From Fragmented Identity to Sufi Essence: The Postmodern Crisis and the Synthesis of Religion and the Individual
Eskişehir Osmangazi Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi May 15, 2026 Sevda Aktulga Gürbüz
Postmodern thought fragments human identity, erodes belonging, and weakens the bond between religion and the individual by reducing truth and sacredness to relative, subjective realms. Sufism offers a holistic alternative: it views humans as manifestations of Allah's names and attributes, responsible subjects capable of moral maturity and connection with truth. Key concepts include the Perfect Human (al-insan al-kamil), purification of the soul, the unity of sharia and truth, and the Malāmatī Path, which rejects identity based on visibility and approval in favor of sincerity and inner depth. The study compares postmodern themes of subjectivity and identity with these Sufi concepts through a theoretical and comparative methodology.