volume, 2011), Osmanlı Bilim
Literatürü Tarihi Zeylleri (Matematik, Coğrafya, Musiki, Askerlik, Tabii ve
Tatbiki Bilimler, Tıbbi Bilimler) ve Osmanlı Mavzu’at al-Ulum Literatürü Tarihi
(1 volume, 2011), Osmanlı Bilim Literatürü Tarihi Genel İndeksi (1
volume, 2012).
OTHER WORKS: Türk Kimya Eserleri Bibliyografyası
(1985), Osmanlı İlmî ve Meslekî Cemiyetleri (1987), Başhoca İshak
Efendi/Türkiye'de Modern Bilimin Öncüsü (1989), Osmanlılar ve Batı
Teknolojisi: Yeni Araştırmalar Yeni Görüşler (1992), Transfer of Modern
Science and Technology to the Muslim World (1992), İslam Kültür
Mirasında Hat Sanatı (in Turkish, English, Arabic, Malay and Japanese,
1992), Çağını Yakalayan Osmanlı: Osmanlı Devletinde Modern Haberleşme ve
Ulaştırma Teknikleri (With Mustafa
Kaçar, 1994), Büyük Cihad'dan Frenk Fodulluğuna (1996), Osmanlı
Devleti ve Medeniyeti Tarihi (Turkish, 1994-1998), (Arabic, 1999),
(English, 2001-2002), (Bosnian, 2004-2008), (Russian, 2006) (Albanian,
2009), Suriye'de Modern Osmanlı Sağlık Müesseseleri, Hastahaneler ve Şam Tıp
Fakültesi (1999), The West and Islam (Towards a Dialogue) (1999),
The Different Aspects of Islamic Culture, Volume Five: Culture and Learning in
Islam (as the editor in chief, Paris, UNESCO, 2003), Science, Technology
and Learning in the Ottoman Empire: Western Influence, Local Institutions, and
the Transfer of Knowledge (Oxon, Ashgate, 2003), Türkiye’nin Bilim ve
Teknoloji Politikaları: Cumhuriyetin 80. Yılında Toplu Bakış (İstanbul,
Türk Bilim Tarihi Kurumu, 2005), Mısır’da Türkler ve Kültürel Mirasları:
Mehmed Ali Paşa’dan Günümüze Basılı Türk Kültürü Bibliyografyası ve Bir
Değerlendirme (Istanbul, IRCICA, 2006), Darülfünun: Osmanlı’da kültürel
modernleşmenin odağı (Istanbul, IRCICA, 2008), Süllemü’l-vusul ila
tabakati’l-fuhul, Katip Çelebi (6 volumes, 2010), The Islamic World in
the New Century The Organization of Islamic Conference 1969-2009 (New York,
London, Columbia/Hurst, 2010).
REFERENCE: Beşir Ayvazoğlu / Bir Bilim Adamının Romana Benzer Hayatı:
Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu / Defterimde Kırk Suret (s.147-151, 3. bas. 1999), İhsan Işık / Türkiye Yazarlar
Ansiklopedisi (2001, 2004) – Encyclopedia of Turkish Authors (2005) - Resimli
ve Metin Örnekli Türkiye Edebiyatçılar ve Kültür Adamları Ansiklopedisi (2006,
gen. 2. bas. 2007) – Ünlü Bilim Adamları (Türkiye Ünlüleri Ansiklopedisi, C. 2,
2013) - Encyclopedia of Turkey’s Famous People (2013). 75. Yılında Atatürk Kültür
Merkezi (s. 71-73), TDOE –TDE Ansiklopedisi c. 5, 2005), Essays in honour of
Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu (Biography, bibliography and recollection about İhsanoğlu
compiled by Abdullah Topaloğlu, IRCICA, 2006).
