In the talk titled “Criticism Culture in Islam: The Example of the Prophet Muhammad and the Companions”, delivered by our Head of Department, Prof. Dr. İhsan Arslan, the human aspect of the Prophet Muhammad and the foundations of criticism culture in Islam were discussed. It was emphasized that the Prophet Muhammad did not possess any supernatural or divine powers and was not an angel, but rather a human being sharing the same biological and physiological characteristics as other people. It was also stated that in situations where no explicit ruling was present, he acted based on his own judgment; however, when his preferences did not align with the divine will, he was corrected through revelation. During the talk, it was highlighted that the Prophet maintained close interaction with the society in which he lived and served as an exemplary role model. It was further noted that, as a result of certain mistakes made by Muslims in daily life, sometimes verses were revealed and at other times these incidents became the subject of hadiths. In this context, it was stated that the Prophet’s attitude toward the actions of the Companions provides Muslims with an important perspective for understanding and evaluation. Furthermore, the Companions’ ability to object to some of the Prophet’s practices and to express their views openly demonstrates that freedom of thought and expression in Islam is grounded on strong foundations. The talk concluded with a question-and-answer session.
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