The notion of experience\, in its manifold expressions\, occupies a central position in both the phenomenological tradition and diverse strands of Islamic thought. \;
\nIn phenomenology\, experience lies at the heart of an approach that resists the separation of reality from its original givenness. It denotes the primary\, concrete relation through which phenomena manifest themselves and acquire meaning&mdash\;a dynamic that Husserl captures through the notion of lived experience (Erlebnis). The phenomenological return &ldquo\;to the things themselves&rdquo\; thus entails suspending the assumptions of the natural attitude and stepping back from theoretical constructions to retrieve how the world is actually lived and disclosed. Experience\, therefore\, becomes the vantage point from which phenomenology seeks to grasp the meaning of reality. This primacy demands a radical departure from a purely theoretical relation to truth: truth is no longer merely something to be known and articulated\, but rather something to be experienced\, appropriated\, and lived within one&rsquo\;s own existence.
\nIslamic thought likewise accords decisive weight to experience in its multiple forms. As Muhammad Iqbal observed\, the Qur&rsquo\;an repeatedly calls for attentive observation of the world in order to discern divine signs within concrete realities&mdash\;from the bee&rsquo\;s construction of its hive to the movement of the winds. This centrality of experience is particularly evident in Sufism\, which centers on \;dhawq \;(spiritual tasting) and \;mushāhada \;(contemplation)\, without reducing these to mere subjective or irrational forms of knowledge. The concept also looms large in Islamic philosophy\, where rational truth demands personal realization\, notably through \;tajriba \;(experiential knowledge) and \;taḥqīq(verification through direct experience). In kalâ\;m\, sensory experience serves as an essential point of departure for arguments about the existence of God\, grounded in the sensory apprehension of phenomena such as motion\, change\, and temporality. Nor should the role of experience in Islamic law be overlooked: ritual practice involves a direct\, embodied experience of norms and the divine\, while legal reasoning must continually engage with concrete\, lived situations that\, to some extent\, exceed the abstract categories through which they are conceptualized.
\nThe aim of this conference is not merely to draw superficial comparisons or identify commonalities\, but to treat these affinities as an opportunity for mutual enrichment. On the one hand\, certain dimensions of contemporary Islamic thought risk becoming disconnected from the lived experience of believers&mdash\;whether in philosophy and theology\, where doctrines may drift from the lifeworld in which they are meant to find meaning\, or in law\, which continually faces the threat of formalization. Here\, phenomenology offers tools to interrogate this tendency toward idealization\, examining how truths and norms might remain anchored in the lived experience of those who receive and enact them. Conversely\, Islamic thought can stimulate phenomenological discourse by presenting it with objects that\, while new\, are not entirely foreign. Although often framed as radically other\, the Islamic tradition remains geographically\, historically\, theologically\, and intellectually proximate to European thought. It can thus offer experiences and categories capable of expanding phenomenology&rsquo\;s horizon\, just as phenomenology can contribute to a renewed examination of the relationship between Islamic concepts and lived reality.
\nThe conference will be held in Istanbul. Prospective participants are invited to submit abstracts of up to 700 words to: sylvain.camilleri@uclouvain.be and svarlik@29mayis.edu.tr.
\nSylvain Camilleri
\nCatholic University of Louvain
\nSelami Varlik
\nIstanbul 29 Mayis University
ORGANIZER;CN=Selami Varlik;CN=Sylvain Camilleri: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR