Asst. Prof. Selim ARGUN

Born in Düzce in 1971, Selim Argun became a hafiz, started the Imam-Hatip High School in Bolu, and graduated in Istanbul. After studying for a year at the Faculty of Theology at Selçuk University, he voluntarily suspended his studies, attended The Islamic University of al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, and graduated with honors from the Faculty of Da'wah and Usul al-Din. He received his master’s degree from the University of Johannesburg in Johannesburg, the Republic of South Africa. He completed his thesis titled “The Life and Contribution of the Osmanlı Scholar, Abu Bakr Effendi to Islamic Thought and Culture in South Africa” with the degree of magna cum laude, which was about the fiqh scholar who was sent to Cape Town in the 19^th century by the Ottomans. He established the language school named “Language Center International” in Johannesburg while he lived in South Africa and provided many young people from our country the opportunity to learn English on suitable terms. He received his PhD from McGill University in Montréal, Canada in 2013 with the thesis titled “Elite Configurations and Clusters of Power: Ulema, Waqf and Ottoman State (1789-1839)” During his PhD, he taught at the Institute of Islamic Sciences at the same university. In addition to his scientific studies, he served as a board member of The Muslim Council of Montreal and he also volunteered for many non-governmental organizations which served our national presence there. After many years abroad, he returned to Turkey in 2013 and was appointed as an assistant professor in the Department of Islamic History and Arts in Istanbul University Faculty of Theology. In addition to his academic studies, he carried out duties as a board member of the Overseas Citizens Advisory Board of the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities, and for the last three years as the Coordinator of the Istanbul Workgroup under the General Directorate of Foreign Relations of the Presidency Religious Affairs. He was appointed as the General Director of Foreign Relations of the Presidency of Religious Affairs on 13 June 2017, and as the Vice President of Religious Affairs on 4 October 2017. Argun is fluent in English, Arabic and French, and he is married, and father of one child. He is also certified diver and an amateur ney (reed flute) player.

Some of his publications:

Argun S., Ed., "Osmanlı Yönetiminde Arap Coğrafyası: Sosyal, Siyasi ve İdari Yapı", Ensar Nesriyat, İSTANBUL, 2016.

Argun S., "Elite Configurations and Clusters of Power: The Ulema, Waqf and Ottoman State 1789-1839", Gravity International Print and Design, Johannesburg, 2014.

Argun S., "Günümüz STK'ları ve Osmanlı Vakıf Sistemi: Mukayese ve Değerlendirme", Vakıf ve İktisat, Kurtoğlu, M., Ed., Vakıflar Genel Müdürlüğü Kültür Yayınları, Ankara, ss.183-186, 2014.

Argun S.,"Black Pearl White Tulip: A History of Ottoman Africa Siyah İnci Beyaz Lale; Afrika’da Osmanlı Asırları." Ed. Şakir Batmaz, Kenz Yayınları 2013.

Argun S., Ed., "İlkokul 1. ve 2. Sınıflar İçin Din Dersi Kitabı", İnsanlığa Hizmet Vakfı Yayınları, İSTANBUL, 1998.

Argun S., Ed., "Medine Rehberi", Mektebet eş-Şüheda, 1997.

Argun S., Ed., "İnsan Ve Çevre", İnsanlığa Hizmet Vakfı, İSTANBUL, 1992.

Argun S., "İslam Dünyasının Geleceği", Diyanet Aylık Dergi, ss.26-29, 2016.

Argun S., "Peygamber Mirası Vakıflar", Derin Tarih, ss.102-107, İSTANBUL 2016.

Argun S., "Güney Afrika’da Bir Osmanlı Alimi: Ebu Bekir Efendi (1835-1880)", Kampüsten Dünyaya, ss.64-69, 2011.

Scientific Congresses / Symposiums and Scientific Meetings Attended

“et-Ta'lîm el-Âlî fî Turkiya: el-Furas wa et-Tahaddiyyât”, Nawâkshût, Mauritania April 2015

“New Strategies for the New Era: Rethinking the Charitable Endowments” International Symposium, Masqat, Amman April 2015

European Fatwa and Research Council Meeting: The Culture of Living Together, Istanbul, October 2015

Sudanese – Turkish Universities International Collaboration Forum and Education Fair, Al-Khartûm, Sudan January 2015

Charity and Human Psychology: An Alternative Reading.” Toronto, Canada September 2015

“Unity in Multiplicity: Rethinking ‘Wisdom and Peace’ Together, 1st Asia-Pacific Countries Muslim Religious Leaders’ Summit”, Istanbul, October 2015

G20 Summit Interfaith Summit "Poverty Alleviation and Religion", Istanbul, November 2015

Symposium on Waqf Week ‘Waqf and Economics’, Ankara, May 2014

“Religious Publications in Foreign Languages and Dialects Workshop”, Sakarya, September 2014

Border in the Capital, Capital by the Border, May 2014

Process of Istanbul in Education, December 2014

1st Consultation Meeting for Scholarship Process for Turkey Bursars, İstanbul, October 2014.

6th International Symposium on Terrorism and Transnational Crimes, Antalya, December 2014

1st Summit of Latin American Muslim Religious Leaders, November 2014

International Benchmarking Project: Waqf Management and Development: The Turkish Experience FSM Vakıf University , Istanbul, June 2014

Ulema Families and Elitification in the Ottomans during the Modernization Period, İstanbul, February 2014

Diyarbakir and Its Vicinity in the First Century of the Islamic History, Diyarbakır, June 2014

Religion, Secularism, and Humanitarianism: Exploring Differences, Boundaries, and Connections, Geneva, Switzerland, October 2009.