Nation, national culture and national sanctity in the thinking of Nurettin Topçu

This study is a qualitative research, and it is formed by limiting and examining documents containing the concepts and terms related to the subject in the theoretical framework. Our research examines what the concepts of "nation" and "national sacrament" mean according to Nurettin Topçu and how the individuals of the Turkish nation should proceed by drawing a path. Topçu places the culture -values of Turkish national culture- in the concept of "national sacrament". In this context, the concept of "culture" and parallel to this concept the concept of "civilization" were investigated. Meanings of concepts of "nation", "culture" and "civilization" as indicated by different thinkers, the relationship of religion with these concepts, and the changing aspects of these concepts in the direction of modernity were also examined. In the context of Nurettin Topçu, the importance of unchanging elements such as religion, language, genealogy, history and culture which are the values that keep the nation alive have been put forward in terms of ensuring national sacredness. The importance of not imitating values –especially Western imitation- such as science, philosophy, art and morality which constitutes the identity of a nation, and preserving these values in line with its own past were evaluated in terms of development and progress. Especially the fact that spiritual part of Islam and its side that gives strength to the nation are at the central point in defining the Turkish nation and culture according to Topçu was explained by giving examples from history. Keywords: Nation, Culture, National Culture, Civilization, National Sanctity