AHMET VURAL

Ahmet Vural serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Basic Islamic Sciences at Nigde Omer Halisdemir University's Faculty of Islamic Sciences, specializing in Sufism. He has held progressively senior positions since 2019, including Research Assistant (2019-2022), Doctor Lecturer (2022-2025), and current Associate Professor (2025-). He concurrently holds significant administrative roles as Vice Dean and Head of the Department of Sufism.

Education:

• Licence in Political Science (2023-): Istanbul University, Faculty of Open and Distance Education
• Licence in Sociology (2019-2024): Atatürk University, Faculty of Open and Distance Education
• Doctorate in Sufism (2017-2021): Ankara University, Institute of Social Sciences; Thesis: "Tahiru'l-Mevlevi and his understanding of Sufism"
• Master's in Fundamental Islamic Sciences (2015-2017): Gumushane University; Thesis: "The life of Hocazâde Muhammed Râsim Efendi..."
• Bachelor's in Theology (2008-2012): Ankara University, Faculty of Theology

Research Focus: Vural's scholarship centers on Sufism with expertise in historical analysis of Sufi orders, critical manuscript studies, and Sufi literary traditions. His work examines Anatolian and Maghrebi Sufism through figures like Tahir al-Mawlawi and Ahmed Yesevi, emphasizing sayr u suluk (spiritual journey) and futuwwa (Sufi chivalry) within Islamic intellectual history. His methodological approach combines philological rigor with contextual theological analysis.

Publication Trends: His 2018-2023 publications reveal consistent engagement with Sufi textual heritage, particularly critical editions of manuscripts and interdisciplinary analyses bridging religious studies, history, and literary criticism. A dominant thread connects Sufi concepts to contemporary societal issues, while regional studies of Turkish and North African Sufism form distinct thematic clusters.

Academic Leadership: Vural has supervised four master's theses on Sufism in religious guidance, poetic expression, and media representation. His project portfolio includes "Answers to Theodicy and Deism from the Quran" (2023-2024) and "Maghrebi Sufi Licai and His World of Thought" (2022-2023), demonstrating sustained research funding in Quranic interpretation and Maghrebi Sufi traditions.