In Istanbul, Turkey, a symposium is being held to mark the 550th anniversary of the death of the renowned jurist, mathematician, and astronomer Ali Qushji, known as the "Ptolemy of his time." The event is organized with the support of the Turkish Academy of Sciences, Istanbul Technical University, and the University of Culture.
The symposium is attended by Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Minister of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Turkey; Davut Gül, Governor of Istanbul Province; Muzaffer Şeker, President of the Turkish Academy of Sciences; as well as scholars conducting research related to the legacy of Ali Qushji.
Among the presenters are Firdaus Abdukhaliqov, Director of the Center for Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and Bahrom Abduhalimov, Vice President of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan.
“The language, religion, traditions, customs, and history of the Uzbek and Turkish peoples share common roots. Our cultural heritage also reveals many similarities. Thanks to the initiatives of the esteemed President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and the President of the Republic of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the friendly relations between our two nations continue to grow stronger. In particular, our cultural and educational ties are developing rapidly,” noted Firdaus Abdukhaliqov, Director of the Center for Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan and the World Society for the Study, Preservation, and Popularization of Uzbekistan’s Cultural Heritage (WOSCU).
“It is worth noting that WOSCU is conducting extensive work to study the legacy of great scholars. For instance, a facsimile copy of the manuscript Book of Fixed Stars by al-Sufi, preserved in a French library and revised and recopied at Ulugh Beg’s astronomical school, was published. Recently, our Turkish colleague, Professor Emek Üşenmez of Istanbul University, reported the discovery of a manuscript in the Turkic language authored by the son of the great scholar Ali Qushji.
We propose holding the continuation of this symposium, dedicated to the life and work of the great scholar Ali Qushji, in 2025 in Samarkand, the city where this prominent thinker was born and raised. Moreover, we plan to organize a forum for Turkish and Uzbek scholars, focusing on studying the cultural heritage of the Turkic world and the lives of its great scientists.”
The international symposium and exhibition dedicated to Ali Qushji aim to delve deeper into his work and contributions while promoting them to the broader public. The exhibition, titled From Samarkand to Istanbul: The Scientific Legacy of Ali Qushji, held at the Rami Library, features manuscripts personally written by Ali Qushji, scientific books from the 15th-16th centuries, and artifacts. This exhibition offers a closer look at the life of the great scholar.
The two-day symposium includes six sessions and is designed to further advance the study of Ali Qushji’s scientific legacy within the context of global science and Islamic civilization.